Kocjančič Rado

Rado’s house is located in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, only a few miles from the border with Slovenia. The land has been in the family for over four hundred years, and, while it has not moved, it has been part of different countries: Austria, Kingdom of Italy, Free Territory of Trieste, and finally the Republic of Italy. Planted with vineyards and olive groves, it used to be much bigger until a large portion was expropriated following World War II. After his grandfather emigrated to Argentina to find work and his father settled for an office job, Rado followed in their footsteps enrolling at the local university to study business, giving up on the family’s farming tradition. However, he didn’t feel he could work behind a desk and decided to go to California for six months to learn winemaking (and English). Upon his return to Italy and after working for a couple of wineries, he was able to acquire some land and follow his dream of making a living producing wine and olive oil. He now owns 6 hectares (~15 acres) of vineyards which he farms using biodynamic and organic practices. He has been making wines since 1999 with a yearly production of 20,000 bottles (~1,700 cases) using native grapes such as Vitovska, Malvasia Istriana, Moscato Giallo, and Refosco that reflect the uniqueness of the territory, positioned between the Carso plateau and the Mediterranean Sea.