Winemaker Notes
White blend obtained from grapes of native and other international vines perfectly acclimatized in Friuli and above all in the Collio for the recognized geopedological and microclimatic qualities. Deep straw yellow; fruity, complex, soft, with mineral notes of good length. On the palate shows intensity, it is warm and full, with balanced acidity and notable fruity richness in the persistent finish.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2023 Collio Bianco Vigne is remarkably pretty, as chamomile and white flowers mix with nuances of peach sorbet. It is soft-textured and round, with a core of zesty acidity that adds lift as ripe pit fruits swirl across a tactile mineral core. It tapers off perfumed, youthfully tense and with medium length as a saline tension lingers.
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James Suckling
Complex nose with lemon pulp, cedar fruit, sage and stone fruit. Medium body with a textured palate and crisp acidity. Very savory and precise throughout.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Collio is a crescent-shaped sub region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia that hugs right up against the Slovenian border. It is perfectly situated for growing wine grapes, especially of the white variety.
The Julian Alps to Collio’s north allow the influx of cool, nighttime breezes, while the Adriatic Sea to its south regulates the region’s temperatures. The area contains flysch soils,locally known as, ponca, a layered, sedimentary rock that formed millions of years ago as continents collided under the sea. Today the flysch soils that dominate the hills of Collio provide an interesting substrate for vine roots, with measurable mineral variations within small areas. The fractured layers of flysch soils also facilitate drainage and deepening of vine roots.
The region boasts a unique set of indigenous white varieties including Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia and the rare, Picolit. International whites—Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon (Blanc) and Chardonnay—have also been in the area for well over 100 years. Today Collio is often associated with crisp, clean, floral and fruity whites. But in recent years, there has been a resurgence in popularity of the ancient Slovenian style of fermenting white grapes on their skins. This process retains additonal colors and phenols, producing a complex finished wine with an orange hue, warranting the term, "orange wines."
Reds are far less common but the indigenous Pignolo makes an age-worthy red, and the international varieties Merlot and Cabernet grow here as well.