ISM 603 Venusa Cru San Maffio 2024

The new Venusa Cru project stems from a radical commitment to “listening” to the Lagoon, embarking on a venture never before attempted: cultivating the Dorona grape across three islands within the Native Venice archipelago that appear close yet remain worlds apart, seemingly similar yet profoundly distinct. The soil’s salinity, shifting in balance and contrast across the estate’s three vineyards, serves as the creative force driving this exploration.

Venusa Cru ISM 603 originates from San Maffìo Island, located directly across the Mazzorbo canal: a geographical proximity that conceals substantial differences. Planted in 2021 at an altitude of 2 meters above sea level, the vineyard offers an unobstructed view toward Venice. Its open exposure and constant breeze, coupled with a higher salt content of 603 p.p.m., create more streamlined conditions that foster greater vine vigor. The wine is taut and elegant, with sharp aromas reminiscent of medicinal herbs, sea lavender (limonium), citron, and barena (salt marsh) honey. It is a Cru that tells the story of how the Lagoon profoundly reshapes the identity of the Dorona grape, even across a distance of just a few meters.