Tunella Winery: Tradition and Quality in the Heart of Friuli

Tunella Winery is an example of how the passion for wine can be passed down through generations. Founded by grandfather Zorzettig, known as Min, the winery has a history that dates back over fifty years when he began producing wines that attracted friends and acquaintances with their unique taste. Today, Massimo and Marco Zorzettig, alongside their mother Gabriella, continue this tradition, blending innovation with memory. Since 2002, the company has been named Tunella, a name that evokes the beauty of the surrounding landscape, where hills and vineyards merge in perfect harmony.

The philosophy of the winery is simple yet profound: “do less to do better.” This approach ensures that every bottle of Tunella encapsulates a unique and personal experience, resulting from careful and meticulous craftsmanship. The quality of the grapes is paramount, which is why the yield is limited to seventy quintals per hectare. The winery is committed to sustainability, employing integrated pest management practices and generating energy through photovoltaic panels.

The vineyards of Tunella Winery extend over seventy hectares, all located in the DOC area of Friuli Colli Orientali. Here, the favorable climatic conditions and soil create an ideal environment for cultivating quality grapes. The average density is about five thousand vines per hectare, with a variety of indigenous grape types, including Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Malvasia Istriana, alongside international varieties such as Chardonnay and Merlot.

Vinification is a crucial phase in wine production. Since 1993, enologist Giuseppe Zamparo has helped give a distinctive personality to Tunella’s wines, preserving and enhancing the quality of the grapes. The winery, spread over two levels, is designed to ensure strict control of temperature, humidity, and ventilation, all essential elements of the vinification process.

On the lower level, there are the fermentation room and the area dedicated to the drying of grapes, in addition to the barrel cellar and the room for tonneaux. On the ground floor, the warehouse and bottling facility are found, demonstrating how every aspect of production is meticulously attended to.

Tunella Winery is dedicated to valuing high-quality grape varieties, producing whites such as Friulano, Ribolla Gialla (referred to as Rjgialla), and Malvasia Istriana (Valmasìa), as well as reds like Refosco, Schioppettino, and Pignolo. These wines represent the essence of the Friulian territory.

In addition to these indigenous varieties, Tunella also offers Biancosesto, an indigenous blend that matures in Slavonian oak barrels, as well as monovarietal crus like Colmatìss Sauvignon, Coldebliss Ribolla Gialla, and Colbajè Pinot Grigio, sourced from small vineyard plots planted in the 1980s.

In conclusion, Tunella Winery is a beacon of tradition and quality in the wine landscape of Friuli. Every sip of their wines tells a story of passion, dedication, and love for the land, inviting enthusiasts to discover the authenticity of this unique terroir.