July 10: Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano a Valdobbiadene, popularly known as Prosecco Hills, in the meandering mountainous 27 kms stretch between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in Italy where Prosecco docg has been produced since 2009 (earlier it used to be mostly Prosecco DOC in the area) was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site On Sunday the 7th July, 2019 by the World Heritage Committee in Baku, Capital of Azerbaijan where the Indian pink city of Jaipur was also included in the list which has now 1121 sites in 167 countries, writes Subhash arora
The inscription reads: ’Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene - Located in north-eastern Italy, the site includes part of the vine-growing landscape of the Prosecco wine production area. The landscape is characterized by ‘hogback’ hills, ciglioni – small plots of vines on narrow grassy terraces – forests, small villages and farmland. For centuries, this rugged terrain has been shaped and adapted by man. Since the 17th century, the use of ciglioni has created a particular chequerboard landscape consisting of rows of vines parallel and vertical to the slopes. In the 19th century, the bellussera technique of training the vines contributed to the aesthetic characteristics of the landscape.’
After my visit to this area in 2007 when I was really enamoured by the beautiful area making DOC Prosecco It had observed, ‘Visit to Venice can be converted to a beautiful wine holiday if you add 4-7 days soaking in the beauty of the Prosecco wine making region, starting from Conegliano, about 50 kms north of Venice . The 27-km stretch from here to Valdobbiadene offers a scenic ride and an opportunity to visit several vineyards. One of the most beautiful vineyard regions in Italy is the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene stretch which is surrounded by the Pre-Alpi Mountains on the North. The beautiful Strada del Prosecco takes you through the winding roads in the gently rolling mountains and the lush vineyards’. The recognition has not come a day too soon.
Cartizze is a special part of this beautiful landscape and an exception that used to make docg Prosecco even before 2009.. A video I had made of this part during one of the trips would convince anyone why it deserved to win a spot as a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Italy's foreign ministry and agriculture minister Gian Marco Centinaio welcomed the news, saying "this is a historic day for Veneto and for Italy as a whole." Italy had applied for the recognition last year too but the bid had failed by a few votes.
President of the Consorzio of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, Innocente Nardi, said: “The producers that make up the Consortium of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG have been at the heart of UNESCO nomination. They live and shape the uniqueness of our landscape, with its patchwork of steep, demanding vineyards that can only ever be worked by hand. Countless generations have forged our distinctive patchworks and unique grassy earth terraces, that we call ciglioni. Their labour has carved out from nature a unique identity that has led to UNESCO recognition.”
Prosecco has been taking big strides in the world market with the sales reaching 600 million bottles from around 500 million the previous year. However, the big increase is in the area in the plains surrounding this area which made only around 85 million bottles compared to over 70 million in 2006, due to the restriction of the area. In 2009, the rules of appellation were changed making the whole of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene belt as docg and allowing the surrounding areas making Prosecco IGT to make doc wines, eliminating IGT completely.
The site is the 10th in the world to be registered as a World Heritage Site under the category -‘cultural landscape’. This honour takes the total number os World Heritage Sites in Italy to 55.
For a few earlier Articles, please visit:
Prosecco Superiore is Superior to Prosecco
Wine Travels: Passing through Prosecco land
Jaipur India 38th World Heritage Site
Earlier on Saturday, July 6, 2019 and at the same venue, the beautiful pink city of Jaipur in India was also added to the prestigious List with the Inscription, ‘The fortified city of Jaipur, in India’s north-western state of Rajasthan was founded in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh II. Unlike other cities in the region located in hilly terrain, Jaipur was established on the plain and built according to a grid plan interpreted in the light of Vedic architecture. The streets feature continuous colonnaded businesses that intersect in the centre, creating large public squares called chaupars. Markets, stalls, residences and temples built along the main streets have uniform facades. The city's urban planning shows an exchange of ideas from ancient Hindu and modern Mughal as well as Western cultures. The grid plan is a model that prevails in the West, while the organization of the different districts refers to traditional Hindu concepts. Designed to be a commercial capital, the city has maintained its local commercial, artisanal and cooperative traditions to this day.
Indian now has 38 sites as World Heritage Sites in various categories.
Subhash Arora
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