Legendary Italian White Wine Visionary, Marco Felluga, Passes Away at 96

The founder of the esteemed winery has sadly passed away. In light of this, his family has announced a fresh partnership with the Tommasi family who are based in Valpolicella.

Marco Felluga was known for crafting exceptional white wines, bringing recognition to the Collio area within Italy’s Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region in the global wine sphere. He passed away on the 3rd of April and lived to a ripe old age of 96 years.

“We have suffered a remarkable loss in Friuli and the Collio region”, expressed fellow vintner Silvio Jermann, part of the Jermann winery. According to Jermann, Felluga, along with fellow winegrowers Count Douglas Attems and Mario Schiopetto, were instrumental in improving the quality of wine in the Collio region. They fought for the recognition of the area as a DOC status, and drove the creation of a local consortium of wine producers. “The modern Collio is their creation, and they played a significant role in gaining international recognition for the Friuli region. He was an extraordinary wine producer and a remarkable man. His absence will be deeply felt.”

The death of Marco was closely followed by his family announcing a new partnership with the Tommasi family from Valpolicella. The Tommasi family have now become majority shareholders in the Felluga family’s winery and two estates, namely Marco Felluga and Russiz Superiore. Marco’s granddaughter Ilaria will continue leading the wineries.

The Felluga family has been part of the Italian wine industry since the 19th century. They chose to settle down in the Collio region of Friuli after the end of the Second World War. It was at this point that Marco and his brother Livio started their individual wineries. Marco established his namesake property in 1956 in Gradisca d’Isonzo, a town located roughly 80 miles north-east of Venice, and nearby the border separating Italy and Slovenia. Both the brothers recognized the unique potential of the regional white wines. Aligning with other forward-thinking wine producers, they collaborated to lay the foundations of the Collio DOC in 1968.

Marco Felluga gained recognition as an innovator for his decision to lower yields and retrain vineyards, among other techniques that were not common in the region at the time. However, his vision to produce white wines that showcase a strong aging potential has left a lasting impression. Contrary to the typical crisp and light-drinking Pinot Grigios that northern Italy is famous for, Marco Felluga established the Pinot Grigio Collio Mongris Riserva cuvée, which is left to age on lees for two years before it is bottled.

In 1967, Felluga invested further in the Collio region by acquiring the Russiz Superiore estate located in Capriva del Friuli, along with its 125 acres of vineyards. Instead of integrating the production within his own line of wines, Felluga introduced Russiz Superiore as a distinct brand. Regardless, the principle of aging prior to release was carried forward, paving way for the creation of wines with a longer shelf-life. The Collio Russiz Superiore Col Disôre is aged for a year in French oak barrels followed by a year in the bottle; on the other hand, the Pinot Bianco Collio Russiz Superiore Riserva is left to age in an oak barrel for three years and a bottle for one year.

Brian Larky, the CEO and founder of Dalla Terra Winery Direct the importer of Felluga’s wines to the U.S. since the 90s, shared this quote, “[Marco] always viewed America as a significant target. Establishing the names of Friuli, Collio, and Marco Felluga were always high-priority tasks. Marco was invariably linked to his dearly loved region.”

Roberto, Marco’s son, who had been working alongside his father, passed away due to cancer in 2021. Since then, Ilaria, Roberto’s daughter, assumed control over the wineries. Now, she’s running the estates backed by financial support from Tomassi. “Tommasi Family will be at my back supporting my pursuit for expansion and growth. The key principles will remain same, as decided by my grandfather Marco and my father Roberto for their work and approach to the wine world.”, expressed Ilaria.

“Marco was distinctly visionary with respect to his commitment and dedication to achieving regional viticulture excellence”, said Massimo Zorzettig, the co-owner of Tunella, a winery in the vicinity of the Friuli Colli Orientali appellation. “He brought about a revolutionary leap in appreciating the terroir and the quality of wine of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. Undeniably, he is one of the patriarchs of Friulian wine.”

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About the Author: Chris Lehoux

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