touring wineries in Friuli region

Old Jul 14th, 2013, 08:22 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
touring wineries in Friuli region

We want to tour a few wineries in the Friuli area. Does anyone have any recommendations for wineries with excellent pinot grigio? There are so many to choose from. We are staying in Capriva del Friuli, and are also looking for geeat restaurants.

Thanks,
Alison
alisonmary is offline  
Old Jul 14th, 2013, 02:04 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 565
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There are a couple of websites you should be studying to get a feel for wineries that are open to the public in that area (otherwise you will need to go with a tour or make an appointment)

http://www.mtvfriulivg.it/index.php?l=eng

http://www.vinoesapori.it/en/home/

http://www.decanter.com/people-and-p...e-friuli-italy

Personally, I would be less interested in pinot grigio than the other whites (and reds!) of that region. If you want to visit more than one winery and really learn about the regional wines, which are among Italy's most "personalized" and unique when it comes to their production -- meaning, not many of them are mass produced, so the wines really bear the character of their individual makers, you might consider taking a high-quality tour that gives you access to some of the legendary winemakers of the region.

You are so close to Cormons, I highly recommend a lunch at La Subida plus a visit to its main enoteca in town, both of which have been key players in the development of the region's reputation for food and wine

http://www.lasubida.it/lasubida/en/r...sottomenu=24#2

http://www.cormonswineshop.com/

. You might also check out visting Gorizia for lunch, which has more than one excellent restaurant.

I thought the Isonzo river valley was very appealing, and you will really feel that you have traveled into another dimension. It also produces outstanding, little known wines, seldom exported out of the area, so they are worth sampling while you have the chance.

Palmanova is a quirky town worth seeing nearby, and Aquiliea is absolutely worth the drive. It is the gem of the region. it is actually quite easy to zip around Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, so if you have time to see Udine and Civedale dei Friuli, they are lovely places.

However, just hanging around a small corner and getting to know that well and intimately can be very rewarding. It is just a marvelous place, with its own dynamic, independent, local culture, so don't feel like you are "missing" something if you just getting to know your neighborhood.

http://www.ecoturismonline.it/ecotur...version_91.pdf
stevewith is offline  
Old Jul 14th, 2013, 02:08 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 565
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just to make sure you see these pages

http://www.decanter.com/people-and-p...eries-to-visit

http://www.decanter.com/people-and-p...-eat-and-relax
stevewith is offline  
Old Jul 14th, 2013, 03:40 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,447
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I visited the Jermann winery last summer for a tour and tasting. They make pinot grigio and several other whites (my favorite is the Vinnae, a blend.) You do have to make an appointment but I was able to do so by email with no problem.
http://www.jermann.it/en/

They do a few reds too.

If you like interesting food products keep a lookout for Pestat de Fagagna, a mixture of pork fat, herbs and vegetables that is sold in a tube (to be consumed within a month or so) or a jar (with a 2 year shelf life.) You can't find it outside the area too easily - not even in Venice which is not too far away. If you find yourself close to Fagagna, it is worth a stop at Casale Cjanor, where you can get the Pestat and also, all kinds of preserves of local fruits and veggies. They have a restaurant as well.
http://www.casalecjanor.com/
rialtogrl is offline  
Old Jul 15th, 2013, 09:39 AM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you all so much!

Alison
alisonmary is offline  
Old Jul 15th, 2013, 09:59 AM
  #6  
ekc
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Since you will be near Cormons, I second the recommendation for a stop at the enoteca - we spent a wonderful couple of hours there and met a few wine makers.

We also had a wonderful lunch in Cormons at Terre & Vini (Via XXIV Maggio, 34, Brazzano di Cormons). It is owned by Elda Felluga, of the Livia Felluga wine-making family and their winery is just down the road from the restaurant. We got to talking with Elda when we were there for lunch and she invited us to the winery for a tasting.

