History
A winegrowing family
Astoria Wines grew from a family tradition of vine cultivation extending across several generations. The Val de Brun Estate in Refrontolo is centred on a late-19th-century farmhouse surrounded by 40 hectares of vineyards.
1987 — foundation
The Polegato family founded Astoria Wines in 1987. Vittorino Polegato is identified as its founder, and the Casa Vittorino cuvée was subsequently dedicated to him. The business developed around wines from Tenuta Val de Brun and a combination of established winegrowing practice, modern sparkling-wine technology and contemporary presentation.
2006 — engagement with Africa
Astoria began investing in African markets in 2006, viewing the continent as a growing market and an opportunity for exchange between cultures. That engagement later inspired the Astoria to Africa project.
2020 — the first Astoria Prosecco Rosé DOC
In 2020 Astoria presented its first Prosecco DOC Rosé, made from Glera and Pinot Nero. The wine joined the Venice Collection as Velére, whose identity refers to the craftswomen who made sails for the galleys of the Venetian Republic.
2021 — ten years with the Giro d’Italia
Astoria marked ten years of association with the Giro d’Italia in 2021, celebrating the anniversary with Prosecco DOC Rosé. Giro d’Italia editions remain part of the contemporary range.
Current leadership
Paolo and Filippo Polegato currently lead Astoria Wines. The company remains focused on Prosecco, particularly Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG, while its portfolio also encompasses Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Prosecco DOC, other sparkling wines, still wines, spirits and alcohol-free products. The Astoria Lounge Wine Store in Crevada combines a working winery, sales space, hospitality and a venue for cultural and social events.
Terroir
Tenuta Val de Brun lies among the hills of Refrontolo, in the Conegliano–Valdobbiadene area of the Province of Treviso. Its 40 hectares of vineyards surround a late-19th-century farmhouse.
Estate blocks documented for Glera and red grapes occupy hillsides at approximately 120–150 metres above sea level. Row orientations vary between east–west and north–south. Individual Glera vineyards are planted at approximately 3,000–4,000 vines per hectare, while a red-wine block reaches 4,000–4,500 vines per hectare. The named Costa del Sol vineyard lies at approximately 150 metres and faces east–west.
The estate’s Sauvignon grows on hilly ground at Tenuta Val de Brun. It is planted with clone R3, selected for its strongly marked Sauvignon character. Estate-grown Moscato and Malvasia nera supply the aromatic sparkling-wine programme.
The principal estate vineyards are linked to Refrontolo, while Astoria also works with hillside vineyards in the wider Treviso and Asolo production areas. No single uniform exposure is imposed across the holdings: the recorded east–west and north–south orientations indicate blocks adapted to different hillside positions.
Winemaking
Vineyard work documented across the estate is based on hillside cultivation and plot-specific combinations of row orientation, density, vine age, training and yield. Sylvoz is used for Glera, Sauvignon and Treviso-area white-grape vineyards; Guyot is used in the recorded estate red-wine block.
Harvesting is manual. Glera is generally picked in September, extending into October for some parcels, once the fruit reaches the intended chemical and sensory balance. Sauvignon is harvested by hand in early September. Fruit for the Rive di Refrontolo selection is chosen bunch by bunch and collected in baskets. Red grapes are also gathered manually in September and October and placed in small baskets.
Recorded planting densities range from 3,000 to 6,000 vines per hectare. Yields vary according to variety and intended wine: approximately 11,000–13,000 kg per hectare in documented Glera vineyards; 7,000–8,000 kg per hectare for Sauvignon R3 and the estate red-wine block; and 8,000–9,000 kg per hectare for Moscato and Malvasia nera.
Selected wines carry a sustainable-quality certification, while the range also includes specifically certified-organic products. These designations apply to the identified wines and products rather than constituting a blanket organic claim for all 40 hectares.
Astoria uses several production paths rather than one uniform protocol. Sparkling-wine production commonly begins with hand-picked hillside fruit, rapid delivery, gentle pressing and static settling of the must. Primary fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, generally between 16°C and 19°C, with selected yeasts; several technical protocols identify these as selected native yeasts.
For a number of sparkling bases, the new wine remains on fine lees for several weeks or about one month before clarification and transfer to pressurised tanks. Secondary fermentation commonly runs at 16–18°C for approximately 20–30 days, followed by additional lees ageing ranging from a few days to 40–50 days, depending on the cuvée. Bottling is followed by a further rest of several weeks; Casa Vittorino rests in bottle for at least one to two months.
Production of Casa Vittorino begins with selection of the best Glera bunches. The grapes are destemmed and undergo several hours of cryomaceration at 8–10°C directly in the press under oxygen-excluding conditions. Gentle pressing and static settling follow. Primary fermentation occurs in steel at 16°C. The young wine is separated from coarse lees but retained with residual sugar and fine lees for two to three weeks, then clarified and moved to an autoclave for a 20–25-day prise de mousse at 16–18°C. Several further weeks on the lees precede bottling.
Il Millesimato follows a continuous-fermentation variation: the wine is transferred to a pressure tank before primary fermentation has finished and while substantial residual sugar remains. Sparkling formation therefore proceeds without interrupting the original fermentation. The process lasts 20–25 days, followed by about 15 days on the lees and four to six weeks of bottle rest.
For Prosecco DOC Rosé, the red component is vinified separately with a short skin maceration before blending. The new wine remains on fine lees for one month, then undergoes secondary fermentation at 18°C for approximately 20–25 days and 40–50 days of lees ageing, reaching at least 60 days in pressure tank before bottling.
Aromatic Moscato and Malvasia nera are vinified as white wine. The must is held at low temperature in thermostatically controlled vessels to preserve its aromatic character, and sparkling formation begins directly from the must in an autoclave maintained at consistently low temperature.
Still Sauvignon is gently pressed in a highly reductive environment, statically settled and fermented at 18°C with selected yeasts. It spends several weeks on fine lees, then undergoes filtration and tartrate stabilisation before bottling and several months of bottle ageing.
One estate red-wine protocol combines freshly harvested fruit with approximately 10% of the crop dried on rush mats for three months. The fresh portion is destemmed and fermented on skins for about 15–20 days at 26–28°C, followed by malolactic fermentation in steel. The dried portion is vinified in the same way, after which the lots are recombined and matured for eight to nine months in medium-toast French Allier oak barriques before bottling and further bottle ageing.
Philosophy
Astoria presents tradition and innovation as complementary principles. The historical foundation is a multigenerational family relationship with vine cultivation; the contemporary expression relies on controlled fermentation, modern sparkling-wine equipment, reductive processing where appropriate and distinct production protocols for different cuvées.
Its idea of the “Art of Prosecco” links fruit from the Refrontolo hills with technical precision and a strong visual identity. Quality is framed not only through vineyard origin and winemaking but also through sustainable-quality certification on selected wines.
Innovation extends to product format and cultural context. The Venice Collection connects sparkling wines to the maritime vocabulary, craft traditions and glassmaking heritage of Venice. Fashion Victim adopts a colourful, contemporary identity, while Yu Sushi Sparkling responds to the growth of Japanese cuisine. The low-alcohol 9.5 Cold Wine, alcohol-free Zerotondo and Prosecco DOC Rosé further illustrate an active response to changing consumption preferences.
The Astoria Lounge Wine Store gives physical form to this outlook through modern architecture, tastings, art exhibitions, cultural meetings and social initiatives. Steel, glass, minimalist interiors and contemporary design contrast with the late-19th-century farmhouse at Tenuta Val de Brun, bringing the estate’s historical and modern identities into one visitor experience.