About Loredan Gasparini
Loredan Gasparini is a historic estate located in Venegazzù, in the Treviso hills of the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. The estate is best known for its Venegazzù della Casa, a Bordeaux-style red blend that has been produced for several decades and is considered one of the pioneering wines of its type in Italy. The property traces its origins to the noble Loredan family and has long been associated with the production of structured red wines from the local Montello e Colli Asolani DOC.
Prices are for take away and shipping. The wine bar serves from its own list.
The winery
About Loredan Gasparini
History
The wines of the Montello hills north of Venice have a long record: the winery's site notes that Venice sold them at higher prices than other wines in the 16th century, and a historian praised them in 1590. The modern estate goes back to the late 1940s, when Count Piero Loredan saw the potential of the Venegazzù area and invested in vines there. One account says the vineyard now called Le 100 Piante was planted in 1946 and the first Rosso di Venegazzù was made in 1951. The estate is now run by the Palla family, with Lorenzo Palla as winemaker since 1998 according to one source.
The land and the vineyards
Montello is a hill area about 50 kilometres from Venice, rising to about 370 metres. Its clay soils are rich in iron and minerals, and the Pre Alps shelter it, giving a cool, temperate climate with regular rain. UNESCO named the area a Biosphere Reserve in 2016. The sparkling wines come from a 23 hectare estate planted in 1975 with selected old clones of Glera.
The wines
Venegazzù was one of the first blends of Cabernet and Merlot made in Italy after the war, born from the Count's wish for a great red aged in large barrels. Cabernet Sauvignon leads the blend, with Merlot and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Today the range includes Venegazzù Della Casa, the Riserva Capo di Stato aged about 60 months in oak, Falconera Merlot, an IGT Malbec and an Asolo Prosecco Superiore. The house also makes grappa and liqueurs, among them a Capo di Stato grappa.
Today
The estate is called Azienda Agricola Conte Loredan Gasparini, owned by Giancarlo Palla. The label of Capo di Stato is tied to a story from 1967, when a Rosso di Venegazzù was served to Charles de Gaulle during a visit to Venice, with artwork by the Padua painter Tono Zancanaro.
- Founded
- Late 1940s
- Main grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Glera
- Owners
- Palla family (Giancarlo Palla)
- Winemaker
- Lorenzo Palla