Villa Russiz farms some of the oldest vineyards on the Collio hills, the wedge of Friuli Venezia Giulia that presses against Slovenia and produces Italy's most aromatic white wines. This is Sauvignon Blanc from that edge, picked at full ripeness and fermented dry. The 2020 vintage gives it weight without losing the green, cool edge the grape carries in this corner of the country.
- Sauvignon Blanc, 100% of the blend.
- Collio DOC, Friuli Venezia Giulia, northeast Italy.
- 2020 vintage, dry, 14.5% abv.
- High acidity, medium body, low tannin.
- 750ml bottle.
How it is made
Collio DOC sits on a ridge of marl and sandstone that geologists call flysch, layered rock that drains fast and forces vines to dig. The appellation covers a small strip of hills above Gorizia, and only white varieties and a handful of reds are allowed. Sauvignon here is picked ripe, pressed cool and kept away from oxygen, which is why the aromatics stay sharp rather than broad.
How it tastes
Greenish straw in the glass. White peach and elderflower first, then grapefruit and a green apple snap that comes from the high acidity. There is a mineral thread underneath, wet stone rather than fruit, and the finish is long and dry. At 14.5% it has real body, more than most Sauvignon Blanc, but the acid keeps it from feeling heavy.
Where it comes from
The Collio hills run along the border with Slovenia, and the same geological ridge continues on the other side, where the wine is called Brda. Vineyards here are steep, terraced and often worked by hand. The climate is alpine at night and Adriatic by day, a swing that preserves acidity while fruit ripens, and it is the reason Collio whites taste the way they do.
Good to know
Collio was one of Italy's first recognised quality zones, and its producers have long been known for whites that age. Sauvignon Blanc from this appellation is not the same grape as the Loire or Marlborough versions, it is riper, rounder and less aggressively green.
