OUR PRODUCERS
Best quality
Scroll down to find out about the unique producers in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region that we have carefully selected to work with. We encourage you to follow the stories of these wine-making families, who cultivate old-world, native varietals using bio-dynamic techniques, with new ideas in wine making to create exclusive products of the highest quality. You can visit many of these wineries, stay at the beautiful bed and breakfasts on the grounds, and explore all that the Friuli wine country has to offer!
Azienda agricola genio
WHERE: Savorgnano del Torre, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 1,5 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 2016
As said best by Giovanni himself:
“Everything started when I was 5 years old and ran in the vineyards to see my father and uncle during the harvest. It was the best period of the year for me and the greatest moment each year was when the family pressed the bunches with our feet! In 2001, I decided to start the school of Viticulture and Oenology and landed a position working in one of the best cellars of the region, Villa Russiz estate, where I was head-winemaker. In the meantime, I decided to revive my grandfather’s old vineyard, located in a hilly area of Savorgnano del Torre, in the middle of the Friuli region, in the heart of the DOC Colli Orientali Appellation.”
Bortolusso
WHERE: Carlino, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 45 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1976
The winery was founded by Cav. Emiro Bortolusso, and it has an antique tradition in winemaking. The Bortolusso’s winery is located in Friuli Venezia Giulia, inside the Carlino district. The land is unique, the vineyard merges directly into the lagoon, and the grapes roots grasp the mixed sea soil, giving the wines a distinct flavor profile.
Emiro’s son Sergio and daughter, Clara, run the family business. At this time the vineyard spreads over 45 hectares. They can guarantee a constant quality raising, thanks to their father’s legacy and backed by the help of a modern production system. The winery’s main focus is to use only grapes grown on its own land. Bortolusso winery aims to preserve and monitor the vineyards, using organic fertilizer and minimum residue pesticide treatments. These essential operations guarantee grapes that yield unique yet traditional wines.
Buzzinelli
WHERE: Cormòns, Gorizia
VINEYARD SURFACE: 15 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1942
“We, the Buzzinelli family believe we need to lay the stepping-stones of the skills and rural wisdom handed down to us by the three Prior generations. The history of people and wine intertwines amid The vines in September. Each of us has a unique experience to offer, making the wine all the more special. Wine starts with an idea – a pure concept that comes to life through the personality of the winemaker, who carefully plans each and every stage of the process, balancing gentleness and steadiness both in the vineyards and the Winery. Buzinelli defines itself by combining well defined ideas with a delicate attention to detail, which translates into wines that offer new sensations every single year. Our wines are elegant, rich and vibrant, in a phrase: pleasantly pervasive.”
Cabert
WHERE: Bertiolo, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 300 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1960
It was the year 1960, when in Bertiolo, the “Cantina del Friuli Centrale”, was inaugurated, which later became Cabert, an acronym that identifies the Ca da Bertiolo winery. Cabert commercialized bottled wines, as a guarantee of pure and high quality.
The genuine aspects of the wines produced by Cabert were recognized by the Archbishop of Udine which declared them suitable for the celebration of the Holy Mass. Today, Cabert’s philosophy is to respect every phase, “from pruning to wine tasting”, relying on expert technicians and oenologists to guarantee quality of the wine obtained from perfect grapes coming exclusively from the Cabert vineyards. It is an authentic guarantee of high tradition, the image of which is contained in the residences of the landowning families, with strong bonds to their land.
Canus
WHERE: Gramogliano, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 15 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1970
Our vineyard is located on Gramogliano Hill (88 m above sea level), in Corno di Rosazzo Friuli Venezia Giulia, with breathtaking views over Italian-Slovenian hills and ideal south- eastern exposure. The poperty has been recently expanded with a vineyard in Prepotto, land of the Schioppettino, for a total of ca. 18 hectars of land, all falling under the DOC area of Colli Orientali del Friuli. Our wines – all DOC Friuli Colli Orientali – are made to the highest quality. Our concern is not to make bulk quantities, and it never will be. Quality is our priority, always. Here at Canus we celebrate and utilise the inherent qualities of Friuli, favouring the cultivation of native vines such as Friulano, Ribolla and Pignolo, without neglecting more international ones like Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Merlot.
