Scavi & Ray

From the New York advertising jet to the Veneto: How Scavi & Ray was born

The story begins in 1963 in New York. Joe Scavi and Carluccio Ray run an advertising agency there with clients from the international fashion scene — well-connected, successful, but with an unresolved question in their luggage: Where do they actually come from? Both are Italian-Americans whose ancestors emigrated from the Veneto to America in the early 20th century. When they travel together to their fathers' homeland in 1963, they land in the province of Treviso — and stay. They acquire a piece of land in the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, where the Glera grape grows, which was then simply called Prosecco. From this decision, the Scavi & Ray brand is born.

What the two founders bring with them from the advertising world shapes the brand from the very beginning: a distinct sense for aesthetics, positioning, and occasion. Scavi & Ray appears early on at fashion shows, art events, and red-carpet events — not as a sponsor, but as a natural part of the setting.

Glera, hillside location, and the rules of the DOCG

The core area of Scavi & Ray lies in the DOCG zone between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene — an appellation that has been officially recognized as an independent area of origin within the broader Prosecco DOC area since 2009. The hillside locations of northern Veneto offer the late-ripening Glera grape the conditions it needs: warm summers, cool nights, calcareous soils. The Proseccos with designation of origin are produced according to clearly defined quality standards, which are controlled by the region's consortia. Spumante wines are produced according to the Metodo Martinotti with a second fermentation in a pressure tank, which results in the fine, lively perlage that corresponds to the house style. Frizzante versions with a gentler mousseux are created according to the same principle, but with lower carbon dioxide pressure.

Sparkling classics, still wines, aperitifs: the range at a glance

Prosecco remains the basis — in the DOC variant as well as in the Valdobbiadene DOCG Superiore, the house's upscale appellation. In addition, Scavi & Ray has consistently expanded the portfolio towards the broader Italian lifestyle. With the Ca' Scavi Lugana DOC on Lake Garda, a still white wine made from Turbiana grapes is added — a completely different register than the Prosecco, more mineral and full-bodied. The Primitivo Salento IGT brings the deep south of Puglia into the range. The whole thing is supplemented by aperitif creations such as the Hugo Aperitivo and the Sprizz Aperitivo, by Limoncello, an alcohol-free sparkling wine line, and by Spumante editions such as the Ice Prestige and the Luminoso — all geared towards occasion and staging. Those who want to drink their way through the range will find a direct entry into the entire breadth of the brand with the sample pack.