Torchiato di Fregona, a heritage in danger of extition

Presented Piera Dolza 10 years, a very rare raisin wine emblem and pride of a territory. A heritage that has not been lost thanks to 7 small producers united to save it and make it known to the world.

They talked about territory, wine production, landscape protection, the art of know-how inherited as tradition. But also about tourism, and how a well-managed Appellation can become an important economic driver for the territory.

These were the topics addressed on Friday, May 19, during the press conference convened at the withering center, headquarters of the Cantina Produttori di Fregona. Seven small winemakers who 10 years ago, associating themselves in the form of a cooperative, saved Torchiato from the risk of extinction by joining forces to present themselves under a single label: “Piera Dolza Torchiato di Fregona.” In doing so they are trying to overcome the critical issues of being too small to cope with the demands of the market. Piera Dolza in Venetian dialect means sweet stone, because it is easy to work with. It was quarried from the nearby Caglieron Caves and used in past centuries for the door jambs of houses and palaces in nearby Vittorio Veneto and Venice. This stone was also used to shape the base suitable for supporting the historic wine press positioned in the town square where everyone could go for the pressing of grapes, a ceremony that in living memory fell in Easter week, as it still does today.

“PIERA DOLZA 10 YEARS is a major achievement, a small miracle made possible only by the cohesive efforts of our winemakers,” explains Alessandro Salatin, president of the small cooperative. “Two thousand five hundred 375-ml bottles that are the result of the 2013 vintage, which we may not be able to produce every year. We still have not determined at what price this special 10-year reserve will be offered for sale because it is difficult to convey the great value contained in each bottle.”

Torchiato di Fregona follows very strict production rules. The maximum yields allowed in the vineyard are up to 100 q per hectare, but not everything that is harvested is good for drying. Only the best grapes pass the very strict selection. Sometimes only 30% or even 20% remain. Of this, after 2 or 3 pressing cycles, just 20% remains ready for long aging. And it is the only wine whose regulations require it to be made with the use of three indigenous grape varieties: the main one is Glera, the same basic variety as Prosecco, then Boschera and Verdiso in well-defined percentages.

“In addition-observes Salatin-as a cooperative we have self-imposed even stricter rules related to environmental sustainability. This wine therefore is truly precious.”

Among the many insiders and among the various authorities present at the meeting were the Mayor of Fregona, Patrizio Chies, the mayors of the two municipalities belonging to the Torchiato di Fregona DOCG (a sub-zone of the ‘Colli di Conegliano’ DOCG), the MEP Gianantonio Da Re with his anecdotes about Torchiato related to his childhood, and Councillor Mauro Fael of the Province of Treviso, the entity that, together with the Veneto Region and the Municipality, helped finance the Appassimento Center.

In the Talk conducted by Luciano Ferraro, deputy editor of Corriere della Sera and a great wine expert, co-starring with President Salatin was the Veneto Region’s Councillor for Agriculture and Tourism, Federico Caner, who commented, “Today we are celebrating an important anniversary that rewards teamwork, a territory and a product of excellence that originates in the Unesco hills, between Anzano, Fregona, Osigo, Montaner, Cappella Maggiore and Sarmede. For the Veneto region, Torchiato di Fregona, with its refined and valuable flavor, stands out for being, together with Prosecco, one of the identity wines that also represents us in the world. A wine that is a perfect synthesis between the land, its history and the ability of these entrepreneurs to work together. An example of dedication and passion that must be protected as a cultural heritage to be preserved. As a region, we will continue to support this Venetian excellence, guardian of traditions and biodiversity.”

Much appreciated guided tasting of Piera Dolza 10 Anni conducted by the expert voice of winemaker Emanuele Serafin.

The future I hope for Torchiato di Fregona? “It must become economically sustainable,” concluded Alessandro Salatin, “and guarantee a fair profitability to those who produce it, so as to attract new generations that we are ready to welcome and accompany by passing on our knowledge to them.

https://www.torchiato.com