This result fills us with pride and gratitude: for our daily work, for the family history we safeguard, and for the deep bond with the Collio, a unique land that inspires us every day.

Extempore was born as a challenge: a Sauvignon that dares to break the mold, capable of surprising with its freshness, intensity, and longevity. An “extemporaneous” wine — as its name suggests — that respects time and turns it into complexity and emotion.

“This is a wine we care deeply about – says Gianni Venica – it represents us and tells our winemaking story. Seeing it awarded at such a high level is confirmation that intuition, combined with respect for the land and a desire to innovate, can lead to extraordinary results.”

The award ceremony took place on Saturday, October 4, at the Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan, in the presence of Daniele Cernilli, founder of DoctorWine and one of Italy’s most authoritative wine tasters.

Ornella Venica’s words during the award ceremony

“For me and for the whole Venica family, it is a great honor to receive this important award, which I feel as recognition of 95 years of Venica&Venica history, in the heart of Dolegna del Collio, the northernmost village of this extraordinary land on the border with Slovenia.
A land that, rightly so, can be considered the place where Sauvignon, an international grape variety, has found a distinctive and highly appreciated Italian style.

It is equally meaningful for me to receive it from the hands of Daniele Cernilli, a great master taster I have known since the 1990s, who knows how to tell our everyday stories and make the world of wine truly special.

Finally, I also see this award as a passing of the torch to the fourth generation of our family: an encouragement to continue with dedication and passion towards new achievements.

Thank you from the heart”.

The value of time and family: our roots, our future

Along with the title of “Italy’s Best White Wine of the Year” for the Collio Sauvignon Extempore 2019, the Essential Guide to the Wines of Italy 2026 also awarded Venica&Venica three more prizes: “Best Wine from Sauvignon Grapes” and “Three Faces” for Extempore 2019, plus “One Face” for Ronco delle Mele.

Behind these achievements stand four generations of winegrowers who have believed — and continue to believe — in the Collio and its extraordinary vocation for white wines, especially Sauvignon.

From the first vineyards of our grandparents, from mixed farming and the family tavern, to the constant pursuit of new expressions, time is our secret ingredient: the one that gives depth, structure, and identity to every bottle.

L'articolo "Extempore Sauvignon 2019” awarded as the best white wine in Italy proviene da Venica & Venica.

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The context of the award.

Ornella’s words.

An award we dedicate to our land.

L'articolo Venica&Venica awarded the Distinctive Award of Excellence for Italian Entrepreneurship proviene da Venica & Venica.

Harvest Diary

L'articolo Harvest 2025 proviene da Venica & Venica.

On October 17, Venica & Venica chose the setting of L’Alchimia restaurant in Milan for their press-exclusive talk titled "Extempore: Spontaneity as Opportunity". It was a special day to share not only a wine (the Sauvignon “Extempore”) and a document (the 2024 Sustainability Report), but above all, a vision.

During the event, attention was focused on a concept as captivating as it is relevant: spontaneity, reinterpreting a term often associated with the art of improvisation, both in winemaking and entrepreneurship.

The inspiration comes from one of Venica & Venica’s signature wines, the Sauvignon. “Extempore” is a Sauvignon that came about almost by chance, originating in 2004 from an experimental aging in barrique, repeated over time with a clearer sense of direction. It is a testament to how unplanned events can yield extraordinary results.

The value of the unexpected.

The ability to welcome the unexpected and turn it into possibility is a philosophy that has long accompanied the Venica family. Gianni Venica’s grandfather, Daniele, taught him that while we can’t control everything, we can learn to listen - first and foremost to Mother Nature - and respond with sensitivity and awareness.

Since then, each wine Venica & Venica produces has become a unique story of the year’s challenges and opportunities, capturing the essence of an unrepeatable moment. Each wine speaks through its aromas and flavors, representing the climate, the soil  and the care it has received.

