Abbazia di Busco del XII secolo
The Abbey
The birth and the history
As far back as 1153 we can find written reference to the Abbey of Saint Andrew in Busco. It is certain that as of the 12th century the Abbey had a significant estate thanks to direct purchases and donations. The following century saw the Abbey reach its peak as a result of intense agricultural activity and production which was maintained up to the 15th century.
Despite being abolished in 1771 by the ecclesiastical authority, the Abbey’s culture was such as to outlive the Abbey itself. Benedictine techniques connected to agriculture and in particular to the production of wine were passed on to the new owners and live on today through the company’s products.
The wine heritage of the Benedictines
The Benedictine monks gave a boost to agricultural practices and to the individualisation of specific techniques for the cultivation and the working of agricultural products and have always been considered exceptional wine producers.
In many Benedictine abbeys wine-making reached exceptional levels. Gaspare Gozzi, renowned Italian writer and scholar of the 18th century, was testimony to this and praised the quality of the wines produced by the ancient Abbey in Busco which were destined for the tables of Venetian nobles. Maybe this was part of the reason for which Marco Zeno decided to have his residency built in this area under the supervision of the best architect of that time, Andrea Palladio.
