Venica & Venica - 'Collio Sauvignon Ronco delle Mele' 2023

Venica & Venica is one of the most famous wineries of Collio specialized in white wines, Venica & Venica has always pursued the road of excellence, respecting tradition and valuing its origins and values. A border area between Friuli Venezia Giulia and Slovenia. Here there are vineyards that climb up several hills, each one of which, given the different altitudes and exposures, has various microclimates that provide and guarantee incredible complexity to the wines.

Among the approximately 40 hectares of vines, most of them (about 85%) are white berried, and each one has its specific peculiarities for position, morphological conformation, exposure to sunlight and breezes, presence of surrounding areas with forests, humidity, slope. Every single hectare is unique and sometimes several different microclimates can occur even on the same hill.

Following the harvest, the Sauvignon grapes are macerated for about 20 hours at a temperature of 11/12°C in specific containers, protected from oxygen using innovative methods that involve recycling the fermentation carbon dioxide. This is done in order to reduce the use of antioxidants. Approximately 20% of the wine ages in large wooden barrels of 20/27 hectoliters, while the remaining portion is aged in stainless steel containers.

The estate was founded in 1930 when Daniele Venica purchased Ronco del Cero in the Dolegna district of Collio. The winemaking adventures didn’t truly take off until 1977 when Gianni and Giorgio Venica - Daniele’s grandsons - took the reigns, immediately ensuring a promising future for the estate’s vines. The brothers’ passion was thanks to their father, who had willed the property to be an agricultural estate and always maintained a futuristic vision for the family’s activity. Georgio’s son, Giampaolo, has now stepped in and continues the family legacy with an incomparable verve and passion. A globetrotting spokesperson not only for Venica but for the entire region of Friuli, Giampaolo’s smile and passion for wine is known around the world.

Venica holds 37 hectares of land in Collio, the renowned portion of Friuli that extends over 1300 hectares on sun-kissed hills influenced by the nearby Adriatic Sea. The terrain is made up of stratified marls and sandstone of Eocene origin which formed an ancient seabed. The vineyard soils are extremely rich in minerals, particularly calcium carbonate, and are often referred to by the local name “Ponca.”

The Ronco delle Mele or "Hill of the Apples" is a single vineyard site planted to Sauvignon Blanc, named after the apple trees that dot the hill which were originally planted to prevent erosion. The presence of these trees contributes to the richness of the soils, and lends to the overall complexity in the finished wine. The vineyard faces northwest. 20% of the wine is aged in large barrels (20-27 hectoliter) while the rest is aged in stainless steel. Throughout the years, this is one of Venica’s most accomplished wines. 

Producer: Venica & Venica

Country: Italy

Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Appellation: Collio

Vintage: 2023

Size: 750ml