The Fornasier family have been growing grapes since 1800 – agriculture was one of the few commercial activities in the area at the time. Yet it was not until after the First World War that Giuseppe, the grandfather of the three Fornasier brothers that run the estate today, started to produce wine. Giuseppe, together with his sons, marketed wines made from the grapes between 1918 and 1950.

Although Giuseppe's eldest son, born in 1915, started work in the textile industry and later founded his own textiles business, the family never lost its passion for wine and wine production. Vines for winemaking were cultivated in the hills, while grass and mulberry was grown on the plains – grass to feed the cattle, and mulberry to feed the silkworms, whose output supplied the local textile industry.

The decision to certify the product for food-chain traceability was driven by the the desire to create a niche product. The best production areas were selected, and a new generation of vine growers and enotechnicians employed for the project. Food-chain traceability protects both the environment and the health of the consumer.

This new initiative for the production of Prosecco is called “Riccardo” in memory of the father.