PIAVE ZONE - CASA ROMA

The Piave Zone

From the hills of Conegliano and reaching almost to the sea, winding through the plain between Treviso and Venice: this is the Piave DOC zone.

The original course of the River Piave

The Piave was created between 300000 and 20000 BC by glaciation.
The bed of the Piave changed dramatically after the glacier retreated, producing morphological changes due to water corrosion. Carbonate, flint, sand and quartz basins formed, brought downstream by the Piave.
The abundant floods of the Biadene-Caerano passage, combined with a positive mantel movement, directed the Piave along its present course. The most significant traces of Man's presence date from this period. The alterations made to avoid the lagoon silting up are very obvious around Venice.

During the period of the "paleoveneta" culture (8th-1st c. BC) the Piave was pivotal to human life. It provided food, water, minerals, metals
and fertile land.

In 148 BC the consul Spurius Postumius Albinus built a consular road to link Genoa and Aquileia, the "Postumia". This road contributed to the expansion of Rome. By 49 BC, under Augustus, Veneto was completely dominated by Rome and had become the tenth Italian region. The Piave basin was divided into various municipalities - Treviso flourished on the right bank.
In 1534 it was decided to build the great embankment of S. Marco, which moved the lower distributary towards Jesolo. In 1683 an exceptional flood (called the Landrona flood) broke through the sandbank and caused the river to shift towards Cortellazzo, where it still has its mouth. The river played a crucial role during the First World War; Italy's destiny was decided on its banks. Up to the time of the Austrian offensive in the Trentino (Spring 1916), the Piave was considered the point where the Italian army would stand and turn should it be forced to retreat from the Isonzo River. Italy's victory was only assured by the simultaneous action of two divisions of the XXIII army corps carried out between 15 and 23 June. The new Piave Line was moved by eight kilometres so Venice was placed even further out of reach of an enemy attack. And so the Piave was won for Italy.

The Piave Wine Route

The Piave Wine Route is full of art and history, sight-seeing opportunities, and food and wine culture. It is, above all, the route of the great wines of the Marca Trevigiana. It stretches from the Castle of Conegliano to the wide fertile plain with the Piave river running through it.
Mareno di Piave is one of the capitals of Raboso wine; it sits on the left bank.

The XIV-century frescoes in the church of San Pietro al Bosco reveal that, in addition to the red wine produced at the time, the table for the last supper also offered shrimps and white wine; the same can be seen in the church of San Giorgio in San Polo di Piave. Then there is Vazzola, whose altar-pieces and frescoes make it a little treasure chest of art.

While visiting this area, which has always been famous for its wine-growing traditions, it is worth stopping in Tezze where a pioneering viticulture system was created in the vast vineyards of the Bellussi family in the first half of the last century. This is the birthplace of "Bellussi-style" vineyards.



	Bellussi-style vineyards in autumn

The Wine Route goes through the medieval village of Portobuffolè and on to Oderzo which is famous for its excellent agriculture. It then joins the Postumia main road and goes to Motta di Livenza, one of the "capitals" of wine in the Treviso area. The area around Motta has particularly importance as far as vine-growing is concerned. In the first half of the last century, this was the point where the Raboso Piave growing area met up with that of Raboso Veronese, which was cultivated in the territory stretching to San Donà di Piave in the province of Venice. This is where Verduzzo and Malbech were grown for the first time. The Route continues through Chiarano and Cessalto, passing near numerous Veneto villas, including Villa Donegal designed by Palladio. Then on through the territory of Salgareda, one of the finest wine-producing areas of the Italian plain; together with the district called Campo di Pietra, it is the heart of the Piave DOC zone, especially as far as Raboso is concerned.
Having crossed the river, the Route turns towards Zenson di Piave, Monastier and Roncade. Thanks to the fine agricultural traditions of the Benedictine monks, Monastier was one of the most important wine-producing areas around Treviso in the X century. Then on to S. Biagio di Callalta, Breda di Piave and Maserdada sul Piave. To reach Cimadolmo, the route goes through the Grave di Papadopoli, an area of 750 hectares in the embrace of the two arms of the Piave, forming a kind of island. This area was first farmed in the early 20th century and now produces excellent vines and unique food products, such as the renowned Cimadolmo asparagus, which have made this area justly famous.
The Route descends to San Polo di Piave, another dynamic winemaking centre in Piave, especially for Raboso. The little town boasts the church of San Giorgio which was probably built around the VIII century, during the Lombard era, and later enlarged. The interior has a rich cycle of frescoes which includes a Last Supper by an anonymous artist who, however, dated his work: 1466. The fresco shows a table spread with freshwater shrimps, freshwater fish, lots of red wine and a bottle of white wine, which are still specialities of this region as they were in the XV century.

Nearby is Tempio di Ormelle with the monumental church of the Knights Templar. It was in fact built by the Knights of Malta; the building dates from the XII-XIII centuries. The church nestles among and is almost hidden by a vast expanse of vineyards.
After San Polo the Route continues to Santa Lucia di Piave, famous for its centuries-old food fair which has become a fully-fledged point of reference for local speciality products.
Lastly, to the west and close to the hills, is the Castle of San Salvatore di Susegana, and to the north the town and castle of Conegliano.