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La Bella Vita Barge Cruise Photos

From: La Bella Vita Barge Cruise Review

Day 4: Il Dominio di Bagnoli

Villa Widmann sign

Cantina del Dominio di Bagnoli

In the afternoon, we cruised to Bosaro and drove from our mooring berth to the Villa Widmann Borletti, a 17th Century estate by the Venetian architect Baldassare Longhena (who designed the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Ca' Rezzonico, and other important buildings in Venice).


Villa Widmann Borletti and gardens

Villa Widmann is the headquarters of Il Dominio di Bagnoli,, which has been producing wines since the 1600s. (The estate traces its winemaking tradition back to 954, when Benedictine monks built a monastery on the site.)


Grapevines at Il Dominio di Bagnoli

The estate manager showed us around the gardens and grounds, including fields where grapes are grown for wines, grappa, and other products such as grapeseed oil.

Many of the estate's crops are organic, and the Dominio is in the process of switching to 100 percent organic production.


Old-style grapevines at Dominio di Bagnoli

The Dominio di Bagnoli has living exhibits of what might be termed "heritage agricultural techniques," such as grapevines that are grown in a circle around a tree, with supporting wires connected to the tree's trunk.


The estate also raises several different breeds of chickens. (During our visit, some of the chickens were wandering around outside their open pens.)


Granary at Il Dominio di Bagnoli

Granary decoration at Villa Widmann

After we'd toured the grounds, we visited a restored granary that is now being used as a hall for conferences and other events.


Wine casks at Il Dominio di Bagnoli

Shop at Il Dominio di Bagnoli

Next, we walked through the old wine cellars to the Dominio's shop and tasting room.


Il Dominio di Bagnoli logo

The Dominio's logo pays homage to the monks who once lived, worshipped, and made wine on what is now the Villa Widmann Borletti estate.


Wine tasting at ll Dominio di Bagnoli

We finished our visit with a leisurely tasting of several table wines and a dessert wine from Il Dominio di Bagnoli.


La Bella Vita in Borsaro

Afterwards, we returned to La Bella Vita for apéritifs, dinner, and a surprise that we can't reveal here (because, if we did, it wouldn't be a surprise during your cruise).

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In this day-by-day photo diary:
Day 1 - Embarkation and Venice
Day 2 - Venice, Alberoni
Day 3 - Chioggia, Ca' Zen
Day 4 - Adria, Bagnoli Estate
Day 5 - Ferrara
Day 6 - Mantua
Day 7 - Disembarkation

Also see:
La Bella Vita cruise review (8 pages)
Satellite map of cruising region and high points
Venice for Visitors