Castelvecchio
WHERE: Sagrado, Gorizia
VINEYARD SURFACE: 120 hectares
ESUAB EIS HED: 1750
Historical evidence confirms that as early as 1578 vineyards and the olive trees thrived on the karst hills where the Villa Veneta estate was built starting in 1700. The estate is now called Azienda Agricola Castelvecchio and is owned by the Terraneo family. Extending over a a plateau 145 meters above sea level, the estate rises from the Isonzo di Sagrado and opens up to the the Alps to the north and the Adriatic Sea to the south. The rich landscape provides stunning 360° views which merge with the noble and ancient origins of the town Castelnuovo di Sagrado. The Villa Della Torre in Valsassina-Hofer- Hohenlohe can still be admired as evidence of the long history of the place, together with its suggestive park of cypresses, yews and centuries-old oaks. The Terraneo family has been carrying out an agricultural, agritourism, historical and cultural development project since 1986, with passion and constant dedication.
Corazza
The Corazza brand is a very simple and down to earth selection of products that we want to bring to the US market, what in Italy is called VINO DA TAVOLA (table wine) – great quality, price friendly, just plain good wine. Every year, alongside our producers, we carefully select and choose the base wine which is then bottled and is granted our personal name on the label. We want to bring a sense of care and simplicity to the world of bottled table wine – which in Italy is loved daily at lunch and dinner by farmers, businessmen, and families alike! Sincerely, the Founder
Di Lenardo Vineyards
WHERE: Ontagnano, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 55 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1878
The “di Lenardo Vineyards” Estate produces quality wines from its five large family owned vineyards situated in Ontagnano, in the heart of the Friuli region, from a rented vineyard close to Aquileia and from some “controlled” vineyards in Manzano. As stated by Max di Lenardo himself, the owner of the winery: “I love to joke and say we are located on the moon, as Our wines are rather exceptional, thanks to their unique taste and aroma, which are by no means typical of this area, but are essentially our hallmark! Our family has a long- standing tradition in cultivating vines in Ontagnano, as proved by historical documentation dating back to the 1800’s. Today, our grapes are strictly handpicked, and refined methods of vinification, based on principles of physics and electronic temperature control during the fermentation phase are implemented. Consequently, the quality of the final product and its unique taste is even further Enhanced. Since 2009, we have used exclusively solar energy, obtained through the panels that cover the whole roof of our warehouse, to run our cellar: this is our small contribution to saving the planet!”
Il Carpino
WHERE: San Floriano del Collio, Gorizia
VINEYARD SURFACE: 17 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1987
The “Il Carpino” wine producers are located in Borgo del Carpino between Oslavia and San Floriano del Collio on the border with Slovenia. It is a family run business. Franco Sosol and his wife Anna, together with with their sons Naike and Manuel, can claim to follow all stages of the processing of the wine up to merchandising.
Their philosophy is to cultivate a healthy, natural vineyard which can then produce grapes of excellent quality. This is done by reducing the quantity of grape harvest by accurate pruning and drastic thinning out of the bunches after they have flowered. According to Franco himself: “Wine is the last piece of the puzzle, the final step of a process which begins in the vineyard and finishes in the bottle; it must express as well as possible its place of origin so that the territory can tell its story and be heard all over the world.”
Jacuss
WHERE: Montina di Torreano, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 3,700 – 5,000 depending on the variety
ESTABLISHED: 1990
Jacùss is a winery owned by Sandro and Andrea lacuzzi located in Montina di Torreano. The land of the eastern rolling hills (Colli Orientali) is rich in Pietra Piasentina, a stone which confers a high mineral content to the wine. “Jacùss was born in 1990 when we decided to abandon mixed agriculture and focus exclusively on cultivating vines.
We started producing small quantities for the national and European market and gradually became one of the main wineries in the region. By bringing our wines to important wine events around the world, we feel we are contributing not only to the potential growth and success of Friuli, but of Italy itself. Our history is filled with experiences handed down for generations, that together with modern technology and skills are the main ingredients of high-quality wines – a passion shared now also by Marta, the youngest in the family who, with her smile and skill, is adding a touch of freshness to our company.”
Kante
WHERE: Duino Aurisina, Trieste
VINEYARD SURFACE: 17 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1990
A master of such art, it is with continuous experimentation and innovation that creates products distinguished by their freshness and elegance; characteristics that can be uniquely found within the pureness of nature and its authenticity.
