Villa Sandi

Country: Italy

Villa Sandi is owned and managed by Giancarlo Moretti Polegato and his family. The journey began in the 1920s, Mario Polegato, grandfather to Giancarlo, obtained some vineyards and began farming. After the Second World War, the family-owned enterprise became all encompassing. From Mario to his son Divo and wife Amalia, to their sons Mario and Giancarlo. The two brothers were incredibly passionate about the wine industry with Mario an oenologist whereas Giancarlo focused on the financial side. Unfortunately, their family had to deal with much tragedy with Mario senior being crushed by a runaway cart of wine barrels, and Divo passing away prematurely in 1979 when he borrowed Mario junior’s Ferrari and crashed! Although very tragic for the family, Amalia found strength and that same year, together with her sons, they bought Villa Sandi and became pioneers in the Prosecco export sector.

The estate lies in the heart of the Cartizze area over 1068 hectares, nestled between the hamlets of San Pietro di Barbozza and Santo Stefano in the municipality of Valdobbiadene. Encapsulated by nature, the villa, where the winery is based, has become a defining icon of the vineyard. A visually staggering piece of architecture sheltered by the Marca Trevigiana hills, Villa Sandi is a Palladian style work of art constructed in 1622, to this day it also is their base and main office. If you manage to visit, you’ll be in awe at the flawless synergy between culture and nature, with its location being in one of most enchanting areas in Treviso. The entrance to the Villa is elegant and framed by statues of the admired Venetian sculptor Orazio Marinali, whose works also embellish throughout the rest of the Villa. A grand pronaos, supported by four Ionian columns, adorn the main part of the building, as well as two sophisticated Barchesse and a small chapel stand.

Villa Sandi and its various estates afford them privileged opportunity to wholly embrace the best that the Veneto viniculture has to offer. With vines in Valdobbiadene and La Rivetta, Villa Sandi owns coveted ground in the heartland of Prosecco making. Its Valdobbiadene estate provides the majority of its D.O.C.G prosecco whereas its Vigna La Rivetta estate generates the company’s eminent Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG, a celebrated Prosecco illustrating Villa Sandi’s expertise and its ongoing contribution to the Italian wine scene. The diverse soils within Treviso empower Villa Sandi to create a wide range of Proseccos as well as high quality still wine too. The estates cover renowned DOC and DOCG areas between the regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto and encapsulates many of the characteristics that have made wines from the region so renowned.

La Rivetta is characterised by steep slopes, low min-valleys and ancient soil of calcareous sand and clay. The Valdobbiadene estate has perfect exposure to the warm Mediterranean sunshine and cooling hillside breezes; the ideal microclimate for the Glera variety. The wide diurnal temperature range delivers warm, sunny days and cool nights which encourage the production of balanced, complex and aromatic grapes. The Crocetta del Montello estate is located in central Montello and Colli Asolani area, with the Nervesa della Battaglia estate near the historic river Piave. The fifth jewel in Villa Sandi’s crown is the Spilimbergo estate, which is situated in Magredi inbetween the provinces of Udine and Pordenone. Sustainability is integral to Villa Sandi, not only for environmental reasons but for championing Italian wines globally. They have a hydroelectric power plant which operates with water taken from the brentella canal which is also used to irrigate the vineyards, cool the outside of tanks and autoclaves and ensure required level of humidity in the underground cellars. Solar panels have been functioning since 2012 and they also received the biodiversity friend certification, which not only improves the vineyards health but also ensures high quality grapes. The Villa is intimately connected to the cultural heritage of the Trevisan land and is a prime example of that unique bond between art and agriculture that has characterised the Venetian scenery. As well as this, it is a landmark in Italian wine culture.

Giancarlo and his wife Augusta, bring the quality of Villa Sandi wines all over the world, acquiring and maintaining to this day the leading position in the export of prosecco among producers in the province of Treviso. Diva and Leonardo, their sons have now joined, meaning they have reached four generations in their family enterprise, ensuring a continued sense of tradition and quality throughout Villa Sandi wines.

Wine Portfolio