As well as being one of the most loved and best-known wines in the world, Pinot Grigio is the number one Italian still white wine by export volume. There are 67,000 hectares of Pinot Grigio planted in the world, and 31,360 of these are located in Italy, particularly in the area called “Venezie”, which gave birth to the creation of a specific denomination of controlled origin – the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC – and the related disciplinary of production.
Historically there are three Venetian areas: Venezie Euganea, Venezia Tridentina and Venezia Giulia. This territory is also known as the Triveneto. Pinot Grigio delle Venezie Doc therefore belongs to the Delle Venezie macro area, a territory that has homogeneous characteristics of microclimate and soil geology, and which extends over three regions: Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the autonomous province of Trento. Pinot Grigio is a fragrant, fruity wine with a great structure. It is fresh and intense and full of harmony.
Pinot Grigio derives from a gemmary mutation of Pinot Noir. The color of the grapes is gray tending to pink and gives rise to wines of straw yellow and copper colors.
The Venezie is a history of geography and politics, a mirror of Italy and the evolution of borders and cultures. The evidence of pre-existing and immutable cultural borders which often overlap administrative boundaries is frequently found in agronomic products. For example, wine, which goes beyond regional barriers and becomes a typical crop of larger geographical areas.
The cornerstone of Venetian wine history is represented by the Republic of Venice, whose commercial and agronomic activities extended from the lands of Istria to the Trentino Vallagarina.
The Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC of Cantine Leonardo da Vinci belongs to the Leonardo Da Vinci collection. This collection is characterized by its labels that bear the most famous design of the Tuscan genius – the Vitruvian Man, symbol of the union between science and art. The original copy of Leonardo’s drawing of the Vitruvian Man, made in pen and ink on paper, is kept right here in Venice in the Cabinet of Drawings and Prints of the Accademia Galleries.
The specification of the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC regulates its production in order to focus on quality, and define the reference values for each production phase. The consortium for the protection of Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC is committed to protecting this wine, which has 85% of its production in the Northeast Italian territory and represents 43% of global production.
The Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC of Cantine Leonardo da Vinci is produced in the flat and hilly areas of the three Venezie. The grapes are harvested manually and mechanically in the period of late August; vinification takes place with light pressing and fermentation at controlled temperature to develop fruity and floral aromas while keeping the classic note fresh on the palate, reminiscent of pear and melon.
The aromas are enhanced by the freshness and flavor on the palate. Overall, a rich and soft structure emerges.
The Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC belongs to a geographic area that borders the Adriatic Sea and the Dolomites, Lake Garda and the Karst hills. In keeping with the art of combining food and wine that grow in the same territory, there is ample opportunity to combine the wine with countless local products and traditional cuisine. Excellent as an aperitif, it can accompany cheeses and cold cuts, as well as seafood, but also risotto, creamed cod, mushroom dishes, eggs and white meats. Certainly, part of its global success is also in its extreme versatility which allows it to accompany the whole meal and enter into dialogue with international cuisines.
