DOC Friuli Colli OrientaliFriulano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla, Merlot12 haFounded 1976Serena PalazzoloWinemaker Christian Patat (consulting); Serena Palazzolo (direction)Biodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDmanzano
Ronco del Gnemiz farms 12 hectares on the Colli Orientali ridge around San Giovanni al Natisone and Manzano, on ponca soils. Serena Palazzolo took over the family cellar in the late 2000s with consulting from Christian Patat (formerly of Miani) and has pushed the cellar toward parcel-level bottlings of Friulano and Chardonnay aged in large oak. The wines are bottled in small batches and released late.
Tasting: Cellar 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
