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RUSSIZ SUPERIORE

FRIULI-VENEZIA GIULIA

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE

FRIULI-VENEZIA GIULIA



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ABOUT THE WINERY

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 and the fifth generation, took over the family wine business in 2000 and continued to elevate the quality of the Russiz Superiore wines through a more sustainable approach to viticulture and winemaking.  His work in both estates was seen as beneficial by his peers across the region and Italy as a whole.  Unfortunately Roberto passed away in the Fall of 2021, leaving his family's legacy and future to his daughter, Ilaria Felluga, the sixth generation of the family to oversee the wineries.  Ilaria started working alongside her father in 2017, and today she is leading with a focus on sustainability and creating the highest quality wines possible, while gaining a reputation for her dynamic personality and devout knowledge of Fruili and her family's legacy in helping to establish it as a premier winemaking region.  

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 wines, the white wines generally have about 15–20% of the juice fermented in new oak barrels. Like wines from 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.

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WINERY LOCATION: Capriva del Friuli (Gorizia province), Friuli–Venezia Giulia
REGION: Collio DOC
VINEYARD LAND: 125 acres (50 ha)
FARMING PRACTICES: Organic
GRAPE VARIETIES: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Friulano, Verduzzo, Cabernet Franc
WINE STYLES: Dry white; dry red
TOTAL WINE PRODUCTION: 200,000 bottles (150,000 liters)
YEAR FOUNDED: 1967
OWNER(S): Ilaria Felluga
WINEMAKER(S): Alessandro Sandrin and Ilaria Felluga

WINES

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE SAUVIGNON COLLIO DOC

Collio’s hilly terrain is well known for producing excellent white wines. This estate-grown wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, with 15% of the grape must fermented in barrels.

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE SAUVIGNON COLLIO DOC RISERVA

The Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Riserva is aged for an unusually long time before release—over 4 years, including 3 years on the lees—so it is much richer and more complex than the average white wine. The wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, of which almost a third is barrel fermented.

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE FRIULANO COLLIO DOC

Collio’s hilly terrain is well known for producing excellent white wines. This wine is made from 100% Friulano, with 15% of the grape must fermented in barrels. Friulano is one of the oldest indigenous grape varieties of Friuli, with plantings in the area dating back to the 11th century.

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE PINOT GRIGIO COLLIO DOC

Collio’s hilly terrain is well known for producing excellent white wines. This estate-grown Pinot Grigio gains added richness from the 15% of the juice fermented in barrels. Pinot Grigio is the most important grape variety in Friuli and has been grown in the Collio area since the second half of the 1800s.

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE PINOT BIANCO COLLIO DOC

Collio’s hilly terrain is well known for producing excellent white wines. This estate-grown wine is made from 100% Pinot Bianco, with 15% of the grape must fermented in barrels for extra richness.

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE PINOT BIANCO COLLIO DOC RISERVA

The Russiz Superiore Pinot Bianco Riserva is aged for 3 years on the lees before release, developing considerable complexity. The wine is made from 100% barrel-fermented Pinot Bianco.

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE “COL DISÔRE” COLLIO DOC BIANCO

Collio’s hilly terrain is well known for producing excellent white wines. This estate-grown Collio Bianco is a blend of four important white grape varieties of the area: Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla, and Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is aged for 2 years, including a year on the lees. The wine’s name means “Upper Hill” in Friulano dialect. During Napoleon’s reign, the hamlet of Russiz was divided in two parts, with the higher section taking the name Russiz Disôre, or Russiz Superiore in Italian.

RUSSIZ SUPERIORE CABERNET FRANC COLLIO DOC

Russiz Superiore makes this wine from 100% Cabernet Franc, the second most planted red grape variety of Friuli–Venezia Giulia (after Merlot). Proximity to the Alps and the sea, which send cooling afternoon breezes over the vineyards after a warm day of sun, create the ideal situation for producing complex, well-structured wines that are very ageworthy.

LOCATION


WINERY:
Capriva del Friuli (Gorizia province), Friuli–Venezia Giulia

VINEYARD:
Capriva del Friuli (Gorizia province), Friuli–Venezia Giulia

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NEWS AND REVIEWS FROM OUR FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY



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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.

92
NOVEMBER 2022
Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio DOC Riserva 2016

BEST 50 WINES 2022

Psst, here’s a secret. Friuli has some of the most expressive Sauvignon Blanc on the planet. There was a point in this region’s history where “international” varieties were more prominent than their native grapes. And while they did the work to bring those back, Friulian winemakers took varieties like Sauvignon Blanc (Merlot, Cabernet Franc) and coaxed a new kind of balance out of them. Some of the best of this grape comes from here, like this beautiful example from Russiz (Roo-seez). Bright and mineral-driven with minimal fruit, this wine is about texture. The palate is a study in balance with excellent acidity and just the right grip. It is very Friulian, and you may have a hard time sharing.

95
JANUARY 2021
Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio DOC Riserva 2016

TOP 100 OF THE YEAR 2020 - #40

A benchmark for Italian whites, this wine opens with inviting aromas of honeydew melon, exotic fruit, aromatic herb and a whiff of baking spice. On the delicious, polished palate, fresh acidity accompanies ripe apricot, white peach, gooseberry, cantaloupe and pastry cream before a lingering lemon-drop finale. EDITOR'S CHOICE

NOVEMBER 2022
Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio DOC 2021

The 2021 Sauvignon Collio from Russiz Superiore shows the dimension the region can produce in the variety. The wine has a great balance of fruit, herbs, and minerals — less racy and “grassy” than Sauvignon from New Zealand and more like some of those from France’s Loire Valley. Flavors of green apple, apricot, and lemon-lime are accented by touches of flinty mineralogy and herbs like sage and thyme. There’s a bit of creamy softness on the long finish, a reflection of aging on the lees and a small percentage of the grapes fermented in oak barrels. Aging takes place in stainless steel tanks. It is a highly versatile wine that can be enjoyed with lots of simple fish and shellfish dishes, roast chicken, and vegetable-based risottos and pastas. it’s more expensive than many of the countless Sauvignons you’ll find from just about every corner of the wine world. But the price is offset by the fact that this is a singular Sauvignon Blanc that’s among the world’s best.

90
AUGUST 2023
Russiz Superiore Pinot Grigio Collio DOC 2022

Notes of white peaches and sliced apples with crushed almonds and pie crust on offer. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished with a round fruit-forward character. Flavorful finish. Drink now.

92
NOVEMBER 2020
Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio DOC 2018

The 2018 Russiz Superiore Sauvignon is a dry, medium-bodied white with vibrant, high acidity and rich, creamy texture.  Its aroma is quiet, suggesting non-fruity notes of nuttiness, honey, vanilla, white toffee, smoke and flint along with lemon peel.  But the aromatics that are reticent to your nose come alive in your mouth.  The flavors run from white peach, tangerine, and grapefruit rind to fresh herbs, grassiness, and green apple, and these are all vivid and showing good concentration of flavor.  A gentle, smoky note suggests the use of some oak, as does the creamy texture.  In fact, 15 percent of the juice was fermented in barrel.  The oak seems to have nuanced the wine in aroma and texture but has not subdued the fresh, lively flavors.  

94
SEPTEMBER 2021
Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio DOC 2020

Delicate but enticing aromas of elderflower, citrus and baking spice shape the nose. Boasting exceptional class and an understated elegance, 
the polished palate delivers ripe white peach, grapefruit, fennel and a dollop of vanilla before an almost salty finish.

OCTOBER 2023
Russiz Superiore “Col Disôre” Collio DOC Bianco 2020