The origins
My father always dreamed of having a cottage where he could meet up with friends on the weekend. That boy’s dream became reality when he was just over thirty years old. In 1969 he bought the first vineyards on the hills of Rosazzo, in the Colli Orientali. His cottage, from those very first days, has now become our administrative and production headquarters.
Half a century has passed since then and those hills have been transformed into an open-air garden in one of the most beautiful and scenic hilly areas of the Colli Orientali del Friuli. The hills that embrace the Abbey of Rosazzo historically produced wines of extraordinary quality. Documents tell us that, as early as 1400, the wines of this area travelled across the Italian borders. By 1500, they were served at imperial tables, and in great demand by patriarchs and ecclesiastics.
The magic, the colors, the scents and the rolling hills make this landscape unique. The vineyards are carefully cultivated with skill and wisdom, exalting the special microclimate and the breezes coming from the nearby Adriatic sea. All of these elements combine to make the wines of this area particularly elegant and highly regarded.
The company
The company was born in the late 1960s, a time when Friulian viticulture and enology were in their infancy and wine was only just coming to the forefront of life in Italy’s famous piazzas. A flicker of madness, a dollop of inexperience, and a huge dash of enthusiasm formed the drive behind Alfieri Cantarutti’s extraordinary foresight when he decided to invest in Rosazzo. The current property has 76 hectares, 33 of which are home to prestigious vineyards on the hills of Rosazzo, with another 21 hectares of vineyards cultivated on the slopes of the Friuli Grave DOC.Our company ... the window on a dream. Antonella Cantarutti
Our Values
Most of our viticultural heritage is historic; in fact, our Merlot, Pinot Nero, Ribolla Gialla, Friulano (formerly Tocai Friulano) and Pinot Bianco are produced from old clones. These vines benefit from their original rootstocks and give our wines a unique identity and a singular authenticity which is completely removed from what modern viticulture techniques often impose on our region.
Our philosophy is an extraordinary concept of heritage, a fundamental way of life, protecting our precious history and patrimony. Our heritage, like poetry, has above all a certain style and strategy. Our commitment to our history is the foundation for our authentic wines, immediately recognizable for their style and craftsmanship. Our faith in our heritage, and our adherence to the individual characteristics of each wine, is evident in every bottle.
The company has reached its third generation: Alfieri’s daughter, Antonella, is now at the helm. Antonella and husband Fabrizio’s son, Rodolfo, has become an integral part of the team, taking on many duties of oenologist and agronomist over the past several years. The team is truly synergistic; while Antonella manages the administrative, commercial, and communications side of the company, husband Fabrizio oversees the delicate and crucial care of the vineyards, the harvest, and the vinification. Fresh from his studies and already vastly experienced, Rodolfo is dedicating himself to the agronomy, bringing innovation and compliance with the values linked to biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
Our philosophy is an extraordinary concept of heritage, a fundamental way of life, protecting our precious history and patrimony. Our heritage, like poetry, has above all a certain style and strategy. Our commitment to our history is the foundation for our authentic wines, immediately recognizable for their style and craftsmanship. Our faith in our heritage, and our adherence to the individual characteristics of each wine, is evident in every bottle and recognised by national and international awards from all around the world.
