2017 Ronco dei Tassi Collio Bianco DOP Fosarin, Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Ronco dei Tassi Collio Bianco DOP Fosarin is a refined and quietly complex white wine from the heart of Collio, one of Italy’s most respected white wine regions, right on the border with Slovenia. Fosarin is a proprietary blend drawn from hillside vineyards around Cormòns, planted on the region’s famed ponca soils, a friable mix of marl and sandstone that fractures easily and forces vines to root deeply. These soils, combined with moderate elevations, constant airflow and a temperate climate, give Collio whites their hallmark tension, minerality and layered aromatics. Fosarin is designed to express the depth and harmony of Collio rather than a single variety, capturing the region’s long tradition of white blends.

Ronco dei Tassi was founded in 1989 by Marco Felluga, a member of one of Friuli’s most important wine families, with the aim of producing site driven wines that reflect Collio’s unique terroir. The estate remains family run, with a strong emphasis on vineyard precision, low yields and gentle winemaking. Fosarin typically blends Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc and Malvasia Istriana, each contributing a distinct element. Friulano brings texture and almond like savouriness, Sauvignon adds aromatic lift and freshness, while Malvasia provides floral notes and spice. Fermentation and maturation are handled carefully, with time on lees to build complexity and mouthfeel without overt oak influence.

In the glass the wine shows a bright straw colour with golden hints. Aromas are layered and elegant, offering citrus zest, pear and white peach alongside acacia flower, fresh herbs and a subtle mineral note that reflects the ponca soils. The palate is dry, textured and finely balanced, delivering stone fruit and citrus framed by vibrant acidity and a long, saline finish with gentle almond bitterness. It is superb with seafood, shellfish, prosciutto, risotto, poultry and dishes built around herbs and olive oil. Fosarin also has excellent aging potential for a white blend, evolving gracefully over five to ten years as it gains honeyed, nutty and savoury complexity.

Ronco dei Tassi Collio Bianco Fosarin is a sophisticated and authentic expression of Friuli, combining precision, texture and unmistakable sense of place in a wine that rewards both immediate enjoyment and time in the cellar.