Domini del Leone is a label of the Fidora family, custodians of one of the oldest organic-farmed estates in Italy and the oldest in the Veneto, on the flat mainland near Venice. Long before organic wine was fashionable, the Fidoras were already farming this way.
Backstory
The family's roots on the Civranetta estate go back to the 1920s. Guido Fidora, grandfather of the current generation, certified the estate organic in 1974, placing it among the very first in Italy, and toured farmers' markets and Slow Food events to champion the idea. His grandson Emilio, the fourth generation, has led the conversion to biodynamics, begun in 2015.
The Region
The home estate sits on the Venetian mainland in the Veneto. The family also farms a small plot in the hills of Valdobbiadene and holds vines and forest in the Valpolicella.
Vineyards and Farming
The property spans about 140 hectares, with roughly 70 under vine and the rest given over to pastures, ponds, forests and fields for biodiversity. The estate has been certified organic since 1974 and certified biodynamic since 2018.
Winemaking
The approach favors spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel and a healthy living soil. The Prosecco Col Fondo undergoes a secondary fermentation in bottle in the old frizzante tradition.
The Wines
The range includes an organic Pinot Grigio, a Prosecco Col Fondo from 100% Glera, and a Veneto Rosso built on the local Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella.