Cormòns
Located in Cormòns, Italy’s Ronco dei Tassi winery produces a range of fine wines that offer high quality at very reasonable prices. It’s located in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region, which produces some of the finest white wines of Italy. Sandwiched between the Adriatic Sea to the south and the Julian Alps to the north, the region’s cool climate is uniquely suited for white wine production. This is especially true for Collio, one of Friuli’s ten regional appellations and the only one limited to hillside vineyards having special soils.
In 1989 Fabio Coser and his wife Daniela purchased the Ronco dei Tassi estate with 10 hectares of vines located in the township of Cormòns, which is where we stayed while visiting wineries and tasting wines for our report The Wines of Friuli: Collio’s Elegant Whites. Shaped like a crescent of the moon, Collio wraps around the border with Slovenia to its east (see map). The winery’s flagship label, Ronco dei Tassi, is sourced from the estate’s vineyards—Montona, Fosarin and Cjarandano—in the Collio region.
Today, the estate has grown to over 18 ha of vines, and Fabio’s sons Matteo and Enrico assist in managing the winery. In addition to Ronco dei Tassi, the winery has added two other labels Vigna del Lauro and Clic. Vigna del Lauro wines are sourced from a variety of single vineyard sites mostly in the Collio region. Clic is the latest addition to the Ronco dei Tassi lineup; this label puts the focus on easy drinking, entry level wines sourced from the larger Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region.
All the Ronco dei Tassi wines are clean, flavorful and well made. However, the Collio-based wines from the estate vineyards are a cut above the rest.
The US importer of Ronco dei Tassi is Indigenous Selections.
Ronco dei Tassi Wines
Ronco dei Tassi 2020 Friulano Collio ($21) 91 Light floral honey, almond and a hint of yellow peach on the nose. The palate is full and round with flavors of pear, melon and honeyed chamomile with bright acidity. Finishes with good length. A single vineyard Friulano from the 50+ year old vines of the Montona Vineyard. 14.5% alc. Ronco dei Tassi 2021 Pinot Grigio Collio ($20) 92 Medium copper bronze color. Scents of dried herbs and orchard fruit. Full and broad in the mouth with good concentration of flavor, firm acidity, and a long, long finish. An outstanding Pinot Grigio with a beautiful mouth feel and strong sense of minerality. Sourced from 25-year-old vines of the 3 ha Montona Vineyard.Ronco dei Tassi 2020 Sauvignon Collio ($22) 91 The Sauvignon opens with scents of citrus and green apple with a light accent of fresh thyme. It’s semi-creamy on the palate with good concentration and a long finish. Four different clones sourced from a 7.4 ha parcel in the Montona Vineyard in Cortona with 50-year-old vines and fermented and aged in stainless steel. 13.5% alc. Ronco dei Tassi 2018 Fosarin Bianco Collio ($26) 93 This is an excellent example of Collio Bianco, which is typically a selected blend of grape varieties. It shows outstanding balance–concentrated flavors of both orchard fruit and savory herbs, good freshness, a firm backbone, and a full, lightly creamy mouth feel. A blend of 40% Tocai Friulano, 20% Malvasia Istriana, 40% Pinot Bianco from the 180m high Fosarin vineyard of 50-year-old vines in sandy marl soils. Pinot Bianco aged in second-hand Allier barriques for approx. 6 months, Malvasia and Friulano aged in stainless steel tanks for 6 months. 13.5% alc. Ronco dei Tassi 2015 Cjarandon Rosso Riserva Collio ($34) 92 Dark ruby red. Reveals an earthy, toasty oak and dark plum bouquet. Good volume and balance in the mouth with firm acidity and flavors that repeat the bouquet–hint of mushroom complementing plum and other dark red fruit, finishing with very good length. A 60% Merlot based blend with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc sourced from the 1.0 ha Cjarandon vineyard and aged 2 years in 60% new Allier oak barrels. 13.5% alc.
Vigna del Lauro Wines
Ronco de Tassi 2022 Vigna del Lauro Pinot Grigio Collio ($20) 91 Showing a reticent nose of citrus and herbs, this Pinot Grigio is well-balanced with good freshness and a full mouth feel. There’s good flavor density with lemony citrus complemented by savory notes and finishing long and rich. Sourced from 25-year-old vines grown in the Cormòns area at 160m elevation, fermented and aged in stainless steel. pH 3.4, 13% alc. Ronco de Tassi 2022 Vigna del Lauro Sauvignon Collio ($20) 91 Pale platinum-yellow. Scents of fresh Italian herbs on the nose with a citrus edge. Medium plus concentration and full in texture revealing notes of lemon, passion fruit, and dried herbal flavors. Long finish. Perfect for pairing with vegetable dishes or just drinking on its own. Sourced from 20-year-old vines grown in the Cormòns area at 160m elevation, fermented and aged in stainless steel. pH 3.4, 13% alc. Ronco dei Tassi 2021 Vigna del Lauro Refosco Venezia Giulia IGT ($17) 90 This is a supremely fresh, bistro style, medium bodied red. Aromas and flavors tend towards red berries, cherries, and plums with bright acidity. Fruit forward with light mid-palate weight and very pleasant to drink, especially when lightly chilled. 100% hand picked Refosco sourced from Cormòns, fermented in stainless steel, and matured 8 months in oak. 13% alc.
Clic Wines
Ronco dei Tassi 2021 Clic Pinot Grigio Friuli Venezia Giulia 89 Platinum straw. Reticent citrus and herbal scents. An easy drinking Pinot Grigio revealing fresh citrus-like notes on the palate. Finishes clean and refreshing. The perfect summer, patio aperitif. Ronco dei Tassi 2021 Clic Sauvignon Venezia Giulia 89 Light yellow. This is an earthy, savory Sauvignon. There’s medium depth and a round mouth feel with notes of honeycomb, selvatica, and cured lemon. More savory than fruity, so it’s best paired with food. 13% alc.
Source : https://i-winereview.com/blog/index.php/2023/07/17/ronco-dei-tassi-wines-of-collio-fruli-venezia-giulia/
