Borgo del Tiglio
Nicola Manferrari
Nicola Manferrari was originally trained in pharmacology, though that was a decision made more out of respect to a family tradition than passion. In 1981, Nicola’s father died, and he was put in charge of his father’s ‘hobby’ – five hectares of land, three of which were planted with vines. It was then that he found his calling.
“Nicola Manferrari is one of Friuli’s original trailblazers. Along with Mario Schiopetto, Josko Gravner and Silvio Jermann, Manferrari was just one of a handful of producers in the 1980s who had the vision and courage to follow his convictions. Winemakers like Enzo Pontoni and Edi Kante, each in their own way, followed that same spirit. Still, Borgo del Tiglio remains vastly overlooked considering the quality of what goes into the bottle. So much of what is made in Friuli today is essentially commercial, large-production wine with little personality. In that context, Borgo del Tiglio is a towering presence of true excellence and a shining beacon of what is possible in one of Italy’s greatest but often most underachieving appellations.”
Nicola developed his winemaking style by following his instincts, only to find that many of the techniques he ‘invented’ in Friuli were in fact quite common in other parts of Europe. He later taught himself French so he could read "Physiologie de la Vigne" by François Champagnol.
Nicola’s wines are indicative of a winemaker that listens to his palate and lets that guide his work. The precision and depth of his wines make it hard to argue against those that believe he is one of the greatest white winemakers in Italy.