Edi Keber, 2020 Collio Bianco

People

Edi Keber has a mere 10 acres of vines on the border of Slovenia and Italy, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The Keber family immigrated to Collio from Austria 250 years ago, and have been making wines ever since. Edi works with a range of varietals, but is especially known for his Friulano-based wines. His son, Kristian, took over the winemaking in 2008, and they are firmly dedicated to exclusively using Collio’s native grapes in a blending style that reflects the mindset of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s producers: work with many grapes for complexity, balance, and delight. They produce 4,000 cases of wine each year from 30 acres of vineyards.

Place

Collio’s hills, in northeastern Italy, have a ton of different microclimates, and its marly soils are known locally as “Ponca”. It’s a region whose border has shifted back and forth between Italy and Slovenia, and so the styles of wine–as well as the foods, language, and other cultural aspects–blur the line between Italy and Slovenia.

Palate

Floral, herbaceous, green fruit and citrus. Weight and richness make this a great pairing for white fish and veggies.

Technical Notes

75% Tocai Friulano, 15% Ribolla Gialla, 10% Malvasia Bianca, biodynamically farmed, trained on Guyot and hand harvested. Soft pressed, and chilled to separate sediment. Fermented and matured in cement for 6 months, except for 20% of the Friulano, which is aged in large, old oak for 6 months. 13% abv.