Venissa, history reborn

A project to restore a vineyard situated in the walled-in garden of the Santa Maria Assunta Church, on the island of Mazzorbo, has led to the birth of Venissa wines.

This is a story of a rebirth. After selling their historic estate in Santo Stefano, the Bisol brothers embarked on two very interesting wine projects. The first was in the Colli Euganei with the Maeli estate and the second was a fascinating one involving archeology, recreating a terroir and wine in Venice.

This second project is named Venissa and its strategic headquarters are on the island of Mazzorbo although it involves to the islands of Burano and Torcello as well. The project also includes a resort, already operative, hotel accommodation (Casa Burano) on Burano, a star-restaurant Venissa, in the capable hands of Chef Francesco Brutto and Chiara Pavan, and the Osteria Contemporanea that offers traditional lagoon dishes that – always under Brutto’s supervision – are prepared by the young and very talented Daniele Iori.

For us, what is most interesting was the restoration of the vineyards situated in the garden of the Santa Maria Assunta Church. It is typical, two-hectare “walled vineyard”, what the French call a clos. The walled garden is also used to cultivate vegetables for the two restaurants and plans are underway to restore an old fishery. There is, in fact, a natural pool next to the vineyard that is only 2-3m deep. The proximity of the sea with the vineyards posed a significant challenge, one that was resolved thanks to the Dorona grape of Venice, examples of which were found in the vineyard itself. It is a varietal that has historically adapted to brackish soils and the lagoon city’s particular climate. The vineyard, in fact, is often flooded by Venice’s high water phenomenon during the winter.

The consulting enologist is Roberto Cipresso who, in this particular case, adopted the winemaking practices employed by monks ages ago. This involves natural yeasts, no temperature controls and some maceration to replicate the wine that used to be made in the lagoon area and has been documented since 1200.  They also make a red wine but the grapes do not come from this vineyard but one on the neighboring island of Santa Cristina, which is protected from the high water by dikes. Together with these two wines is a more ready-to-drink wine, Rosso Venusa, again made with grapes from Santa Cristina, as well as a craft amber beer which undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle and is made using santonico herbs (Artemisia maritima), naturally from the Venissa garden.

Venissa 2014

Made from Dorona grapes and macerated on the skins in stainless steel for 40 days. The wine has a bright and bold golden color and a distinct aroma of nectarines and medicinal herbs, iodine sensations and a hint of breadcrumb. The progressive mouthfeel has a thick texture and is never too sweet thanks to a touch of salt that lingers through a very Mediterranean and persistent finish. *3,500 (0.5l) bottles produced.

92/100

€ 140*

Rosso Venissa 2011

A bend of Merlot and Carmenère grapes from an over-50-year-old vineyard. The wine ferments and matures for 12 months in barriques and then ages long in the bottle. The color is a very dark and slightly opaque ruby and the bouquet is almost an explosion of blueberry, smoky sensations and underbrush notes of leaves and graphite. The rich and austere mouthfeel has evident yet composed and integrated tannins contributing to the progression. The finish is persistent and relaxed. *4,000 (0.5l) bottles produced.

93/100

€ 120*

Related Products