DOC Friuli IsonzoPinot Grigio, Friulano, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling Renano, Merlot23 haFounded 1985Giorgio BadinWinemaker Giorgio BadinORGANIC CERTIFIEDromans-d-isonzo
Giorgio Badin built Ronco del Gelso from 1985 onward at the boundary of Cormons and the Isonzo plain. The 23 hectares on river-shaped gravel feed single-parcel bottlings of Pinot Grigio (Sot lis Rivis), Friulano (Toc Bas) and a rare Friulian Riesling Renano (Latimis). The cellar has been organic for over a decade.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Cormons by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Isonzo parcels and a flight of the Pinot Grigio Sot lis Rivis, Friulano Toc Bas and the Riesling Renano Latimis. Reservation required.
Signature wines: ronco-del-gelso-pinot-grigio-sot-lis-rivis, ronco-del-gelso-friulano-toc-bas, ronco-del-gelso-riesling-latimis
Tip: The Riesling Renano Latimis is a rare Friulian dry Riesling; book a tasting against the Pinot Grigio Sot lis Rivis for an unusual Isonzo white flight.
DOC Carso / Venezia Giulia IGTVitovska, Malvasia Istriana, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Nero12 haFounded 1980Edi KanteWinemaker Edi KanteORGANIC CERTIFIEDduino-aurisina
Edi Kante built his cellar dug 18 metres deep into the Carso limestone at Prepotto-Aurisina starting in 1980, and now anchors the Carso DOC as one of its two reference cellars (alongside Vodopivec).
Tasting: Cellar visit at Prepotto by appointment with a tour of the 18-metre-deep cellar dug into the Carso limestone, a vineyard walk through the Aurisina parcels and a flight of the Vitovska, Malvasia, Chardonnay and Sauvignon. Reservation required.
Signature wines: kante-vitovska, kante-malvasia, kante-chardonnay, kante-sauvignon
Tip: The 18-metre cellar tour is the most striking architectural moment in any Carso cellar; ask to see all three excavated levels.
DOC Carso / Venezia Giulia IGTVitovska6 haFounded 1997Vodopivec family (Paolo Vodopivec with brother Valter Vodopivec)Biodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDsgonico
Paolo Vodopivec founded the cellar at Sgonico in 1997 and committed it entirely to Vitovska, the indigenous Carso variety. His brother Valter Vodopivec joined the operation.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Colludrozza by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Carso parcels and a flight of the Vitovska, Vitovska Anfora and the cellar's experimental long-elevage releases. Reservation required.
Signature wines: vodopivec-vitovska, vodopivec-vitovska-anfora, vodopivec-solo-mm
Tip: The Vitovska Anfora is the cellar's reference cuvée; ask for a back-vintage tasting alongside the standard Vitovska to read the qvevri-driven evolution.
DOC CarsoVitovska, Malvasia Istriana, Terrano, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio10 haFounded 1988Zidarich family (Beniamino Zidarich)Winemaker Beniamino ZidarichBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDsgonico
Beniamino Zidarich founded the cellar in 1988 at Prepotto di Sgonico and built it into one of the Carso DOC's reference producers alongside Kante and Vodopivec.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Prepotto by appointment with a tour of the cellar dug into the Carso limestone, a vineyard walk through the Sgonico parcels and a flight of the Vitovska, Malvasia, Prulke Bianco and Terrano. Reservation required.
Signature wines: zidarich-vitovska, zidarich-prulke, zidarich-malvasia, zidarich-terrano
Tip: Prulke is the cellar's whole-Carso bianco statement; pair it with the local Carso prosciutto for the canonical karst table.
DOC CarsoVitovska, Malvasia Istriana, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Terrano10 haFounded 1968Skerk family (Sandi Skerk)Winemaker Sandi SkerkBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDsgonico
Sandi Skerk runs the family cellar at Prepotto di Sgonico, founded in 1968. The 10 hectares on the Carso plateau feed Vitovska, Malvasia, Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio (all fermented on skins) plus the Terrano red.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Prepotto by appointment with a tour of the limestone-excavated cellar and a flight of the Vitovska, Malvasia, Ograde (the cellar's field blend) and Terrano. The on-site osmiza (the Carso seasonal farm tavern) serves karst plates with the wines.
Signature wines: skerk-vitovska, skerk-ograde, skerk-malvasia, skerk-terrano
Tip: Time a visit with one of the cellar's osmiza weekends to taste the wines alongside Carso prosciutto, jota soup and frico.
DOC CarsoVitovska, Malvasia Istriana, Terrano, Refosco, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon50 haFounded 1985Terraneo family (Maddalena Terraneo)duino-aurisina
Castelvecchio sits at Sagrado at the northern edge of the Carso, where the karst plateau meets the Isonzo plain. The Terraneo family has run the cellar since 1985, with Maddalena Terraneo leading the operation.
Tasting: Estate visit at Sagrado by appointment with a tour of the medieval castle ruins, a vineyard walk through the Carso parcels and a flight of the Vitovska, Malvasia and Terrano. The castle setting makes the visit a hybrid wine and heritage half-day.
Signature wines: castelvecchio-vitovska, castelvecchio-malvasia, castelvecchio-terrano, castelvecchio-refosco
Tip: The Carso castle setting at Sagrado makes Castelvecchio the most photogenic Carso visit; pair it with the Isonzo battlefield museum a short drive away.
