Sharing is caring!

Zorzettig is a historic winery on the Spessa hills close to Cividale di Friuli in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The winery dates back to 1874, and the Zorzettig family has always been closely tied to their territory, focusing on native grapes. In recent years, they have been investing in a focus on biodiversity and sustainability. Today, Annalisa Zorzettig is running the show. Annalisa is a charismatic and dynamic woman in wine who, in 2024, was selected for Forbes Italia’s list of the 100 most influential women in Italy from an economic and socio-cultural point of view.

At the end of May, I was invited to a press lunch with Annalisa Zorzettig at the roof terrace of Osteria delle Tre Panche in Florence, just a few steps from Ponte Vecchio. It was a wonderful lunch where we listened to Annalisa Zorzettig passionately talk about her winery in Friuli, with a stunning view of Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and Palazzo Pitti in the background.

Heritage and Innovation Come Together at Zorzettig Winery

Zorzettig Winery comprises 120 hectares of vineyards, mainly planted with native grapes that are farmed organically, even though they are not certified organically. They stopped using chemical herbicides and pesticides some years ago and are now focused on strengthening the ecosystem to help the vines defend themselves against diseases naturally. Annalisa states that she aims to avoid buzzwords like “biodiversity” or “sustainability,” preferring to focus on “simplicity” and “common sense” when discussing vineyard work. Instead of talking, she prefers taking action. They are working towards multicultivation, i.e., agroforestry, to improve soil health and the ecosystem, and to boost biodiversity.

Family heritage, territory, and Friuli values are important for Annalisa Zorzettig. She speaks very fondly of her father and his support and belief in her, which helped her to take over the reins of the family estate in 2006. She got very emotional at the press lunch when talking about her father, saying that “it felt like he was there with her.” The legacy of her father became clearer when she explained the story behind the name of their white wine, “I Fiori di Leonie MYÓ.”

Leonie is Annalisa Zorzettig’s granddaughter, and she told us how Giuseppe, Leonie’s grandfather and Annalisa’s father, used to bring Leonie with him in the jeep on his daily rounds in the vineyard when she was only a baby. When she was a bit older, he explained the vineyards, the fruit trees, and their flowers, as well as the biodiversity, which has remained a cherished part of Leonie’s life. She still feels a strong connection to nature, the flowers, and so on.

I Fiori di Leonie is one of the white wines in the MYÓ line, a special project created by Annalisa Zorzettig, where grapes from the oldest vineyards are carefully selected. In my opinion, these are contemporary wines, yet without forsaking a clear connection to the local Friuli territory and its traditions. I Fiori di Leonie is a blend of Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot bianco. Friulano give the wine its character and structure, while Sauvignon and Pinot bianco have a more delicate influence on the wine.  It matures for 9 months in 25 hl barrels of Slavonian oak and spends another 9 months in the bottle before being released to the market. I tasted the 2021 vintage of I Fiori di Leonie MYÓ DOC Colli Orientali, which is an expressive, semiaromatic, savoury, and elegant wine.

My favourites were the red wines, especially the Refosco del Peduncolo rosso and Schiopettino, for their strong and intense character. Of course, Schiopettino is one of the more well-known native grapes from Friuli, compared to Refosco. It was first mentioned in documents during the Middle Ages, although its revival in modern times happened only in the 1970s. In 2008, it received its subzone designation related to its historic area in Prepotto, specifically Schiopettino di Prepotto DOC Friuli Colli Orientali.

I tasted the 2020 Schiopettino from Zorzettig, which is a complex and elegant red wine. The salty vein comes from the ponca soil. Annalisa suggested that you can perceive the biodiversity and the bees, aside from red fruit, aromatic herbs, forest floor, spices, and a touch of leather. It has structure and length on the palate.

I like the Schiopettino, but my favourite remains Refosco dal peduncolo rosso. When matured properly in the vineyard, it produces complex wines with a strong character. It can exhibit ferrous and sanguine traits, and it typically features fruity, herbal, and floral notes.  The Refosco dal peduncolo rosso MYÓ Doc Colli Orientali 2020 that I tasted at lunch with Annalisa Zorzettig is a strong-willed and, at the same time, contemporary wine. It has good acidity that contributes to its drinkability, notes of fruit such as currant and cherry, forest floor, maquis, and spices such as pepper and tobacco. You feel a touch of wood from the barrique on the nose, which will probably integrate more over time. On the palate, it has a good grip, perceivable tannins, and length. (See also the article Pinot Grigio and Refosco Show Their True Colors in Friuli)

The icing on the cake was their Picolit MYÓ Colli Orientali DOCG 2020 (I believe it was 2020), which, with its freshness and distinct and clean notes such as those of apricot, honey, marzipan, and a touch of walnut, makes it a very “Gen Z” type of wine. That is, if we want to talk in generational stereotypes. Anyway, what I mean is that it has a current, not overbearing, style. I liked it a lot.

Happy after a wonderful lunch in the centre of Florence, paired with terror-driven wines from Friuli, I returned home for a well-deserved afternoon nap. LOL.