Az. Agr. Ronco del Gelso

Singapore, Thailandia, Sud Corea, Hong Kong, Macao, Vietnam, Australia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia

I come from a family of farmers who have always worked the land.
We like to date the year of Ronco del Gelso’s birth to 1988, when we bottled for the first time and it marked the beginning of a gradual change that transformed us from livestock farmers to winegrowers.
From those 3,000 bottles whose label first bore the name Ronco del Gelso, we have now reached an annual production of 150,000 bottles.

Our vineyards are situated in DOC Isonzo del Friuli on the small plain created by the tributaries of the Isonzo river, which extends from the hills of the Friuli Venezia Giulia’s Collio region towards the Adriatic Sea.
The poor, stony, dry soils are ideal for viticulture. Indeed, poor soils are very important to limit the vigor of the vines and prevent excessive production.
Our vineyard strategies have always respected the distinctive nature of the soil, whose low fertility makes them perfect for high-quality viticulture.

Our vineyards are all single-Guyot pruned and vertical-trellis trained, with a high vine density to promote root competition and canopy restriction. During planting, great attention is paid to the selection of clones and rootstocks, which must be suited to our soils. Green cover is planted in alternating rows. The average yields are around 1–1.5 Kg per vine.
The grape varieties that express themselves particularly well here are Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Friulano and Malvasia Istriana, among the white varieties, and Merlot and Cabernet Franc among the reds.

Wines are the product of the varieties from which they are derived, along with the soil, climate and vintage, and of the personality that the producer wishes to impart them.

My wines are “secular” in style, far removed from any ideological claims. They are mealtime wines, designed to accompany food and good company. My wines are defined by my personal winemaking experience, knowledge of grape varieties and their behavior in this region.

Here the climate and soil give rise to a sweet aromatic quality, full-flavored rather than acidic body, and prominent fruit. I have always sought to enhance the finest characteristics of the grapes that I ferment, using non-invasive vineyard techniques that do not detract from the recognizability of the variety.

My ideal wine is balanced and elegant, with sufficient concentration that must never be transformed into muscular body for the mere sake of it. It must also have a good aging capacity.

Our wines not only express the variety of the grape varieties, but also tell the story of where they come from.