DOCG Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit / DOC Friuli Colli OrientaliPicolit, Friulano, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Verduzzo Friulano, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso26 haFounded 1559Sovrano Militare Ordine di Malta (Sovereign Military Order of Malta)corno-di-rosazzo
Rocca Bernarda traces to 1559 when the Valvason family planted the first vineyards on the ridge above Premariacco. The estate was bequeathed to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1977 and the Order continues to operate it. The 26 hectares anchor one of the historical reference programmes for DOCG Picolit, with the recovered 19th-century plantings credited as one of the bases for the modern Picolit revival.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Premariacco by appointment with a tour of the 16th-century villa and the historic Picolit cellars, a vineyard walk through the Rocca Bernarda parcels and a flight including the Picolit DOCG.
Signature wines: rocca-bernarda-picolit, rocca-bernarda-friulano, rocca-bernarda-refosco, rocca-bernarda-verduzzo
Tip: The Picolit cellar walk at the villa is the most direct way to understand DOCG Picolit's tiny yields and the history of the grape's near-extinction.
DOC Friuli Colli Orientali / DOC CollioFriulano, Malvasia Istriana, Verduzzo Friulano, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso16 haFounded 1996Pinto family (Mario Zanusso with sons Ferdinando Zanusso)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDcorno-di-rosazzo
I Clivi was founded in 1996 by Mario Zanusso, who restored old-vine parcels at Corno di Rosazzo (Clivi Galea in the Colli Orientali) and Brazzano (Clivi Brazan in the Collio) where vines now average over 60 years.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Gramogliano by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Clivi Brazan and Clivi Galea old-vine parcels (vines averaging over 60 years) and a flight of the Brazan Friulano, Galea Bianco and the Malvasia. Reservation required.
Signature wines: i-clivi-brazan-friulano, i-clivi-galea-bianco, i-clivi-malvasia, i-clivi-verduzzo-rno
Tip: Ask the cellar for vine ages on the Clivi Brazan and Clivi Galea parcels; both are among the oldest continuous Friulano plantings in the region.
DOC Friuli Colli Orientali / Schioppettino di Prepotto sub-denomination / DOCG Colli Orientali del Friuli PicolitSchioppettino, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Verduzzo Friulano, Picolit, Friulano, Ribolla Gialla21 haFounded 1970Rapuzzi family (Pierpaolo and Ivan Rapuzzi)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDprepotto
Paolo and Dina Rapuzzi bought the abandoned Cialla parcels in 1970 and replanted Schioppettino from heritage cuttings, working with the Prepotto growers' association to add the variety back to the permitted Friulian list. The cellar is the historical anchor of the Schioppettino-revival narrative and the namesake of the Schioppettino di Prepotto sub-denomination formalised in 2008. Sons Pierpaolo and Ivan Rapuzzi now run the operation.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Cialla by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Schioppettino parcels in the Prepotto valley and a flight of the Schioppettino di Cialla, Refosco, Verduzzo and Picolit. The cellar holds back-vintage library bottles for special visits.
Signature wines: ronchi-di-cialla-schioppettino, ronchi-di-cialla-refosco, ronchi-di-cialla-verduzzo, ronchi-di-cialla-picolit
Tip: Ask for a Schioppettino di Cialla vertical; the cellar holds library stock and the variety ages 10 to 20 years.
DOCG Ramandolo / DOC Friuli Colli Orientali / DOCG Colli Orientali del Friuli PicolitVerduzzo Friulano, Picolit, Friulano, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso15 haFounded 1979Coos family (Dario Coos with daughter Federica Coos)nimis
Dario Coos founded the cellar in 1979 in the Ramandolo zone above Nimis and built it into one of the appellation's most-cited sweet-wine producers. Daughter Federica Coos now works in the cellar.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Ramandolo by appointment with a vineyard walk through the steep Monte Bernadia slopes and a flight of the Ramandolo DOCG, the Picolit DOCG and the Friulano Colli Orientali. The cellar's sweet-wine focus makes it a strong base for understanding the late-harvest tradition.
Signature wines: dario-coos-ramandolo-il-longhino, dario-coos-picolit, dario-coos-friulano
Tip: Il Longhino Ramandolo is the cellar's flagship; pair it with the local Montasio cheese at the end of a Colli Orientali day trip.
DOCG Ramandolo / DOCG Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit / DOC Friuli Colli OrientaliVerduzzo Friulano, Picolit, Friulano, SchioppettinoFounded 1985Coos familyWinemaker Dario CoosNimis
Small specialist Ramandolo and Picolit DOCG cellar in the Nimis foothills above Tarcento, with tight production and a Pre-Alpine microclimate.
Why locals love it: Tiny Nimis foothill DOCG that gets less attention than the Collio whites; the cellar is small enough that visits run by appointment with the family.
Tip: The Ramandolo hillsides have a Pre-Alpine microclimate distinct from the Collio and Colli Orientali; pair the cellar visit with a Tarcento or Nimis lunch.
DOC Friuli Colli Orientali (Schioppettino di Prepotto) / DOCG PicolitSchioppettino, Refosco di Faedis, Verduzzo Friulano, PicolitFounded 1976Rapuzzi familyWinemaker Pierpaolo and Ivan RapuzziORGANIC CERTIFIEDPrepotto
Prepotto cellar that rescued Schioppettino from near-extinction in 1976 and 1977; the canonical Schioppettino di Prepotto reference and DOCG Picolit producer.
Why locals love it: Prepotto is a hilltop commune on the Slovenian border off the standard Cividale-Cormons tour map, and the Schioppettino-only focus keeps the cellar a specialist destination rather than a general Friuli stop.
Tip: The cellar's Schioppettino bottlings benefit from 10 to 20 years of cellar age; ask the family for a vertical to read the variety's evolution.
DOC Isonzo del Friuli / Venezia Giulia IGTSchioppettino, Pignolo, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Verduzzo Friulano, Pinot NeroFounded 1726Bressan family (Fulvio Bressan)Winemaker Fulvio BressanBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDMariano del Friuli
Historic family cellar at Farra d'Isonzo (winemaking documented since 1726) with extended-elevage indigenous reds: Schioppettino, Pignolo, Refosco.
Why locals love it: Cellar releases are held back until the family considers them ready, so vintages reach the market several years behind the standard schedule. Distribution is selective.
Tip: The Pignolo and the Schioppettino reward 10 to 20 years of bottle age; the cellar door can pour library vintages by appointment.