Erika Barbieri introduces Tenuta Stella – it was her dream come true with her husband to run a vineyard in an area where her grandfather used to buy wine.This is a relatively young estate founded in 2009 by a Venetian businessman with a family background in glass-blowing (specifically a laboratory glass workshop called Soffieria Stella – hence the name).
Despite being youthful, Tenuta Stella’s wines show depth and complexity beyond what you might expect from younger estates. It has become well-regarded both as a producer of high-quality wines, but also as a steward of landscape, biodiversity and native grape varieties.“We are much more than wine producers – we are cultivators of life,” says Barbieri.
Tenuta Stella - slowly expanding - planting new vineyards in Collio DOC isn’t allowed, so the estate expansion can only come by purchasing existing holdings.
Tenuta Stella’s ethos is to combine both tradition with classic grapes and the modern values of organic farming, minimal intervention winemaking and sustainable practices. They are wines that tell a story of place, made with environmental awareness to reflect the terroir.
The estate in Dolegna del Collio is in the far northeast of Italy, in the crescent-shaped Collio DOC. Dolegna is one of the five unofficial subzones in the DOC, being closest to the Alps and has some of the highest elevations with vineyards up to 270 metres above sea level. The entire estate comprises 38 hectares, 15 of which are vineyards entirely surrounded by woods, on terraces with guyot training systems cultivated almost exclusively with indigenous grapes, following the dictates of organic agriculture.
Initially, the vineyard was 5 hectares. This was expanded in 2018, adding 5 hectares , and in 2022, with another 5 hectares. Planting completely new vineyards in the Collio DOC isn’t allowed, so the estate expansion can only come by purchasing existing holdings.
Erika Barbieri introduces Tenuta Stella. She runs the winery with her husband.
‘Ponca’ makes Collio special
The soils are what makes Collio special. ‘Ponca’, as it is called in the dialectal slang typical of eastern Friuli, is a mix of marl and sandstone with marine fossil influences which gives minerality, texture and a certain salinity to the wines. The magnesium, phosphorus and potassium make it suitable for quality viticulture and medium body wines with structure and aromas. The altitude and proximity to both mountains and the sea, means the estate is influenced by breezes and the diurnal shift helps preserve aromatics and freshness.
Avoiding the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers, the vines are tended largely by hand. The winery emphasises low yields (almost half of the maximum actually permitted under Collio DOC rules) to ensure better concentration and quality – it takes a sustainable, regenerative approach aiming to maintain the ecosystem and diversity.
Energy, waste, and environmental footprint are considered so the team relies on solar panels and re-uses pomace and lees (organic waste) for fertilising soils. Tenuta Stella is proud to be certified as part of “DiversityArk” (a scheme that evaluates and supports environmental and ecological diversity) and biodiversity is closely monitored.
Native local grape varieties
Tenuta Stella focuses heavily on native local grape varieties and its wines show a strong sense of each Collio slope, soil and micro-climate. The white grape varieties are Ribolla Gialla, Friulano, and Malvasia Istriana, plus a small amount of Chardonnay. The reds are Schioppettino, Pignolo, Tazzelenghe and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, with a tiny amount of Pinot Nero.
Tenuta Stella wines we tasted over lunch
Ribolla Gialla Collio DOC 2023
Our first wine from Ribolla Gialla grapes is fermented with native lees in steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine is then aged partly in steel and partly in French oak tonneaux for ten months before bottling. The bouquet is characterised by warm and enveloping notes. On the palate it has freshness, tangy-ness and typical slightly sour note. Ribolla Gialla is a rustic grape producing wine with great character, Barbieri says, “a bit like the borderland it grows in.” (RRP £39 a bottle).
Friulano Collio DOC 2023
The next wine reminds me slightly of a Viognier but with greater acidity. Produced from Tocai Friulano grapes, this wine is fermented and aged in steel; it owes its longevity to its long maturation on the lees before bottling. A fruity note on the bouquet gives way to hints of almond with mineral characteristics. Freshness stands out and it is a highly drinkable wine with structure and personality, a worthy representative of the territory. (RRP £37).
Ribolla Gialla Riserva (skin contact wine) Collio DOC 2021
This wine is the same light amber colour as the grapes from which it is made. Vines are at the top of the hills which are also the least fertile with the harvest often two weeks later than other sites. The wine has beautiful marmalade notes on the nose and you can feel the sapidity and minerality. A real joy, it is one of the best orange wines I have tasted and pairs perfectly with our main course of rabbit ragu pasta. Produced from Ribolla Gialla grapes, fermentation is spontaneous with native lees in French oak barrels and in the presence of the skins for 30 days. Ageing is in tonneaux for 10 months and in large barrels for a further 12 months, all in French oak. (RRP £69).
Friulano Riserva Collio DOC 2022
This is a special wine produced only in the best vintages from Tocai Friulano grapes harvested from Tenuta Stella’s historic 1926 vineyard located in Lonzano. Fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels and in contact with the skins for ten days. The wine is then aged in second-use French oak tonneaux for 24 months. The aroma is marked by intense citrus and spicy notes, with hints of candied fruit and dried flowers. On the palate, the wine is fresh, full-bodied, and rich in complexity. (RRP £81).
Sdencina Rosso Venezia Guilia IGT 2021
With a perfect pairing for a selection of goat, cow and blue cheeses, we move onto a red wine. According to the Collio DOC regulations, red wines cannot be produced from native grapes in the area, hence this wine is IGT. It is produced from Schioppettino, Pignolo, Tazzelenghe and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso (red-stalked Refosco) grapes and a small amount of Merlot which creates the link between the different varietals.
Sdencina is the name of the vineyard and the four native varieties are selected and harvested together in early October. Maceration occurs in 15 hl wooden barrels, without temperature control and with wild yeast. The wine is aged in French oak barrels and barriques for 20 months before bottling. The bouquet has fruity notes of berries and cherries. It is a red wine of character beginning fresh and elegant, with a good body and structure and could age well too. (RRP £40).
All the wines are perfect for gastronomic pairings. The bottles are a distinctive Collio DOC design, made of 100% recycled glass and weighing only 410 g. Currently 50,000 bottles are produced yearly, with the potential to increase to 70,000.
Tenuta Stella also produces a traditional method Ribolla Gialla Pas Dosè sparkling wine and a full-bodied white wine Malvasia Collio DOC made with Malvasia Istriana native grapes.
The tasting was an opportunity to explore regional diversity and authentic expressions of grape varieties not often seen. Tenuta Stella wines have individuality and are rightly being discovered. Visitors to he estate are encouraged – the region is beautiful – yoga sessions even take place locally in the vineyards. Tenuta Stella is indeed rich territory.
