La Jara, Veneto

La Jara is an Italian dialect term meaning 'pebbles'. The Marion family chose this name for their estate because the small white limestone pebbles are typical of the area. Rivers flowing from the Dolomites carry fertile alluvial soil as well as stones. The combination of soil and heat-retaining pebbles is ideal for viticulture. Azienda Agricola La Jara is in Mareno di Piava, Treviso, near the small river island Grave di Papadopoli. The vineyards extend from the foot of the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene hills to the River Piave, providing ideal conditions for Glera, formerly known as the Prosecco grape. Azienda Agricola La Jara dates back to 1891, when the ancestors of today's owners, Massimo and Paolo Marion, discovered their great love of the land and its grapes. Division through inheritance has since reduced the estate to 40 hectares, but this does not diminish the importance of La Jara's products. Both brothers farm the entire estate from conviction according to certified organic and biodynamic principles. Cooperation with local farmers secures supplies of organic cattle manure. La Jara's cellar technology is specialised in sparkling wine production: unlike many winegrowers, the Marions make sparkling wines almost exclusively. This is surely one reason La Jara's Proseccos often achieve leading positions in tastings. When the technologically advanced new cellar was built, it was designed to make it possible to harvest and press the entire grape crop in a single day.