Blog: La Jara | Venetien

From Prosecco to Glera
For a long time, Prosecco was nothing more than a rural, refreshing wine that was mainly drunk on the spot and at most traveled as far as Venice. Just a few decades ago, this sparkling wine was only served from the barrel or from a 50-liter glass balloon. It is only in the last twenty years that it has increasingly been bottled so that it can leave the region in larger quantities. In the meantime, it has become the new top star in the bubbles heaven, sometimes in modest quality. More and more often, ignorant people ask for Prosecco when they actually want a Spumante, i.e. a sparkling wine. Although this is good for Prosecco, it is nevertheless an unfortunate confusion of terms. Prosecco is the name of a white grape variety that has been cultivated in eastern Veneto for centuries (and was recently renamed Glera). The vine probably originated in the town of the same name a few kilometers north of Trieste.

La Jara
In dialect, the white and calcareous pebbles that characterize the area of Santa Maria del Piave are called 'La Jara'. The winery is located a few kilometers south of Conegliano, the center of Prosecco. Over thousands of years, the rivers from the Dolomites transported the pebbles and alluvial soil into the landscape north of Venice. Beneath the pebbles is a fertile, sandy and calcareous layer of soil. These soil properties are ideal for viticulture if people know how to use them properly. The white pebbles store heat during the day and release it slowly at night, which is an important prerequisite for the production of fresh, fragrant wines. Freshness, a floral bouquet and a delicate, harmonious note are particularly important for wines made from the Prosecco grape.

The Marion family winery
The La Jara vineyard has been owned by the Marion family since 1891, but has now shrunk to 40 hectares due to the division of the estate. Since 1990, it has been managed with great dedication by the brothers Massimo and Paolo. The two winegrowers complement each other very well in the vineyard and cellar work. An important concern of the family is the selection of old vines to preserve the local clones, as these are more resistant to the countless vine diseases. The vineyards are worked very carefully out of conviction, and the use of artificial fertilizers and chemicals is taboo. The company goes its own way when it comes to fertilizing the vineyards. A contract has been signed with a cattle farm for the purchase of cattle manure, as flawless fertilizer is a rare commodity. Even the construction of a modern and technologically advanced wine cellar does not ignore the idea of quality, as you can see when you visit the winery. It is also remarkable that the entire grape harvest and pressing of the winery takes place in a single day.

Organic grapes and production
Attention is paid to homogeneous grapes with the correct degree of ripeness, which are immediately destemmed, gently pressed and sent for alcoholic fermentation. Smooth processing in the cellar ensures the high quality of the grapes. Only a few naturally occurring yeasts in the vineyard ensure complete fermentation of the must. The must and the young wine are clarified by gravity. To ensure a smooth fermentation process and avoid undesirable aromas, purchased and industrially produced dry yeasts are not used. For this reason, the important wine yeasts are propagated on the winery itself. For the second fermentation, which is traditionally carried out in tanks and lasts several weeks, the winery's own yeasts and sugar are added to the finished base wine. The longer the second fermentation lasts, the finer the perlage and the better the carbon dioxide is retained in the wine. There is no aggressive intervention in the winemaking process and the wine is gently filtered before bottling. In the end, these are all important steps for the quality, integrity and purity of the end product. Conclusion: At La Jara, the quality and organic approach applies not only in the vineyard, but also in the wine cellar. - Gerardo [TS04/24]