08 Jul A Postcard of Collio: A Story of Land, Time, and Intention with Six Vintages of Collavini Broy DOC Collio

My introduction to Collavini came in 2023, during a tasting of five of their white wines. I was immediately struck by the clarity, elegance, and expression across the lineup. But one wine stood out: Broy, the winery’s signature white blend. Made from Friulano, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, Broy DOC Collio is crafted to represent Friuli at its best. A recent vertical tasting of six vintages made that clear, revealing not only the evolution of a wine, but how it captures a place, a philosophy, and a moment in time.

Collavini, located in the prestigious Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC areas, is a benchmark winery in the region. Known for producing expressive wines that marry regional authenticity with modern precision, Collavini continues to be a reference point in Friuli for quality, elegance, and innovation. The winery is led today by Luigi Collavini, with Andrea Pittana overseeing viticulture, carrying forward a legacy that began in 1896 when Luigi’s great-grandfather Eugenio Collavini first started the family wine business.

The region of Friuli Venezia Giulia lies in the far northeastern corner of Italy, tucked between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, and bordering Slovenia. It is a compact region that takes less than an hour and a half to cross from one end to the other. Even though it’s small, Friuli offers remarkable diversity. Its wines are known for their complexity, length, and balance, thanks to the interplay of geography and climate.

Cold alpine winds sweep down from the north, bringing freshness, minerality, and acidity, while warm Mediterranean breezes flow in from the south, adding body and richness. This dynamic contrast gives Friuli’s wines their distinct structure and nuance.

Winegrowing dates back to Roman times, and, as Luigi Collavini expressed, “winemaking is not just a profession, it’s in our DNA.”

The Evolution of Broy

The name Broy comes from the Friulano word Brollio, a term used to describe a small piece of land just beyond the village or behind a house. These plots, often fenced with hedges to keep animals out, were traditionally planted with a few vines for family consumption.

First produced by Collavini in 2003, Broy DOC Collio is a refined, barrel-aged white blend sourced from the sunniest slopes of the Collio hills, along the border between Italy and Slovenia. A blend of 50% Tocai Friulano, 30% Chardonnay, and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, the wine was conceived with the ambition to create a white wine from Friuli that could stand alongside the great wines of the world. As Luigi explained, “the goal was to make a wine with ‘balls.’”

The Friulano gives the wine regional typicity and structure, the Chardonnay adds the elegance and backbone, and the Sauvignon Blanc brings aromatic lift and brightness. The blend has remained the same, but over the years, the production of the wine has evolved. Beginning in 2003 until 2008, the philosophy of the wine was one of power, seeing malolactic fermentation and aged in French oak. Between 2009 and 2017, the philosophy shifted. The focus was on purity, expressing the terroir, more than the winemaking. Barrels were discontinued, and stainless-steel tanks were introduced. In 2018, the philosophy, as well as the label and bottle, changed again. Oak was reintroduced but for only six months of aging, resulting in a wine of elegance and balance.

In 2023, I tasted the 2019 and had described it as having an “elegant nose with aromas of tropical and stone fruits, orange peel, fresh flowers, and brioche. The wine is rich yet fresh on the palate with honey and mineral notes on the finish. Now I was able to enjoy a vertical of Broy, tasting vintages from 2011 through 2022.

A Vertical Tasting of Collavini Broy

2022 Broy

2022 was a dry year. It did not rain from February to September, and temperatures were higher than normal, resulting in harvest starting early. A straw yellow color with golden highlights, the wine has a lovely bouquet of peach, pineapple, and lemon aromas with brown spice notes. On the palate, the wine lightly coats the palate with vibrant acidity on the perimeter. There are subtle oak notes on the finish.

2021 Broy

2021 was colder than normal with some frost in April. Summer through harvest did not have any extremes. A bright golden yellow color, the wine has a riper, rounder nose with aromas of red apple, peach, and mango, as well as notes of wildflowers and sweet spices. This wine is more structured with a lovely minerality and persistent acidity.

2018 Broy

2018 was a turning point for this wine as oak was added back into the program. 2018 had a rainy but not excessively cold winter and a warmer-than-usual spring. Summer was warm with frequent rainfall. But the conditions allowed the grapes to remain on the vine until fully ripe. This was the year they stopped drying the grapes, but they still have a drying room in case of a wet year. The wine is a rich yellow color and has notes of ripe stone fruits, mango, and citrus. The wine is elegantly textured with a beautiful richness balanced by mouthwatering acidity and a mineral finish.

2017 Broy

2017 had a warmer spring than average, followed by a widespread frost that reduced yields by 20%. Summer was hot with regular rain, followed by diurnal temperatures enabling the grapes to ripen. The wine is a deep golden color and has notes of ripe tropical fruits, honey flowers, and ripe lemon pith. The rounded wine fills the palate with elegant acidity.

2013 Broy

2013 began with a cold and rainy March, followed by average temperatures until May, and then a drop in temperatures and heavy rainfall. Summer was mostly hot and dry, and then temperatures were mild during harvest. The wine is a deep golden color with orange flecks. This wine is showing its maturity with notes of candied fruit, ripe tropical fruits, and ripe red apples. But the wine still has structure and minerality, and is lush, leaving the mouth watering.

Broy 2011

2011 started warmer than normal but then summer was cold. The wine is a golden color and has distinct tropical fruit aromas of peach and mango, as well as orange peel and broom flower notes. On the palate, the wine is balanced with savory notes but what is so amazing is that it still has so much freshness.

Each vintage of Broy captures a different moment in time; together they tell a singular story of land, time, and intention.