Ronco della Rocca

Gianni Maccari, and his wife Silvana, are very serious about their wines. Having sprouted out of the rocky soils of Friuli Venezia Giulia themselves, they are sturdy and authentic, perfectly at home in their vines that trace a leafy green barrier between the mountains and the sea. The Ronco della Rocca vineyard is so loved and manicured, it reminds one of an out of place topiary garden, with each leaf having been singularly pruned or left in place, to allow just the right amount of sunlight and energy to reach each beautiful, grey-tinged berry.

Like a pop band or a long-running Broadway show, Pinot Grigio is often seen pejoratively as “too popular”. It gets love from the people, so to speak, but not from the critics. It is Pinot Grigio like the Maccari’s, however, that tends to silence critics as they pucker and lick their briny lips in delight. From the greatest place in Italy, and perhaps the world, to grow Pinot Grigio, the Maccari family puts their heart into a wine that delivers the true flavours of the zone – slate, white flowers, pencil lead, and citrus. Only when yields are low enough (less than 2 bottles per plant) can Pinot Grigio credibly express itself – and when you taste this one, you may just feel like you’re tasting Pinot Grigio for the first time.