DOC Friuli Aquileia / DOC FriuliFriulano, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Merlot22 haFounded 1789Foffani family (Giovanni Foffani)mariano-del-friuli
Foffani has been in the family at Clauiano (one of Italy's borghi più belli) since 1789. The 22 hectares on the Friuli Aquileia plain feed varietal whites and the cellar's traditional-method sparkling. Giovanni Foffani runs the operation today.
Tasting: Estate visit at Clauiano by appointment with a tour of the historic Palazzo Foffani in the medieval village (one of Italy's borghi più belli), a vineyard walk through the Friuli Aquileia plain parcels and a flight of the Friulano, Sauvignon and Refosco.
Signature wines: foffani-friulano, foffani-refosco, foffani-spumante
Tip: Clauiano village walk is the natural pairing with a Foffani tasting; the medieval streets carry the Aquileia patriarchate's architectural fingerprint.
DOC Friuli IsonzoMalvasia Istriana, Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon14 haFounded 1788Bortolusso family (Elisabetta Bortolusso)mariano-del-friuli
Tenuta di Blasig has been in the family at Ronchi dei Legionari since 1788, making it one of Friuli's oldest continuously family-owned cellars. Elisabetta Bortolusso leads the modern operation.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Ronchi dei Legionari by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Isonzo plain parcels and a flight of the Malvasia Istriana, Friulano and Refosco.
Signature wines: tenuta-di-blasig-malvasia-istriana, tenuta-di-blasig-friulano, tenuta-di-blasig-refosco
Tip: The cellar's Malvasia Istriana from the Isonzo plain is a worthwhile contrast against the Carso versions; book a comparative tasting if travelling between the two appellations.
DOC CollioPinot Grigio, Friulano, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla, Chardonnay20 haFounded 1898Kupelwieser familycapriva-del-friuli
Kupelwieser traces to 1898 as a Tyrolean family wine operation with holdings in Alto Adige and the Collio. The 20-hectare Capriva del Friuli cellar produces varietal Collio whites that travel widely in northern European markets. The family also runs the Castelfeder operation in Alto Adige.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Capriva del Friuli by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Collio parcels and a flight of the Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon and Ribolla Gialla. The cellar is part of the historic Tyrolean Kupelwieser family operations that also include holdings in Alto Adige.
Signature wines: kupelwieser-friulano, kupelwieser-pinot-grigio, kupelwieser-sauvignon
Tip: A Kupelwieser visit pairs naturally with an Alto Adige tour the next day; the family's parallel Tyrolean cellar shares the same accent on cool-climate whites.
DOC Friuli Isonzo / Venezia Giulia IGTPinot Grigio, Friulano, Schioppettino, Pignolo, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Merlot, Cabernet Franc20 haFounded 1726Bressan family (Fulvio Bressan)Winemaker Fulvio BressanBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDmariano-del-friuli
Bressan Mastri Vinai is one of Friuli's oldest continuous wine families, with documented activity at Farra d'Isonzo since 1726. Fulvio Bressan runs the cellar in its modern form.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Farra d'Isonzo by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Bressan parcels (a Friuli holding documented since 1726) and a flight of the Pinot Grigio, Schioppettino, Pignolo and Verduzzo. Reservation required.
Signature wines: bressan-pinot-grigio, bressan-schioppettino, bressan-pignolo, bressan-verduzzo
Tip: The Pignolo is the cellar's library red and one of Friuli's revival varietals; ask for a back-vintage tasting alongside the Schioppettino.
DOC Friuli Isonzo / DOC CollioPinot Grigio, Friulano, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Bianco30 haFounded 1923Scolaris family (Andrea Scolaris)romans-d-isonzo
Scolaris was founded in 1923 by the Scolaris family at San Lorenzo Isontino, in the Friuli Isonzo DOC. Andrea Scolaris runs the modern operation.
Tasting: Cellar visit at San Lorenzo Isontino by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Isonzo parcels and a flight of the Pinot Grigio, Friulano and Sauvignon.
Signature wines: scolaris-pinot-grigio, scolaris-friulano, scolaris-sauvignon
Tip: Book a comparative Pinot Grigio tasting against a Collio version nearby; the Isonzo gravels give a different mid-palate weight than the Collio ponca.
DOC Collio / Venezia Giulia IGTRibolla Gialla, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pignolo18 haFounded 1901Gravner family (Josko Gravner with daughters Mateja and Jana)Winemaker Josko GravnerBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDoslavia
Family cellar at Oslavia run by Josko Gravner alongside daughters Mateja and Jana. Gravner shifted from temperature-controlled stainless steel to open-vat fermentations on the skins in 1997 after journeys to Georgia and buried his first qvevri amphorae in 2001. The 18 estate hectares on the ponca slopes above Oslavia are now Gravner's only fruit source, and every cuvée goes through extended skin contact, qvevri ageing and oak elevage before release. The cellar is the reference point for the modern orange-wine movement.
Tasting: Cellar visit by appointment at Lenzuolo Bianco with the qvevri amphora room walkthrough, the Ribolla and Bianco Breg flight from older vintages, and a vineyard tour through the Oslavia ponca parcels. Reservation required, English available.
Signature wines: gravner-ribolla, gravner-bianco-breg, gravner-rosso-breg, gravner-rujno
Tip: Ask the cellar staff about Josko's seven qvevri buried under the Lenzuolo Bianco cellar floor; the visit walks past them on the way to the tasting room.
