Summary
Villa Sandi in Crocetta del Montello is one of the defining names for Prosecco in the Veneto. The Moretti Polegato family business resides in an elegant, Palladian-style villa dating from 1622 and owns vineyards in every Prosecco appellation – from the large DOC zone through the gentle hills of Asolo and the steep slopes of Conegliano Valdobbiadene to the famous Cartizze cru. Beneath the villa run more than 1.5 kilometres of historic cellar galleries in which the bottle-fermented "Opere" wines mature. The flagship is the Cartizze from the La Rivetta plot, one of Italy's most highly awarded sparkling wines.
History
The family's winegrowing tradition goes back to the 1920s, when grandfather Mario Polegato acquired his first vineyards in the Treviso hinterland. After the Second World War, Divo Polegato and his wife Amalia Moretti expanded the business further. In the mid-1970s the family finally acquired Villa Sandi in Crocetta del Montello – an early 17th-century country house built in the style of Andrea Palladio, which has since given the company its name and served as its centre.
In the 1980s an extensive system of old underground galleries was discovered beneath the villa. The family recognised the potential and set up the ageing cellars for its bottle-fermented wines there. According to the company, Villa Sandi was also among the first houses to export Prosecco abroad in a targeted way. From the 2000s onwards the vineyard area in the DOC and DOCG zones was greatly expanded.
Today Giancarlo Moretti Polegato leads the company as president; in 2026 his children Diva and Leonardo joined the leadership as vice presidents. In 2019 a second estate, Borgo Conventi in Friuli's Collio, was added and is run independently.
Location & Terroir
Crocetta del Montello lies at the foot of the Montello, a long, wooded ridge between Treviso and the Pre-Alps, not far from the Piave river. The area forms the bridge between the two DOCG hill zones: to the west the gentle slopes of Asolo, to the north the steep, terraced hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019.
The climate is temperate, with a noticeable influence from the nearby Alps: cool nights and sufficient rainfall preserve the freshness of the Glera grape and its delicate aromas of green apple, pear and white flowers. A jewel is Cartizze near Valdobbiadene – a steep hill with only around 107 hectares of vines, whose free-draining soils and special microclimate deliver fully ripe, particularly fragrant grapes.
Style & Philosophy
Villa Sandi stands for a clean, precise and fruit-driven style of Prosecco. Most of the wines are made using the Charmat method (tank fermentation), which preserves the delicate primary aromas of Glera. The range follows the classic quality pyramid: from the approachable Prosecco DOC through the DOCG wines from Asolo and Conegliano Valdobbiadene up to Cartizze at the top.
Alongside this, the house cultivates the Metodo Classico with its "Opere" line – sparkling wines with a second fermentation in the bottle, mainly from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero, aged on the lees in the cool galleries beneath the villa. Sustainability plays a growing role: the estates are certified to the "Biodiversity Friend" standard.
The Prosecco pyramid at Villa Sandi
- Prosecco DOC – fresh and uncomplicated, from the large appellation zone
- Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG – from the hills west of the Montello
- Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG – from the steep slopes of the World Heritage area
- Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG – the top of the pyramid
Notable Sites & Wines
- Cartizze Brut "Vigna La Rivetta" – from a plot of around 1.5 hectares in the heart of Cartizze; the house flagship
- Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze in Brut and Dry versions
- Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG – including a Brut from the sustainable "Biodiversity" line
- Opere Trevigiane – Metodo Classico from the villa's cellars
- Prosecco DOC Brut, Extra Dry and Frizzante – the house's best-known wines internationally
Awards
The Cartizze "Vigna La Rivetta" was awarded Gambero Rosso's Tre Bicchieri for more than a dozen consecutive years – a run that is almost unmatched in the world of Prosecco. The DOCG wines and the Metodo Classico line also regularly receive good ratings in Italian and international wine guides. With its villa, tours of the underground cellars and the Locanda Sandi in Valdobbiadene, the house is also regarded as one of the pioneers of wine tourism in the Prosecco area.