Gianni Venica, joined by Serena Venica, the fourth generation of the family, underscored the inseparable bond between the winery and the Collio region. Serena, who brings innovation to the company’s roots and identity, stated: “I handle management control in the company, but I also focus on strategies and methods that foster effective and efficient change in the realm of change management. Gianni always looks to the future. His vision is highly dynamic and evolving, yet deeply rooted. I’d describe him as an innovator bound to tradition and, of course, to the land”.

“Extempore - Gianni added - is a wine that combines tradition with a forward-looking approach. It’s a new interpretation of Sauvignon, our flagship wine, embodying our commitment to highlight the region’s essence in every wine. Once again, it brings us back to our place of origin”.

As the name suggests,” Extempore” reminds us that within time lies a challenge. And that challenge often involves finding time to pause, reflect, and grow. “Extempore itself - noted Ornella Venica - is a new challenge, a step in our continuous journey of seeking new opportunities to improve, protect, and enhance what we love most. It’s a Sauvignon that represents not only a fresh interpretation of our land but also our approach to handling the unexpected with creativity, innovation, and a deep respect for our roots. Moreover, it’s a wine born from an unplanned vinification that needs time to reveal itself: vibrant and dynamic, it opens in the glass”.

Facing the unpredictable: experiences of Fabiano Benedetti and Marco Tonni.

Time, the value of the unexpected, and the capacity to transform it into growth opportunities were the main themes of a roundtable moderated by renowned wine journalist Adua Villa, featuring guests from diverse fields who share a creative approach to handling the unpredictable.

Fabiano Benedetti, CEO of beanTech, shared his personal story of how his entrepreneurial journey began. “The company started as a gamble - he explained -. Massimiliano Alziutti, an old classmate, and I reconnected by chance after years in different careers. We couldn’t have predicted that our reunion would spark something significant, but it’s in moments like these that spontaneity plays a key role”.

Benedetti highlighted how unexpected challenges often lead to the greatest opportunities. “Life doesn’t always go as planned. Sometimes, it’s the unforeseen events that push us to explore new paths, to reinvent ourselves. It was thanks to those early challenges and our willingness to take risks that beanTech became a leading company in the tech sector”.

Finally, Benedetti emphasized the importance of adaptability: “Spontaneity isn’t just about chance events but about recognizing and transforming them into opportunities. This is what has allowed us to grow and innovate in a constantly evolving industry like technology.”

Marco Tonni, a highly experienced agronomist and sustainability consultant, offered insights into the viticulture world, stressing the close connection between nature and its unpredictability, and on the climate and environmental challenges he addresses with his team at Sata. “Nature often expresses itself through sudden, spontaneous events - he explained -. Our job is to interpret them, not to react impulsively, but to adapt in ways that minimize environmental impact”.

Tonni underlined the importance of deep awareness: “We need to be aware and become so by analyzing and studying the land. Only then can we understand how to act in ways that minimize impact on the soil and environment. The vine, unlike us, cannot move; its fate is bound to the soil in which it takes root, and our task is to make that soil hospitable. To do so, we must go deep, reasoning like roots”.

In this context, Tonni presented the Biopass method: “We developed this method to evaluate soil quality and determine if it’s truly hospitable for the vine. The best wines come from the best soils, and biodiversity, both underground and above, is key to wine quality. Without biodiversity, terroir - the wine’s very essence - cannot exist.”

This practical approach mirrors Venica & Venica’s strategy in addressing these challenges. “Our work -  the Venica family explained - is based on this principle: with Tonni’s help, we closely observe the soil, study it, analyze its composition and biodiversity. Only through a deep understanding of these elements we can find sustainable solutions that respect the environment and allow the vine to express itself, giving life to authentic wines that faithfully reflect our region”.

Once again, it’s about the importance of stopping to measure. “Over the years - continued Ornella Venica - we’ve asked ourselves many questions, and this has led us, over a decade ago, to pursue the path of measurement. Since then, our awareness of conservation has grown with us”.

