F3) THE ITALIAN AND SLOVENJAN COLLIO

This tour by A MOTOBLUES – Motorbiking North East addresses to all motorbikers who have a passion for food and top-quality wines in particular. It will lead you to a swirling itinerary amongst neverending hills and vales, full of colours and suggestions, untouched by humanity, but for the presence of man in the form of wine farmer and producer, together with their elegant wineries, scattered here and there.
Enclosed in the area between the rivers Judrio and Isonzo, that is to say the upper part of the province of Gorizia, the Collio is a renown area where excellent wines are produced and are appreciated both on a domestic and international level.
The particular soil, the climate and the geographical position, already exploited by the ancient Romans, constitute the relevant factors characterising and influencing this area, thus fostering the production of excellent quality wines.

From 1968 all wines produced in the area of the Friulian Collio are aknowledged the DOC labelling (Controlled Origin Denomination), a warranty covering sixteen wines on the whole: twelve whites and four reds, all having the strictest obligation to be produced with top quality grapes and not to overgo the limit of 110 hundredweights per hectare. Today the Controlled Origin Denomination labelling is managed by a consortium regulating and protects the pertaining wines.
Our tour will drive you through inique and suggestive burgs like San Floriano and Oslavia and will make you enjoy medieval castles, which are now luxury hotels and mansions, such as Castel Formentini and Castello di Spessa with their renown parks and golf courses.

Jus a few kilometers off the Gorizia’s border, set in a scenery dominated by fortress’ ruins and castles, little villages made of stone-houses, farms, wine bars, cellars, wineyards and fruityards, all enclosed within the Isonzo and Idrijca rivers, the Slovenjen Collio originates. The most important town of this area is Dobrovo, where the ruins of a 15th century old castle have been recently discovered. Its chapel, decorated with gothic frescos, and various glass objects and renaissance porcelains to be seen on the second floor, are to be noted. And for all wine lovers the Brda winebar (inside the Dobrovo Palace) will let you taste a wide selection of European and Collio’s wines, which are served together with typical local products, such as honey, cheese and ham; next to that you will find the great Slovenjan cellar Goriska Brda, where you will be served a glass of the unique and exclusive “Bagheri”, as well as other selected labels, according to their provenience, amongst which Chardonnay, Tocai friulano, Ribolla, Pinot bianco, Cabernet Sauvignon and the peculiar “new wine” are the most famous.

By letting you experience its swirling uphill roads in colourful and cheerful vales, this tour will let you fully discover an unexpected territori and exclusive products, which will certainly remain in your rememberances for a long long time.

Download Road Book