ClassificationDOC Friuli Colli Orientali
VarietalsFriulano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla, Merlot
Hectares12 ha
OwnerSerena Palazzolo
WinemakerChristian Patat (consulting); Serena Palazzolo (direction)
Founded1976
TastingCellar visit by appointment at San Giovanni al Natisone with a vineyard walk through the Ronco del Gnemiz parcels and a flight of the single-parcel Chardonnay, Friulano and the cellar's Riservas.
BiodynamicBiodynamic Practicing
OrganicORGANIC CERTIFIED
Neighbourhoodmanzano

Signature wines: ronco-del-gnemiz-friulano, ronco-del-gnemiz-chardonnay-il-roccolo, ronco-del-gnemiz-sauvignon

Tip: The single-parcel Chardonnay Il Roccolo is the cellar's library cuvée; ask for a back-vintage tasting alongside the Friulano.

Location

Address: Via Ronchi, 5, 33048 San Giovanni al Natisone, Udine, Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia

More vineyards in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Ronco dei Tassi ★ 4.6

DOC CollioFriulano, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla, Merlot, Cabernet Franc19 haFounded 1989Coser family (Fabio Coser with sons Matteo and Andrea Coser)cormons

Fabio Coser founded the cellar in 1989 on the Bosco del Merlo parcel above Cormons, and now runs it with sons Matteo and Andrea. The 19 hectares on Collio ponca around the Monte locality feed the Fosarin Bianco (Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Malvasia) as the cellar's signature blend and the Cjarandon (Sauvignon, Friulano, Chardonnay) as a second whole-Collio expression.

Tasting: Cellar visit at Monte by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Bosco del Merlo parcels and a flight of the Fosarin Bianco, Cjarandon Bianco and Bosc dal Sef Rosso. Farmhouse rooms on-site for overnight stays.

Signature wines: ronco-dei-tassi-fosarin, ronco-dei-tassi-cjarandon, ronco-dei-tassi-bosc-dal-sef

Tip: The farmhouse rooms double as a Cormons base; book the Fosarin vertical with a half-day of Collio cellar visits.

Doro Princic ★ 4.6

DOC CollioFriulano, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon, Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla11 haFounded 1955Princic family (Sandro Princic and Alessandro Princic)cormons

Founded in 1955 by Doro Princic, the Pradis cellar built its reputation on traditional reductive whites without oak or skin contact. Now run by Doro's son Sandro and grandson Alessandro Princic.

Tasting: Cellar visit at Pradis by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Cormons parcels and a flight of the Pinot Bianco, Friulano and Malvasia from the current vintage. The cellar focuses on traditional reductive whites without skin contact.

Signature wines: princic-pinot-bianco, princic-friulano, princic-malvasia

Tip: The Pinot Bianco is the cellar's calling card and one of the Collio's most-cited Pinot Bianco bottlings; pair it with the local prosciutto di San Daniele.

Franco Toros ★ 4.7

DOC CollioFriulano, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot10 haFounded 1970Toros family (Franco Toros with daughter Cristina Toros)cormons

Franco Toros has run the small Novali cellar above Cormons since 1970, and the 10 hectares on ponca produce small lots of varietal Collio wines that critics regularly rank among the appellation's most precise.

Tasting: Cellar visit at Novali by appointment with a vineyard walk through the small Collio parcels and a varietal Collio flight of Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon and the Merlot Riserva.

Signature wines: toros-friulano, toros-pinot-bianco, toros-sauvignon, toros-merlot

Tip: The Friulano is consistently among the appellation's most-cited; book the cellar early since the tasting room only holds 6.

La Tunella ★ 4.6

DOC Friuli Colli OrientaliFriulano, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla, Chardonnay, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Schioppettino70 haFounded 1960Zorzettig family (Massimo and Marco Zorzettig)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDbuttrio

La Tunella was founded in 1960 by the Zorzettig family at Ipplis (Premariacco), in the centre of the Colli Orientali. Today brothers Massimo and Marco Zorzettig run the operation.

Tasting: Cellar visit at Ipplis by appointment with a vineyard walk and a flight of the Biancosesto Bianco, Sciarmat Sparkling and Refosco Rosso. The on-site agriturismo offers farmhouse rooms.

Signature wines: la-tunella-biancosesto, la-tunella-rjgialla, la-tunella-sciarmat, la-tunella-refosco

Tip: The Biancosesto Friulano-Ribolla blend is the cellar's whole-Colli statement; book the agriturismo for a Ramandolo and Picolit dessert-wine flight at the end of the visit.

Bastianich ★ 4.7

DOC Friuli Colli OrientaliFriulano, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Schioppettino, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Picolit35 haFounded 1997Bastianich family (Joseph Bastianich)cividale-del-friuli

Founded in 1997 by Joseph Bastianich (the restaurateur and Lidia Bastianich's son) on Felluga-family advice, the Colli Orientali cellar at Cividale del Friuli farms 35 hectares between Cividale and Buttrio.

Tasting: Cellar visit at Cividale del Friuli by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Buttrio and Cividale parcels and a flight of the Vespa Bianco, Plus Friulano, Calabrone Rosso and Refosco. On-site farmhouse rooms and restaurant.

Signature wines: bastianich-vespa-bianco, bastianich-plus-friulano, bastianich-calabrone, bastianich-refosco

Tip: Book the on-site restaurant for a tasting menu paired with the cellar's range; the Vespa Bianco lands particularly well with the Friulian gnocchi de susini.

Le Vigne di Zamò ★ 4.7

DOC Friuli Colli Orientali / DOCG Rosazzo / DOCG Colli Orientali del Friuli PicolitFriulano, Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Pignolo, Picolit60 haFounded 1924Zamò family (Pierluigi and Silvano Zamò with daughter Annamaria Zamò)corno-di-rosazzo

Founded in 1924 by Vittorio Zamò and run today by Pierluigi and Silvano Zamò alongside daughter Annamaria. The 60 hectares span the Rosazzo ridge, Vigne dal Leon parcel and Abbazia di Rosazzo plots in the Colli Orientali. The cellar bottles a single-parcel Pignolo (one of the region's revival reds) and the Vigne dal Leon Refosco alongside the Picolit DOCG.

Tasting: Cellar visit at Rocca Bernarda by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Vigne dal Leon and Abbazia di Rosazzo parcels and a flight of the Tullio Zamò Bianco, Vigne dal Leon Refosco and the Picolit DOCG.

Signature wines: le-vigne-di-zamo-tullio-zamo, le-vigne-di-zamo-vigne-dal-leon-refosco, le-vigne-di-zamo-pignolo, le-vigne-di-zamo-picolit

Tip: Ask for the Pignolo back-vintages; the cellar holds library stock of one of Friuli's near-extinct revival reds.

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