Nino Franco has marked the forefront of the history of Valdobbiadene Prosecco by introducing it in the great internationally renowned kitchens. From the production of the first Prosecco Millesimato (obtained from one vintage only) in 1983 to being part of the cocktail menu of the Mayfair Regent Hotel in New York, the winery has marked many milestones in wine production throughout the years.

His epic story began in 1919 when Antonio Franco founded the “Cantine Franco Antonio, Producer and wine merchant”, continuing with his son Giovanni, known as Nino. The real revolution came in the early 1980s with Primo Franco, his grandson, who began to travel to make Prosecco known throughout the world and, inspired by the many cultures he came into contact with, to innovate the market alongside his wife Annalisa and today together with his daughter Silvia.

Nino Franco wines are a cultural movement, in our winery we do not held tours, but encounters.

Primo Franco is, in fact, the first to produce a single vintage Prosecco and to dedicate himself to the manual harvest of plots no larger than a few hectares with SQNPI (National Quality System of Integrated Production) certification, from which he obtains the company’s “single vineyards”: Riva di San Floriano, Nodi and Grave di Stecca. His “Grand Crus” of Prosecco come exclusively from the territory of the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene denomination, the area historically most suited to Prosecco.

Right near the center of Valdobbiadene, Nino Franco has built its winery designed by the famous architect Tobia Scarpa by using noble materials such as galvanized iron, white stone, and floors made of staves from old barrels, and later expanded by Paolo Bornello who maintained its original character.

The heart of the company’s hospitality is the tasting room, which is accessed by passing through a scenic warehouse where the bottles are placed in steel containers, as if to compose an enormous artistic installation. The room, very original, is characterized by elegant chromatic nuances ranging from aubergine, to bottle green to corten brown.

On the wall, an autographed photo of Ferdinando Scianna donated to Primo Franco well symbolizes the family’s passion for the arts that finds its emblematic apex in the acquisition in 2004 of the nearby Villa Barberina, today a magnificent luxury relais, where the flagship of the production is born: the single vineyard Grave di Stecca.

Faithful to Nino Franco’s company vision, each visit, by reservation, is conducted by Primo himself, his daughter Silvia, or one of their closest collaborators. This is to offer each guest the pleasure of tasting not only their wines but also the soul of their work, being introduced to the history of a unique territory, the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, which in 2019 were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A winery that is an absolute must-visit if you want to grasp the highest and noblest essence of this amazing land.

The Secret

Among the first admirers of Nino Franco’s wines were the pioneers of fine dining in Italy, from Giorgio Pinchiorri to Alfredo Beltrame, up to Arrigo Cipriani who still uses it for his Bellini at Venice’s Harry’s Bar.

Useful Info

Cantina Nino Franco
Via G. Garibaldi 147
31049 Valdobbiadene, Treviso
Tel. +39 0423 972051

Villa Barberina
Via Roma 2
31049 Valdobbiadene, Treviso
Tel. +39 348 0932797

Visits with tasting by reservation from Mon to Fri, 9 – 12, 14 – 16
Classic Tasting: 3 wines 30 euro per person, from 2 pax 22 euro per person
Single Vineyard Tasting: 3 wines 45 euro per person, from 2 pax 30 euro per person
Tasting from Classics to Crus: 4 wines 45 euro per person, from 2 pax 30 euro per person
Full Tasting: 6 wines 48 euro per person, from 2 pax 35 euro per person

Villa Barberina is closed seasonally from December 1st to March 15th
Rooms from 200 euro with breakfast included