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Cantine Riunite & Civ celebrates 50 years of Maschio

18 April 2023 By Louis Thomas

At this year’s Vinitaly, wine group Cantine Riunite & Civ marked a half century of Prosecco brand Cantine Maschio, and debuted the product portfolio brought in by its acquisition of Cavicchioli winery.

In 1973, Bonaventura Maschio turned his family’s century-old distillery into a winery. Initially the company focused on the production of IGT semi-sparkling wines, such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, which soon became market leaders, in part due to their distinctive Rhine bottles.

It was in the earlier 1980s that the production of Prosecco commenced. Around this time, Cantine Maschio became the first Italian producer to set up a bottling line for 200 millilitre bottles.

Since 2009, with the establishment of the Prosecco DOC (as well as DOCGs for Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore and Asolo Prosecco Superiore), the category has continued to grow. A press release from Cantine Riunite & Civ noted that research into other native grapes, aside from the traditional Glera used for the Prosecco, and winemaking innovations has increased.

Commemorating this milestone anniversary, Maschio has given its flagship Prosecco DOC Treviso a limited edition packaging design. The minimalist label bears the number ’50’, printed in the same copper/orange hue as the bottle’s foil.

But Cantine Riunite & Civ’s fizz portfolio has now expanded to sparkling red wine. At this year’s Vinitaly the group also showcased products from famed Lambrusco producer Cavicchioli, which was integrated into Riunite & Civ in January of this year. The statement declared that the Cavicchioli brand, which is 95-years-old this year, would be undergoing “redefinition” both on- and off-trade: “The winery’s product portfolio has now been enhanced and given structure, without compromising on the hallmark that has been marking Cavicchioli for nearly a century.”

Several Maschio wines were medallists at this year’s Prosecco Masters.