Le Contesse

The name Le Contesse derives from the Countesses Tiepolo of Venice, who once owned the first vineyard of Loris Bonotto, owner of Le Contesse. 

Count wine from Le Contesse

His family has been involved in viticulture for a long time, their roots can be traced back to 1300 in the Republic of Venice. In 1600 they acquired their first piece of land. For a long time the family produced wine only for their own consumption and for some pubs in Venice. Loris Bonotto was born just a few hours after the harvest and grew up on the estate, to which he anecdotally attributes his passion for wine. His father bought him the land that would be the namesake of Le Contesse .

Le Contesse winery and the Bellusera stars

in 1976 Loris and his wife openedLe Contesse, whose vineyards are planted mainly with Glera. The old Bellusera method from the 19th century is used. Typically, the vines are laid out at a height of 4 meters in six directions, and then each is braced with wire across the straight and diagonal lines so that they spread out in a star shape, forming a pattern of triangles and rhomboids from above. Besides Glera, there are also the grape varieties

• Verdisio
• Perera and
• Bianchetta

can also be found at Le Contesse, which are grown as a harmonious complement to Glera. A total of 155 hectares of vineyards in 8 municipalities around Conegliano now belong to Le Contesse.

The technique of Le Contesse

Loris has a fascination for technology and machinery. If he had not become a winemaker, he would probably have completed an apprenticeship as a mechanic. His enthusiasm ensures constant technical progress at Le Contesse. While his father still worked with concrete tanks, Loris soon turned to steel, appreciating the cleanliness and neutrality that metal offered during vinification. He began making sparkling wine from Chardonnay after taking over the estate, which soon proved to be a stroke of luck as demand was high. Thus began the history of sparkling wine at Le Contesse.