Vines of Venice

From the lagoon villages of Caorle and Bibione, to the banks of the rivers Lemene and Livenza, much of eastern Veneto was used to cultivate the grapes which were used to produce the wines for the doges of Venice.

Wine history

Although wine had been made in the area since the times of the Ancient Romans, it was during the Republic of Venice's golden years that it was produced on an almost industrial scale.

After the fall of the Serenissima, a period of decline followed and it was not until the arrival of the Hapsburgs that a precise categorization of the area's wines was made and the careful selection of the varieties of grape began, work which culminated in the post war years with the identification of the varieties still cultivated today: Cabernet Franc, Lison or Tocai Italico, Merlot, Sauvignon, Refosco. Pinot Grigio.

The road to excellence

The Lison Pramaggiore D.O.C. Wine Route, which snakes its way through the countryside, from the coastal fields to the border with Treviso and Pordenone, was created in 1986 to promote and add value to a landscape rich in history, cellars, and excellent wines.

The wine road takes its name from the two towns of Lison and Pramaggiore where the area's wine production began. Even today, the greatest concentration of cellars is situated in the so-called Classic Zone of the Cities of Wine and, more precisely, the area around Lison, Pramaggiore, Annone Veneto, S. Stino di Livenza and Portogruaro.

Caorle, with its cathedral containing masterpieces of Venetian goldsmithery and Concordia Sagittaria, famous for its Ancient Roman ruins, are just two of the interesting towns on route

Venetian hallmark

The symbol of the winged lion of St Mark is used to identify the Lison Parmaggiore D.O.C. wines, and underlines the historic relationship between the area's wine production and the city of Venice.

Since 1990, a great number of the cellars situated on the Wine Road have chosen to adopt organic agricultural methods and are extremely active in the promotion of the territory: organizing wine tastings, guided visits to the productions sites, and a rich calendar of events.