• L’Antica Quercia — the ancient oak tree — is named after the two stupendous trees that look out over this small family-run farm’s roughly 25 hectares, which are planted to olives, pomegranates, and grape vine. • Its charismatic owner Claudio Francavilla believes that “integrated farming,” where vines are cultivated next to other crops and surrounded by woods, is the key to producing wines that truly capture the appellation’s essence. • He employs organic and biodynamic practices, including cover crops, in his quest to deliver the pure, focused aromas and flavors of the wines he enjoyed growing up in the heart of Prosecco country. • L’Antica Quercia produces a variety of wines, including an old school “col fondo” Prosecco, all sourced from his top vineyards. The expression “col fondo” means “with its sediment” in Italian. • It is used for wines that have been aged “on their lees” (the solids that result from fermentation) and bottled without disgorgement or filtration.
Did you know that most Prosecco was produced “col fondo” (“with its sediment”) before the Prosecco boom of the 1990s? Some people store their Prosecco Col Fondo upright and then decant it so that it is clear in the glass. Others like to serve it cloudy.–
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