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When Mario Schiopetto took over care of the vineyards surrounding the Archbishop's Palace at Capriva in 1965, winemaking in the area known as Fruili-Venezie was nothing new. In fact wines had been produced in the area for nearly 3,000 years. But Schiopetto would become known as the legendary winemaker who brought the white wines of the Collio DOC (literally "hillside") region to the forefront of international acclaim. Schiopetto purchased the property in 1989 and created wines that took full advantage of the ancient seabed "Ponca" terroir (the typical clay and limestone Friuli terrain), a unique approach at the time. Even after his passing in 2003, his children along with winemaker Stefano Mennotti have continued the legacy of producing exceptional white wines with complexity, balance and finesse. Located in northeasternmost Italy straddling the Italy-Slovenia border, Friuli's Collio appellation is now considered one of the leading regions in the world for white wines. The hilly terrain combined with the cool Adriatic breezes makes Capriva particularly suitable for grape growing. |