Grapefruit zest, green apples, limes and gooseberries on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, bright and fruity with a creamy, fleshy texture. Fruity and delicious. Drink now.
|
MENU
|
|
WINE LOCATOR
SEARCH
|
|
MENU
|
|
WINE LOCATOR
SEARCH
|
In the commune of Capriva del Friuli, in the heart of the Collio Goriziano wine area on the border of Slovenia, is the estate of Russiz Superiore. Russiz as a place-name is traced back at least as far as 1273, when a certain Raimondo della Torre became the patriarch of Aquileia (basically, prince-bishop of Friuli). He named his estate Russiz Superiore due to its high (superior) location above the hamlet of Russiz. The estate passed through innumerable hands over the next several centuries, but was apparently known for most of that time as a source of fine winegrapes. In 1967, the property became available for sale. Marco Felluga—owner of a self-named winery in the nearby town of Gradisca d’Isonzo—recognized the superb potential of the vineyard land and bought it. He knew the estate, already famed for its Cabernet Franc, could become the jewel of the family holdings. So, rather than folding Russiz Superiore into the family’s existing vineyards, he decided to maintain it as a separate working estate, vinified and bottled as a distinct brand.
Marco Felluga represented the fourth generation of a wine merchant family that had begun plying its trade in Istria (part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) in the late 1800s. His grandfather had begun selling wine in Friuli after World War I, and the family ended up relocating permanently to Italian Friuli after World War II and the loss of Istria to the Soviet Bloc under Yugoslavia. Marco Felluga had founded his winery in Gradisca d’Isonzo in 1956 and was ready to expand with the purchase of Russiz Superiore a decade later.
Roberto Felluga, son of Marco, has now taken over the family wine business and continues the practice of treating Russiz Superiore as a unique estate within the portfolio. Russiz Superiore wines use only estate-grown fruit—with several native and international grape varieties, mainly white but also red. To further distinguish the Russiz Superiore line, the white wines generally have about 15–20% of the juice fermented in new oak barrels. Like the Marco Felluga line, they are designed to improve with age for several years. The well-respected Cabernet Franc vines also produce an excellent red wine for the portfolio.
|
LOCATIONWINERY: Capriva del Friuli (Gorizia province), Friuli–Venezia Giulia VINEYARD: Capriva del Friuli (Gorizia province), Friuli–Venezia Giulia VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
|
|
91
AUGUST 2021
Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio DOC 2020
 Grapefruit zest, green apples, limes and gooseberries on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, bright and fruity with a creamy, fleshy texture. Fruity and delicious. Drink now. 90
JANUARY 2021
Russiz Superiore Friulano Collio DOC 2019
 The 2019 Friulano is refined and perfumed, displaying a mix of white and yellow flowers before giving way to notes of stone dust and ripe peach. It’s silky in texture, coasting across a complex blend of salty minerals and savory spice, as sour green melon contrasts with ripe apple. Lemon citrus with an herbal twang resonates, making for a perfect end to a lovely experience. 91
OCTOBER 2020
Russiz Superiore Pinot Bianco Collio DOC 2018
 An elegant white, finely knit and fresh, with a spine of sleek acidity and a spicy mineral underpinning, this is light- to medium-bodied, offering flavors of Fuji apple, spring blossom and star fruit. Hints of pastry cream and smoke play on the supple finish. Drink now through 2025. 2,000 cases made, 30 cases imported. 93
AUGUST 2021
Russiz Superiore “Col Disôre” Collio DOC Bianco 2017
Ripe apricots, baked apples, lemon curd, vanilla cream and hazelnuts on the nose. It’s full-bodied with bright acidity and creamy, buttery layers. Salted butter and praline to close. A blend of pinot bianco, friulano, sauvignon blanc and ribolla gialla. Drink now. 90
AUGUST 2020
Russiz Superiore Pinot Grigio Collio DOC 2018
Hints of smoke and stone waft through this lightly creamy white, accenting Gala apple, citrus and blanched almond notes. Light- to medium-bodied and tangy, with a zesty finish that echoes the minerality. Drink now through 2023. 5,833 cases made, 150 cases imported. 92
JUNE 2022
Russiz Superiore Pinot Bianco Collio DOC 2021
Sliced pears, blanched almonds and peach pits on the nose. Some bitter lemon pith and flowers, too. Medium-to full-bodied with a clean, crisp palate. Mineral and stony with hints of praline at the end. Drink now. 91
JANUARY 2021
Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio DOC 2019
Spicy, perfumed and loaded with character, the 2019 Sauvignon lifts up with a mix of crushed green apples, geraniums and savory spice. The textures are silky and refined, with a pure display of ripe orchard fruits and zesty citrus that contrasts between sweet and sour. Pretty inner florals, notes of chamomile, kiwi and peach resonate throughout the wonderful long finale. 90
JANUARY 2021
Russiz Superiore Cabernet Franc Collio DOC 2017
Masses of purple-tinged peppery florals, crushed plums and smoky minerals lift up from the 2017 Cabernet Franc. It’s lean and focused in the mouth, coming across as salty and savory with tart wild berries that saturate all that they touch. That said, the 2017 maintains wonderful energy, even through its structured and almost-chewy finish. While this shows a bit of the warm vintage with its intense fruit and gruff tannin, it should still flesh out nicely and drink beautifully over the medium term. |