Measuring sustainability.

Another key moment of the event was the presentation of Venica & Venica’s 2024 Sustainability Report.

Ornella Venica outlined the winery’s commitment to environmental and community stewardship: “For us, sustainability isn’t just a word, but an everyday action. For over ten years, we’ve measured each step we take, aiming to reduce our environmental impact and give back to the land that has given so much to us”.

The Sustainability Report is more than a document; it’s a story of responsibility and awareness, shaped by questions, reflections, and bold choices. “We’ve learned to stop and measure - Ornella concluded - because it’s the only way we can truly grow, ensuring a better future not only for our winery but also for our children and our community”.

The Report, titled “Stories of Life and Vines,” serves as a narrative of daily life in the winery and stands as a testament to the belief that awareness comes from pausing, measuring results, and planning future steps.

Wine as an expression of time.

 The discussion also touched on the concept of time, which challenges us yet offers space for growth. Carlo Cambi, journalist, cited Saint Augustine in observing that time, in itself, does not exist. “Past, present, and future - Cambi said - exist only within the human soul as the present. Memory is the present of the past, attention is the present of the present, and anticipation is the present of the future”.

In our fast-paced lives, time is scarce, but wine shared offers time back to us.

This was beautifully illustrated by the Extempore tasting, a wine that tells the measure of a winemaker’s time, embodying the region, challenges, and foresight: the foresight to wait, to see if a spontaneous gesture or occurrence can open new paths in both wine and our personal and professional lives.

“The same foresight - noted Carlo Cambi - that the Venica family showed in making their children part of the company’s opportunity. Serena was asked to interpret the company, and now she represents its evolution, implementing structural changes that Gianni and Ornella envision.

The French are now starting to replace the term sustainability with durability and I believe that durability is the true essence of Venica & Venica”.

The day concluded with an informal networking moment, attended by representatives from the restaurant sector: a valuable occasion to continue the dialogue by sharing ideas and perspectives.

Guests enjoyed dishes from L’Alchimia paired with the Sauvignon “Extempore” 2016 and 2018, exchanging personal experiences and future visions in a collaborative and open atmosphere.

L'articolo Spontaneity as Opportunity: Venica & Venica’s vision for a sustainable future proviene da Venica & Venica.

On September 1, Caratello Wine hosted the “Concerto del Vino” at the Dolder Grand in Zurich, where Venica & Venica presented ten vintages of their “Ronco delle Mele” Sauvignon DOC Collio.

Ten emotions in a glass, spanning from the 1998 vintage to 2016, told a story of colors and aromas that have preserved over the years the endless nuances of our land: the saltiness of the sea, the fruity aromas and the minerality of Ponca soil.

Here, we share the wonderful words offered to us by Hans Bättig, head of wine training courses at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Wädenswil and an agronomist specializing in wine sensory analysis with a degree from ETH Zurich.

“The Caratello Concerto” of September 1, 2024, at the Dolder Grand in Zurich amazed with an extraordinary vertical tasting of Italian white wines from the Friulian winery Venica & Venica.

Ornella Venica presented ten vintages of Sauvignon from the” Ronco delle Mele vineyard”, starting with the 1998 vintage and ending with the 2016 harvest. Both vintages were awarded the prestigious Tre Bicchieri rating, a recognition first given to “Ronco delle Mele” in 1997 and awarded an additional twenty times to date.

The wines presented impressed not only for their freshness and vibrancy but also for their exceptional structural density and the aromatic accompaniment they offer on the palate.

The remarkable elegance of “Ronco delle Mele” is further highlighted through the different vintages, which, at the foothills of the Julian Alps, can vary significantly due to changing climatic conditions.

Meticulous grape selection at harvest, careful monitoring throughout the winemaking process and the refinement in the cellar seem to intensify the terroir’s expression and undoubtedly contribute to the wines' longevity and complexity.