Also highly recommend La Subida - and if you ask the owner he might take you on a tour of his vinegar-making facility nearby.
ekc is offline  
Old Jul 17th, 2013, 04:01 AM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I do have another question. We have two nights reserved at a hotel in this area. Due to an oversight on my part, we have an extra nght before we get there. Should I book a third night? Is there enough to do in the area? Two days of wineries and my husband will go crazy!

We don't want the extra night in Venice as I have one already scheduled before we leave.

Alison
alisonmary is offline  
Old Jul 17th, 2013, 05:31 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 565
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Depends on what you are interested in and your travel style.

If you don't want to switch hotels and are interested in history and culture, then Aquiliea is a magnificent site, and you can combine visiting it with a seafood lunch in Grado. Visit Palmanova too as part of that day. In the other direction, Udine and Civedale dei Friuli are lovely medieval towns with very interesting small museums and Udine has a wonderful food market. In yet a 3rd direction, you can visit Slovenia for a day, (You should post a new question tagged Slovenia for help).

If you were interested in Trieste, then it might make sense to switch hotels and spend the night there, because then you would get to enjoy the cafe scene and the good food and take in the attractions in a leisurely way.

If you think you would like a full day at the sea, then head to Grado for the night instead of just for lunch. Or if you are like literary spots, go to Duino, where Rilke wrote the Duino Elegies. There is a castle there plus it is easy to also visit the Castel Miramare, which is one of the major sights of the region.

If you enjoy awesome mountain scenery and hiking, the northernmost part of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia is only about an hour's drive from where you are staying, so being in that area for a night would be easy, and the food there is wonderful too.

http://www.turismofvg.it/Tarvisio-and-surroundings

It really all depends on where you are coming from and what your interests are. In addition to the "typical" artistic and historic treasures of Italy, this particular area has a long military history from both WW1 and WW2 and the recent Balkan Wars, and the major historic sites and museums associated with those events are also within easy reach of Capriva dei Friuli. If you go to the enoteca in Cormons, you will see that some of the regional wine production honors the peace that finally has been achieved, and the commitment to it.
stevewith is offline  
Old Jul 17th, 2013, 05:41 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 565
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I wanted to add that if you really enjoy small Italian art cities with great castles and great food markets and lively scenes, then you might enjoy spending a full night in Udine, which is smaller than Trieste, but the regional capital. It has its very own distinct culture (as does Treiste) which gives it whole different kind of flavor than other small cities its size in Italy. It gets practically ZERO tourists, for one thing, so it feels nothing like Siena or Spoleto, and it also has been a commercial crossroads for centuries, and it is not unusual to find locals who speak three or four languages, plus the local dialect, just as part of their everyday life. Like Trieste and Gorizia, it is a very forward looking place with lots of modern art and music, surrounded by all this gorgeous antique architecture.

If you prefer the peace of the countryside or the mountain or sea air, then skip spending the night in Udine. But if you like compact urban life, with cocktails in the evening and a very lively morning food market, then a night in the heart of Udine makes for a fun experience of Italy. You can stop by Civedale dei Fruili another day. It is close to Cormons.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ar...ral-guide.html

http://www.turismofvg.it/Locality/Udine
stevewith is offline  
Old Jul 17th, 2013, 05:46 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 565
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
(And don't forget about Trieste as a possibility for an overnight if you like unique port cities. Trieste is like no place else and yet kind of reminds of you of every place else, because it has been such an open port, with connections to the entire globe, and you can see it in the architecture and taste it in the food. If you like cities -- real cities -- Trieste is fun and fascinating for a night. If you eat meat, eat at Pepi's buffet for lunch.

http://www.buffetdapepi.com/
stevewith is offline  
Old Jul 18th, 2013, 04:46 AM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Again, thank you alll!! I am looking into each idea!

Alison
alisonmary is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
cckoehler
Europe
11
Mar 29th, 2013 06:19 AM
DeborahAnn
Europe
15
Aug 14th, 2012 02:55 PM
atoosahermosa
South America
6
Dec 13th, 2011 09:18 PM
kfusto
Europe
7
Apr 20th, 2010 03:00 PM
eastsidegal
Canada
5
Jul 15th, 2004 03:19 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -