“But then we realized that the best way to show this wine and the best place to show this wine was really in front of a vineyard. And my father lived his life traveling all over the world, bringing Prosecco to people, but in Venice, there's people who take planes from all over the world to come to visit Venice.”
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We’re in great company with Matteo Bisol of the famed Prosecco family, who have been leaders in this winemaking practice for 5 centuries, producing what is widely regarded as one of the most sought-after wines in the world through their “walled vineyard” in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon.
After Matteo’s father discovered and restored this estate, Matteo stepped up to the table, inviting guests from around the world to stay, dine, sip and savor the charm of the canals, the colors of Burano, and the peacefulness of the estate, as if it were their own.
In this episode, Matteo graciously shares with us his family’s secret garden, a place where travelers can sip one of the world’s finest wines, indulge in avant-garde dishes, and experience the authenticity and history of Venice.
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Top Takeaways
[2:00] Matteo takes us back to his tasteful childhood - enjoying Sunday family lunches in the vineyards talking about wine with his grandfather, traveling throughout Italy and France with his father meeting other grape growers and winemakers, sipping some of the world’s finest wines since the early age of ten.
[4:10] Since 1542, the Bisol family has been growing grapes and making wine in the UNESCO protected Prosecco Hills of Italy. They are the reason Prosecco is known around the world today as an easier to drink, more fruit forward alternative to Champagne.
[7:40] How Gianluca stumbled across a dried up vineyard behind the garden walls of the oldest church in Venice, discovering centuries ago that wine was made in Venice with a grape variety, the Dorona, that can only be found in the Venetian Lagoon.
[15:20] Sustainability has always been critical to life in the lagoon and today, Venissa offers a way for travelers to slow down, stay at, dine in, and learn from the practices that these farmers, fishermen, artisans and makers have been stewarding for centuries.
[19:05] The Bisol’s invite travelers to experience the island of Burano - a fisherman village known for its colorful houses that reflect on the waters of the canals - in a way that is free from crowds of tourists, gimmicky souvenirs, and fake Italian food.
[23:40] Listen to Matteo’s perspective on tourism in Venice…the good, the bad, and the ugly turned beautiful.
[33:40] How the terroir of Venissa, “the walled vineyard that has withstood the salt and high flood waters for centuries” gives life to a wine with characteristics found nowhere else in the world.
[40:35] Dine In Good Company at Ristorante Venissa, where a taste of ‘cucina ambientale’ is awarded both a Michelin Star and Green Michelin Star, or Osteria Contemporanea, where the flavors of the Venetian lagoon meet the creative cuisine of Venissa.
[44:00] As the next generation, Matteo’s future brings him home to the Prosecco Hills where he is restoring an old winery to give travelers a taste of his innovative natural wine project MONBON.
Notable Mentions
Ristorante Venissa Chefs Chiara Pavan and Francesco Brutto
“Chi dorme non piglia pesci,” meaning “He who sleeps doesn't catch fish.”
Visit For Yourself
Venissa Website | @venissa_tenuta
