González Byass USA has been named the exclusive U.S. importer for Villa Marcello, an estate-grown Prosecco DOC from Treviso, Veneto — expanding the importer's Italian footprint with a vintage-dated, terroir-focused expression positioned to stand apart on wine lists and retail shelves.
The Estate Behind the Wine
Villa Marcello's roots stretch back to the 17th century, when the property served as a hunting lodge in the Veneto countryside. Its wine history began in the 19th century, when Elisabetta Galvani Onigo planted the first vines. The estate is now a modern wine project led by Giovanni Mazzei, son of Alessandra Marcello, whose family has maintained the property across generations. Spread across 57 hectares — with 26.5 hectares of vineyards planted predominantly to Glera alongside Pinot Bianco — the estate sits within the Prosecco DOC zone close to the respected Conegliano area.
Mazzei produces Villa Marcello as a Millesimato, meaning every bottle is sourced from a single harvest year. That distinction matters commercially: non-vintage Prosecco dominates the category at volume, so a Millesimato release offers on-premise operators a point of differentiation when building by-the-glass programs or curated sparkling selections. Each vintage reflects the growing season's specific conditions, giving sommeliers and beverage directors a storytelling hook beyond simple aperitif positioning.
Operator and Portfolio Implications
González Byass USA enters the Prosecco category at a moment when the segment continues to show strong velocity across both on-premise and off-premise channels. Rather than competing at the commodity end of the market, the company is leading with estate provenance, traceability, and environmental stewardship — themes that resonate with the upscale dining and hospitality segment the importer typically serves.
"Prosecco is an important and dynamic category in the U.S. market, and Villa Marcello gives us an opportunity to represent the category through the lens of a historic estate with a strong sense of place," said Andrew Sinclair, CEO of González Byass USA. He cited the Millesimato production method and the dual Marcello-Mazzei family connection as factors that make the wine "a distinctive addition to our Italian portfolio."
The move follows González Byass USA's recent merger with Carolina Wine Brands, a consolidation that broadened its national distribution reach. Adding Villa Marcello continues a pattern of building out a curated Italian presence alongside the company's core Spanish, Chilean, and Mexican estates. For restaurant buyers sourcing sparkling wine programs that tell a clear origin story, a Veneto estate Prosecco from a dedicated national importer offers logistical consistency alongside category credibility.
What's Next
The initial U.S. launch centers on the Villa Marcello Millesimato Brut. The winemaking integrates modern and traditional techniques aimed at preserving Glera's signature floral and fruit-driven aromatic profile while maintaining structure and freshness — attributes that support flexible placement across aperitivo, pairing, and celebratory occasions in foodservice. Buyers tracking Italian wine imports and emerging beverage trends can expect González Byass USA to push the estate-grown narrative through its existing national sales and distribution infrastructure.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
