Wine from the Shadows of the Dolomites
Alex Della Vecchia is a natural winemaker based in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, farming vineyards in the shadows of the Dolomites, along the River Piave, and in the volcanic hills of the Colli Euganei. [^67^] He began his winemaking journey in 2017, establishing his project Ombretta Agricola after gaining experience working alongside the late Ernesto Cattel of Costadilà — a highly respected, humble visionary who was single-handedly responsible for preserving the traditions of the Prosecco of old. [^56^] [^67^] In a short amount of time, Alex has proven himself to be a prodigious talent, producing pure, nourishing, and easygoing wines for drinking everyday from a remarkable patchwork of terroirs. [^56^]
From Costadilà Apprentice to a Prodigious Talent
Alex Della Vecchia's story is inseparable from that of Ernesto Cattel, the founder of Costadilà, who sadly died in 2018. [^60^] Ernesto was a humble visionary single-handedly responsible for preserving the traditions of the Prosecco of old — the "vin col fondo" or "vino con il fondo" (wine with sediment) that was made by small farmers for personal consumption before the industrial autoclave method took over 40 years ago. [^60^] Alex learned his craft alongside Ernesto, absorbing the philosophy of spontaneous fermentation, skin maceration, and bottle refermentation that defines the true Col Fondo style. When Ernesto passed, Alex and Martina Celi continued to run Costadilà while Alex simultaneously launched his own project. [^60^]
In 2010, Alex had planted two hectares of Pinot Nero on his family's farm in Belluno, right at the foot of the Dolomites. [^56^] He has since planted a further hectare of white varieties, with a focus on forgotten hybrids. This dramatic vineyard, surrounded by mountains, is planted over alluvial marl some six hundred metres above sea level, near the banks of the River Piave. [^56^] The wines from this site are named Pedecastello, after the road that winds amongst the mountains. [^59^]
A little further down the river in San Donà di Piave, Alex farms four hectares of Verduzzo Trevigiano, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. [^56^] Here the vines are thirty years old and planted over alluvial soils, just two hundred metres above sea level and twenty kilometres from the Adriatic. These wines are bottled eponymously, as Ombretta Agricola. [^56^] He also rents three hectares in the Colli Euganei, volcanic hills south of Padua, where he cultivates Moscato and Chardonnay over volcanic soils. [^53^] Along with organic grapes occasionally sourced from friends elsewhere in Italy, the fruit from these plants goes into his Grinton series — a tribute to the rustic, vibrant vino da tavola of old. [^56^]
"In a short amount of time Alex Della Vecchia has proven himself to be a prodigious talent."
— Tutto Wines
Three Terroirs, One Philosophy & Forgotten Hybrids
Alex Della Vecchia focuses on organic agriculture with special attention to the processes from the vineyard to the winery. [^62^] No matter the grape or place, in the cantina, Alex takes a simple, yet considered approach to produce pure, nourishing and easygoing wines for drinking everyday. [^56^] The vineyards are cultivated without synthetic chemicals, and the winemaking process avoids fining and filtration, allowing the wines to retain their pure character. [^62^]
The Belluno site is the most dramatic — two hectares of Pinot Nero and one hectare of white varieties, including forgotten hybrids, planted over alluvial marl at 600 metres above sea level near the banks of the River Piave, surrounded by the Dolomites. [^56^] The high altitude, the mountain air, and the alluvial soils give the wines a freshness and tension that is unmistakable. The San Donà di Piave site is quite different — four hectares of thirty-year-old Verduzzo Trevigiano, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon on alluvial soils just 200 metres above sea level, twenty kilometres from the Adriatic. [^56^] The proximity to the sea moderates the temperature, giving the wines a roundness and warmth that balances the Alpine freshness of Belluno. The Colli Euganei site — three hectares rented on volcanic soils — adds yet another dimension, with Moscato and Chardonnay expressing the mineral, smoky character of ancient volcanic terroir. [^53^]
Alex's commitment to forgotten hybrids is particularly noteworthy. While many natural winemakers focus on indigenous varieties, Alex has deliberately sought out old, overlooked grape varieties — hybrids that were once common in the Veneto countryside but have fallen out of favour in the age of monoculture. These grapes, planted in the dramatic mountain setting of Belluno, produce wines of unusual character and authenticity, reconnecting the present with an agricultural past that risked being erased. [^56^]
