Collio DOCG: official recognition within a year
Also Collio will have its DOCG. The president Robert Princic, has promised. “Collio wines can certainly be numbered among the best whites in the world,” explains Robert Princic, president of the Consortium. “The road to DOCG has been a natural transition for us and does great honour to the commitment of our wineries.”
The procedure for recognition
The procedure for Collio DOCG recognition has already started. The honorary president Roberto Felluga says, “We are working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. We have received full support from Rome. It also needs to be said that that production of the Collio DOC already respects the stricter DOCG parameters today, from the alcohol content to the extract.” An estimate of the timing? “We hope and believe to bring home the result within one year.”
17 varieties for just one appellation
Collio has always been synonymous with hillside wines. Today there are 1,500 hectares of vineyards for a total of 350 wineries (166 members of the Consortium) and 180 bottlers. There are 17 varieties that can make up the DOC, including native and international ones. The first group includes Ribolla Gialla, Friulano (called Tokaji until recently) Malvasia Istriana and Picolit; whereas the international varieties include Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. The most common variety is definitely Pinot Grigio, which covers 29% of production with 1,841,372 hectolitres, followed by Sauvignon 19% (1,173,742 hectolitres), Friulano (15%, 914,187) and Ribolla gialla (9%, 585,283). Lastly, Collio DOC will also include a red wine type with Cabernet, Merlot, Carménère and Pinot Nero.
Gran Selezione Collio DOCG: native varieties and Pinot Grigio
The next step is to define a Collio DOCG Gran Selezione, a select and particularly long-lived white produced in the best vintages. “We are still working on it, but we can already say that it will be made up of Friulano (40-70%), Ribolla Gialla (up to 30%) and Malvasia Istriana (up to 30%). Our aim is to release it onto the market after 24-26 months of ageing, with fermentation in steel or wood (minimum 500 litres) and at least 6 months on the lees. Alongside the great white from native grapes, we are focussing on the Pinot Grigio Superiore, also designed for long ageing,” concludes Robert Princic.
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