This year, we at Enoteca Hortis celebrate three years of bringing our passion for fine wines to the heart of Trieste! We love being a part of the fabric of this remarkable and historical city and, if one event highlights Trieste’s beauty to the world, it is certainly the Barcolana, the world’s biggest and most unique Regata.
As sailing enthusiasts flock to Trieste from around the world to enjoy the many events that punctuate the Barcolana, we relish the opportunity to share our distinctive regional wines with those visiting our shores.
Blessed with a location 300 meters (or a four-minute walk) from the marina, Enoteca Hortis makes it easy for visitors to enjoy our local wines on their vessels as we offer wine delivery on board free of charge in less than 20 minutes! We also offer a selection of fine natural and macerated (orange) wines that are not only delicious, but also do not need to be kept at low temperatures to be enjoyed properly. We know that it is not always easy to have fridges for chilling wine on board!
Friuli Venezia Giulia is a beautiful land of contrasts. From the shimmering Adriatic to the Collio and Colli Orientali (rolling wine-country featuring unique microclimates which produce incredible wines) to the majestic Carnic Alps in the north of the region, Friuli Venezia Giulia packs a staggering amount of geographical, cultural, and culinary diversity into a small package. Likewise, our region’s wines are extraordinarily diverse and our guests here for the Barcolana will have the chance to try new varieties they have never tasted before!
Like the clean breezes that round the Karst surging above Trieste and descend to fill the sails of vessels gliding in our sea, Friuli Venezia Giuia is renowned for light, refreshing white wines with a slightly lower alcohol content (although our region produces robust, spiced reds as well). A few examples of these delicate whites that await visitors in Trieste are:
Ribolla Gialla – crafted from a grape indigenous to our region, Ribolla Gialla boasts a straw-yellow color and a crispness and a vivaciousness owing to its acidity. Perennially refreshing, Ribolla Gialla can be enjoyed as a still or as a sparkling wine.
Istrian Malvasia – Our region contains the only part of Italy in the Istrian peninsula, and Malvasia is the preeminent Istrian wine for a reason. Malvasia is a well-balanced white with fruity and floral notes and is both delicious and refreshing.
Vitovska – This wine derives from the beautiful Karst hills that tower over Trieste and is a medium to full-bodied white with graceful and creamy characteristics featuring unique notes of sage, pears, and prunes.
Friulano – Deriving its name from our region, this wine is crafted from the Tocai grape and boasts a lively and fruity character with citrus, floral and almond notes. It is a must-try wine when visiting FVG!
We are hoping that participants are graced with the perfect combination of wind and sun on October 8th for the 55th iteration of the Barcolana Regata and look forward to making new friends from across the globe in the days ahead. We will be open continuusly from 9:00AM to 7:00 PM on the day of the Regata and we will be streaming the race live in the enoteca so our clients don’t have to miss any of the action as they pick up or order wine! Happy sailing!
