There is another Le Manzane. Quieter, less familiar to sparkling‑wine lovers, yet well worth discovering. In San Pietro di Feletto, in the heart of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Balbinot family has built over more than forty years a solid reputation within the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG universe. A recognizable identity, now exported to over 30 countries by Ernesto Balbinot and his spouse Silvana Ceschin, together with their children Marco and Anna, which finds its natural language in Treviso’s flagship sparkling wine.
Yet alongside this vocation, a line of still wines has developed—particularly in its white‑wine expressions, the focus of this tasting exploration—which does not represent a deviation, but rather a coherent extension of the territory’s narrative.
Rediscovering the Biodiversity of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Hills in the Glass: Le Manzane’s Still White Wine Line
Less widely known, Le Manzane’s still‑wine line nonetheless proves capable of capturing new consumption dynamics and broadening the winery’s positioning, especially in the restaurant sector and international markets.
The starting point remains Glera, here interpreted as a still wine. Prosecco DOC Tranquillo retains a recognizable varietal profile—fruity notes and a dry, linear palate—but shifts register entirely: less aromatic immediacy, greater gastronomic drinkability. Cold vinification and two months of lees ageing shape an essential wine designed for the table, with versatility that makes it competitive across multiple consumption occasions.
Alongside Glera, varieties emerge that express a more identity‑driven dimension of the hills where Le Manzane’s history has unfolded.
Verdiso, an ancient local grape variety, is a statement of style: delicate, fine and dry, with natural freshness supported by good acidity. It is a wine that favors precision and clarity, finding its most effective expression in food pairings.
Manzoni Bianco 6.0.13—the historic cross between Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco, another emblem of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene hills—introduces a more aromatic and structured register. Broom‑flower aromas and a dry, alcoholic framework create a white wine of greater depth, capable of dialoguing with more complex cuisine and positioning itself in a higher quality tier.
The variety finds an even more evolved expression in Sabbiato, where work in tonneaux and approximately eight months of lees ageing completely shift perspective. The profile broadens: tropical fruit, hints of vanilla, and a softer, more enveloping texture. This is the wine that marks the transition from a logic of freshness to one of complexity, conceived for more ambitious restaurants and an experienced audience.
Completing the picture—which at Vinitaly 2026 has been enriched with new releases still to be discovered—is Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC, interpreted in a clean, contemporary style. Light aromas of wisteria and exotic fruit, good salinity and balanced structure make it an extremely versatile wine, with strong commercial potential thanks to the grape’s international recognizability.
Le Manzane: a Coherent Strategy Beyond Sparkling Wine
Across this range, a precise strategy emerges: not abandoning the centrality of sparkling wines, but building a complementary offering around them, capable of covering multiple consumption moments and distribution channels.
In this sense, Le Manzane has chosen to extend the horizons of its identity, returning to the roots of its history and recovering those of a territory marked by extraordinary biodiversity that is not always fully expressed today. A tangible demonstration that even in a strongly defined terroir such as Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, there is room for a broader narrative—where still wine becomes not an alternative, but an opportunity.
