Discovering the Historical Lison DOCG and Preserving Centuries-Old Vines
Villa Bogdano founded in 1880 is situated in Lison DOCG, a small historical appellation on the border between Veneto and Friuli.The estate has one of the largest plots of old vines in Italy; 18ha, of which 117 vines of Tocai Friulano are nearly 100 years old and have been painstakingly restored. Domenico and his brother-in-law Lucio purchased the estate in 2016, rescuing the treasure of old vineyards and an ancient forest from being ripped out. Their vision: to produce limited quantities of low intervention, organic, single parcel wines, focusing on old vines and autochthonous varieties.The estate is a peculiar viticultural treasure. The oldest vineyard, a yellow biotype of Tocai Friulano and nearly a century old, was planted using an ancient and rare training method developed by Benedictine monks, called Cassone Padovano.
For all their historic vineyards, they have adopted massal selection to preserve the original characteristics of these vines, helped in their efforts by the precious advice of renowned viticulture and agronomy experts. In 2021 they became one of the founding members of the Old Vine Conference. In addition to Tocai Friulano, they grow other indigenous varieties including Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso and Malvasia Istriana as well as some international varieties suited to the terroir and microclimate, in particular Chardonnay and Merlot. Between the Friuli Alps and the Adriatic coast, where the mountains are closest to the sea there are natural daily breezes.
Harnessing Natural Breezes and River Influence in Lison DOCG
The estate is bordered by two rivers, Lison and Loncon, which help regulate the microclimate and create a natural protective barrier. Sustainable and regenerative practices are followed aimed at minimising soil disturbance. Functional biodiversity is promoted through the enlargement of their mediaeval forest and in planting an orchard for melliferous insects and antagonists of phytophagous insects and parasites. The soil is of alluvial origin, calcareous and rich in organic substances and micro-elements. It underlies a thick stratum of clay, exceeding 53% in some parcels. Although the superficial clay is extremely difficult to work and gives yields below 60hl/ha, the efforts are very rewarding. The single plot conformation and their commitment to only using their own grapes, allows the family to press the grapes within a few minutes of harvest reducing sulphite usage to a bare minimum. Respect the terroir and make wines as natural as possible.Vinification is carried out mainly concrete tanks and large 45hl oak vats. Being family owned and run by a team of people that have known each other for more than 30 years, they are completely independent in their strategies. Lison Classico 2019 DOCG is 100% Tocai Friulano grapes from their 1943 vineyard. This vintage was characterised by a small amount of Botrytis cinerea present at the time of harvest, a rare but very welcome occurrence.
