Piave Wine Region

Piave wine region is an attractive subregion that you can find in Italy, in the Veneto region. It is situated between the Treviso hills and Friuli. This wine appellation takes its name from the local river, which flows northwest to southeast through the Veneto region. Piave is famous for its varietal red and white wines and welcomes visitors from all over the world.

Check out the best wine tastings and tours in Piave Wine Region

History of Piave wine region

The history of winemaking in the area of Piave DOC dates back to pre-Roman times. After that time, viticulture was developing thanks to the local farmers and monks.

In the early 1900s, the region of Treviso was in second place among the Venetian provinces depending on the vineyard surface and wine production. Between the two wars, the appellation got a lot of new production facilities, which accelerated the modern viticulture development.

In 1942, it extended over about 161,000 hectares in the province of Treviso and 71,000 hectares in Venice. In the 1950s, the producers became aware of the quality of the yield and its potential. They came together to protect and manage the quality of wines. As a result, in 1971, the designation of origin for the wines was recognized as Piave DOC.

Did you know?

In 1918, Ernest Hemingway answered to a Red Cross recruitment effort in Kansas City and signed on to evolve an ambulance driver. By June, he was at the Italian Front, in the Veneto region where he sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs. Despite his injury, he kept a soldier to safety, which made him the keeper of the Italian Silver Medal of Bravery.

In the period of his journey, he fell in love with the Piave wine subregion so deeply, that he wrote to his friend: "I am a boy of the Lower Piave. I’m an old Veneto’s fanatic, and I’ll will leave my heart here”. The sceneries and beauty of the region inspired Hemingway in his novel ''Across the River and Into the Trees''.

What makes the terroir of Piave unique?

The Piave viticultural zone is the largest in the Veneto wine region, and shrouds a geographical area larger than Bardolino, Valpolicella, Soave, and Gambellara combined. While traveling west, you will come across fertile, over-watered grasslands which form a triangle between Treviso, Vicenza, and Chioggia.

The terroir of Piave, thanks to its clay soil and mineral salts, makes fertile the Vineyards that give high-quality wines. The specific properties of the clayey soil rich in mineral salts favor the cultivation of vines and the production of wines with assertive bouquets. That is the reason why wines produced in this microclimate are polished and well-balanced, with intense flavors.

Grape varieties and wines from Piave

The Piave DOC produces red and white wines with numerous grape varieties. For the red wines, they use Merlot, Raboso, Cabernet, and Carmenère. They should use min. 85% Cabernet with the addition grape berries similar in color. As for the white grapes, they use min. 85% Manzoni Bianco, Tai (Friuliano), Verduzzo, Chardonnay, pure or with other grape berries similar in color.

In 2011 the Piave Malanotte DOCG was created, singling out the best Raboso wines from the Piave region. To earn this title a wine must be made from 95 percent Raboso and aged for three years before release. The Rosso, with the Cabernet and Merlot varietal wines, may be completed as Riservas if they are aged for 24 months.

What to Pair with Piave Wine

3.Sarde in saor

Sarde in Saor is one of the most traditional dishes, this tasty appetizer of marinated sardines developed among the fishers and sailors of La Serenissima as a way to keep fish during their long voyages. Sarde in Saor is made by frying sardines and then marinating them in white wine with onions, pine nuts, and raisins.

The dish is preferably cooked the day before serving, and it can keep well over a week. In the Veneto wine region, this ultimate antipasto agrodolce is seen on every corner and is commonly served alongside grilled polenta.

Places to visit near Piave

1.Villa Perocco

Villa Perocco is also known as Villa Valier-Loredan-Perocco di Meduna and was created at the end of the 17th century. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, it was owned by the Venetians Valier. However, in the mid-1900s it was bought by the noble Perocco di Meduna family, who restored it and still live there today.

It consists of a cubic, massive central residential hall. The façade is characterized, in the center of the first floor, by a classical pronaos with four Ionic semi-columns and a triangular tympanum. the ensemble is one of the greatest examples of Baroque pictorial decoration in the Veneto.

2.musile di piave

Musile di Piave is a small town and comune in the Veneto wine region of northern Italy. It is stretched near the Piave River, which was the reason why the town held an important place in World War.

Musile di Piave lies on the bank of the Piave facing San Donà di Piave, to which it is linked by a bridge. There are many open spaces and cultivated areas, thus the landscape around the town shows amazing views that become very striking along the watercourses.

The heart of the town is pleasant, as it developed taking into account the importance of keeping a strict planning tradition that respects the natural environment. This town is a mix of nature and architecture. So, if you love both of them with the addition of the great local wine, this place is definitely worth visiting.

Frequently Asked Questions About Piave