Itinerary details

The itinerary of the Strada del Torcolato and the wines of Breganze takes its name from the most well-known and prestigious wine produced in the province of Vicenza, the spearhead of Breganze enology: Torcolato.

The Torcolato

Torcolato is a wine that is obtained from the vespaiola vine, in the territories of Breganze and neighboring municipalities, by selecting the best bunches which are then left to dry for months, in well-ventilated and dry rooms, where the bunches are tied to strings and twisted , affixed to wooden beams. The name Torcolato derives from this production method.

Drank, since ancient times, by both rich and humble families, Torcolato, a so-called "meditation" wine, which goes very well with pastries, but also seasoned and tasty cheeses, is known all over the world ; with an amber yellow or golden yellow color and an intense aroma, characteristic of honey and dried grapes, it is the result of a slow and delicate pressing and a fairly long fermentation, even 24 months, in oak barrels.
Inevitable, therefore, in our itinerary, a tour of the cellars of the producers of the area for a visit and a tasting.

Among others we point out the Cà Biasi, Firmino Miotti and Maculan farms in Breganze, Villa Angarano in Bassano del Grappa and Villa Magna in Sandrigo.
But it is not only the torcolato Doc that gives importance and value to this area of Vicenza.

The hilly landscape and the Villas

The area of the Strada del Torcolato e dei Vini di Breganze, in fact, includes the hilly strip that extends between the Astico torrent and the Brenta river and, in whole or in part, the municipalities of Bassano del Grappa, Breganze, Fara Vicentino, Marostica, Mason, Molvena, Montecchio Precalcino, Pianezze, Salcedo, Sandrigo, Sarcedo, Schiavon and Zugliano. These hills, mainly of volcanic and sedimentary origin, surprise us not only for their scenic beauty, but also for their naturalistic history: here in the distant past, in the Jurassic period, there was the sea, palm trees grew and a fauna today typical of tropical areas. The discovery of the skull of a crocodile in the southernmost area of what is now known as the Asiago plateau dates back to 1787. Some of these spectacular fossils are visible in the museums of the area, one of these also created at Villa Godi Malinverni in Lugo di Vicenza. Between Thiene and Bassano del Grappa, there are numerous historical sites and important monuments of immense historical-cultural value, unique heritages with unforgettable architectural peculiarities.

The typical products with denomination

The territory of Vicenza, from Thiene to Bassano del Grappa, an area that extends for about 20 km, in a special food and wine itinerary, is worth a visit, for the typical DOC, IGP and DOP products, from the wines and Torresans of Breganze to Marostica cherries, from Baccalà alla Vicentina to Grappa, passing through the Sopressa Vicentina and the Asparagus of Bassano, but also for the naturalistic itineraries and the wonderful historical sites; between the Astico and the Brenta, there are, in fact, numerous routes, completely immersed in the green hills.

ITINERARY

The wine tourism itinerary of the Torcolato and Breganze Wines route develops along the foothills between the valleys of the Astico and Brenta rivers which includes some municipalities in the province of Vicenza, of which Breganze is the centre.

The northern edge borders the mountainous areas of the first slopes of the Asiago plateau, from which the hilly complex extends which slopes down to the flat part, located in the high Vicenza plain, between the course of the Brenta river to the east and the Lessini Mountains to the west.

In the area of the Strada del Torcolato e dei Vini di Breganze, the beauty of the towns is combined with the particularity of the landscape: the plain meets the hills, where the vine has given life to high quality wines and agriculture has found the ideal terrain .
In fact, the foothills of Vicenza have always been a land of winemaking tradition.

The departure: Thiene
Our itinerary comes to life from the town of Thiene, in the center of which stands the Villa Da Porto Colleoni, also known as "Il Castello", due to the towers that surround it and the battlements.

With a short detour to the east, you reach Lonedo di Lugo di Vicenza, where you can visit two Palladian villas: Villa Piovene and Villa Godi Malinverni. The latter also includes a large park in the center of which there is a fossil museum in which an enormous palm fossil stands out, found in the nearby hills of Fara, right where the vine is grown today.

On the road towards Breganze, you can admire Villa Capra Bassani, an eighteenth-century neo-Palladian Venetian villa located in the peaceful countryside of Sarcedo, also open for guided tours, and the two panoramic villas, Villa Belmonte and Villa Tretti.

The arrival in Breganze
A few kilometers from here, we find the Municipality of Breganze, the heart of the homonymous DOC, since 1968, one of the first in Italy and, as always, a viticultural land, known for the production of great wines of excellent quality.

The Consorzio Tutela Vini DOC di Breganze was also born right here and, every year, in the main square, "La Prima del Torcolato" is held in January, the Wine Festival/sagra in May and the Vespaiolona in June.

In Breganze, viticulture has been practiced since ancient times; it is, in fact, between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that it is certified as a land of excellent wines, but already around the year a thousand official documents and notarial deeds indicate the presence of vineyards.

The native and imported vines have found perfect acclimatization in this area, which has made it possible to obtain excellent results, both in purity and in blends.

The DOCs must certainly be mentioned: white and red Breganze DOC, Cabernet, Pinot, Marzemino, Merlot, Tai, Vespaiolo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Torcolato.

