These are not soft, rolling wine hills. Between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, the foothills of the Pre-Alps rise in steep hogback ridges, sharp crests of rock running east to west, with vines clinging to slopes so steep that much of the work is still done by hand. Grass-covered terraces called ciglioni hold the soil in place, and the result is a patchwork of vines, woods and small villages that UNESCO listed in 2019.
The grape is Glera, the base for Prosecco Superiore, and the wineries here range from tiny family cellars to grand estates. The Strada del Prosecco, opened in 1966 as Italy's first official wine road, winds through the hills linking them. Look for the Molinetto della Croda, a seventeenth-century mill by a waterfall near Refrontolo, and the small lakes of Revine to the north. Vittorio Veneto gave its name to the decisive Italian victory of the First World War in 1918, and the town has a museum dedicated to it.
For riders, the region has two personalities. In the hills, the roads are narrow and sinuous, flowing from one viewpoint to the next with constant changes of gradient, perfect for a relaxed pace and plenty of stops. Just to the north, the Passo San Boldo climbs from Tovena in a stack of hairpins and tunnels carved into the rock, built by the Austro-Hungarian army in a matter of months during the war; it has an alternating traffic light system and height limits, and anyone who loves unusual roads should ride it at least once. Beyond lie the Dolomites, within easy reach.
Vittorio Veneto, a town of around twenty-five thousand, is the obvious place for fuel and services, as is Conegliano to the south. Look for osterie that serve spiedo, meat roasted slowly on a spit, or a plate of soppressa salami with polenta, alongside a cold glass of Prosecco. The best months are spring and autumn, when the vines are green or gold and the summer heat has eased.