"In hindsight, I really don't think I would have been suited to the profession of pharmacist, as I had always dreamed of building something of my own", says Nicola Manferrari from Borgo del Tiglio in an interview. The Friulian winemaker actually studied pharmacy and came to viticulture by chance when he took over his father's business after his father's unexpected death in 1981.

In the footsteps of the father - with determination.

Although his mother, the owner of the pharmacy, did not approve of his sudden change of career, Nicola knew after the first grape harvest that he wanted to become a winemaker. Without much specialised knowledge, but with a great deal of courage and intuition, he began to scour his father's vineyards for varieties and cultivation systems. The steep slopes were laid out in narrow terraces according to old tradition and the vines were replanted.

Inquisitive & persevering.

As a career changer, however, it initially took a lot of trial and error before Nicola finally achieved the desired level of quality in his wines and modernised the business. In order to constantly improve the wine quality, he studied French specialist literature and tried out alternative methods. This unconventional approach has undoubtedly left its mark on his wine style, which is particularly appreciated for its intense and multi-layered fruit flavours.

The Borgo del Tiglio winery is located not far from the Slovenian border in the village of Brazzano di Cormòns, in the middle of the picturesque Collio hills. Nicola's eight hectares of vines are now divided into three characteristic growing areas: Ca' delle Vallade, Brazzano and Ruttars. These vineyards are sustainably cultivated with the local varieties Friulano, Malvasia, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Care and innovation - hand in hand.

The grapes, which are harvested by hand, are inspected in the vineyard for even the smallest defects before being taken to the ultra-modern wine cellar. With the help of gravity, the harvest is transferred to the press and then to the fermentation tanks. In order to express the growing zone more clearly, Borgo del Tiglio pursues a philosophy of restraint and only intervenes as much as necessary and as little as possible in the natural fermentation and maturation process.

On a steep path to success.

In retrospect, Nicola summarises his path as follows: "It is probably my unorthodox approach to the world of wine that has guided me in my decisions, and this includes my eventful educational path: I was both a child of scientific teaching and an orphan of technology. This has taught me not to take anything for granted, and the words of Galileo, which accompany me at every turn, have taught me to approach every situation with humility and to be respectful in my dealings with people."

After all, Nicola succeeds in allowing the character of his wines to be strongly determined by the respective terroir, even without studying oenology. Over the past thirty years, the winemaker has decisively shaped the quality standard in his home region of Friuli, which is why the renowned wine critic Antonio Galloni rightly describes Nicola's business as "one of the best wineries in the world". Nicola and his son Mattia are now the successful dual leadership of the winery, and the future of the quality-obsessed winery is therefore assured. SUPERIORE.DE