The town is an ancient fortified center on the road to the Altopiano dei Sette Comuni, as evidenced by the numerous towers, disguised in colombare, networks of small medieval buildings, built after the mid-1400s which, still today, can be seen, along the streets of the centre.
This architectural peculiarity is linked to a delicacy and a historical dish of the place, also included in the list of traditional Venetian products: the Torresano spit-roasted pigeon.

This dish can still be tasted in all the restaurants in Breganze and in two local events: "Ristorante in piazza" and "Festival del Vino".

Su Breganze, the characteristic bell tower dominates, an elegant and majestic structure that establishes itself as one of the tallest bell towers in the Veneto region.
90 meters tall, in fact, it is in tenth place in the ranking of the tallest bell towers in Italy, surpassed only a few meters, in ninth place, by the Tower of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
Designed in the 19th century by the Venetian architect Antonio Diedo, built in 55 years and inaugurated in 1894, it is accessible to guided tours on Sunday afternoons, during local festivals and also on other days, by reservation and agreement with the Parish of Breganze.
It is worth going up to the belfry because, from up there, the panorama that is revealed to the eye is enchanting.

For lovers of excursions and walks, on the other hand, we recommend the paths between the Astico and the Brenta, the nature trails immersed in the hills and the unmissable Salita al Sacello di Santa Lucia, capital and symbolic place of the town of Breganze, from which , despite the effort of the more than sixty steps, you can enjoy a wonderful panorama and view.

Unmissable, then, is a tour of the local cellars, among which we mention "Az. Firmino Miotti", the "Io Mazzuccato" and "Col Dovigo" cellars which offer guided tours and tastings.

Special mention to the Beato Bartolomeo winery of Breganze which represents the reference point for Breganze enology. Here, it is also possible to visit the old cellar.

Marostica, the city of chess

Continuing our itinerary, after having passed through the municipality of Mason Vicentino, famous for its cherry trees, we reach Marostica, a splendid medieval village, where you will immediately notice the two castles, lower and upper.

Marostica is known throughout the world for the famous Chess Game, an event that is celebrated every two years in September; it is a game of chess, the result of a tradition started in 1923, with real, living characters dressed in medieval clothes who clash in the town square.
Another pride of the area, moreover, are the cherries, PGI since 2001, and the processing of ceramics, together with the nearby towns of Nove and Bassano.

The hilly geographical area of Marostica and, in general, that between the Astico and the Brenta, includes soils of volcanic origin and has a good exposure, sheltered as it is by the Vicenza Pre-Alps and is therefore very favorable for the cultivation of cherry trees .

For those who want to be surrounded by nature and spend a day in the open air, carving out moments of quiet, the Colceresa Path is a must, an itinerary of about 12 km that winds through the hills of Pianezze, Molvena and Mason, born from the intent to enhance an area of extraordinary environmental, historical and artistic interest.
It develops in a medium-high hilly ridge, rediscovering ancient paths that furrow, in different directions, meadows, woods and old districts, allowing the visitor to experience an intimate and engaging relationship with nature and deepen their knowledge of the area, with its great variety of flowers, plants, rock formations and its irrigation ditches, torrents, mallets, mills and mule tracks.

Bassano del Grappa and the distilleries
Continuing along the road towards Bassano, with a detour towards Schiavon we find the Poli Distillery.

To conclude our itinerary, we come to Bassano del Grappa, a charming town with a special charm, located at the foot of Monte Grappa.
Majestic, to welcome us, is the Ponte Vecchio or Ponte degli Alpini, which connects the two banks of the Brenta River, symbol of the city.
Rebuilt several times, due to the wars and floods of the river, it still respects the ancient project elaborated by Palladio in 1569.
The name "Ponte degli Alpini" derives from the numerous Alpine war songs that inspired it and also from the small Museo degli Alpini located at the end of the bridge, full of memorabilia and stories relating to the history of the bridge and the tragic wars fought in the area.
For those who love grappa and liqueurs, a tour of the Grapperia Nardini and the tasting of Tagliatella, a typical Bassano liqueur, is a must.

A little further on, we find the Poli Grappa Museum, located in a historic building; here, the story of distillation and Grappa is told, as well as the ancient tradition of the Poli distilleries.
Also not to be missed is the historic center with the two main squares: Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Libertà.

Instead, for those who want to delve into the world of art and history, we recommend: the Museum of Ceramics in Palazzo Sturm, dedicated to one of the productions of which Bassano was the capital until the 18th century, the Viale dei Martiri, in memory of the 31 partisans hanged on the trees that still flank the outside of the avenue today, Villa Angarano, designed by Palladio, the Civic Museum of Bassano in Palazzo Bonaguro which preserves some important historical naturalistic collections, acquired during the 19th century and Villa Cà Erizzo, an elegant structure century that houses the Historical Museum of the Great War and the Hemingway Collection, dedicated to the great writer.

On the other hand, for those who want to get to know the Brenta area better, the Sentiero del Brenta is not to be missed, possibly to be covered by bike, given its length, an itinerary that from Ponte Vecchio arrives in Valstagna, in the heart of the Valbrenta, but which can also start from a few scattered points in the municipalities involved (Campese, Solagna, Campolongo, San Nazario).