The red soil is obtained by digging the bottom of the doline and by grinding the rock of the Karst. A land that thanks to the sea breeze and the bora wind, gives a uniqueness to its products which are distinctly characterized by its acidity, minerality, and salinity. The cellar has been constructed on various levels with a depth of 18 meters down the excavated rock. One uniqueness of these cellars is a large wooden door facing the North- East, allowing the Bora to naturally enter the cellars which together with the natural Karst rock, create an optimum temperature and humidity for the wines.
This makes it an ideal cradle for the selection and aging of the best vintages in bottle.
Moschioni
WHERE: Cividale del Friuli, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 14 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1987
Nowadays, those wandering by the surrounding walls of Cividale del Friuli would notice a seemingly Celtic symbol: an irradiating sphere that fills a space made of stone. It is a work of art, created by a sensibility that is only apparently Christian, but deep down still pagan: a Sun, which might symbolize the light of Redemption, but from which memories of an ancestral past seep. It is the year 1987, and that symbol raptures the imagination of Michele Moschioni, who still utilizes it on his labels.
Here in Friuli, most people have devoted their efforts in making excellent white wines, but the genius of Michele was responsive to a more original calling, that for red wines. The achievements of the Moschioni family stem from an acute and delicate sensibility, and were fuelled by a personality that does not leave much room for compromise.
Mussio
The Mussio Wines are born out of the desire to pay homage to the history of Friulian Immigrant Giuseppe Mussio, grandfather of our partner Max Mussio Lewis. Giuseppe Mussio was born in the commune of Zoppola in 1898 in a very humble household. With the First World War knocking at the border of Friuli and at only 13 years of age. Giuseppe along with other young immigrants decided to board a ship and sail to the West Coast looking for a better life in America. Establishing himself in San Francisco during the ’20s and 30’s and after years of hard work, Giuseppe was finally able to open his first restaurant called Bar Nevada that became a social gathering for other Italian Immigrants in the city. A lover of San Francisco and the West Coast in general, Giuseppe after 40 years of life in America decided it was time to move back to his native Friuli, and during one of his trips fell in love with Maria, a lady from the same commune of Zoppola: they married into a beautiful life in Friuli where Giuseppe pursued his passion for wines in his homeland. The Mussio wines are the expression of the simplicity, audacity and tenacity of Friuli immigrants like Giuseppe that contributed to spread the knowledge of our roots in America and in the world
Øcyder
WHERE: Mortegliano, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: more than 50 years
In the Friuli area, the cultivation of apples comes from a very ancient tradition, to which the Unterholzner family has been passionately dedicated to for more than 50 years. Attention and respect for nature are the core values that have guided the company towards certified organic production with low environmental impact.
The Friuli apple has its own precise identity, a combination of chemical, physical and organoleptic characteristics that make the fruit extremely balanced. Our apples are grown in the total absence of chemicals and no post-harvest treatments are carried out. The search for a continuous balance between tradition and innovation in each production phase – but also attention to today’s consumer, increasingly aware and careful in the choice of products – has led the Unterholzner family to produce Ocyder, a refreshing, fragrant and delicate cider with just a slight acidic note, obtained through the fermentation of Fuji apples. It is perfect with salty snacks, olives, cheese or as an aperitif, giving a note of freshness to any day.
Perini
WHERE: Savorgnano del Torre, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 8 hectares
ESTABLISHED: early 20th Century
The company was founded in the early 20th century thanks to the intuition of Don Romano Perini, first priest of the hilly village of Savorgnano del Torre, who was the initiator of innovative practices in the cultivation of vines and the drying of grapes.
Our family has been producing Perini Wine for four generations with the same great passion, adapting the techniques of cultivation and wine making to modern times. Today the hectares of vineyards, which are spread between hills and flat land are 8; 1 of them is exclusively used to cultivate Picolit All the activities as regards vines are made with great care and attention, from pruning to grape harvest which is carried out by hand.
Petrussa
WHERE: Prepotto, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 10 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1900
We remember that moment as if it were today, our decision was made and we knew very well what we would encounter. We wanted to devote our lives to our job in the family vineyard, trying to carry on that amazing work and commitment started by the two generations before ours, by our grandfather Giuseppe Petrussa and after him by our father Celestino. Our decision left our parents speechless, it wasn’t difficult to understand why. Such a decision made them remember the hard times spent in the fields, and the constand sacrifice due to economic difficulty. They could not understand our choice to give up secure work places and guaranteed salaries. Our determination had deep roots, based on the values of the millennial farming culture, that our parents handed down to us through their world view. To give up a salaried position in another field has never been a problem for us. We were aware that the freedom of living and working according to the rhythms of nature would have paid us back. Now, Giustina and Celestino are proud and their serenity of these past twenty years is a great life lesson for us, and for this we thank them.”
