The youngest Bortolomiol brother went his own way in 1978. Rive di Santo Stefano, Cartizze, an undisgorged Brut Nature, and a cellar you can visit.
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| Spumanti Gemin, Valdobbiadene |
Three brothers founded one of Valdobbiadene's great Prosecco names. The youngest, nicknamed Gemin, built his own.
In Valdobbiadene, family trees and vine rows run along the same contour lines. In 1949 three Bortolomiol brothers, Giuliano, Labano and Guglielmo, set up a winery together, and the Bortolomiol name went on to become one of the pioneers of modern Prosecco. Guglielmo was the youngest, so everyone called him Guglielmin, which was soon shortened to Gemin.
After their father died in 1972 the brothers went their separate ways, on good terms. Gemin kept selling grapes to his brother Giuliano, whose winery, Bortolomiol, is now run by Giuliano's daughters. In 1978 Gemin put up his own building on Via Erizzo in Valdobbiadene and gave the company his nickname. When a whole town knows you by one name, that's your brand.
At a glance
| Where | Via Erizzo 187, Valdobbiadene (Treviso) |
|---|---|
| Appellations | Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, including Rive di Santo Stefano, Rive di Guia and Superiore di Cartizze |
| Family | Founded in 1978 by Guglielmo "Gemin" Bortolomiol (born 1931). Run today by Paola and her children Luigi, Luca and Elisabetta. |
| Vineyards | About 6 to 7 hectares of Glera; SQNPI sustainable certification; six beehives among the vines |
| Production | About 500,000 bottles a year |
| Wine to find | Pioniere, Rive di Santo Stefano Extra Brut |
| Visits | Guided cellar visit and tasting, Monday to Saturday. Book at spumantigemin.it, on +39 0423 975450 or at info@spumantigemin.it. |
| Website | spumantigemin.it |
The story
Gemin started digging an underground cellar in 1980, and by 1985 the whole harvest was being made on site. Today the company makes around half a million bottles a year, mostly from the steep Valdobbiadene hills that put Prosecco on the postcards. Its bottles say "Valdobbiadene DOCG" more prominently than "Prosecco". This is a winery that wants you to know which hill you're drinking.
The range is a tour of what Valdobbiadene can do:
- a bone-dry single-hillside wine named after the founder
- a softer one named after the matriarch
- a Cartizze, from the most famous hill in the denomination
- a tiny run of undisgorged, bottle-fermented Brut Nature for the purists
The family keeps bees among the vines and holds SQNPI integrated-production certification, Italy's national standard for sustainable farming.
What to drink
Pioniere, Rive di Santo Stefano Extra Brut (DOCG). 0 to 1 g/l of sugar, from vines more than 50 years old on clay and marl, and only about 5,000 bottles. It is named for Gemin himself. About €18 at the winery (roughly $21).
Brut (DOCG). 7 to 9 g/l. The house signature. Decanter gave the 2022 87 points and called it "Smooth and rounded with a light fragrant nose." About €13 at the winery (roughly $15).
Madre Paola, Rive di Guia Dry Millesimato (DOCG). 21 to 23 g/l. "Dry" on a Prosecco label means sweeter still: the naming is all backwards, and we've made our peace with it. Decanter gave the 2022 87 points for its "appealing crunchy green fruit and fine bubbles." About €16 at the winery (roughly $18).
Superiore di Cartizze Dry (DOCG). 19 to 21 g/l, from very old vines, about 6,500 bottles. Cartizze is the grand cru hill of Prosecco, just over 100 hectares, and every row of it is spoken for. About €25 at the winery (roughly $29).
Cuvée Cavalier Alvio Stramare, Brut Nature. Zero sugar. Fermented in the bottle and never disgorged, and only 1,600 to 1,800 bottles are made. About €25 at the winery (roughly $29).
Prices: euro prices are what the winery or an Italian retailer charges, with a rough dollar figure at about $1.14 to the euro (October 2026). In the US, expect more on the shelf once shipping, the 15% tariff on EU wine, importer and distributor margins and taxes are added.
Where it fits
Gemin makes the Bortolomiol story personal. If you know the big Bortolomiol name, this is the younger brother's version: smaller, family-run, and still on the Valdobbiadene hills. For a single bottle that shows why the Rive system matters, put the bone-dry Pioniere next to the softer Madre Paola. Same family, same town, two hills, two completely different moods.
Where to buy
- At the winery: the full range, with online shop prices in euros.
- US and UK: we found no regular stockist. The family showed at the London Wine Fair in 2024, so watch this space.
Visiting
Gemin offers a guided cellar visit and tasting, Monday to Saturday. Book through the website, by phone on +39 0423 975450 or by email at info@spumantigemin.it. Wine-tour sites resell tastings at around €25 to €40.
Quick answers
Is Gemin the same as Bortolomiol? No. Both come from the Bortolomiol family, and they are separate companies. Guglielmo "Gemin" Bortolomiol founded Spumanti Gemin in 1978. Bortolomiol SpA is the winery of his brother Giuliano, now run by Giuliano's daughters.
What is Rive di Santo Stefano? A named hillside near Valdobbiadene. "Rive" wines come from a single steep slope and show the vintage year.
Can you visit Spumanti Gemin? Yes. There are guided visits and tastings Monday to Saturday, booked in advance.
Sources
- spumantigemin.it: home, history, vineyards, experiences, shop
- prosecco.it: Gemin Spumanti
- Decanter: Brut 2022, Madre Paola 2022
- Touring Club Italiano: Bortolomiol
- Wine Folly Valdobbiadene guide
Last checked: October 2026
The Prosecco Desk: the Proseccotists behind Bella Principessa Prosecco. We love this region and write about the families who make it. Producers do not pay to be listed.
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