PRESERVING THE BELLUSSERA: A RARE PIECE OF ITALIAN VITICULTURAL HERITAGE

These days, Ca’ di Rajo is harvesting what could truly be described as a green cathedral. Located in the province of Treviso, just a few kilometres from Venice, the winery preserve the Bellussera, a historic vine-training system based on an impressive architecture of iron wires. Developed in the late 19th century, it shaped the landscape of the vineyards in this area for decades and has now become increasingly rare.

The Bellussera is characterised by a distinctive radial layout. Today, this historic method is gradually disappearing, as its structure makes both pruning and harvesting impossible to mechanise.

For Ca’ di Rajo, preserving this heritage means continuing to cultivate 15 hectares of Bellussera vineyards, including vines that are more than 70 years old. This commitment has been tenaciously upheld by Simone, Alessio and Fabio Cecchetto, grandchildren of the winery’s founder, Marino Cecchetto, who have chosen to continue their grandfather’s efforts to protect this traditional form of vine training.

The work in these vineyards is carried out entirely by hand. During harvest, the grapes are picked approximately three metres above the ground, beneath the distinctive canopy formed by the vines. Pruning must also be carried out manually.

The Bellussera system requires wide spacing between the vines. Wooden poles, approximately four metres high, are connected by iron cables arranged in a radial pattern. Each pole supports four vines, which are trained upwards and diagonally outwards from a central point, creating the characteristic star-shaped structure.

Because of the height and structure of the vineyards, harvesting requires a raised platform mounted on a trailer, allowing the workers to reach the grape clusters.

Maintaining these vineyards is undoubtedly more demanding than working with modern, mechanised systems. Yet for Ca’ di Rajo, preserving the Bellussera means protecting a unique piece of local viticultural heritage and keeping alive a cultivation method that is becoming increasingly rare