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Mazzorbo Island represents was the first urban settlement in Venice Lagoon, along with Burano and Torcello. The construction of beautiful palaces and churches started on this very island in 640 A.D., although they are not visible anymore.

On the lagoon islands, a native variety of grape has been cultivated for centuries; it was called “the golden grape” at the time of the Doges, or “the Dorona of Venice”, which over the centuries has adapted to the typical salinity conditions of the lagoon.
However, this precious vine has almost disappeared, surviving only in some vegetable gardens and convents of the lagoon. It was actually recovered by Desiderio Bisol, from Bisol winery, in 2002.
Starting from a small vineyard in Torcello, he created a much bigger one (about 2.5 acres on the island of Mazzorbo, surrounded by medieval walls and featuring a XIV century bell tower inside. That property, surrounded by water on three sides, is crossed by a canal and houses a fish pond.

That very land has already hosted a vineyard since 1300. Augusto Scarpa, the owner of the winery around 1900, was one of the first graduated Italian oenologists in Conegliano. In 1966, however, the high tide in Venice made it impossible to continue the cultivation and the ancient vineyard was eventually restored only in 1966 by Bisol.
In 2010, the first 4880 bottles very produced: very special ones created by Giovanni Moretti, one of the greatest glass artists in Murano. They were marked with a gold leaf and are still produced today by Berta Battiloro family from Venice – the gold ornament is actually melted into the glass, while the latter is engraved with the number of every single bottle.

In 2011, the “Rosso Venissa” wine was born – produced from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards on the nearby island of Santa Cristina. In 2013, it was the time of “Rosso Venusa”.

The new Venusia white has also been recently introduced, as a less complex product, with a much fresher taste.
On Mazzorbo island, there is also a nice historical hamlet and the star-rated restaurant Venissa. The island can be reached by boat from Venice.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)