From Istria to Collio: A winemaking dynasty finds its home
The wine history of the Felluga family dates back to the second half of the 19th century, when great-great-grandfather Michele began trading wine in Istria. After the Second World War, the family lost all their possessions in Istria and moved completely to Friuli — a new beginning that would change the Collio forever. Giovanni Felluga had already opened a business in Gradisca d'Isonzo in 1938; his son Marco, trained at the renowned oenology school of Conegliano, founded the winery that bears his name in 1956. Together with his brother Livio, Marco Felluga is one of the pioneers who put the Collio on the international map as an independent wine region — and contributed significantly to the establishment of the Collio DOC in 1968. In 1967, Marco Felluga also acquired the Russiz Superiore estate in Capriva del Friuli, a historic cru with over 700 years of history, which has been family-owned ever since. Marco's son Roberto continued to run both houses in the fifth generation until he passed away in 2021. Today, Ilaria Felluga, Roberto's daughter and the sixth generation of the family, manages the winery with around 100 hectares of vineyards.
Certified in the vineyard, precise in the cellar
The vineyards are spread over four sites in the Collio: Farra d'Isonzo, San Floriano del Collio, Oslavia, and Cormòns — at altitudes between 80 and 250 meters. The soil is the typical Ponca, an Eocene flysch of sandstone and marl that was once the seabed. It stores heat, releases water quickly, and gives the wines their characteristic minerality. The Adriatic Sea provides sufficient humidity, the foothills of the Alps protect against extreme temperatures; warm spring days with cool nights slow down ripening and build up aromatics. The winery is certified according to the Italian VIVA standard and relies on integrated pest management, ozone, and natural fertilizers instead of chemical inputs. The photovoltaic system of the sister company Russiz Superiore makes production there energy-independent. In the cellar, gentle processing is the priority, combined with the targeted use of modern technology — an attitude that Ilaria Felluga continues today.
White depth and red substance: the range at a glance
The heart of the range is the white wines — and that was the case even in the founder's time. Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay grow on the Ponca soils of the Collio. The Mongris Pinot Grigio Collio DOC is considered a house classic: mineral, with a clear acid structure and the potential to develop further in the cellar — then as now, proof that Friulian white wines can handle aging. The Molamatta Bianco — a cuvée of Friulano, Pinot Bianco, and Ribolla Gialla — shows what the Collio is capable of in a multi-varietal blend. Alongside this, the Amani Friulano and the Sauvignon Blanc from Ronco del Gelso stand for the aromatic range of the region. On the red side, Merlot (Varneri), Cabernet Sauvignon (Marnasco), and other cuvées complete the picture — grown on the same hills, aged with the same demand for structure and length. Anyone who has Marco Felluga in their glass holds six generations of winemaking history in their hand — and a wine that rewards patience.
