I am Stefano, and Sassocorno is an adventure that began in 2017 with the acquisition of old vineyards in the highly suitable wine-growing areas of Eastern Friuli, with the aim of creating natural, territorial, and authentic products in respect of the environment and the people who inhabit it. Since 2018, new vineyards have been established with native varieties such as Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla, Schioppettino, Refosco, and Pignolo. Together with my collaborators, I practice sustainable agriculture, spontaneous winemaking, and long aging of the wines that allow the potential of the territory and those who work it to be unleashed. We believe in “PURE EXPRESSION.”
THE PRODUCTS
We practice green manure to enrich the soil’s characteristics without resorting to artificial fertilizers. We carefully protect our vines, using exclusively copper (in quantities roughly halved compared to what is allowed in organic farming), sulfur, and sweet orange essential oil. We vinify the grapes parcel by parcel, so each bottle tells the story of the vineyard it comes from, indicating its position relative to the company headquarters.
Our old vineyards embrace the gentle hills of Rosazzo and Rocca Bernarda, while the new plantings are located near the company headquarters in Corno di Rosazzo. In the cellar, fermentations occur spontaneously, with macerations that vary in duration depending on the type and ripeness of the grapes. Aging takes place in acacia and oak barrels, in cement, and in amphorae. We do not use any oenological additives at any stage of the production process.
THE TERRITORY
The area of the Colli Orientali, stretched out on hills at an altitude of 100 to 300 meters, was once submerged by the Adriatic Sea. This condition has made the soils particularly rich in substances suitable for viticulture thanks to their layers of clay and sandstone. The views that open up before the visitor are of a gentle, wide, and orderly nature due to the constant work of generations of farmers who have transformed them with their work as winemakers, with abrupt transitions from expanses of vines to dense forests of native plants. An area to be experienced by lovers of the typical DOC Colli Orientali wines as well as by simple lovers of nature that has created very diverse climatic conditions, from the marine air to the harsher conditions of the inland hills.
PAIRINGS
RIBOLLA GIALLA
We recommend pairing this wine with both saltwater and freshwater fish, fish-based main courses, and fried appetizers.
FRIULANO SUPERIORE
We recommend it with all Friulian charcuterie boards, particularly with a San Daniele board. It is suitable for dinners with fresh cheeses or dishes with mushrooms and truffles.
REFOSCO DAL PEDUNCOLO ROSSO
It is appreciated, in its peculiarity as a slightly bitter wine, with fresh salami and first courses with meat or sausage sauces, and it is perfect with meat dishes.
LOCAL CUISINE
Rather than talking about Friulian cuisine, it would be more accurate to talk about “Friulian cuisines” due to the variety of environments in which we find ourselves, ranging from coastal areas with a maritime vocation and a fish-based cuisine to the inland areas. A dish that you can find on all our tables is polenta, prepared in different ways, sometimes with buckwheat, sometimes with cornmeal, preferably accompanied by game meat such as wild boar or roe deer. Naturally, given the brotherhood and proximity, we also feel the influence of Slavic culinary traditions interpreted in the Friulian way, such as Bizna, a potato and bean soup.