Piave DOC

A big, flat gravel plain along the Piave that grows the everyday reds of Treviso province: plummy Merlot, herbal Cabernet and, most importantly, Raboso, the native grape with acidity and tannin to spare. Young Raboso Piave is purple, sour and tannic with blackberry, violet and iron, and traditionally needs three years and a plate of fatty pork; the rosato from Raboso is tart and cranberry-like. Manzoni Bianco, the Riesling-Pinot Bianco cross bred at the Conegliano school, makes the best white here, floral and waxy. Cecchetto and Bonotto delle Tezze are the Raboso specialists.