Collection: Veneto: Contrà Soarda

Contrà Soarda: A Beacon of Sustainable Viticulture in Veneto's Volcanic Terroir

"We believed that by planting dreams we could pick grapes and olives." - Gottardis’ family philosophy

Located in the volcanic slopes of San Michele di Bassano del Grappa, Contrà Soarda (meaning "hamlet on the slope") is a visionary family estate that harmonizes centuries-old agricultural traditions with cutting-edge sustainability. Founded in 1904, this Veneto gem began as a humble farm and evolved into a renowned winery in 1999 under siblings Mirco and Gloria Gottardi. Today, their children, Eleonora and Marcello, steward the estate, producing 60,000 bottles annually from 12 hectares of certified organic vineyards in the Breganze DOC appellation.

Terroir and Innovation
The estate’s vineyards thrive on volcanic soils rich in minerals, positioned at the gateway to the Valsugana Valley. Dramatic temperature shifts between day and night, coupled with cooling Alpine breezes, yield grapes of intense aromatic complexity, particularly the native Vespaiolo, Marzemino Nero, and Garganega, alongside international varieties like Pinot Noir and Carmenere. Contrà Soarda’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond organic farming:

Carbon-Negative Pioneering: Their "Terra" wine (Merlot-Marzemino blend) is Europe’s first carbon-negative wine, achieved through renewable energy, lightweight packaging, and investments in social offset projects like solar cookers for Darfur refugees.

Biodynamic Practices: Donkeys roam the vineyards for natural weed control, inspiring the "Musso" (Veneto dialect for "donkey") wine range. Treatments use bread-based products instead of chemicals.

Architectural and Winemaking Excellence
The winery’s gravity-fed cellar, designed by architect Henry Zilio, is a masterpiece of bio-architecture. Built into the hillside with local stone, it mimics Antoni Gaudí’s techniques and won the 2006 Dedalo Minosse International Prize. The design eliminates pumps, uses geothermal cooling, and features a barrel-aging room with sinusoidal stone vaults, creating a transcendent space for wine maturation. Signature wines include:

Il Pendio: A Garganega-Vespaiolo blend aged partly in oak, offering stone fruit and spice.
Gaggion: Marzemino Nero, fermented naturally and oak-aged for three years.
Torcolato: Vespaiolo grapes dried in attics for months, yielding a honeyed sweet wine with fig and apricot notes.

From hosting regenerative business retreats in their "Soardateca" tasting room to reviving near-extinct native grapes, the estate marries ecological stewardship with profound respect for Veneto’s heritage. For wine lovers seeking authenticity, Contrà Soarda offers a sip of volcanic soul, where every bottle tells a story of land, family, and resilience.

Contrà Soarda：威尼托火山風土的可持續革命

「我們相信：種植夢想，方能收穫葡萄與橄欖。」- Gottardi 家訓

在威尼托（Veneto）Bassano del Grappa 的火山坡地上，Contrà Soarda（意為「坡地上的小村莊」）如同一座連結世紀農耕傳統與尖端生態科技的橋樑。1904年創立之初僅是樸素農場，1999年由兄妹 Mirco 與 Gloria Gottardi 轉型為酒莊，如今第二代 Eleonora 與 Marcello 執掌12公頃有機認證葡萄園，年產60,000瓶，以 Breganze DOC 產區之名，書寫永續釀酒的先鋒篇章。

火山風土與生態革命
葡萄園坐落於Valsugana山谷入口，火山岩土壤富含礦物，劇烈晝夜溫差與阿爾卑斯冷風孕育出極致香氣複雜度。本土品種 Vespaiolo、Marzemino Nero、Garganega 與國際品種Pinot Noir、Carmenere共生。酒莊的可持續實踐超越有機範疇：
歐洲首款負碳葡萄酒：Terra（Merlot-Marzemino混釀）透過太陽能供電、輕量化包裝及投資蘇丹難民太陽能灶計畫，實現「每售一瓶，移除1.5公斤CO₂」
驢力除草生態系：驢群在葡萄園自由覓食除草，啟發 Musso（威尼斯方言「驢」）系列酒款誕生
麵包製劑替代農藥：以發酵麵包萃取液防治病害

標誌酒款包括：
Il Pendio：Garganega與Vespaiolo混釀，部分橡木桶陳年，展現杏桃與白胡椒辛香
Torcolato：Vespaiolo葡萄閣樓風乾數月，釀成蜂蜜、無花果與杏乾交織的甜酒
Gaggion：Marzemino Nero自然發酵，橡木桶陳三年，單寧如熔岩凝鑄

土地哲學與未來願景
從 Soardateca 品酒室舉辦再生農業論壇，到復育瀕危本土品種，Contrà Soarda以生態守護重塑威尼托釀酒文明。當您舉杯，啜飲的不只是酒液，更是火山岩的千年脈動、驢鈴搖響的生態協奏，以及人類與自然重修舊好的希望契約。

"飲下這杯負碳葡萄酒，你已成為地質時鐘的調校者。" - 酒莊生態報告書扉頁題記