The Bagnoli di Sopra DOC, established in 1995, covers an area that includes 15 municipalities in the Veneto province of Padua. The heart of this wine region is the town of Bagnoli di Sopra, an ancient Longobard village that grew up around the Benedictine monastery of San Michele Arcangelo. The Benedictine monks established themselves in this area, which was swampland when they arrived. These industrious monks set about reclaiming the land from the water, by building drainage and canal systems. Due to their hard work, cultivation of grapes and other crops became possible in this area.
For centuries, the wine produced here had been renowned in the neighboring villages, but its fame never went beyond the local boundaries. The DOC designation has begun to reverse this situation and make it possible for the producers of this wine to compete with other Veneto wines in the domestic and international markets. In my visits to wineries to prepare for our next Italiaoutdoors Chefs on Bikes trip to the Veneto, I made a stop in Bagnoli to learn a bit more about the wines, and pick up a few to introduce to our guests. Even in the Veneto, I don’t see these much outside this DOC region itself.
The Cantina di Domino di Bagnoli is located in the center of Bagnoli di Sopra, in the Villa Widmann. The Widmann family owned most of these vineyards, beginning in 1656 when they purchased them from Pope Alexander VII. During the 17th century, this family development most of the cellars for these vineyards, and the wines enjoyed quite a good reputation within the local area.
The most interesting wine of this DOC is the Friularo, a full-bodied red made with the indigenous Raboso grapes, named after an affluent of the Piave. This is a round, mellow wine that is at its best after at least two years of aging. In its “Vendemmia Tardiva” (late harvest) version, the grapes are gathered only as they start to wither.
Some researchers believe that the Friularo wine hails from the Friuli region of Italy; transferred by the De Widmann family. Others disagree, claiming that in Veneto dialect it would be said friulan or furlan, coming from the Latin frigos or frius (cold), and aro, meaning “he who was”. Therefore Friularo is a grape that ripens with the cold. Friularo is an extremely late maturing grape and is traditionally harvested after the Bagnoli Friularo Festival, in October, and partly after the summer of St. Martin, in the second half of November. Friularo is also an exceptionally hardy variety, managing to survive the phylloxera epidemic in the late 18th century. The river Adige today passes only a few miles away from the Bagnoli region: this alluvial terroir gives the wine a singular structure and body, and enhances the aromas through cool summer nights.
I picked up a bottle of the Friulano Riserva (aged 2 years) as well as the Bianco. I’ll post a review from myself and our guests when we taste these in the next couple of days!
