Venissa Bianco 2014

Reviews

WD

"Venissa is the perfect example of a 'walled vineyard.' It was restored by the Bisol family of Prosecco fame, and in it grows the Dorona di Venezia variety, native to the Venetian Lagoon and cultivated for centuries until nearly becoming extinct after the great flood of 1966. Today, from this rediscovered gem, the Bisol family produces fewer than 4000 bottles per year of Venissa. It is one of the most sought-after white wines in the world by wine enthusiasts, a unique wine with notes of salinity that recalls the lagoon and its perfumes . . . . Venissa’s story began by chance and resulted in an incredible discovery: some of the very last grapevines in Venice, the final trace of a winegrowing culture that was destroyed by the flood of 1966. It is a winemaking story that goes back more than 1000 years to 1100, when vineyards could be found in Piazza San Marco, but whose ultimate destiny was to be cut down to make space for the great Venetian palazzos that the world admires today. There were many islands in the Venetian Lagoon where wine was produced until fifty years ago, especially on the islands of Mazzorbo, Burano and Torcello, otherwise known as Native Venice. The Dorona di Venezia is a native, white-skinned variety that adapted well to the high waters and the particular conditions of this unique terroir. Gianluca Bisol discovered 88 vine plants in 2002 in a private garden and only remaining vineyards of Venice . . . . The Label: In Giovanni Moretti’s creation the label has been replaced by a precious sheet of gold fashioned by the modern day descendent of the ancient Battiloro family. The leaf was applied by hand and the bottle was then re-fired in the ovens on the island of Murano. Vineyard Profile - Grape Source: 100% Dorona [di Venezia]; Size: 1 hectare (2.47 acres); Soil: Silty-sandy, rich in organic material and clay; Exposure: East to west, flat and level; Vintage Report - Harvest Date(s): Second ten days of September; Yields: 1,10 Kg (per plant); Vinification - Fermentation: In glass; Maceration: 22 days; Aging: At least 12 months in glass; Technical Information - Varietal Composition: 100% Dorona [di Venezia]; Alcohol: 13 %; Tasting Notes - The wine is golden in color and instantly spicy on the nose with iodine notes and nuances of fleshy yellow fruit. On the palate it is well-structured, full and velvety with dominant almond notes and traces of yellow peaches and honey. The finale is dry, savory, full and persistent. Venissa is a great collector’s white wine with a long life expectancy."