Source: Gradis' Ciutta
GRADIS CUITTA
Fruili, Italy
Gradis’ciutta is the name of a rural hamlet on top of a hill in the town of San Floriano del Collio. Around this hamlet, my grandfather, Franz Princic, had his historical vineyards. Before being named Gradis’ciutta, this place was known as Monsvini, which in Latin means “the mount of wine”; the name recalls the old winemaking tradition in Collio.
West of the city of Gorizia, there is a group of hills known as Collio. The Isonzo river flows through this hilly hilly stretch to the southeast, the Iudrio creek to the northwest, while to the south, Collio merges into the Friulian plain. This area is appreciated not only for its wines, but also for its fruit and olive oil.
Historically, Collio has been a backdrop for skirmishes during the Great War and a border during World War II. Then in 1964, Collio became one the first wine consortiums established in Italy, and the first in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Around the world, its name is synonymous with high-quality white wines.