Wines and grape varieties of the region

An extreme offshoot of the Prealps projecting into the plain as if trying to reach the nearby Euganean Hills, the Berici Hills constitute the most significant landscape area of the Vicenza province south of the capital. Quite different from their Paduan siblings, the Berici Hills are on average lower but have a more “alpine” appearance, with gorges and hollows.

Hidden among these hills is also a splendid lake, Fimòn, in the northeast area, where stilt houses have been found that testify to the ancient presence of man, over three thousand years before the birth of Christ. The first evidence of vineyards dates back to the same age, as shown by the numerous remains of grape seeds found.

Garganega

Pinot Bianco

Chardonnay

Incrocio Manzoni Bianco

Sauvignon

Pinot Grigio

Tai Rosso

Merlot

Pinot Nero

Carménère

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Sauvignon

Andrea Palladio was the most important architect of the Venetian Republic, in whose territory he designed numerous villas, as well as churches and palaces, the latter predominantly in Vicenza, where he trained and lived. His models have had a profound influence on Western architecture. The imitation of his style gave rise to a movement that draws on classical Roman principles.

The territory of the Berici Hills has been preserved from a naturalistic point of view and today features peculiar vegetation that varies from area to area. The woods are populated by numerous species of birds, small mammals, roe deer, wild boars, and foxes. From a landscape perspective, the balance in the relationship between man and nature is striking, perceptible in the alternation of woods, olive trees, vineyards, and meadows. Furthermore, since Roman times, “Vicenza Stone” and “Nanto Stone” have been known and appreciated for their ease of processing and are found in most buildings of historical and architectural interest. The presence of these rocks characterizes and influences the wine production of these places.

The Vicenza Designation of Origin was established in 2000. A designation that covers a very large area, rich in facets due to the morphology of the territory. Plains and mountains, rivers and hills, lakes and streams. The climate is also diverse, with the foothills being rainier compared to the mild Berici Hills.

The suitability of this territory is due to its particular geographical position where the mountain ranges to the north protect it from cold winter winds, while the Berici Hills to the south mitigate the warm air currents coming from the Po Valley. The territory expresses this originality in the production of wines, each reflecting the character of the specific production area. In particular, production has become firmly established between the Berici Hills area, where it sits alongside one of the oldest DOCs in the Vicenza territory, and the first offshoots of the Vicentine Lessini Mountains.

Within the Vicenza DOC, the grape varieties grown are primarily international ones, and the flagship wine productions include Pinot Grigio, which received the DOC designation in this territory for the first time in Italy. The “Vicenza” controlled designation of origin is attributable to the following various grape varieties and wines: Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Raboso, Chardonnay, Garganega, Manzoni Bianco, Moscato, Moscato Spumante, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon.