Collavini Wines, Where Terroir and Native Grape Varieties Reign Supreme
​October 21, 2024

​With family roots that run deep in the northeastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the wines of Eugenio Collavini are special, somewhat a study in contrast, fresh yet complex, the uncommon whites so very intriguing, the distinctive reds channeling the native grapes, presenting a unique portrait of Italian wines.  There is a high-toned purity of expression and special personality to the wines, a balance of ripeness and acidity, the result of a family endeavor for over 125 years to make wine that reflected the region’s terroir.  The native varieties of Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Refosco and Schioppettino exhibit beguiling aromas and texture, while Pinot Grigio is made in a quality fashion, setting Collavini apart from other Italian wine producers.

Collio vineyards, Courtesy of Collavini

Collavini winemaking facility, Courtesy of Collavini

Collavini Il Grigio production line, Courtesy of Collavini

Since 1896, the Collavini family has pursued the art and craft of winemaking, starting with founder Eugenio Collavini, who supplied local wine shops and regional nobility with wine.  He passed the baton on to his son, Giovanni, who led the company through the challenging times of both World Wars.  Afterwards, Giovanni’s son, Manlio, took over and started refining their viticulture and pioneered new incarnations of Friulian wine, producing a white and sparkling version of the popular Pinot Grigio.  Today, we might not think that as revolutionary, but the Pinot Grigio grape has pink skin, and, at that time, the wines were a copper color, bottled in dark green bottles.  Manlio vinified his Pinot Grigio as a white wine, and bottled it in clear bottles, setting the trend for other producers in the region.  In 1971, Manlio created the first sparkling Pinot Grigio and later, applied the same idea to his Ribolla Gialla.  To understand the significance of these moves, to make a sparkling wine from Friulian native varieties was so innovative, Collavini became known for their quality wines.  In fact, Manlio began exporting his wines internationally, sought out by Friulian immigrants in Argentina and Canada.  Today, about 50% of the production is sold in more than 50 markets worldwide.

(L-R) Manlio Collavini, with sons Giovanni and Luigi, walking the vineyards, Courtesy of Collavini

(L-R) Luigi, Manlio and Giovanni Collavini, Courtesy of Collavini

Today, Manlio’s two sons, Giovanni and Luigi, are running the day to day operations of Collavini, overseen by Manlio, a family legacy in the truest sense.  Giovanni is the winemaker, Luigi does the PR and marketing, spreading the word about their beautiful wines.  Collavini manages over 425 acres of vineyards in the Collio and Colli Orientali DOC wine regions of Friuli, along the border with Slovenia.  The Ponca soils of the vineyards lend salinity and minerality to the wines, as Ponca is made up of layers of marl, sandstone and marine fossils.  Collavini produces about 1.5 million bottles annually, but the brothers have a larger vision, they are seeking to buy new vineyards, and have purchased new equipment, all with an eye to making new signature wines to cement Collavini’s reputation as a pioneer in the region.

Recently I had the opportunity to taste six of Collavini’s wines with Luigi Collavini over a Zoom call.  Their story resonates in each bottle, and the labels.  The image of a dachshund graces the bottles, an homage to Manlio’s first dachshund, named Ribolla, an unusual tribute that has actually made Collavini wines more recognizable by this heartfelt symbol of love.  Luigi explained how Friuli’s terroir, between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, gives the wines its freshness, minerality, complexity and longevity, retaining the local traditions and varieties while appealing to modern sensibilities.

First up, Collavini Il Grigio Vino Spumante Brut, a sparkling blend of Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, is fragrant with aromas of golden apples, pears and crusty bread.  Tiny persistent bubbles dance on the palate, a hint of citrus follows through on the long finish.  Collavini was the first to make a sparkling Pinot Grigio, partnering the local variety with the international Chardonnay grape, giving the wine a rounder expression.  This is very different than Prosecco, more fine and delicate, and is extremely food-friendly with cold cuts, vegetables, or fish.  Also, Luigi told me that Il Grigio is very good in cocktails, in fact, the famed Harry’s Bar in Venice uses Il Grigio for their Bellinis!

Next, Collavini Villa Canlungo 2023, 100% Pinot Grigio from the hills of the Collio production region, a tangy aromatic wine with notes of flowers and citrus.  It’s silky and savory in the mouth, with a creamy texture, overall an elegant wine.  Luigi said Villa Canlungo is their most popular wine, so very flexible with food, suggestions are fish-based starters, pasta, rice, and vegetable soups to mention a few.

Third, the Collavini T Friulano 2023 is the essence of the Friuli, a niche varietal originally known as Tokay Friulano, but the name was changed in 2009 to avoid confusion with the sweet wines of Hungary’s Tokay region.  It’s fascinating in its juxtaposition of herbaceous, white flowers and hay aromas, alongside an orange peel, lemon and cypress flavor profile, a slightly tannic and waxy texture that ends with a bitter almond after taste, a hallmark of the Friulano grape.  Considered a gem of the Friuli region, it’s smoky nose and full body makes it the most popular wine of Friuli for locals, often served as an aperitif with fish or asparagus starters, pasta or rice dishes with fish, and prosciutto crudo.

Fourth, Collavini Broy 2020, a blend of Friulano, Chardonnay and Sauvignon, is an opulent wine, with aromas of tropical fruits, acacia honey, orange peel and summer flowers.  A lush and structured body yields notes of freshness and minerality on an intensely long, lingering finish.  As Luigi related, “Friulano and Chardonnay are like a black and white picture, the Sauvignon gives a third dimension to the color.”  Made in the traditional way, the Friulano and Chardonnay grapes are concentrated by slightly drying the clusters, while the Sauvignon is pressed separately but chilled to prevent fermentation.  When the Friulano and Chardonnay grapes are ready, they are blended with the Sauvignon and fermented, part in steel and part in barrique.  It is then allowed to mature on the lees for over a year before being bottled and aged.  Broy, named for the “broili”, small gardens planted next to Friulian family houses, often provided vegetables and wine for the family consumption.  This is what happened with Eugenio, the great grandfather,  the place where he produced his first wine.  Recognized by Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri and other wine critics, Broy is an excellent dinner companion.  Fish, truffle risotto, and mature cheeses would really make a perfect food and wine pairing. 

​On to the red grapes, the Collavini Pucino Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso 2022 is fresh and delicious, herbaceous like Cabernet Franc yet rustic like Zinfandel.  Collavini produces this wine as a softer and lighter version, with notes of raspberry and briary fruit, licorice and tobacco, it’s only 12.5% ABV, and doesn’t see any oak.  Sometimes considered a “summer red wine”, if slightly chilled, it diminishes the slightly tannic texture.  Another great food wine, it can pair with fish as well as meat, even a pasta with lobster and clams.

Finally, the Collavini Turian Schioppettino 2021 is a full-bodied red with a spicy nose (in fact black pepper dominant), and raspberry and blackberry fruit aromas.  Soft tannins, a fresh palate, and long finish reveal the impression of a rich profile, yet has a lightness of being.  The name means “popping the popcorn”, referring to the cracking sound when the grapes are crushed.  It is a perfect pair with game, boar and heavier pasta dishes.

(L-R) Luigi, Giovanni, and Manlio Collavini, Courtesy of Collavini

​In the past, Friuli was a cooler wine region, and the wines were overall lower in alcohol.  But, as Luigi explained, climate change is challenging conventional viticulture, with warm winds almost dehydrating the hill-top vineyards, and yielding higher sugar levels in the grapes, which means higher alcohol wines.  What makes Collavini wines unique is that these native grapes see very little oak influence, and what you taste is the pure essence of the Collio, vibrant and fresh.  Collavini is known for their Ribolla Gialla, an ancient native Friulian variety, which I did not get to taste.  In fact, Manlio, called “The Lord of Ribolla Gialla”, devised the Collavini Method to make sparkling Ribolla Gialla Brut, integrating the classic technique (secondary fermentation in bottle) with the Martinotti-Charmant process (secondary fermentation in steel autoclaves).  Luigi believes that Ribolla Gialla could be the next big thing in Italian wine, like Pinot Grigio, easy to drink, affordable and understandable.

Overall, the wines of Collavini are so very distinctive, you really can’t compare them to any others, they are unlike the common international varietals.  Brothers Giovanni and Luigi are looking to expand their wine drinking audience globally, with a new importer and new modern wines on the horizon.  Currently over two dozen wines are available, and there is an emphasis on food and wine pairings.  At Collavini’s headquarters, the Villa Zucco-Cuccagna, you’ll find their restaurant, Osteria della Ribolla, that pairs typical Friulian dishes with Collavini wines, food being the conduit for Collavini’s many quality wines.

​For more information on the Collavini wines sampled:

Il Grigio, https://collavini.it/wp-content/uploads/schede-tecniche/eng/Il%20Grigio%20Spumante%20Friulano%20ENG.pdf
Villa Canlungo, https://collavini.it/wp-content/uploads/schede-tecniche/eng/Villa%20Canlungo%20Pinot%20Grigio%20DOC%20Collio%202021%20ENG.pdf
T Friulano, https://collavini.it/wp-content/uploads/schede-tecniche/eng/T%20Friulano%20ENG_2021.pdf
Broy, https://collavini.it/wp-content/uploads/schede-tecniche/eng/Broy%202019%20ENG.pdf
Pucino Refosco, https://collavini.it/wp-content/uploads/schede-tecniche/eng/Pucino%20Refosco%20dal%20peduncolo%20rosso%20ENG_2020.pdf
Turian Schioppettino, https://collavini.it/wp-content/uploads/schede-tecniche/eng/Turian%20Schioppettino%20ENG.pdf

Collavini Wines, https://collavini.it/en/