VILLA RUSSIZ-Friuli Venezia Giulia (Collio)

Villa Russiz was born in 1868. Today, it is a foundation that consists of more than 40 hectares of vineyards DOC Collio, where great wines are produced. Villa Russiz Winery is located in the Collio DOC landscape, Friuli Venezia Giulia region, in northeast Italy, 100 km from Venice. The Foundation Villa Russiz was established in 1869 by the French Count Teodoro de La Tour along with his Austrian wife, Countess Elvine Ritter, who dedicated herself to assist needy children founding a charity home, which is still going on today!

Collio D.O.C. is a narrow region at the eastern edge of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in Italy’s northeast corner. It is bordered by Slovenia to the east, Austria to the north and the Adriatic Sea to the south. Much of the region is mountainous (“Collio” means “hillsides”), but the south-facing hillsides are protected from harsh north winds by the Julian Alps, while the cool sea breezes waft over vineyards bathed in Mediterranean sunlight. The soil is a particular type of marl known as “ponca,” which is clay that is rich in limestone and sandstone; it has proven to be excellent for vines, providing minerals that enhance the aromatics of the wines. The microclimate of the area, combined with the ideal soil composition and south-facing hillsides interlaced with terraced vineyards, make Collio a unique terroir for the production of extraordinary wines, just as Count de la Tour envisioned nearly 150 years ago.