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Collio Goriziano DOC

The premium Italian white wine region you need to know about!

Collio

Friuli Venezia Giulia in the north-east of Italy is well known by wine lovers, especially for its white wines. These include those made from the globally successful Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and other international grape varieties, but also from indigenous grapes, such as Friulano (previously known as Tocai Friulano), Verduzzo and Picolit. However, its neighbouring region, Veneto, is perhaps a more familiar name with huge worldwide success for Prosecco, in particular, as well as major tourist hotspots like Venice and Verona.

Discover Collio

Yet, never has there been a better time than now to venture further afield and discover Collio, a crescent-shaped 'hidden corner' of Friuli Venezia Giulia on the Slovenian border, near the historical town of Gorizia. Here you will find imposing snow-capped mountains overlooking steep rolling hillsides, beautiful valleys and forests straddling the frontier between two cultures linked by history, war, food and wine.

Collio winemakers

Terroir

The region is situated between the Julian Alps and the Adriatic Sea, with influences from both keeping the climate mild. Warm air and sea breezes from the south keep grapes dry, while the mountains protect vineyards from the colder winds. Cool air at night helps maintain acidity levels in the grapes, crucial for fresh tasting wines. A unique soil called ponca, a mixture of ancient layered marl and sandstone filled with sea fossils, nourishes the vines and gives the wines their characteristic saltiness, flinty tang and minerality.

Winemaking history

Winemaking goes back to pre-Roman days, before the area became a key trading post during the Roman Empire. The wines continued to be highly sought after throughout the Middle Ages, during Austro-Hungarian rule and finally under Italian control.

Until the middle 1800s, Collio had more than 400 grape varieties. Most of the wines made were blends, with Ribolla, Schioppettino and Malvasia widespread. Afterwards, other grapes, including Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Tocai Friulano, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Picolit became very well known.

Effects of war

Later, in the 20th century, new vineyards were planted as a result of the two World Wars. Collio was a frontline battlefield during World War I and fierce battles were fought in the vineyards. So, the viticulture evolution was incentivized by reconstruction. Wine consultant and author Matteo Bellotto comments: "People planted the vineyards in order to reconstruct their own identities. Wine was the only natural and safe thing to drink and it was the power drink for working in the fields. Replanting vineyards came from the natural resilience of the people. Grapes grown included Ribolla, Tocai Friulano, Merlot and many others."Sacrario di Oslavia

The Oslavia War Memorial, one of the most important monuments to the war, is built directly on the hilltop battlefields of the Collio/Slovenia border in the village of Oslavia, on the outskirts of Gorizia.

Collio DOC

Collio Goriziano DOC (more often known simply as Collio DOC), the quality appellation, was created in 1968 and today encompasses around 1,500 hectares of vines. These wines account for only 11-12% production of the whole of Friuli Venezia Giulia, so currently just a small amount is exported to the UK and around the world.

Grapes

The majority of grapes are white - approximately 86% - with only around 14% red grapes planted, including Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Collio truly expresses itself through its white wines, with their unique traits, perfectly matched to the local cuisine. As well as more recognisable international grape varieties, such as Chardonnay, the region specialises in four indigenous varieties:-

Collio Pinot Grigio

You can also find many fine examples of Pinot Grigio, so often a mass-market grape with little complexity. Yet here in Collio, it's fuller and more elegant, while the skin-contact versions - orange wines - are particularly delicious, multi-faceted and great for many food pairings.

Collio Bianco

Collio Bianco is the signature expression of the region. It's a complex, elegant and fruity white blend, a synthesis of the best grapes, which varies between producers and vintages. Based primarily on indigenous grapes, this is a style that producers say "speaks of the land where it's from". Each winery makes a unique version, an interpretation of the terroir, local traditions and experimentation. It's also an amazing match for pizza!

Caring for the environment

There is also a strong drive towards improving environmental practices with projects that embrace a more sustainable future and maintain healthy soils. Additionally, the new branded Collio bottle with its distinctive yellow label uses less glass with the resultant decrease in energy costs during manufacture and lower carbon footprint when transported.

Some wine recommendations

Collio's white wines have unique qualities that make them a joy to discover and are often best to drink after a couple of years in bottle. Many of them deliver mouth-watering salinity and minerality, while skin contact versions, aka orange wines, are both rich and fresh with delicious complexity and length. They can also pair really well with meat, particularly Friulano.

Here are ten recommendations to seek out:-

Friulano

Ribolla Gialla

Pinot Bianco

Pinot Grigio

Collio Bianco

Collio

European Capital of Culture: a tourism and gourmet destination

The towns of Gorizia in Collio and Nova Gorica in Slovenia, linked by a new bicycle and pedestrian path will be joint European Capitals of Culture in 2025. This will be a great opportunity to experience the melting pot of cultures that characterises this part of Italy. However, there's already a multitude of tourist options to entice wine, gastronomy, history, nature and beach lovers today. Trieste, the capital of the region, is a haven for coffee and culture lovers; Aquileia is an ancient Roman city and UNESCO World Heritage Site; and there are mountains, beaches, lagoons and nature reserves to explore too in this part of Italy.

… and the area is within 1½ hours' drive from Venice airport and even closer from Trieste.

Collio wine and food

Gastronomic traditions reflect the many cultural and historical influences that the region has experienced over the centuries. Wild game, rich pasta dishes, cured meats and local desserts such as Gorizian Gubana, a panettone-like bready cake, are filling and hearty. Wash this all down with some delicious wine and finish with a local Grappa - what's not to like!?

Time to discover Collio

Collio is one of the finest areas in Italy for white wines. Because of the unique qualities of the soil, the wines maintain their freshness, even when low in acidity, and can age in bottle for a few years.

Medieval cellar

The great vini bianchi of Italy can accompany a whole meal and there's never been a better time than now to discover the treats of Collio. Why not do it in situ by staying at the historic Castello di Spessa Golf Wine Resort & Spa, in the heart of Collio Goriziano, where Giacomo Casanova himself spent many happy days in 1773. Whether you're after wine or romance, this is a good base from which to explore the region, perhaps more salubriously than the infamous seducer!

You can find further details about the region and its wines on the Consorzio Tutela Vini Collio's website, and an abridged version of this article is also available online at Académie du Vin's online magazine, Vinosity. Do check out the other reports on The Write Taste for more reviews on Italian and other wines.