At -2 meters above sea level, amid salt water and historic reclamation, La Frassina produces distinctive, flavorful wines. A countercultural viticulture that strikes a balance between environmental difficulties and technical precision.
Easy to make wines at altitude. More complex to succeed below sea level. And we’re not talking about aging at the bottom of the sea, so fashionable these days, but actual production.
At a time when the climatic changeo push many producers to higher altitudes to escape excessive summer heat and not-quite-cold winters, there are realities that work the opposite way. This is the case of La Frassina, a company nestled in the Caorle Lagoon (Venice), just 4 km from the sea and 2 meters below sea level.
La Frassina and the Pasti family
Welcoming me on a foggy day is Filippo Pasti, 29. The company history begins in 1939, when his great-grandfather, who left Verona, bought 500 hectares of the lagoon, starting a massive reclamation to then begin the cultivation of the drylands. Even today the water pump original is running and is activated after every rain.
As in any good farming business that respects itself, crops have always been diversified. Vines have been present since the beginning, but it was in 2005 that Aunt Lucia decided to turn production toward quality wine, with a clear plan : only estate grapes and bottling on site., in the winery that stands in the middle of the 500 hectares.
Frassina is a FIVI member and SQNPI certified. Sustainability, integrated pest management, and respect for the land are the corporate cornerstones. Arable land remains in the care of Carlo Pasti, Filippo’s father and Lucia’s brother.
The vineyards and the difficulties
The 13 hectares under vine are divided between white and red grape varieties. Glera, Chardonnay, Tai Friulano, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, totaling about 27,000 bottles per year.
Training systems are sylvoz and raised spurred cordon; harvesting is mechanized to ensure uniformity and efficiency, while pruning remains manual.
Steel and wood are used in the cellar, with targeted technical choices for corks as well. The wines are mostly still, with the exception of a bottle-fermented Glera on yeast, dedicated to Grandma Lia, 96 years old and a key member of the family.
Difficulties are obvious. The first, trivially, is high water! Every time it rains, since it cannot drain naturally, the excess water must be removed with the water-water pump.
The second is paradoxical: drought. Surrounded by salt water, there are no wells on the farm, nor is drip irrigation possible, making it necessary – during critical periods of severe drought – to supply water to the plants via cisterns.
Territory and identity
The company is located in one of the most touristic areas of Italy. More than 60 million visitors a year arrive in Veneto. The main attractions undoubtedly include Venice, Lake Garda, the Dolomites and art cities. Food and wine culture is becoming increasingly popular.
La Frassina intercepts this flow with a structured wine tourism activity: visits from Monday to Saturday, two fixed appointments a day. In fact, 50 percent of the production is sold directly at the winery, the remainder through national distribution with Proposta Vini.
Wines
The wines produced are simple and essential, but never banal. The common thread is the terroir with its savory vein and a pleasantly astringent tension that makes it easy to drink.
Lucia Pasti describes herself as a guardian of the territory and its biodiversity, which is also evident in the fauna of the lagoon, a habitat for numerous bird species. Indeed, the Venetian Lagoon is a key wintering area for several species, including egrets, white and grey herons just to name the most common.
Alongside the IGT, DOC and DOCG appellations, a classic method from Chardonnay is being planned for which we will update in a couple of years. For the time being, I will point out the pleasantness of Glera on the lees, the complexity of Lison DOCG, a truly identifiable and surprising wine. For the reds, the Merlot, even in its simpler version or, for rosé lovers, even in a coral version from partial maceration.
A consistent family reality, capable of transforming extreme conditions into a stylistic figure. Wines of the sea, recognizable and with a very competitive price-quality ratio.
Lison 2023
Score: 91/100
Average price: € 10,50
100% Tai Friulano. Steel for 6 months. Pale straw yellow. The nose is taut, with clean, precise aromas of white flowers and rose petals. There is no lack of more vegetal and fresh aspects. The palate is pulpy, succulent from hints of medlar and apricot integrated with its innate saltiness. Excellent persistence. Satisfying drinking.
Trevenezie Bianco Frizzante Lia 2023
Score: 88/100
Average price: € 9,80
100% Glera col fondo. Stainless steel. Cloudy with greenish reflections, graceful and subtle perlage. The nose communicates savory sensations. Floral, it brings out pear and white peach later. Nervous on the palate, it is pleasantly taut and confirmed salty.
Venice Merlot 2022
Score: 88/100
Average price: € 9,50
100% Merlot. Stainless steel. Bright ruby. Notes of blueberry and hay arrive on the nose. Tannin naturally comes through on the palate. Slightly balsamic with a salty finish and some hints of bramble fruit.
