A classic wine for Christmas: At the Bressan winery in the Collio region near Gorizia (part I)

2016-12-14 “Wine is like poetry, which is best enjoyed, and truly understood, only when we study the poet’s life, character, and other works, when we get to know the place where the poet was born, studied, and lived ”, writes Mario Soldati in his book Vino al vino (1969).
Inspired by these words, underlining the strict link between a wine, the land where it originates and the hand of the person who makes it what it is, we venture into one of Europe’s greatest winemaking areas: the Collio region near Gorizia.
We take a look at the region through the eyes of Paolo Tegoni, a professional sommelier and tireless researcher of Europe’s winemaking regions, as well as an oenological consultant for a number of Italian winemakers. He organises wine and food events, works in territorial marketing and teaches wine-tasting technique, as well as teaching at Parma University, Bologna Business School and l’IUSVE University– Istituto Universitario Salesiano in Venice.
“The hills of the Collio region near Gorizia,” Paolo Tegoni begins, “are rolling hills that rarely exceed two hundred metres in elevation, giving this corner of Italy bordering on Slovenia its unique character made up of steep valleys dug out by capricious waterways.”
Vineyards of ribolla, malvasia, friulano, pignolo, schioppettino and other local and international varietals are planted primarily “on orderly terraces, known as “ronchi” – built to prevent soil erosion”.
The soil is heterogeneous, consisting primarily of “Cormons flysch ”: “stratification alternating sandstone with marne – locally known as “ponca” – which, along with equally heterogenous microclimates, gives the terroir its unique value, with an important effect on the quality of the grapes and the wines made from them”.
What makes the Collio region unique is the alternation of its morphology and different crus, that is, vineyards. We decide to choose just one, Pignolo, and go to visit the vineyards of Mastri Vinai Bressan in Farra d’Isonzo. We’ll tell you all about it in our next post!

Mariagrazia Villa