2019 Zorzettig "OZ" Optimum Sparkling Ribolla

"Most of you are familiar with this producer. It’s a Girasole staple and we have featured several of the Zorzettig wines on our shelves and in the clubs over the past few years. Zorzettig is actually one of the producers we visited on our trip to Italy back in January of 2020. We had several opportunities to taste their wines over the three days that we were with them. Let me remind you of some of the details…On the first evening, the family took us into the nearby town of Cividale for dinner at, believe it or not, a Tuscan restaurant! Over the course of the meal, which, yes, was fantastic, we tasted at least FIVE of their MYO wines (there “reserve” or higher-tier level) – and they were all spectacular. The next day, with lunch, they served us THIS wine. Now, I have to admit that I was not aware that they made any sparkling wines, so this wine was a glorious surprise – and a joy to drink, so much so that, though we had not planned on bringing any into the US, we immediately decided to do so right then and there. Lucky for us, the made sufficient quantity for us to take some! But let me get back to the point I was alluding to before…Once again, we presented you with a wine that had NEVER been available before in the entireUS…YOU were among the first to hear about and taste this wine (which was the 2019 vintage). It’s so fun, delicious and easy to drink. Since it’s made from the local Ribolla Gialla grape, drinking it’s like being in Friuli! Try it with some Prosciutto di San Daniele and melon or with brunch or…" -Mike Guerra, Advanced Sommelier 

Winery Background

The estate was founded over a century ago when the Zorzettig family acquired the Tenuta Casali Pasch estate recognizing it as the ideal location to grow Tocai Friulano – now called Friulano, thus initiating the family’s expansion towards the most suitable areas for the protection and enhancement of the indigenous varieties. Indeed, for over thirty years now, the family has devoted their work and research to these native grapes. Following the philosophy of enhancing the terroir of the Colli Orientali del Friuli, the family purchased further plots of land in Propotto, very suitable for native red grapes, and Ipplis, ideal for white grapes. In particular, with the acquisition of the former Valentinuzzi estate in Ipplis, the Zorzettig family can now boast some of the most ancient vines in the whole of Friuli Venezia Giulia: eighty-year-old plants of Malvasia, that grow in specially managed vineyard known as Parco della Vite. The passion and energy of Giuseppe and Antonietta, wife and mother as well as tireless cornerstone of the company, were transmitted to the sons Roberto, Annalisa and Alessandro, along with the desire to continue along the path of love for the land. A strong point of the modern Zorzettig brand is its meticulous future-oriented vineyard management. In this framework, several significant works have been undertaken, from the preservation and restoration of the water bodies on the property and a new vineyard layout, to the landscaping and ground levelling of the hilly area close to the winery. At the same time Zorzettig family pulled up some international varieties, which had taken up ever more space in the vineyard and planted native vines. Besides establishing a new vine spacing and layout they made some major changes in terms of pruning techniques and weed-killing deciding for the latter to not use any herbicide. Vineyard operations are now supported by sustainable tools and technology; indeed, Zorzettig uses a solar powered drift-recovery mist sprayer, wastewater recovery systems, and since 2012 they have renovated their fleet of tractors opting for advanced machinery with low environmental impact.

Region – Colli Orientale del Friuli

Colli Orientali del Friuli ('eastern hills of Friuli') is one of the most significant DOC in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in the far north-eastern corner of Italy. The Colli Orientali hills are home to some of Friuli's most prestigious vineyards. Most of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region is renowned for its white-wine production, however within this DOC the reds also shine.

Varietal – RIbolla Gialla

Ribolla Gialla (also known as Ribolla, in Slovenian: Rumena rebula, in Croatian: Jarbola) is a white wine grape grown most prominently in the Friuli region of northeast Italy. The grape is also found in Slovenia where it is known as Rebula. In Friuli, the grape thrives in the region around Rosazzo and Gorizia. In Slovenia, the grape is grown prominently in the Brda region.

The white wine made from the Ribolla grape is typically a light bodied wine with high acidity and floral notes. The wine can produce a more New World style with some oak aging. A number of producers in the Friuli Collio, Gorizia Hills and Vipava Valley regions ferment the variety with its skins, to produce a more substantial style now commonly known as orange wine. As the wine ages, it can develop some nutty flavors. In Friuli, the wines of the southern regions have a little more body than the wines of the central regions.

Wine

100% Ribolla Gialla. Vines range in age from 20-25 years old. Grapes are hand-harvested.Made using the Martinotti (Charmat) method. Aged minimum of 3 months on the lees (in tank) prior to bottling.

Winery Tasting Notes

Brilliant straw yellow color characterized by a subtle and persistent perlage. The aromas are intense and range from bread crust to ripe white fruit. 

Reviews/Ratings/Accolades

This delicious, small production wine still has NEVER been reviewed by any of the major US wine publications. Maybe because the 2019 vintage was the first time this wine was ever imported into the US! That’s right, yet again, you are amongst the very few people in the entire United States that will ever taste this wine. I hope you find this as exciting as I do…we are proud to be associated with this marvelous, family-owned producer and to represent their wines in the US. I feel like this wine deserves much more attention than it’s been getting. I think we sometimes get entranced with the new wines that come in and can forget the jewels that are sitting right in front of us. Hope this new vintage rekindles your interest too! 

Food Pairing

Excellent as an aperitif, but also suitable to accompany simply prepared vegetable dishes, salads, simple fried foods, seafood, shellfish, and white meats.

Optimal Drinking Window: Now through 2024.