The last time I visited the estate could have been in 2022 when I was visiting with fellow students in the OIV MSc program. I’ve since graduated, but I remember that day so clearly.

The Estate was so generous – they invited us for an extremely formal quite professional tutored tasting in their special room for this activity,

And then prepared a delightful outdoor picnic for all of us showcasing their fine sparkling and other wines.

This was one of my favorite visits because they were so kind to us students. They showed us the “secret things”  that even journalist don’t often see – such as the historic cellars.

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Villa Sandi has anchored their philosophy in both place and grapes.

Their heartland is the Prosecco region—so we’re talking predominantly the Glera grape.

Villa Sandi’s vineyard holdings cover a solid range of DOC and DOCG zone. This includes some pretty iconic crus of Valdobbiadene.

Glera is the backbone of Prosecco. At Villa Sandi, it’s treated with the care and respect it often doesn’t get elsewhere.

The family has vineyards in key areas like Valdobbiadene DOCG and the prized Cartizze hill, These represent some of the steepest, most labor-intensive terrain in the region.

When you’ve got this elevation, diurnal variation, and ancient morainic soils, the “simple” Glera grape achieves sophistication.

You get high-toned florals, citrus blossom, hints of green apple and pear—but with textural elegance and grip you don’t often find in more commercially-driven bottlings.

The crown jewel in this department has to be the Cartizze La Rivetta.

If you haven’t tasted it yet, you’re missing out on what Glera can really do.

It’s from a tiny production plot in the Cartizze hill—less than 107 hectares in total—and Villa Sandi has made the most of it.

This wine has taken home the top prestigious Tre Bicchieri award from Gambero Rosso for over a decade straight.

This says a great deal about the wine’s consistency and standout quality.

It’s fuller on the palate than your typical Prosecco Superiore, with notes of orchard fruit and almond.  

Then there’s their staple Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut—clean, vibrant, and mineral-driven.

Perfectly pitched acidity wraps around citrus peel and crisp white peach, making it one of those incredibly food-friendly styles that can carry everything from aperitivo hour to light seafood.

Outside of Prosecco, Villa Sandi also dips into the red wines of the Montello and Colli Asolani DOC areas.

But this isn’t their main focus, but it’s worth noting they grow varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère, and some other international grapes common in the Veneto’s Bordeaux-style blends.

Their Montello Rosso DOCG wines lean on structure and age-worthiness rather than flash, and while they may not get the same global airtime as the Prosecco lineup, they’ve won over plenty of Italian wine insiders.

All in all, the grape mix at Villa Sandi tells a clear story: honor the region’s traditions (hello, Glera), respect the land’s potential (especially in Cartizze), and when branching out into reds, do so with intention and site-specific integrity.

It’s a model that clearly works—and one that shows why Villa Sandi has earned its place on that short list of producers who are helping elevate Prosecco’s global identity.