white grape · regional specialty
Ribolla Gialla
Collio, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Say it
ree·boh·lahjah·lah
"Gi" in Gialla is the Italian soft-G (English "j" sound, as in "yellow"); stress falls on the second syllable of each word
On the palate
lemongreen applepearwhite peachalmondbeeswax
How you spot it blind: racy acidity that doesn't drop at harvest; saline finish on a light frame
The story
First written down · 1289, Friuli (notarial land contract)
2020 SNP analysis (Crespan et al., Scientific Reports) confirmed a parent-offspring relationship with Heunisch Weiss and definitively ruled out any genetic link to Greek Robola.
Family tree: ? × HEUNISCH WEISS
Where it lives
Collio DOC, Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy) · Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC (Italy) · Goriska Brda (Slovenia)
Shows up as
still whiteorangesparkling
If you like this, try
Also answers to Rebula.
Shop our Ribolla Gialla bottles