I was curious what the favorite wine was during our family’s recent trip to Italy. Over the course of the two and three weeks we were there, a very laudable amount of wine was consumed. The one that was like the best, at least the wine that garnered the most emphatic response was the Sauvignon Blanc from Venica & Venica Ronco del Cero Collio Sauvignon. At least I am pretty sure that it was it. I ordered it at the excellent Michelin-starred restaurant, Parizzi in Parma – looking for a white from the Collio that I thought would be a good match with a dish my sister and brother were ordering – but didn’t drink it as a red that seemed much more appropriate for meat dish. I missed out on that but had a few whites from the Collio during the trip, and those were each quite tasty.
The Collio is located in the region of Friuli, the most northeastern region in Italy that abuts the Alps and Slovenia. “This is the finest white-wine area not only in Friuli but in all of Italy.” That observation about the Collio is from Italian Wine for Dummies, which is actually a very good resource. The mild climate buttressed by the nearby Adriatic and the protective mountains to the north plus hill-laden vineyards atop unique, mineral-rich soil help provide nearly ideal conditions for several white varietals; and, excellent conditions for several red ones, too.
The whites from Collio are generally quite rich and fuller-bodied than the typical Italian whites, often with evident minerality and vibrant acidity. The wines are generally very well-made and approachable for most drinkers while having enough verve to excite an expert. Many have the ability to age. These are serious wines, even including the usually forgettable Pinot Grigio. Winemaker Roberto Felluga of Villa Russiz told my wine industry group when I visited several summers ago that his reserve Pinot Grigio “can keep for a minimum of ten years,” something that you certainly should not try with a Pinot Grigio plucked from the supermarket shelf.
Though the wineries in Collio and Friuli are prouder of wines made from the native (Tocai) Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Malvasia grapes and efforts with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Bianco, it is Pinot Grigio that helps pay the bills. “Pinot Grigio is what changed the economy here” for grape-growers and wine-makers a few decades ago, I was told by a producer. It was famed food and wine writer Luigi Veronelli who recognized the area’s potential for Pinot Grigio. These wines then began to find popularity in markets around the world.
So, if Pinot Grigio is a must, look for Collio or Colli Orientali, a neighboring appellation. Otherwise, you are better served with a Ribolla Gialla, Friuliano or Sauvignon. The Friuliano, indigenous to the region, goes especially well with most seafood dishes and Sauvignon has the heft to stand up with a little heartier fare. Eric Asimov in the New York Times has written about the utility and quality of Friuliano from Friuli. There is also excellent Malvasia, Pinot Bianco and a white blend simply titled “Collio,” whose mix of typically three varietals varies by producer that are almost always very good wines.
Another nice thing about the whites from Collio and Friuli, unlike the top reds from Tuscany or Piedmont, these will rarely cost more than €40 at a restaurant in Rome and elsewhere in Italy, and most are much less. That is a little more expensive than a bland longtime Roman trattoria staple Frascati, but the additional tariff is certainly worth it. And, you are on vacation, anyway. Friuli and especially Collio are also names to keep in mind when back at home. Also, Brda, which is Slovenian for Collio, as the region straddles both sides of the border. These laudable wines from Slovenia are increasingly being found on wine lists here and in Italy.
Enjoying some delicious white wines at the Zuani winery several years ago in the Collio, with both the Collio and Brda in the background.
The Collio is located in the region of Friuli, the most northeastern region in Italy that abuts the Alps and Slovenia. “This is the finest white-wine area not only in Friuli but in all of Italy.” That observation about the Collio is from Italian Wine for Dummies, which is actually a very good resource. The mild climate buttressed by the nearby Adriatic and the protective mountains to the north plus hill-laden vineyards atop unique, mineral-rich soil help provide nearly ideal conditions for several white varietals; and, excellent conditions for several red ones, too.
The whites from Collio are generally quite rich and fuller-bodied than the typical Italian whites, often with evident minerality and vibrant acidity. The wines are generally very well-made and approachable for most drinkers while having enough verve to excite an expert. Many have the ability to age. These are serious wines, even including the usually forgettable Pinot Grigio. Winemaker Roberto Felluga of Villa Russiz told my wine industry group when I visited several summers ago that his reserve Pinot Grigio “can keep for a minimum of ten years,” something that you certainly should not try with a Pinot Grigio plucked from the supermarket shelf.
Though the wineries in Collio and Friuli are prouder of wines made from the native (Tocai) Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Malvasia grapes and efforts with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Bianco, it is Pinot Grigio that helps pay the bills. “Pinot Grigio is what changed the economy here” for grape-growers and wine-makers a few decades ago, I was told by a producer. It was famed food and wine writer Luigi Veronelli who recognized the area’s potential for Pinot Grigio. These wines then began to find popularity in markets around the world.
So, if Pinot Grigio is a must, look for Collio or Colli Orientali, a neighboring appellation. Otherwise, you are better served with a Ribolla Gialla, Friuliano or Sauvignon. The Friuliano, indigenous to the region, goes especially well with most seafood dishes and Sauvignon has the heft to stand up with a little heartier fare. Eric Asimov in the New York Times has written about the utility and quality of Friuliano from Friuli. There is also excellent Malvasia, Pinot Bianco and a white blend simply titled “Collio,” whose mix of typically three varietals varies by producer that are almost always very good wines.
Another nice thing about the whites from Collio and Friuli, unlike the top reds from Tuscany or Piedmont, these will rarely cost more than €40 at a restaurant in Rome and elsewhere in Italy, and most are much less. That is a little more expensive than a bland longtime Roman trattoria staple Frascati, but the additional tariff is certainly worth it. And, you are on vacation, anyway. Friuli and especially Collio are also names to keep in mind when back at home. Also, Brda, which is Slovenian for Collio, as the region straddles both sides of the border. These laudable wines from Slovenia are increasingly being found on wine lists here and in Italy.
Enjoying some delicious white wines at the Zuani winery several years ago in the Collio, with both the Collio and Brda in the background.
