Ribolla Gialla is a white grape with roots in northeastern Italy. Historical records trace it back to the Middle Ages, when it was planted widely in the Collio hills near the Slovenian border. Across the frontier it is called Rebula, where it has long been grown in the Goriška Brda and Vipava Valley. While once considered a local wine for everyday use, it has become the poster child of modern Friulian whites and the revival of long-maceration styles that shaped today’s “Orange Wine” movement.
Geographical Reach
The variety’s core lies in Friuli Venezia Giulia—Collio, Colli Orientali, Isonzo, and Carso—where producers treat it as a regional signature. In Slovenia, especially Brda and Vipava, Rebula is equally important, forming a bridge across a shared wine culture. Smaller but growing plantings exist in Croatia’s Istria, Austria’s Styria, and more recently in experimental vineyards in California, Oregon, and New Zealand. Outside its European base, plantings remain rare, but the grape is attracting interest among winemakers looking for fresh, high-acid whites or suitable grapes for skin-contact winemaking.
Wines Styles
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Dry Whites: Typically fermented in stainless steel or large neutral casks. Wines are pale, light on fruit, and emphasize acidity and texture.
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Skin-Contact “Orange” Wines: Ribolla Gialla’s thick skins make it well suited for extended maceration. These wines range from golden to amber, with firm tannins. They are central to the Friulian and Slovenian tradition of orange wines.
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Sparkling: The grape’s high acidity is ideal for metodo classico sparkling wines as well as lighter Charmat-method styles. These are increasingly seen in Friuli, sometimes marketed as a regional specialty.
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Sweet and Late Harvest: Produced occasionally in warm vintages, usually in very small volumes.
Main Labels
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Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia):
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Gravner – Known for amphora-fermented Ribolla, a benchmark in skin-contact wines.
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Radikon – Extended maceration style, influential in the natural wine movement.
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La Castellada, Damijan Podversic, Dario Princic, Paraschos – Producers focused on layered, structured Ribolla with varying levels of maceration.
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Jermann “Vinnae” – A cleaner, mixed-fermentation style combining steel and wood.
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Livio Felluga, Venica & Venica, Ronchi di Cialla, I Clivi – Examples of classic dry Ribolla Gialla.
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Collavini – Specialist in metodo classico sparkling Ribolla.
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Marco Felluga / Russiz Superiore – Structured expressions with aging potential.
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Slovenia (Rebula):
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Movia – Works with both traditional and amphora-fermented Rebula.
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Marjan Simčič and Edi Simčič – Producers emphasizing terroir-driven versions.
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Ščurek – Offers a wide range from fresh to extended-maceration Rebula.
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Klet Brda – The large cooperative of Brda, making accessible Rebula across styles.
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Cellaring
Classic dry Ribolla is best enjoyed within a few years for freshness, while skin-contact versions can age for a decade or more. Sparkling Ribolla is a younger development, but several Friulian houses are positioning it as an identity wine for the region. Increasing international plantings suggest that Ribolla Gialla may continue to find a niche among winemakers searching for high-acid, versatile grapes adaptable to both traditional and experimental styles.
Image Credit: https://www.cadibon.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/vendemmia-Ribolla-Gialla-2021.jpg
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