Pittaro
WHERE: Codroipo, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 10 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1970
For more than 500 years, the Pittaro family has taken great pride in being producers of grapes and wine. Of Friulian origin, dating back numerous centuries, the Pittaros have dedicated their lives to viticulture since the 15th century. Romano wanted an enologist in the family. The choice fell upon his son Piero, the current proprietor of the Pittaro Vineyards. The vineyards in Codroipo cover over 310 acres, with 350 km. of rows of vines. The winery is a new and modern building, harmonizing technology and architecture. On the inside you can. find steel tanks, wooden casks, and a sunken cellar for the production of spumante and Refined wines, both in wood and in the bottle. Ample space is dedicated to the to the wine museum, to the reception room, and to the garden.
Ronc dai Luchis
WHERE: Faedis, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 10 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1760
The farm is a small wine-growing area and agriturism, located in the heart of the Colli Orientali del Friuli. Ronc dai Luchis comes from the Friulian language and means “hillside vineyards owned by the De Luca family (Casali De Luca)”. The company has continued to cultivate the same fields for over 250 years, establishing a deep bond with the territory. The fruits of the work of this land are sought after niche products such as Refosco di Faedis, the noble Picolit and the fine, cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil. The winery boasts a long tradition that has been handed down for three generations. Started by grandfather Anselmo, consolidated by his son Enni and continued by his grandson Federico, it is now the predominant activity of the family. From the production of bulk wine in 1997, it was bottled with its own label, in order to enhance the quality of the product and the image of the company. The winery combines the most modern technologies with the traditional method of winemaking and is present on the Italian and foreign markets.
San Lurins
WHERE: San Lorenzo Isontino, Gorizia
VINEYARD SURFACE: 40-45 ql./ha
ESTABLISHED: 1874
This modern sparkling wine is the result of the union of the historical family vineyards and the traditional wine-making process. The secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle, as in the case of the great sparkling wines; it is actually a traditional method, except for the degorgement (a procedure which consists in removing the crown cap and the sediments, and subsequently stopping the bottle with a mushroom cork).
Sassocorno
WHERE: Corno di Rosazzo Udine
ESTABLISHED: 2017
Sassocorno is a recent company in an ancient territory. Ancestral viticultural practices to look to the future. The story of Sassocorno joust between past and future, in a rigorous, innovative, measured, passionate approach. The territory is the hilly area of eastern Friuli, specifically the municipal area of Corno di Rosazzo. The hand is that of Stefano Poser and his partners Diego Tomasella, Francesca lus and Loretta Silvestrini, who in 2017 acquired old vineyards between Rosazzo and Rocca Bernarda, and decided to plant new ones in Corno, naturally focusing on native vines. Coming from different experiences (medicine, engineering, jurisprudence, social service), they acquired agronomic and oenological skills from a great passion that led to deepen their knowledge. The values of the respective professions guide the work in a way ethical. Spirit of observation, scientific approach and very clear ideas: no fertilization but green manure to enhance the potential of the soil, and as a fungicide copper (in half the quantities authorized by the organic), sulfur and essential oils. The oenological gestures aim to enhance the good produced in the vineyard. The vinifications are strictly parcel, that is, vineyard by vineyard, respecting and isolating their vines and terroir. Obviously the harvest is manual, the fermentations are spontaneous, the refinements are free of enological adjuvants. Since 2019, sulfur dioxide has been eliminated throughout the winemaking process. Likewise, no forced clarification or filtration. The goal is to obtain pure, free, clear and frank wines.
Specogna
WHERE: Corno di Rosazzo, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 25 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1963
It was back in 1963 that Leonardo Specogna, originally from Monte Fosca in the Natison Valley, returned to Friuli after a few years spent in Switzerland and bought a small plot of land on the hills of Rocca Bernarda in Corno di Rosazzo, in the heart of the Friulian wineland. The land, which has been used for viticulture since Roman times, has the ideal vine growing conditions, with a unique and exceptional climate for making quality wines. The soil is a mix of sedimentary rock dating back to the Eocene era and alternating layers of chalky clay and calcified sandstone. It is rich in minerals and other trace elements which help to produce high quality grapes. Today, the family tradition is kept alive by the third generation of winemakers, Cristian and Michele, who work hard to improve the quality of the wines, and invest in order to develop and promote their products in the national and international market (even starting a new winery themselves a few years ago in the Ramandolo area).
