25 August 2025
Friuli Venezia Giulia resists easy definitions. It’s a mosaic of languages, climates, and landscapes – and this complexity is reflected in its wines: precise yet expressive, fresh yet structured, modern yet deeply rooted in the land. It’s one of Italy’s most renowned regions for high-quality viticulture, thanks to a rare combination of tradition and innovation, biodiversity and stylistic precision.
The Colli Orientali: Cradle of Native Grapes
At the heart of Friuli’s winegrowing lies the Colli Orientali del Friuli, a hilly area shaped by the dual influence of the Julian Alps to the north and the Adriatic Sea to the south. Cool breezes, dramatic day–night temperature swings, and soils of marl and sandstone – known locally as ponca or Flysch – create ideal conditions for precision viticulture. Vineyards unfold across steep, sunlit slopes like natural amphitheatres, and every parcel is managed with tailored care to bring out the full character of its microclimate.
The region’s winemaking history dates back to pre-Roman times, but it was the Romans who introduced a structured agricultural model. The Lombards, who arrived in the 6th century, continued to cultivate vines, and during the Middle Ages, monastic communities preserved viticultural knowledge and technique. In the 1970s, Friuli emerged as one of the first Italian regions to adopt temperature-controlled white winemaking and invest in soil zoning – a modern vision that helped make the Colli Orientali a benchmark for Italian enology.
The area's identity is built on native grape varieties such as Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Picolit, and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, alongside international varieties that have found a second home here – including Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, and Chardonnay. The white wines are among the most acclaimed internationally for their elegance, salinity, and longevity – often referred to as superwhites. But Friuli also speaks in red, with deep, refined expressions that reflect the territory with consistency and grace.
Torre Rosazza: Friulian Elegance with History and Precision
In the heart of this region lies Torre Rosazza, an estate that blends the historical charm of Palazzo De Marchi – a restored 18th-century noble residence – with the functional design of an underground winery built seamlessly into the hillside. The vineyards form a single estate surrounding the property, spanning steep terraces and rolling hillsides, all farmed with agronomic care and environmental balance in mind.
Torre Rosazza is synonymous with wines that are precise and essential, where freshness and structure meet in a stylistic signature that is restrained yet distinct. Among the reds, the standout is Ronco delle Magnolie, the estate’s flagship label – an elegant blend of Merlot and Refosco, offering body, tension, and aromatic finesse. Alongside it, Friulano and Sauvignon embody the classic soul of Friuli’s white wines, while Chardonnay takes on a measured, mineral-driven character.
Each wine is the result of a clear, consistent approach – one that values detail both in the vineyard and in the cellar, offering an authentic expression of Friuli at its most refined and understated.
