La Castellada in the centre of the Oslavia hamlet farms eight organic hectares; the Bensa family runs the cellar with extended-skin-contact Ribolla, Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Sauvignon.
Tip: La Castellada sits within walking distance of Gravner and Radikon at Oslavia; arrange all three on a single morning if the appointments line up.
Address: Localita Oslavia, 1, 34170 Gorizia, Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Sandi Skerk farms seven organic hectares at Sgonico on the Carso limestone karst and bottles Vitovska, Malvasia Istriana, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio and Terrano on extended-skin-contact programmes.
Tip: Skerk's amphitheatre-shaped tasting room cut into the karst is the cellar's signature visit experience; book the tour to see it.
Benjamin Zidarich farms his Carso plot organically at Prepotto (Duino-Aurisina) and works in a multi-storey limestone-carved cellar that extends seven floors into the karst.
Tip: The cellar tour walks all seven underground floors cut into the limestone; allow 90 minutes for the visit plus the tasting flight.
Edi Kante runs an 18-metre-deep limestone-carved cellar at Aurisina-Prepotto on the Carso plateau above Trieste, with organic-farmed Vitovska, Malvasia Istriana, Sauvignon and Chardonnay across the karst-and-terra-rossa parcels. The cellar pairs the Carso terra rossa over solid limestone substrate with the low-intervention stainless-and-oak approach.
Tip: Kante's 18-metre-deep cellar runs cold through the summer heat; the descent is part of the visit and the temperature drops noticeably on the way down.
Livio Felluga at Brazzano di Cormons farms its Colli Orientali parcels organically across Rosazzo, Manzano, Buttrio and Cividale. The cellar founded by Livio Felluga (older brother of Marco) bottles the Terre Alte flagship Rosazzo blend and the Picolit DOCG half-bottle as its prestige expressions.
Tip: Pair the Friulano with the cellar's Picolit DOCG half-bottle; the cellar bottles both as flagship Colli Orientali expressions.
Lis Neris at San Lorenzo Isontino farms the Friuli Isonzo gravel terraces organically. The Pecorari family cellar runs Picol Sauvignon, Gris Pinot Grigio, Jurosa Chardonnay and the Lis flagship across the Isonzo river-shaped gravel terraces.
Tip: The Picol Sauvignon and Gris Pinot Grigio pour side-by-side as the cellar contrast; ask for the Jurosa Chardonnay if it is open as the oak-aged comparison.
Le Vigne di Zamo at Corno di Rosazzo farms organic Colli Orientali parcels across Rosazzo, Buttrio and the Tre Vigne family holdings. The cellar bottles Friulano, Picolit DOCG (375 ml half-bottle) and a series of single-vineyard whites that anchor the Zamo family's Rosazzo cellar reputation.
Tip: Ask for the Picolit DOCG half-bottle alongside the Friulano; the cellar is a reference Picolit producer in the Colli Orientali half-bottle format.
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