Rosso Collio DOC 2024

This red is born on the hills of the Collio, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, around Cormons, near the Slovenian border. It comes from a vineyard over fifty years old, among the oldest and best exposed in the area, planted on slopes recalled by its Slovenian name, Klanc, « the climb ». The soil is made of « ponca », an alternation of stratified marl and sandstone, and the woods surrounding the plot create a singular microclimate. It is the only red wine that Polje, the Sutto family estate, devotes to the Collio.

The vines, trained in single or double Guyot, are tended by hand under certified sustainable viticulture, with leguminous green manures. The harvest is manual, in mid-September. The Merlot and Cabernet Franc are vinified as a red with a short maceration and gentle extraction from the skins, to preserve the suppleness of the fruit. The wine is then aged in ceramic amphorae and stainless-steel tanks, with no oak barrels.

This wine reveals notes of cherry, raspberry, redcurrant, strawberry, plum, nettle, green pepper and black pepper. The nose is clean and typical, dominated by red fruit and lifted by a fine herbaceous touch. The palate is harmonious and round, supple and elegant to drink, with delicate, well-balanced tannins that make it an easy red to share.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!