DOC Collio / Venezia Giulia IGTRibolla Gialla, Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon10 haFounded 1985Bensa family (Giorgio and Nicolò Bensa with sons Stefano and Matteo Bensa)Biodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDoslavia
Bensa family cellar at Oslavia founded in 1985 by brothers Giorgio and Nicolò Bensa. Now run with the next generation Stefano and Matteo Bensa.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Oslavia by appointment with a vineyard walk on the ponca slopes shared with Gravner and Radikon, a flight of the Ribolla, Bianco della Castellada and Friulano in current and back vintages, and a tasting of the Rosso della Castellada when available.
Signature wines: la-castellada-ribolla, la-castellada-bianco-della-castellada, la-castellada-friulano, la-castellada-rosso-della-castellada
Tip: The Bianco della Castellada (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Friulano, Ribolla) is the cellar's whole-Oslavia statement; ask for a vertical flight if the family has older vintages open.
Venezia Giulia IGT / DOC CollioRibolla Gialla, Friulano, Malvasia Istriana, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon12 haFounded 1999Damijan PodversicWinemaker Damijan PodversicBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDoslavia
Damijan Podversic established his own cellar in 1999 after years of working with Josko Gravner. The 12 hectares climb Monte Calvario above Gorizia city, sharing the ponca slope with the Oslavia houses.
Tasting: Cellar visit by appointment at Gorizia with a vineyard walk on the Monte Calvario parcels above the city and a flight of the Kaplja Bianco, Nekaj, Ribolla and Prelit Rosso from current and back vintages.
Signature wines: damijan-podversic-ribolla, damijan-podversic-kaplja, damijan-podversic-nekaj, damijan-podversic-prelit
Tip: The Kaplja Bianco (Friulano, Chardonnay, Malvasia Istriana) is the cellar's house white; pair it with prosciutto di San Daniele for the canonical Friulian table.
DOC CollioFriulano, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla, Chardonnay30 haFounded 1965Rotolo family (Carlo Rotolo)capriva-del-friuli
Founded in 1965 by Mario Schiopetto at the former Palazzo Arcivescovile of the Aquileia patriarchate at Capriva del Friuli. Schiopetto introduced temperature-controlled stainless-steel fermentations to Friuli in the late 1960s, establishing the modern technical baseline for clean, fruit-forward Pinot Grigio and Friulano. The estate, now under the Rotolo family, farms 30 hectares of Collio ponca and bottles around 250,000 bottles a year.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Capriva del Friuli by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Palazzo Arcivescovile parcels and a flight of the Friulano, Pinot Grigio and Mario Schiopetto memorial cuvée from current vintages.
Signature wines: schiopetto-friulano, schiopetto-pinot-grigio, schiopetto-mario-schiopetto, schiopetto-rivarossa
Tip: Ask for the Mario Schiopetto cuvée (a single-vineyard blend named for the founder) to taste the cellar's library style alongside the current entry-level Friulano.
DOC CollioPinot Grigio, Friulano, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay130 haFounded 1956Felluga family (Roberto Felluga)capriva-del-friuli
Founded in 1956 by Marco Felluga, the senior brother of Livio Felluga, the cellar built the Russiz Superiore property at Capriva del Friuli into one of the Collio's modern reference estates.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Gradisca d'Isonzo by appointment with a flight of the Molamatta Bianco, Mongris Pinot Grigio and Pradius Sauvignon Riserva from current vintages, plus a walk through the Russiz Collio parcels at the linked Russiz Superiore estate.
Signature wines: marco-felluga-molamatta, marco-felluga-mongris, marco-felluga-pradius
Tip: The Molamatta (Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla) is the cellar's whole-Collio statement; pair it with a board of San Daniele prosciutto and Montasio cheese at the estate restaurant.
DOC CollioFriulano, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla, Merlot65 haFounded 1967Felluga family (Roberto Felluga)capriva-del-friuli
Acquired by Marco Felluga in 1967 as the higher-elevation contiguous extension of the Marco Felluga estate at Capriva del Friuli. The 65 hectares climb the south-facing ponca slope behind the Russiz palace, with parcels between 100 and 200 metres feeding the Col Disôre and single-cru Riserva bottlings. Roberto Felluga leads the operation today.
Tasting: Estate visit at the Russiz hilltop by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Collio parcels and a flight of the Friulano Riserva, Sauvignon Riserva and the Col Disôre Bianco. The Tavernetta al Castello restaurant nearby pairs estate wines with regional plates.
Signature wines: russiz-superiore-col-disore, russiz-superiore-friulano-riserva, russiz-superiore-sauvignon-riserva
Tip: Col Disôre (Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla) is the cellar's Collio bianco icon; ask for a back vintage if the cellar has one open.
DOC Friuli Colli Orientali / DOCG Rosazzo / DOCG Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit / DOC CollioFriulano, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Picolit, Merlot165 haFounded 1956Felluga family (Maurizio Felluga, Filippo Felluga, Elda Felluga and Andrea Felluga)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDmanzano
Founded in 1956 by Livio Felluga at Brazzano (Cormons), and now run by Livio's four children Maurizio, Filippo, Elda and Andrea Felluga. The estate farms approximately 165 hectares across the Colli Orientali, the Rosazzo ridge and the Collio. Terre Alte, the DOCG Rosazzo blend of Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon, is the Friulian icon; the Picolit DOCG and the Sossó Refosco anchor the sweet and red ranges. The estate has been certified organic since the 2020s.
Tasting: Cellar visit at Brazzano by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Rosazzo and Brazzano parcels, a Terre Alte flight (the iconic DOCG Rosazzo blend) and a tasting of the Picolit DOCG when bottled. The Friuli wine resort on-site offers extended stays.
Signature wines: livio-felluga-terre-alte, livio-felluga-illivio, livio-felluga-friulano, livio-felluga-picolit, livio-felluga-sossó-refosco
Tip: The Friuli wine resort at the estate doubles as the visit base; book a vertical Terre Alte tasting paired with frico at the resort restaurant.
