August 27, 2025 (Collio, Italy) — With the 2018 vintage, Gradis’ciutta winery achieved organic certification, a significant milestone that crowns ten years of dedicated work focused on producing wines that honor the land and respect everyone involved in caring for the vineyards.
It was with the desire to truly embrace these values that, in 2008, Robert Princic first turned to organic farming, beginning the gradual conversion of his vineyards in Collio. This region poses particular challenges for organic viticulture due to its high annual rainfall, which ranges between 1,000 and 1,400 mm, figures comparable to those in Burgundy.
Achieving organic certification ten years later is the result of unwavering commitment and constant attention to vineyard and weather conditions. This close observation made it possible to act swiftly and appropriately to protect the health of the vines. A scientific approach played a crucial role in this journey, with weather stations installed throughout the vineyards, allowing the team to continually analyze data and carry out targeted treatments using only the permitted amounts of sulfur and copper under organic regulations.
The estate’s commitment to sustainability is further expressed through the use of renewable energy sources and the presence of beehives near the vineyards—supporting biodiversity and strengthening the connection between agriculture and nature.
“Our aim,” says Robert Princic, “is to respect Nature and preserve the balance that exists between wild vegetation and cultivated land. This is how we capture the aromas of the countryside—the scents of acacia flowers and fruit, of hay, of asparagus and elderflower, and the very flavor of the land where our wines are born.“
Production
Firmly rooted in local tradition and deeply connected to the Collio terroir, the winery cultivates both indigenous and international grape varieties with passion and precision. Each grape has a long-standing history in the area and is carefully nurtured to express its full potential.
Key native varieties such as Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, and Friulano (formerly Tocai) take center stage in the production of exceptional single-varietal wines. At the same time, grapes like Moscato, Picolit, and Verduzzo are masterfully blended to create complex and intriguing cuvées.
Alongside these, Gradis’ciutta also produces a curated selection of international varieties—Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon among the whites, and Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot among the reds. These red grapes, in particular, form the basis for an elegant and refined Bordeaux-style blend, a testament to the region’s adaptability and the estate’s winemaking expertise.
At the pinnacle of the winery’s production are two white blends, Bràtinis and Collio Riserva, wines that encapsulate Robert Princic’s creative vision and his deep, personal interpretation of the land he calls home.
About Gradis’ciutta
Founded in 1997 by Robert Princic in the heart of Collio, the Gradis’ciutta company now extends over 50 hectares of vineyards located both on the Italian side of Collio and in Slovenia. This dual territorial soul allows the richness and complexity of a unique wine-growing area to be best expressed through the production of highly identifiable varieties such as Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, Friulano and Pinot Grigio. The collaboration between the two sides of the border has given rise to a shared vision and a production that acts as a spokesperson for a cross-border identity, where wines become a symbol of connection between cultures, true bridges that unite rather than borders that separate.
At the heart of it all, sustainability is one of the company’s core values: Robert Princic has chosen to adopt environmentally conscious, organic winegrowing, based on respect for nature, people and the land, with the aim of creating authentic, sophisticated wines deeply rooted in their origins.
