Carpenè Malvolti has epitomised the history of the production of sparkling wines and distillates of Italian origin ever since 1868. This history began a century and a half ago – thanks to the enlightened mind of the founding father, Antonio Carpenè – and has always been “making progress” with the scientific and strategic innovations brought about by the subsequent three generations, who have followed one another up until today: from Etile to Antonio, and down to another Etile. All the generation-linked phases, each with its own specific contribution, have nevertheless remained tied to the usual mission and entrepreneurial philosophy, and all are and have been inspired by the principle of continuity in handing down the historic and basic values.
The Carpenè family has always censured this historicity, and recently has promoted it even more by integrating it also on the labels of its best selections, thus confirming it as an inseparable asset for its own marketing and communications strategies.
The profound link with the family tradition has been renewed and fortified in the names and works of the different generations, and above all in the commitment to produce quality wines and distillates by means of continuous technological innovations applied in the winery, never giving in to compromises with traditional values nor with the symbiotic relationship that exists with the territory.
Amid the green hills of Conegliano, in fact, where the rows of Glera come one after another in orderly manner, for almost a century and a half this reality has linked its name in particular to that of Prosecco: it was in fact in 1868, when Antonio Carpenè – who was a fervent follower of Garibaldi and, after receiving his degree in chemistry from the University of Pavia, had fought at Bezzecca in 1866 – had the brilliant idea of producing the first “Italian champagne” with these grapes. His dream of inaugurating an estate that produced Veneto wines became a reality, together with that of founding – several years later – the Ænological School of Conegliano, one of the most prestigious technical institutes in Italy in the field of wine growing and producing, in which to popularise the culture of and respect for the land and vines. These constituted the most important patrimony for the people of Conegliano and of its surrounding hills, which were cultivated with vines as much as two thousand years ago.
The contribution of the Carpenè family to the success of Prosecco did not stop with the founder, Antonio: after him, Etile introduced for the first time the name of the grape variety on the label, and then the third generation – represented by Antonio – perfected a new method for producing sparkling wine that was capable of exalting and exploiting to a maximum the aromatic characteristics of the grape variety in question. In fact, this innovation bears his name, becoming known as the “Carpenè method”.
If the Prosecco Superiore DOCG di Conegliano Valdobbiadene currently represents a popular reality all over the world, this can be attributed above all to the fourth Etile Carpenè generation, which still today continues to dedicate its energies and enthusiasm to a profound reorganization in the technological field, but above all by a successful negotiation of the ambitious process of internationalization, which until now has enabled the trademark to be present in more than 50 countries and on 5 continents. And the fifth Rosanna Carpenè generation is preparing to reap the testimony of this, sensing all the privilege, honour and importance imposed by this historic responsibility.
