The Pietra Piasentina & the Julian Prealps

The story of Azienda Agricola Casali Magnis begins in 1996, in Ziracco di Remanzacco, in the province of Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia — a region of northeastern Italy that borders Slovenia and Austria, where the Alps meet the Adriatic and the wine culture is as ancient as the Roman roads that still cross the hills. The estate was founded by Antonio, Alina and Michele's father, who returned to his native land with a simple but profound desire: to reconnect with the soil, the traditions, and the viticultural heritage of a region that has been producing wine since before the Romans arrived. Antonio's vision was not to create a commercial empire, but to build a small, family-run estate where wine would be made in harmony with nature, using the methods and materials that had sustained Friulian farmers for centuries.

From the beginning, the goal was clear: to craft wines in harmony with nature, using artisanal methods and minimal intervention. Antonio planted vineyards on the alluvial soils of the Colli Orientali del Friuli, at the foothills of the Julian Prealps, beneath Monte San Lorenzo, at an altitude of 196 meters above sea level. The soils were rich in deposits and veined with pietra piasentina — a distinctive grey stone that is found only in this part of Friuli, formed from compressed marine sediments and volcanic ash, and prized for its durability, its beauty, and its ability to imprint wines with a unique mineral character. The vineyards were planted with the traditional varieties of the region: Ribolla Gialla, Friulano, Verduzzo, Refosco di Faedis, and international varieties like Cabernet Franc and Merlot, all chosen for their ability to express the specific terroir of these alluvial, stony hills.

Today, the estate is managed by Alina and Michele Tessari — the second generation, who have taken their father's vision and deepened it, refining the natural wine practices that Antonio established and adding their own innovations and commitments. Alina and Michele are not merely continuing a family tradition; they are active participants in the natural wine movement, members of FIVI (Italian Federation of Independent Winemakers) and VinNatur (Association of Natural Winegrowers), organizations that advocate for small-scale, chemical-free viticulture and the rights of independent producers. Their approach is uncompromising: in the vineyard, they use only copper, sulfur, and natural tonics such as propolis, orange oil, and zeolite. Synthetic herbicides are avoided entirely. The rows are grass-covered with spontaneous herbs — clover, wild mint, artemisia, veccia, and more — that enrich biodiversity, prevent erosion, and create a living ecosystem where the vines are not isolated monocultures but part of a larger, interconnected whole.

The work is manual, personal, and deeply rooted in the rhythms of the land. Alina and Michele tend the vines themselves, harvest the grapes by hand, make the wine in their small cellar, and bottle, cork, and label every bottle by hand. There are no employees, no consultants, no enologists flown in from Milan or Bordeaux — just a brother and sister who believe that the best wine comes from the closest possible relationship between the vigneron and the vineyard. The annual production is around 10,000 bottles — small enough that every bottle receives individual attention, large enough to share with a growing community of natural wine lovers who appreciate the honesty, the minerality, and the living character of wines that are made without artifice or compromise. The estate is listed by The Grape Reset, Raisin, Vivino, VinNatur, and a network of natural wine bars and shops across Europe who value its authenticity, its transparency, and the unmistakable stamp of pietra piasentina that runs through every wine.

At Azienda Agricola Casali Magnis, the cellar philosophy is one of radical naturalness and artisanal precision — a rejection of the technological interventions, stylistic consistency, and commercial pressures that define much of modern winemaking. Alina and Michele's approach is guided by a single principle: let the grapes speak, let the vintage dictate, and let the wine be what it wants to be. Fermentation is carried out with native yeasts via pied de cuve — a traditional method in which a small starter fermentation is prepared from the healthiest grapes in the vineyard, then used to inoculate the main fermentation tank. This technique preserves the indigenous microbial population of the vineyard and the cellar, ensuring that each wine carries the unique fingerprint of its specific place and time. There are no commercial yeasts, no enzymes, no additives — just the wild, living yeasts that have evolved alongside the vines in the Colli Orientali for millennia.

Sulfur use is minimized to the lowest necessary levels — a pragmatic approach that balances the desire for completely sulfur-free wine with the need to ensure stability and prevent oxidation, particularly in a small cellar where temperature control is limited and every bottle receives individual attention. Clarification relies on natural cold precipitation — the ancient practice of allowing the wine to settle and clarify naturally during the cold winter months, when suspended solids and tartrates precipitate out of solution without the need for chemical fining agents or aggressive filtration. The wines are unfiltered or only lightly filtered, maintaining the integrity of the fruit, the texture of the yeast lees, and the living, evolving character that defines natural wine. Bottling, corking, and labeling are performed manually — each bottle is filled, sealed, and dressed by hand, a labor-intensive process that ensures quality control at every step and imbues each bottle with the personal touch of the vigneron.

"Ribollution" — The Ribolla Gialla of the Stones: The Ribollution is Casali Magnis's most distinctive and representative wine — a blend of Ribolla Gialla and Verduzzo, made with short maceration on the skins, unfiltered, with only modest sulfur, that captures the raw, mineral, textured character of the pietra piasentina soils and the natural wine philosophy of Alina and Michele. The name "Ribollution" is a playful neologism that combines "Ribolla" with "revolution" — a nod to the revolutionary spirit of natural wine and the transformative power of indigenous yeasts, minimal intervention, and honest farming. The grapes come from the oldest vineyards, some dating back to 1974, grown on the alluvial, stony soils of Prestento and Montina. After hand-harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts via pied de cuve, with a short period of skin contact — typically a few days — that extracts color, texture, and phenolic complexity without creating excessive tannin or bitterness. The wine is then aged in stainless steel or neutral vessels, allowing the primary fruit and mineral character to shine without the influence of oak. In the glass, it is deep golden with amber reflections — a color that hints at the skin contact and the unfiltered, living nature of the wine. The nose offers green apple, citrus zest, almond, wild herbs, and a distinct mineral, stony note from the pietra piasentina. The palate is medium-bodied, with crisp acidity, a gentle tannic grip from the skins, and a long, savoury, mineral finish that seems to echo the Julian Prealps themselves. It is a wine of texture and terroir — not merely a white wine, but an orange wine in spirit, a wine that challenges preconceptions and rewards curiosity. Serve at 10–12°C. Drink within 2–4 years for maximum freshness and vitality. ~€18–€25 / ~$20–$28.

