Territories and vineyards
Our members’ vineyards are located in key areas of eastern and central Veneto, in the Provinces of Verona, Vicenza, and Padua.
Valpolicella
This area stretches across the Prealps of Verona, protected to the north by the Lessini Mountains and bordering Lake Garda to the west. The Collis vineyards are mainly located in the eastern Valpolicella area, dotting the Mezzane, Marcellise, and Tregnago/Illasi Valleys with lush, orderly rows of vines.
The suggestive landscape with its morphological variations consists of gentle slopes punctuated by vineyards traditionally cultivated with Veronese pergolas and interspersed with cherry and olive trees. The location of the vineyards, the geological features of the land, and the climate are what give Valpolicella wines their strong identity.
The main grape variety from the Valpolicella area are Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella, which are used to make excellent wines such as Amarone, Ripasso, Valpolicella, and Recioto.
Valpolicella also includes part of a production area where white and red grape variety are grown under the GARDA DOC denomination.
Soave
Soave grapes have been cultivated for more than a thousand years.
The Soave production area is situated in the eastern hills of the Province of Verona. It covers 13 municipalities, including Colognola ai Colli, where most of the cooperative members’ land is found. The soils are mostly volcanic, tuffaceous, with large limestone outcrops that make them fertile and ideal for quality viticulture. Soave wines are mainly made with Garganega grapes grown on the local hills. This is the main grape variety in the SOAVE DOC denomination, which has found an ideal habitat in the surrounding Alpone, Tramigna, Illasi, and Mezzane Valleys over the centuries.
Prosecco
Doc
The success of Prosecco is due to the development since the early 1900s of natural secondary fermentation techniques, first in the bottle, then in autoclaves. The Collis Group is an important point of reference in Veneto for the production of Glera, which is grown in the Berici Hills and the Arcole and Merlara areas.
The consortium’s focus on sustainability has recently solidified with its participation in the PRO.SE.C.CO project promoted by the Prosecco DOC Consortium, an initiative whose goal is to achieve sustainability of the denomination through a management model designed in collaboration with universities and research centres.
Pinot grigio
delle Venezie Doc
Pinot Grigio is a direct descendant of Pinot Noir, obtained through a special bud mutation. Its success over the last 20 years has made it one of the most popular wines in the world. In fact, 80% of Italian production is exported.
The Collis Group is a top player in the production of Pinot Grigio, which is cultivated in the provinces of Verona, Vicenza, and Padua, an area where its varietal profile is expressed to the full.
Colli Berici
Located in the southernmost part of Vicenza, the Berici Hills tell a story of winegrowing that began in the Roman era, grew towards the end of the barbarian invasions, and fully developed under the Venetian Republic, as evidenced by the cellars built in the elegant Palladian villas.
Vines have been grown on these calcareous hills since ancient times, finding a perfect balance between the composition of the soil (rock, red clay, and volcanic soil), the altitude that keeps fog and late frosts at bay, and low annual rainfall.
Since the early nineteenth century, vines have been imported from France, particularly from the Bordeaux area, which have developed unique and distinctive characteristics in the Berici Hills over time. These grapes include Cabernet Franc dei Colli Berici, which was the first Cabernet DOC in Italy, but Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tai Rosso, Tai Bianco, and Carmenère are also grown.
In addition to the Colli Berici DOC, members within the Berici Hills area also produce other important denominations such as Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC, Barbarano DOC, and Prosecco DOC.
Arcole
The Arcole area includes several municipalities in the eastern part of Verona and five municipalities in southern Vicenza. The territory, which is mainly flat, is crossed by numerous waterways that have characterized the stratification of the land. The particular feature of this area is the sandy, loamy soil which gives the wines a unique elegance.
In the Roman era, vines were cultivated on small estates, which then developed thanks to the Benedictine monks in the Middle Ages and flourished under the Venetian Republic.
The area includes a rich viticulture heritage, an expression of the typical production of Veneto.
Red varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon and white varieties such as Garganega, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay are grown in the area. The denomination is ARCOLE DOC.
Merlara
Vines have been grown in Merlara since the 10th century, when the grapes were harvested and turned into wine in the court cellars as refreshment for travellers, and then in the Middle Ages, during the Napoleonic era, and under Austrian rule. The MERLARA DOC denomination was approved in July 2000 as the result of major investments that led to excellent quality in the grapes, vinification, and ageing. Recognized varieties are grown in the area, such as Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot Grigio, Moscato, and Glera for the PROSECCO DOC, along with special varietals such as Marzemino and Malvasia Istriana.