From: Collio Goriziano, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Taste: In the glass, you’ll discover delicate floral aromas, with hints of white flowers and acacia. There are also aromas of white peach, pear, golden apple, and citrus, such as lemon and grapefruit. As the wine opens up, there are subtle hints of mineral notes, such as wet stones, and a touch of almond. On the palate, the wine is fresh, rich and vibrant, with a good balance of acidity and minerality. The flavors are consistent with the aromas, with notes of white peach, pear, golden apple, and citrus. This charming Pinot Grigio finishes lingering, long, and persistent, with a pleasant aftertaste of fruit and almond.
Pairing: The 2020 Russiz Superiore Pinot Grigio from Collio DOC is a versatile wine that pairs well with a variety of dishes. Its refreshing acidity and minerality make it a perfect pairing for seafood, salads, and white meats.
Regional Specialties: In the Collio DOC region, the wine would pair well with traditional dishes such as frico, which is a fried cheese and potato pancake (we’re sharing the zucchini version below), or with risotto alla zucca, a pumpkin risotto. The wine would also pair well with grilled fish, such as sea bass or sea bream, which are common in the region.
General Pairings: Outside of the region, the wine would pair well with a range of dishes, including shellfish, such as oysters or clams, grilled shrimp, and sushi. It would also pair well with light pasta dishes, such as linguine with lemon and garlic, or with roasted chicken or pork.
Vegetarian Options: For vegetarian options, the wine would pair well with a range of salads, such as a goat cheese and arugula salad, or with grilled vegetables, such as zucchini, bell peppers, or eggplant. It would also pair well with vegetarian pasta dishes, including vegetables such as red bell pepper, zucchini, fresh tomatoes (but not as the dominant sauce), spring peas, and string beans. Check out this recipe for Crisp Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed With Goat Cheese by Yotam Ottolenghi.
Zucchini Frico
By Melissa Clark
About. In the commune of Capriva del Friuli, in the heart of the Collio wine area on the border of Slovenia, is the estate of Russiz Superiore. Russiz as a place-name is traced back at least as far as 1273, when a certain Raimondo della Torre became the patriarch of Aquileia (basically, prince-bishop of Friuli). He named his estate Russiz Superiore due to its high (superior) location above the hamlet of Russiz. Russiz name comes from local toponym “rusic” which derives from the Slavic word “rusa” for grassland/turf.
The estate passed through innumerable hands over the next several centuries but was apparently known for most of that time as a source of fine wine grapes. In 1967, the property became available for sale. Marco Felluga—owner of a self-named winery in the nearby town of Gradisca d’Isonzo—recognized the superb potential of the vineyard land and purchased the winery. He knew the estate, already famed for its Cabernet Franc, could become the jewel of the family holdings. So, rather than folding Russiz Superiore into the family’s existing vineyards, he decided to maintain it as a separate working estate, vinified and bottled as a distinct brand.
Russiz Superiore estate Is just over 200 acres, but only 125 are vineyards. They only produce wines from estate-grown fruit, most of these being single vineyards by varietal. The estate is planted to both native and international grape varieties, Friulano, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio for the whites, and Cabernet Franc and Merlot for the reds. To further distinguish the Russiz Superiore line, the white wines generally have about 15–20% of the juice fermented in large oak barrels. Their Collio Sauvignon as well as their blended white, Col Disore, are both highly awarded. The well-respected Cabernet Franc vines also produce an excellent red wine for the portfolio.
The history of the Felluga family traces back five generations, starting in the late 1800s in Istria (part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). Eventually, the family relocated to the Collio, and in 1956 Marco Felluga winery was founded, in Gradisca d’Isonzo, about 15 minutes south of Russiz Superiore. Today, Marco’s son, Roberto Felluga manages both estates.
Relais Russiz Superiore is a small, country house located on the estate that is available for lodging.