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.
DOC Collio / Venezia Giulia IGTRibolla Gialla, Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Merlot12 haFounded 1980Radikon family (Sasa Radikon with brother Ivan, since their father Stanko Radikon's 2016 death)Winemaker Sasa RadikonBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDoslavia
Stanko Radikon began extended-skin-contact whites in 1995 at Oslavia, the year before Josko Gravner's parallel turn. His sons Sasa and Ivan have run the cellar since Stanko's 2016 death.
Tasting: Cellar visit by appointment at Tre Buchi with a vineyard walk through the Oslavia parcels, a walkthrough of the cellar's no-added-sulphur protocols and a flight of Ribolla, Oslavje and Jakot from current and back vintages. English available.
Signature wines: radikon-ribolla, radikon-oslavje, radikon-jakot, radikon-slatnik
Tip: Order any Radikon back-vintage from the cellar's calendar release list rather than the latest one; the family ships when it considers a wine ready, not on a default schedule.
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.
