He learned how the vines should be planted far apart, to allow the roots to grow aside to avoid the salt water; And how wells must be drilled hundreds of feet deep to reach the fresh water needed to wash the vineyards. Bisol found a medieval monastery on the nearby island of Matsuurbo with a walled vineyard and did what he learned. Ten years and a lot of experimentation later, his first booze Vanessa Wine was produced.
Gianluca’s son, Matteo Pessol, now oversees operations in Venice, and he met me from the boat to show me around Mazorbo. Unlike the ramshackle vineyards of San Michele, Venissa is a luxury business establishment – a Michelin-starred restaurant and luxury residences have been added to its portfolio in recent years. However, they do share one of the basic principles of Laguna nel Bicchiere. “We are really serious about the quality of the wine,” Mathieu told me. “But for us, it represents something much bigger: bringing a piece of Venetian history back to the lake after we nearly lost that wine.”
The rediscovery of Dorona ignited the Venetian wine revival. Laguna nel Bicchiere now grows a mixture of Dorona and other non-native grapes and produces mixed grape wines. Venice White is made from 100% Dorona grapes, and only the vineyard is dedicated solely to its commercial production. Lake frontiers mean it will always be a boutique establishment; The property produces 3,500 bottles annually, which are sold mainly in the vicinity.
Venice’s Dorona wine is acclaimed for its full body and bold, dry taste, which is thought to be very similar – thanks to the unique appearance of Dorona grapes and traditional organic farming methods – to wines favored by dogs. It bears an unmistakable hint of saltiness, and pairs very well with the lagoon ingredients served at Venissa, such as oysters, lavender, and Sant’Erasmo honey.
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