With the absolute novelty Regio Metodo Classico Extra Brut, Dei Cavalieri reactivates a technical memory that had remained suspended over recent decades and translates it into a contemporary project. This is not a return, but a restart. A decision that fits within a broader design: the redefinition of Dei Cavalieri’s identity, now increasingly oriented toward a premium positioning, without betraying accessibility and coherence across the range.
From Rebranding to the Metodo Classico Challenge
“The new identity and restyling of Dei Cavalieri have been very well received both in Italy and abroad,” explains Francesca Benini, Sales & Marketing Director at Cantine Riunite & Civ. “We wanted to clearly differentiate the role of Maschio, more oriented toward the off‑premise channel, from Dei Cavalieri, which speaks to the on‑premise. It is a 360‑degree investment: a more precious image, in line with a process of premiumization.”
It is along this trajectory that the Metodo Classico innovation takes shape—not as a deviation, but as a natural evolution. “We felt the need to embrace this segment,” Benini continues, highlighting the growth of the category in Italy, driven in particular by Trento DOC and Franciacorta. “Metodo Classico helps strengthen the premium segment we are building with Dei Cavalieri.” But behind this new course lies not only a technical and brand choice, but also a personal story.
How Regio Dei Cavalieri Is Born
“The first work I did in 1988 at Cantine Maschio was preparing the liqueur for Metodo Classico,” recalls Gabriele Cescon, today winemaker and director of Dei Cavalieri. “Then that project was discontinued in the early 1990s. I have always felt some regret at seeing it disappear.”
Regio Dei Cavalieri Metodo Classico Extra Brut is also born from this interrupted continuity, which now finds form again. Its base is a dialogue between territories and grape varieties: Glera from Friulian vineyards and Chardonnay from the province of Treviso.
“When one speaks of Glera, one immediately thinks of the Charmat method,” Cescon explains, “but I wanted to try bringing it into Metodo Classico, pairing it with Chardonnay to provide more structure.” A balance sought, not forced. “We think of Glera as a carrier of elegance and freshness, while Chardonnay provides robustness. It is from this marriage that the wine’s base is born.”
The stylistic choice is clear: no extremes, no superstructures. “We did not want a Metodo Classico with long ageing, but a young, fresh wine capable of maintaining a connection with the original grapes.” Hence a deliberately short lees ageing, resulting in an agile and immediate interpretation, and zero dosage, in line with a production philosophy that privileges integrity and drinkability.
“It is a Metodo Classico that interprets our idea of freshness,” Cescon continues. “All our wines focus on youthfulness, fragrance and ease of drinking.” A vision that also finds coherence in must management, a central element of the company’s DNA: an ‘aromatic vault’ preserved throughout the year to ensure stylistic continuity and expressive precision.
The result is a Metodo Classico positioned in an accessible tier of the premium segment, also conceived for by‑the‑glass service. “It is a perfect product for by‑the‑glass offerings, precisely because of its immediacy,” Francesca Benini emphasizes.
Beyond Regio Dei Cavalieri: The Future of the Metodo Classico Project
Regio Dei Cavalieri is not a point of arrival, but only the first step. “There will be an evolution linked to lees ageing,” Benini anticipates.
This direction is confirmed by Gabriele Cescon, who already speaks of a future ‘older sibling’: a project linked to the Serenissima DOC denomination, characterized by lower yields and a more classical approach, capable of exploring depth and complexity.
“We will thus be able to offer two versions: one younger and more immediate, and one more mature and elaborated,” explains the winemaker. “Then we will see how the market receives this novelty and what development the project may have.”
This is where the real challenge lies. Regio Dei Cavalieri does not enter the Metodo Classico segment to compete head‑on with established denominations, but to interpret it with a different code: more direct and accessible, yet coherent with a production philosophy that has always placed freshness and drinkability at its core.
“Making sparkling wine is our world,” Cescon concludes. “With this project, we wanted to open a new chapter.” And like every new chapter, it does not merely define a product—it redefines an identity.
