A rich and toasty merlot offering dark berries, cocoa powder, sweet spices and tarry undertones. Full-bodied. Firm and structured but with succulence to the fruit and a supple, more fluid mid-palate. Juicy and rich finish. Drink now.
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One of the most interesting hotbeds of white-wine production in Italy is Collio Goriziano, a stretch of the hilly border of Friuli with Slovenia. Good growing conditions for white grape varieties, a penchant for experimentation, and talented winemakers combine to put this out-of-the-way area on the wine map. Two of the top producers in Collio are Marco Felluga and Russiz Superiore, both of which are now under the leadership of sixth-generation Ilaria Felluga, who is following in the footsteps of her father, Roberto Felluga, and her grandfather, Marco Felluga. Both Roberto and Marco are icons for the region and were responsible for holding Collio to extremely high standards of production and viticulture.
The Felluga family traces its wine industry lineage to the late 1800s, when Ilaria Felluga’s great-great-great-grandfather Michele started a business buying and selling wines in Istria (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). Michele’s son Marco added winemaking to the business, growing grapes and making some wine on the family farm just south of Trieste in what is now southwestern Slovenia. After World War I, Marco’s son Giovanni continued the family wine trade, selling Istrian wine in Trieste and in Grado in southern Friuli. He also opened a cellar in Gradisca d’Isonzo in Collio in 1938, but World War II soon broke out, disrupting life for a decade.
After the war, Istria became part of Soviet-dominated Yugoslavia, the family lost their farm there, and Collio became their home. Two of Giovanni’s seven children ultimately established wineries in the vicinity. Marco Felluga, after graduating from the renowned enology school in Conegliano, worked for his elder brother Livio for a while, before Livio left to open his own winery in Rosazzo. Marco stayed in the walled 15th-century fortress town of Gradisca d’Isonzo and founded his eponymous winery in 1956.
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LOCATIONWINERY: Gradisca d’Isonzo (Gorizia province), Friuli–Venezia Giulia VINEYARD: Collio area (Gorizia province), Friuli–Venezia Giulia VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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91
SEPTEMBER 2023
Marco Felluga “Varneri” Merlot Collio DOC 2021
A rich and toasty merlot offering dark berries, cocoa powder, sweet spices and tarry undertones. Full-bodied. Firm and structured but with succulence to the fruit and a supple, more fluid mid-palate. Juicy and rich finish. Drink now. 90
APRIL 2023
Marco Felluga “Mongris” Pinot Grigio Collio DOC 2021
The 2021 Pinot Grigio Mongris is stunning, with a whiff of sweet smoke and stone dust that gives way to peach skins and mint. This is round, supple and lively throughout, with ripe orchard fruits complemented by candied lime. It leaves vanilla bean and almond paste nuances while leaving the palate completely refreshed. 90
APRIL 2023
Marco Felluga "Maralba" Ribolla Gialla Collio DOC 2021
A silky white framed by succulent acidity and a chalky base note, this features flavors of yellow apple and pear, preserved lemon and fresh thyme, with hints of white pepper and white blossoms on the lasting finish. Drink now through 2028. 92
FEBRUARY 2021
Marco Felluga “Mongris” Pinot Grigio Collio DOC Riserva 2016
The Marco Felluga 2016 Collio Pinot Grigio Riserva Mongris is an elegantly contained and balanced white, with a long and silky finish that is pushed forward by preserved lemon, pine nut, poached pear, crushed stone and a delicate touch of mulling spice. You also get some spiciness on the close that is nicely integrated thanks to the wine's creamy texture and mid-weight approach. A Moroccan chicken dish would make a great partner. 92
JUNE 2021
Marco Felluga “Ronco dei Moreri” Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Venezia Giulia IGT 2018
This is a light and vivid red with crushed-berry and citrus character. It’s medium-to light-bodied with fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Delicate and delicious. Drink now. 91
JANUARY 2021
Marco Felluga “Mongris” Pinot Grigio Collio DOC 2019
The 2019 Pinot Grigio Mongris is a spicy, savory expression of the grape, fresh and more floral than fruity. It’s silky textures usher in citrus-tinged orchard fruits and salty minerals, creating an energetic and tactile display. Hints of lime and residual acids sizzle through the finale, making it hard to resist another sip. 91
JANUARY 2021
Marco Felluga "Amani" Friulano Collio DOC 2019
The 2019 Friulano Amani lifts up with an exotic display of tropical citrus and hints of spice, then slowly settles and evolves to show ripe apple with pretty white flowers. It’s wonderfully poised and balanced, showing an attractive inner sweetness to its orchard fruits, contrasted by salty minerals adding a tactile feel. Hints of vanilla bean, peaches and mint linger, provided a fully satisfying finale. 93
AUGUST 2021
Marco Felluga “Molamatta” Collio Bianco DOC 2017
Honeysuckle, cooked apples, grilled pears, butter, praline and roasted hazelnuts on the nose. It’s full-bodied, rich and buttery. Plenty of spice and butterscotch. Opulent and toasty finish. Drink now. |