Tiare
WHERE: Dolegna del Collio, Gorizia
VINEYARD SURFACE: 10 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1985
Tiare Vineyards extends over about 10 hectares of vine-clad slopes that straddle two of the most interesting DOC areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the Collio and the Isonzo. Roberto Snidarcig interprets the terroir of these two Doc areas (Collio, for its marly soils and a particular micro- climate which is suitable for the production of white wines, and Isonzo, where the gravelly soils are ideal for red wine) and crafts wines with a distinctive character; character which is given by great sun exposure and the distinctive geological composition of the land on the one side, and by meticulous vineyard management and winemaking on the other. The main source of clones is France, followed by Italy and finally California. Here at Tiare we have always preferred clones selected from old local vineyards rather than those from international collections for the presence of French clones as we believe they provide a higher aromatic potential.
Tenimenti civa
WHERE: Povoletto, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 43 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 2016
“I spent entire summers of my childhood and teenage years working in my grandparents’ vineyard. I used to go early in the morning when the sun tinged the countryside with a faint yellow. The delightful scents of the vines in flowering time, the bunches that emerged and ripened day after day under the summer heat; these are vivid memories. Then there was harvest time, when alongside my grandfather I picked the fruits and put them in boxes. But the real celebration was the must being turned into wine! I contemplated the vats overflowing with colourful liquid for hours, and when my grandfather drew off a few drops to let me taste it, it gurgled and was topped with a frothy foam. These memories resurfaced years later, as I listened to a producer talk about his work with a sincere, overwhelming passion. I think it was then that I decided to dedicate my life to wine! After years of dedication and sacrifice I was one of the first in Italy who managed to introduce quality Italian wine into modern distribution channels. Today, we find important wine producers representing Italian excellence all over the world. My personal journey continues with Tenimenti Civa, now as a producer, but with undiminished commitment and passion. Today, thanks to the production of my wine, the threads of memory have been intertwined with my present life. All the time and energy I have spent have been repaid, resulting in great personal satisfaction and accolades. But nothing compares to the emotions I feel when I experience that enchanting combination of aromas and perfumes to be found in a good glass of wine. Such moments bring back memories and sentiments shared with my family. I am convinced that each of us has a destiny in life, and wine is undoubtedly mine! Tenimenti Civa is the beginning of a new story.”
Visintini
WHERE: Corno di ROsazzo, Udine
VINEYARD SURFACE: 35 hectares
ESTABLISHED: 1884
The Visintini Andrea Company is located on the hills of Corno di Rosazzo south of the DOP Friuli Colli Orientali area bordering the DOC Collio. The company was bought back in 1884 by great-grandfather Domenico. In 1973 Andrea was chosen for the continuation. The company continued until 1988 with mixed agriculture, based mainly on animal farming, the first real development choice, but subsequently blocked by bureaucratic hitches for the expansion of the stables. At this point, Andrea, flanked by his son Oliviero, decided to focus on wine. It started with 3 hectares of property, producing bulk wine for inns and private customers. Then as the knowledge of the matter increased, he turned To high quality, natural wine. In the years that followed, the company began to buy land and focus on bottled wine. The company works all its vineyards with the Biodynamic Method, obtaining the bio certification in 2014.
Birra Friuli
WHERE: San Pietro al Natisone, Udine
ESTABLISHED: 2021
BIRRA FRIULI was born from an idea that came to us during our experience in CALIFORNIA,
where the craft beer market serves as an example for the entire globe. EMILY, PATRICK AND ALEX seek to combine the innovation of the American “craft beer” market and the values of the territory of their region in a single sip.
This beer – a low fermentation, craft lager – is produced in Friuli, an area marked by its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. This beer has an incredible freshness, with decisive foam and hints of fruit and flowers, making it a beer for all tastes. Only the highest quality Italian ingredients are used – locally sourced mineral water and locally grown grain; ingredients that are unique and give this craft lager its crisp quality. The team’s mission is to bring the quality and history of Friuli to the craft beer industry, with a beer that is accessible to and easily loved by all. To pay homage to this, their motto is simply: “Friuli in our hearts, Friuli in our glass.”
Import and Wholesale Distribution
In addition to directly importing our wines, we distribute to wholesale customers in the United States. Contact us if you are interested in becoming a distributor of our wines in California or another state in the U.S.A.