A day out in the Collio, starting from Grado
With its villages, vineyards and hilly landscapes, the Collio is a destination well worth exploring whilst on holiday in Grado. From Cormòns to Capriva del Friuli, from Dolegna del Collio to San Floriano del Collio, the journey can combine walks, culinary stops and visits to wineries, to be arranged with the producers. An opportunity to get to know the people who work this land and to rediscover, in every glass, the stories and traditions of a border region.
Collio is an area which produces precious wines over approximately 1,600 hectares. In 1968, it was one of the first to be awarded the Controlled Designation of Origin.
From the hills of San Floriano and Oslavia above Gorizia to those of Ruttars, Lonzano and Vencò on the banks of the Judrio, which once marked the border between Italy and Austria, gentle hills flow one after the other, dotted with tiny villages, vineyards and farms, where you can taste the typical local products.
Ponca: the soil that characterises the Collio
One of the secrets of the Collio lies beneath the vineyards: it is the ponca, the soil composed of layers of marl and sandstone of Eocene origin that characterises these hills. Together with the climate, influenced by the proximity of the Adriatic and the protection of the Julian Alps, it helps to create conditions favourable to viticulture and the expression of the various grape varieties.
An original mix of traditions from Friuli, Austria and Slovenia combined with excellent white wines.
The white autochthones, often numbered amongst the best wines in Italy, produced on the Collio are: Friulano and Verduzzo friulano, Ribolla gialla, Picolit and Malvasia, side by side with the international Chardonnay, Pinot bianco and Pinot grigio, Sauvignon, Riesling renano and Riesling italico, Müller Thurgau and Traminer aromatico. Collio bianco is carefully mixed variety of different types of white wines. The red wines cultivated are: Merlot, all the Cabernet and Pinot Nero.
Discovering the Collio’s wineries
A visit to a winery is an opportunity to get to know the Collio through the stories of its producers, discover how the wines are made and taste them in their region of origin. During a holiday in Grado, treat yourself to a day amongst the vineyards and villages: consult the list of Collio wineries and contact the wineries directly to find out about tour and tasting options, opening times and how to book.