~3 hectares at 600m elevation. Pinot Nero and forgotten white hybrids over alluvial marl, surrounded by mountains. Wines named Pedecastello. [^56^] [^59^]
4 hectares at 200m elevation, 20km from the sea. 30-year-old Verduzzo Trevigiano, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon on alluvial soils. Bottled as Ombretta Agricola. [^56^]
3 hectares rented over volcanic soils. Moscato and Chardonnay expressing the mineral, smoky character of these ancient hills. Grinton series. [^53^]
A deliberate focus on old, overlooked grape varieties in Belluno — reconnecting the present with an agricultural past that risked being erased. [^56^]
Spontaneous Fermentation, No Filtration & Pure, Nourishing Wines
In the cellar, everything is done with the help of indigenous yeasts. [^62^] Fermentations occur spontaneously, and the wines are not filtered or clarified. [^62^] This natural, artisanal approach in the cellar, combined with respectful and healthy cultivation, results in exceptional wines with an authentically territorial flavour. [^62^] Alex's approach is simple yet considered: he does not chase perfection, he does not correct, he does not mask. He lets the wine follow its course, allowing each terroir to speak with its own voice.
The Pedecastello wines from Belluno are made from Pinot Nero and forgotten hybrids, fermented spontaneously and aged in a way that preserves the mountain freshness and mineral tension of the alluvial marl soils. [^59^] The Ombretta Agricola wines from San Donà di Piave — Verduzzo Trevigiano, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon — are handled with the same light touch, producing wines that are easygoing, nourishing, and designed for everyday drinking. [^56^] The Grinton series, sourced from the Colli Euganei and from friends elsewhere in Italy, is a tribute to the rustic, vibrant vino da tavola of old — wines made without pretension, for the table and for pleasure. [^56^]
Alex also maintains his connection to the Costadilà tradition, where he and Martina Celi continue to produce the legendary Col Fondo Prosecco — wines that are macerated on the skins, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and refermented in the bottle with must or dried grapes, creating a lightly sparkling, cloudy, utterly authentic expression of Glera and Verdiso. [^60^] This method, revived by Ernesto Cattel and carried forward by Alex, is a living link to the pre-industrial wine culture of the Veneto hills.
The result is a range of wines that are pure, nourishing, and easygoing — wines that do not demand elaborate food pairings or special occasions, but rather invite themselves to the everyday table. They are wines of place, certainly, but also wines of people: made by a young winemaker who learned from a master, who farms multiple terroirs with respect, and who believes that the best wine is the one you want to drink again. [^56^]
Pedecastello — "Pinot Nero from the Foot of the Dolomites"
The Pedecastello is Alex Della Vecchia's most distinctive wine — a Pinot Nero grown on his family's farm in Belluno, right at the foot of the Dolomites, at 600 metres above sea level over alluvial marl soils. [^56^] [^59^]
Named after the road that winds amongst the mountains, this wine captures everything that makes high-altitude Alpine Pinot Nero unique. The grapes are hand-harvested from dramatic vineyards surrounded by mountains, then spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged without filtration or clarification. [^62^]
In the glass, it is bright and energetic, with soaring notes of red berries, herbs, and wildflowers. The palate is light, fresh, and mineral — a wine that speaks of mountain air, river stones, and the cool breezes that descend from the Dolomite peaks. It is not a Burgundian Pinot Noir, nor is it trying to be. It is a Venetian Pinot Nero — lithe, herbal, and utterly of its place. A wine for everyday drinking, for simple pleasures, and for remembering that the best wines are often the most honest. ~€24–€32 / ~$26–$35.
The Alex Della Vecchia Range
Alex Della Vecchia produces a diverse range of natural wines from three distinct terroirs in Veneto, all farmed organically and made with spontaneous fermentation, indigenous yeasts, and no filtration. The portfolio is organised by site and series, reflecting the patchwork of landscapes Alex calls home. Prices are approximate and in EUR/USD.