Collection: Veneto: Nino Franco

Nino Franco: The Visionary Craftsmanship Behind Valdobbiadene Prosecco

"I don’t like apples or bananas." -  Primo Franco’s rebuke of fruit-heavy Prosecco trends

Founded in 1919 in the steep hills of Valdobbiadene, Italy, Nino Franco has spent over a century redefining Prosecco as a wine of terroir-driven elegance and cultural significance. Established by Antonio Franco after World War I, this family-owned estate evolved from a modest négociant business into a global benchmark for Prosecco Superiore DOCG, driven by innovation, sustainability, and an unwavering commitment to quality.

🌿 Generational Mastery & Philosophy
Primo Franco's Revolution: Antonio’s grandson, Primo Franco (taking the helm in 1982), ignited a "quiet revolution" in Prosecco. Trained at the Conegliano Veneto School of Enology, he pioneered single-vintage and single-vineyard expressions, unheard of in Prosecco at the time. His 1983 Primo Franco cuvée became the first Prosecco to bear a vintage and producer’s signature, challenging perceptions of Prosecco as a simple, mass-produced wine.

Terroir as Gospel: Nino Franco’s vineyards span Valdobbiadene’s UNESCO World Heritage slopes, where mineral-rich conglomerate soils and Alpine-Mediterranean microclimates shape the Glera grape’s vibrant acidity and floral-mineral character. Primo’s focus on massal selections and organic practices ensures each wine reflects its origin with precision.

Sustainability Legacy: In 2024, Nino Franco became a Benefit Corporation, formalizing decades of environmental stewardship, from solar-powered cellars to lightweight packaging, and community engagement.

🍾 Iconic Wines: From Rustico to Single-Vineyard Gems
Rustico Prosecco Superiore DOCG: The flagship wine, celebrated for its "crystalline minerality" and notes of Williams pear and white flowers. Awarded #1 Best Value Wine in the World by Wine Enthusiast (2019) and consistently scoring 90+ points, Rustico balances accessibility with age-worthy depth. Its name honors an old bottle-fermentation method, though today it’s crafted via the Charmat method with extended lees contact for texture.

Nodi: Sourced from century-old vines, it offers vibrant white peach and saline freshness .

🌍 Global Impact & Cultural Legacy
Nino Franco transformed Prosecco from a local aperitivo to a global phenomenon:

Michelin-Star Diplomacy: Primo partnered with chefs like Gualtiero Marchesi, insisting Prosecco be served in wine glasses (not flutes) to showcase complexity. His wines now grace tables from New York’s Mayfair Regent to London’s Seahorse.

Defying Conventions: Rejecting sweet, "candied" Prosecco trends, Primo championed dry, nuanced styles aged sur lie. Critic Tom Stevenson notes his wines "compete with the finest sparkling wines globally".

Fourth-Generation Future: Primo’s daughter Silvia Franco now leads, expanding sustainable practices while preserving the estate’s ethos: "No wine deserves to wait before being opened" .

Nino Franco’s Proseccos marry tradition (hand-harvested Glera, Charmat method) with innovation (single-vineyard focus, lees aging). Whether the democratic Rustico or the single-plot Grave di Stecca, each bottle captures Valdobbiadene’s volcanic soul, proving Prosecco can be both joyous and profound. As the family enters its second century, their wines remain a toast to heritage, terroir, and the quiet revolution that reshaped sparkling wine history.

Nino Franco： Prosecco 的百年匠魂

「我不喜歡蘋果或香蕉。」— Primo Franco 對 Prosecco 過度果香化潮流的宣言

1919年創立於意大利 Valdobbiadene 陡峭山丘，Nino Franco 酒莊用百年光陰重新定義 Prosecco ，讓它從佐餐氣泡酒蛻變為承載風土優雅與文化深度的藝術品。創始人 Antonio Franco 於一戰後從小型酒商起步，歷經三代傳承，如今成為 Prosecco Superiore DOCG 的全球標竿，以創新、永續與品質偏執書寫傳奇。

三代匠藝與風土福音
1982年，Primo Franco 執掌酒莊，發動 Prosecco 的「靜默革命」。這位自 Conegliano Veneto School of Enology 出身的釀酒師，首創單一年份與單一葡萄園概念，徹底顛覆 Prosecco 「量產廉價酒」的刻板印象。他於1983年推出的 Primo Franco 酒款，成為史上首款標註年份與釀酒師簽名的 Prosecco ，從此改寫產業規則。

酒莊葡萄園坐落於聯合國教科文組織世界遺產的 Valdobbiadene 山野間，礦物豐富的礫岩土壤與阿爾卑斯地中海微氣候，賦予 Glera 白葡萄活躍酸度與花香礦韻。Primo 堅持植株選種（massal selection）與有機農法，讓每滴葡萄酒精準述說風土身世。2024年，酒莊正式轉型為 公益企業（Benefit Corporation），將數十年環保實踐，如從太陽能酒窖到輕量化包裝，昇華為法定使命。

標誌酒款：從鄉野原生到百年風土
Rustico Prosecco Superiore DOCG：代表作命名於古法瓶中發酵工藝，經延長酒渣接觸塑造質感。西洋梨與白花香氣包裹著「水晶礦物感」，2019年獲《Wine Enthusiast》評為「全球最佳性價比酒款」，90+分。

Nodi：源自百年老藤，白桃鮮甜與海鹽礦感在舌尖綻放，酸度如亞得里亞海風穿過石灰岩隙。

全球革命與文化遺產
把 Prosecco 從地方開胃酒提升至全球現象：

米芝蓮外交：與義大利廚神 Gualtiero Marchesi 聯手，主張以葡萄酒杯（非笛形杯）侍酒釋放複雜度。

反叛精神：拒絕甜膩「糖果風」潮流，開創酒渣陳釀（sur lie）的乾型優雅風格。酒評家 Tom Stevenson 直言：「足以與全球頂級氣泡酒抗衡」。

第四代莊主 Silvia Franco 正延續父親的永續革命，恪守「好酒無須等待」的家族哲學。從民主風味的 Rustico 到單一地塊 Grave di Stecca，每瓶皆是Valdobbiadene 梯田風土的顯影。

當家族邁入第二個世紀，他們的酒液仍是對傳統、風土與那場改寫氣泡酒史的靜默革命，最晶瑩的致敬。