Storia
Denominational and landscape context
Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT was established in 1996 as an interregional geographical indication for white, red and rosé wines produced in the provinces of Trento, Bolzano and Belluno. The Dolomites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009 in recognition of their environmental, geographical and scenic qualities.
2017: the beginning of the project
In 2017, Stefano Pola was offered the opportunity to cultivate a vineyard in Sedico, in Valbelluna, at approximately 650 metres above sea level. He accepted the challenge of extending the Pola family’s wine activity beyond its established work in Valdobbiadene and began a separate mountain-wine project in the Belluno Dolomites.
The undertaking followed years of study devoted to a new territory. Its approximately 9 hectares were planted or managed with four varieties distinct from those at the centre of the family’s Valdobbiadene activity: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Traminer aromatico and Riesling renano. The objective was to interpret the mountain environment through wines combining Pola family tradition with an experimental and innovative approach.
Development of the range
The project developed both still wines under Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT and traditional-method sparkling wines. Chardonnay, Traminer aromatico and Riesling renano form the still-wine group, while Chardonnay and Pinot Nero provide the bases for the Alture Metodo Classico range.
2024: presentation of Alture
On 23 September 2024, the project formally presented two Alture sparkling wines after several years of research, production trials and maturation work. The range comprised a traditional-method Chardonnay and a rosé traditional-method wine made from Pinot Nero. Alture was conceived as an expression of the high-elevation vineyard, the calcareous Dolomite soils and the encounter between inherited practice and technical innovation.
Terroir
Location and elevation
The approximately 9-hectare vineyard lies in the municipality of Sedico, within Valbelluna in the Belluno Dolomites. It occupies a well-exposed plateau at approximately 650 metres above sea level. The surrounding Dolomites form part of a landscape recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and are described geologically as a fossil archipelago.
Valley, water and climate
The Piave runs through the length of Valbelluna and is joined by numerous tributaries. Proximity to the mountains produces a cool subcontinental climate that becomes progressively more mountain-influenced with elevation.
Average annual rainfall is approximately 1,000 mm. Its seasonal pattern is described as Mediterranean-like, with rainfall concentrated in autumn and spring. The nearby Alps nevertheless provide periodic water supplies throughout the summer.
Soils
The soils have a medium texture and contain the calcareous debris characteristic of the mountain setting. Certain bands expose cemented sands that form sandstone, while other sectors bring marl—described as old clay—to the surface.
High stoniness promotes drainage and aeration. The soils also have a high limestone content, associated with aromatic finesse in the resulting wines. The cool climate and calcareous origin are central to the project’s understanding of freshness, acidity, savouriness and aromatic definition.
Environmental setting
The Dolomites shelter the valley and help preserve its environmental integrity and biodiversity. Mountain winegrowing is presented as a means of maintaining both the identity and the cultivated beauty of the landscape, protecting it from neglect and abandonment.
Vinificazione
Viticulture takes place at approximately 650 metres on a well-exposed Valbelluna plateau. The four varieties are trained by Guyot at a density of 4,000 vines per hectare. Depending on variety and intended wine, the documented yields range from 6 to 10 tonnes per hectare, with harvest taking place between September and October.
The mountain environment determines the project’s viticultural identity: a cool climate, limestone-rich and highly stony soils, effective natural drainage and approximately 1,000 mm of annual rainfall. Autumn and spring receive the principal rainfall, while proximity to the Alps supplies periodic summer water.
Cultivation of this high-elevation site is also understood as landscape stewardship. Continued vineyard work maintains the integrity and appearance of the territory and helps protect cultivated land from neglect and abandonment.
Still wines
The still white wines share a core process. Chardonnay, Riesling renano and Traminer aromatico are vinified as whites after gentle pressing and selection of the first-pressing juice. Static settling and brief contact with the pulp precede fermentation at controlled temperature. Maturation is divided between stainless steel and wood.
Bottle maturation varies within this group: six months for Traminer aromatico and one year for Chardonnay and Riesling renano.
Alture Metodo Classico
Alture is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. The Chardonnay undergoes white vinification followed by static settling. The Pinot Nero is also vinified as a white wine but receives light skin maceration in the press before static settling. Primary fermentation is temperature controlled.
Reserve base wines mature in wood and concrete. Wine from the current vintage is held in stainless steel and new wood. The prise de mousse lasts approximately 30–40 days, with secondary fermentation taking place in bottle according to the traditional method. Both current Alture wines receive 36 months of bottle maturation.
Reserve wines are used to maintain balance and continuity in the traditional-method wines while preserving freshness and drinkability.
Filosofia
Progetto Stefano Pola was created to explore a mountain territory distinct from the Pola family’s principal activity in Valdobbiadene. Its stated ambition is to produce wines that express the quality of the Sedico site while carrying forward the family’s tradition and willingness to innovate.
Stefano Pola’s production philosophy is to respect the organoleptic characteristics of the grapes and preserve the quality and identity of the vineyards. The intended transformation from fruit to wine should avoid altering the fruit’s essential nature.
The project treats dedication, study and respect as prerequisites for working in the cooler Dolomite environment. Alture brings this outlook together through traditional bottle refermentation, technical work with reserve wines and a focus on the freshness, structure and balance associated with the high-altitude, calcareous site.
Mountain viticulture also has a custodial purpose: keeping the vineyard in production helps safeguard the integrity and beauty of the landscape against degradation and abandonment.