The elegant white wines of the Collio DOC Friuli Venezia Giulia

The northeastern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia is renowned for producing some of the finest white wines in the world. Pinot Grigio reigns here, but a wealth of native and international white varietals from Pinot Bianco to Friulano are also cultivated within the region’s 11 Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), 3 Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), and 3 Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT).

Collio, a DOC within Friuli Venezia Giulia situated next to Slovenia between the Julian Alps and the Adriatic Sea is recognized for its elegant expressions of white (89%) and red (11%) wines crafted from as many as 17 (12 white and 5 red) indigenous and international grapes.

The half-moon crescent-shaped Collio region, located in the province of Gorizia and flanked by the Judrio and Isonzo rivers, consists of 7000 hectares of biodiverse land with 1300 under vine. The area’s warm and sunny climate and hilly (as the name suggests) landscape provide the optimal conditions for grapevine cultivation. The warm breezes coming off the Adriatic Sea ventilate the hillside vineyards, while the proximity of the Julian Alps shields them from cold winds to the north. Sharp temperature differentials characterized by warm days and cool nights help preserve the grapes’ inherent freshness and acidity. The stratified sloping landscape affords good drainage.

The marl, sandstone-dominant “ponca” soil, abundant in limestone, potassium, phosphorous, quartz, and marine elements give Collio wines their refreshing crispness, elegant white and yellow flower aromas, citrus and orchard fruitiness, and mineral and saline-driven character. Those vinified in stainless steel typically exhibit aromas of acacia, chamomile, ripe lemon, green apple, Asian pear, peach, and honey notes. Lees aging and maturation in oak usually add fullness, structure, and flavors of vanilla, balsam, and sliced fresh almonds.

Furthermore, because the region defines the Collio DOC and not a particular wine or grape, they can reflect a range of styles depending on each producer’s interpretation. Nevertheless, the quintessential Collio DOC wine is a fresh and crisp single-varietal or blend of DOC-permitted white grapes characterized by elegant expressions of white and yellow flowers, citrus and orchard fruit, and a perfect combination of refreshing acidity, minerality, and salinity. Each bottle of Collio DOC is distinguished by a bright yellow cap, a bottle construction that uses less glass in the construction, and a smaller cork demonstrating the producers’ commitment to environmentally sustainable manufacturing processes.

The Consorzio Tutela Vini Collio (established in 1964), in conjunction with food and beverage communications agency Colangelo & Partners’ Cristina Coari and wine educator MS Laura Maniec held a Collio DOC masterclass attended by members of the wine media and trade during which seven white and one red wine from the region’s finest producers were poured. These included: