Collio Vitae Tasting
Cormòns, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Tasted Saturday, September 27, 2014 by Oh Dae-su with 776 views
Introduction
Back again in Italia! It's been a while. This time I've been in Friuli-Venezia Giulia's Collio region in the very North-East of the country right on the border to Slovenia. Thanks to the kind invitation of Collio Vitae I was able to explore another Italian wine region slightly off the spotlight. In late September I spent two knowledge dropping and pretty merrily tasting days in the city of Cormòns to get a good overview of the regional wines, some traditions, plenty of food and its beautiful surroundings.
For more info check out my blog:
http://wine-zeit.blogspot.de/2014/11/checkin-out-collio.html
2013 Colle Duga di Princic Damian Collio Pinot Bianco 86 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio
The Colle Duga Collio Bianco 2013 from Azienda Agricola e Vigneti Damian Princic in Cormòns is a white blend made of stainless aged Sauvignon Blanc and Friuliano as well as in barrique aged Chardonnay and Malvasia Istriana. Its colour presented light reflexes of green and quite a lot of dense viscosity. Its nose appeared delicate, flowery and packed with slightly tart scenting fruit aromas from white peaches, bananas and tangerines. A fair share of typical herbaceous tart Sauvignon Vert characteristics provided this Collio Bianco with an elegant and full seeming dimension. On the palate I got flavours of rather mellow acacia honey, finely tuned white peaches, a few impressions of pretty sweet bananas, green tangerines, traces of green paprika and not so few freshly cut twigs. The Colle Duga presented itself as a delicate fruitful, already nicely accessible, not too tart appearing (especially on the palate), quietly mineral driven Collio Bianco with decent qualities and proper finish. More an elegant charmer than a intellectual challenger.
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2013 Raccaro Collio Bianco 85 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio
The Collio 2013 from Azienda Agricola Raccaro Dario. This one is a blend of 20% Friuliano, 30% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Pinot Grigio from old vines (approx. 45 years old). Its colour seemed rather clear and colourless. There were a few reflexes of silvery gold and muted green. The nose showed reserved fragrances of green bananas, some cantaloup, yellow pear, yarrow, perhaps some powdery detergents and rather tart freshly cut twigs. Its taste seemed very reserved as well. It was rather tart, diffusely grape'y fruity, a bit tight, astoundingly acidic and somehow astringently “tannic”. Its body seemed much lighter than the rather prominent Colle Duga. To me this Collio Bianco was more like a bit irresolute and intimidated teenager which might need a certain while to evolve. Its earthy, reductive, very reserved and tart character made it difficult to comprehend. At the moment for me a very solid so la-la quality.
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2013 Edi Keber Collio Bianco 88 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio
The Collio 2013 from Azienda Agricola Edi Keber. His Collio is a blend of traditional Friuli grape varieties like Friuliano (70%), Ribolla Gialla (15%) and Malvasia Istriana (15%) which were aged in old cement vats. Its colour was obviously (and only comparatively) more lush (in a reduced sense) and less colourless. Due to its share of Ribolla Gialla there were a few golden'ish sparkles detectable. The nose of Keber's Collio appeared pretty reductive, delicate to filigree and surely rather reserved (with plenty of signalizing potential). There were herbaceous cabbage'y scents (very delicately balanced) as well as aromas gooseberries, a whiff of black currant, some black pepper, nettles and a bit yeasty appearing impression. Its taste was equally reserved, shy and downright signalizing. There were mild aromas of gooseberries, cassis, a hint of pear and assorted mild appearing herbal-mineral flavours like white pepper, thyme, green leaves, salt, cactus and aloe vera. Some phenolic drive was evidend, too. I am sure this shy, not yet fully settled, mild, pretty long lasting, already a bit salty and precise Collio will have a bright and punchy future. To me downright decent and with convincing potential to even more for the coming years.
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2013 Picech Collio Bianco Jelka 86 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio
The Collio Bianco was the Jelka 2013 from Azienda Agricola Picéch Roberto. The grapes for this one were de-stemmed, macerated for up to 14 days and aged in large oak barrels. The Jelka is a blend of equal shares from Ribolla Gialla and Friuliano plus approx. 20 % of Malvasia Istriana. This one's colour showed a notion of straw-golden-yellow characteristics and hardly any green'ish signs of the previously mentioned Collios. The nose showed nicely balanced, almost expressive and chummy exotic fragrances of guava, cactus, aloe vera and ripe pears in combination with not so tart appearing earthy and herbal aromas of freshly cut twigs, some bark, tamarind and white pepper. All in all a very appealing, dense and long fruitful character. On the palate there were similar fruitful, ripe and exotic expressions. Perhaps a little bit more reduced and so far less integrated. Right now the herbal part seemed more in the foreground. Anyway, it wasn't all too tart, though. In given time this will integrate nicely. A notion of oak was detectable as well. Just a minor one. For me surely a decent Collio with prominent, ripe, lush and exotic qualities.
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2009 Damijan Podversic Kaplja 89 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
This one was kinda different! Well, all wines were rather unlike to each other. However, the following one showed far more different characteristics. Damijan Podversic's Bianco Kaplja 2009 is a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Friuliano and 30% Malvasia Istriana. The grapes for this Collio were jointly macerated for approx. 90 days. The subsequent aging period took three years in large 3000 l oak barrels. Its colour was dense, pretty murky and full with bright orange'y amber'ish reflexions (check out the photo above). The nose presented attributes which reminded me of assorted candied fruits, a minor and well fitting fine shade of Sherry, delicate smoke and in the background fresh seeming fruit fragrances of tangerines (very ripe ones) and pulpy yellow pears. Its taste was dominated by fine caramel, ripe and slightly spicy seeming candied fruits (oranges and lemons), some coffee (and perhaps a hint of toffee), ripe-fresh aromas of lime, a trace of passion fruit and to the finish a well set herbal as well as a bit ethereal touch. The complexity and concentration of this wine was really convincing. So its certain domesticated savagery. The latter aspect seemed very well integrated and not just challengingly interesting. That is why I wouldn't consider this one as a wine only for jaded wine geeks. For me a very decent wild and chummy Collio with straight complexity!
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