These wines don’t follow fleeting trends. They stand out purely for their depth, revealed gradually with each sip, even after many years.

A pleasure that only great wines can offer.”

Hans Bättig / Moderator and interpreter at the presentation by Ornella Venica

L'articolo Ronco delle Mele: Ten Emotions in a Glass. proviene da Venica & Venica.

REPORT BY GIANNI VENICA ON THE START OF THE 2024 HARVEST

Venica&Venica has commenced the 2024 harvest. On August 22, under a clear sky, the first clusters of Pinot Grigio were picked in Ruttars, one of the most picturesque and renowned areas of this generous land. The harvest now continues in Ronco Mele Alto, where the Sauvignon grapes are ready to reveal the fresh and aromatic notes they have absorbed from the rich soil and generous sun.

This year, the harvest arrived two weeks earlier than in 2023, a variation that does not surprise those who understand the importance of following Mother Nature's rhythms. The vine, with its innate wisdom, knows when the right time has come to yield its fruits.

It is not the human calendar that decides, but the course of the seasons. The vintners, faithful guardians of this ancient wisdom, do not impose timelines on nature; they observe, listen, and are ready to enter the vineyard when the vine itself calls for it.

This year, with long periods of rain and equally prolonged spells of high temperatures, careful and patient management proved crucial.

To prevent the plants from experiencing water stress, it was necessary to activate the underground emergency system known as the "drip line," and every step between the rows was an act of dedication. Every day spent observing the vineyards was a gesture of care. This constant commitment preserved the health of the grapes, which have now reached an excellent level of ripeness and are ready to produce wines that will, as always, tell not only the story of the land but also that of a complex and unique vintage.

The 2024 production is currently expected to be slightly below the seasonal average, but with grapes of excellent quality, the result of a respectful and harmonious relationship between man and nature. Patience, knowledge, and a love for the land have enabled us to overcome the challenges posed by the climate and turn them into opportunities.

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Dolegna del Collio, 22 April - Since 1930, the Venica & Venica winery has represented a solid reality, in a harmonious and synergic relationship with Collio, an entrepreneurial activity that is at the top of the wine and food and also hospitality sector in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
This was commented by the regional councillors for Productive Activities and Tourism and for Agri-food Resources on their visit to the Venica & Venica winery and wine resort in the locality of Cerò in Dolegna del Collio, also underlining the company's profile of authentic sustainability, which since 2006 has installed photovoltaic panels to produce energy and hot water and since 2019 has been drawing up a sustainability report.
It was in 1985 that the first nucleus of the agriturismo opened, today transformed into an elegant "wine resort" immersed in the countryside, among the hills of Collio with the Julian Pre-Alps in the background and not far from the border with Slovenia. The Cerò farmhouse was purchased in 1930 by a young sharecropper, Daniele Venica, progenitor of what was to become one of the oldest wine families in Friuli. It was his son, Adelchi, who began in 1972 to sell his wine directly on the premises and then the turning point came with Gianni Venica, born in 1956, who began to apply white wine-making: in 1977 Venica & Venica's whites and reds were bottled for the first time. The 1980s were the time of the export boom, first Germany and immediately afterwards the United States, countries that still represent the strong points of the Cero' winemakers.
Venica & Venica currently owns 40 hectares of vineyards, all of which are located in the Collio DOC area, and produces between 280 and 310 thousand bottles a year, depending on the season and the harvest, 85% of which are white wines (Ronco delle Mele and Toblar among the most awarded and appreciated) and the remaining 15% reds (from Merlot to Schioppettino). Market shares, in the Horeca sector alone, are distributed 55% in Italy and 45% abroad, mainly Germany, the United States, the rest of Europe and Asia, from Japan to Korea. ARC/EP/gg

Article from "Trieste Prima", NEWS FROM THE COUNCIL | Autonomous Region Friuli Venezia Giulia

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