"Bianco Aitoc" — The Friulano of Purity: The Bianco Aitoc is Casali Magnis's purest expression of Friulano — 100% Friulano, aged in stainless steel, fresh and mineral, made without skin contact and with the same commitment to indigenous yeasts, minimal sulfur, and natural clarification that defines all of Alina and Michele's wines. The name "Aitoc" evokes the ancient, local character of this variety — a wine that is not merely Friulano, but Friulano as it has been made in these hills for centuries, before the advent of technology and the homogenization of taste. The grapes come from the younger vineyards in Togliano, grown on the alluvial, pietra piasentina-veined soils that give the wine its distinctive mineral backbone. After hand-harvesting, the grapes are gently pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel at cool temperatures, preserving the delicate aromatics and fresh acidity that define great Friulano. There is no oak, no malolactic fermentation, no manipulation — just the pure, unadorned expression of Friulano from healthy, organically farmed vines. In the glass, it is pale straw with greenish reflections. The nose offers white flowers, peach, almond, and a distinct mineral, chalky note. The palate is light to medium-bodied, with vibrant acidity, a subtle texture, and a long, refreshing, mineral finish. It is a wine of purity and precision — the perfect introduction to Casali Magnis's style, and a brilliant companion to seafood, light pasta, and fresh cheeses. Serve well chilled at 8–10°C. Drink within 1–3 years. ~€15–€22 / ~$17–$25.

"Verduzzo" — The Semi-Dry Soul of Friuli: The Verduzzo is Casali Magnis's most characterful white — 100% Verduzzo, made with brief skin contact in a semi-dry style that showcases the variety's unique combination of richness, bitterness, and honeyed texture. Verduzzo is a local Friulian variety that is often overlooked in favor of more famous grapes, but in the hands of Alina and Michele, it achieves a level of expression that is both authentic and surprising. The grapes come from the older vineyards in Montina, where the alluvial soils and the pietra piasentina stone create the ideal conditions for this late-ripening, thick-skinned variety. After hand-harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts, with a brief period of skin contact that extracts the variety's characteristic bitter almond note and adds texture and complexity. The fermentation is stopped before all the sugar is converted to alcohol, leaving a touch of residual sweetness that balances the variety's natural bitterness and creates a wine of remarkable harmony and food-friendliness. In the glass, it is golden with amber reflections. The nose offers honey, apricot, almond, and a distinct mineral, stony note. The palate is medium-bodied, with a gentle sweetness, crisp acidity, a bitter almond finish, and a long, savoury, mineral aftertaste. It is a wine of contrast and balance — sweet and bitter, rich and fresh, ancient and modern — perfect with spicy food, aged cheeses, or simply as an aperitif on a warm afternoon. Serve at 10–12°C. Drink within 2–4 years. ~€16–€24 / ~$18–$27.

"Nostran" — The Refosco of the Julian Prealps: The Nostran is Casali Magnis's flagship red — a wine made from Refosco di Faedis, macerated for nearly two weeks, fresh and rustic, that captures the wild, untamed spirit of the Julian Prealps and the deep, earthy character of this ancient Friulian variety. The name "Nostran" means "native" or "local" — a declaration of identity and place, a wine that is not imported, not international, not fashionable, but deeply, unmistakably Friulian. Refosco di Faedis is a rustic, vigorous red grape that has been grown in the hills around Udine for centuries, producing wines of deep color, firm tannins, and a wild, earthy, almost animal character that speaks of the forests, the stones, and the cool Alpine winds of this borderland. The grapes come from the oldest vineyards, some dating back to 1974, grown on the stony, alluvial soils of Prestento. After hand-harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts, with an extended maceration of nearly two weeks that extracts color, tannin, and phenolic complexity. The wine is then aged in stainless steel or neutral vessels, preserving the primary fruit and rustic character without the softening influence of oak. In the glass, it is deep ruby with purple reflections. The nose offers black cherry, plum, wild herbs, earth, and a distinct mineral, stony note. The palate is medium-bodied, with firm tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, savoury, earthy finish that seems to echo the forests and stones of the Julian Prealps. It is a wine of authenticity and place — not polished, not refined, but real, alive, and deeply satisfying. Serve at 16–18°C. Age 3–7 years for optimal development. ~€18–€26 / ~$20–$29.

"Cabernet Franc / Merlot" — The International Varieties, Friulian Soil: Casali Magnis also produces expressions of Cabernet Franc and Merlot — international varieties that have been grown in Friuli for centuries and that, in the hands of Alina and Michele, achieve a distinctly local character, fresher, more mineral, and more savoury than their Bordeaux counterparts. The Cabernet Franc is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in stainless steel or neutral vessels, producing a wine of bright red fruit, herbaceous notes, and a distinct mineral, stony finish that speaks of the pietra piasentina soils. The Merlot, similarly, is made with minimal intervention, showcasing the variety's plummy, soft character but with a freshness and acidity that is rare in warmer-climate Merlots. Both wines are made with the same principles as the rest of the portfolio: indigenous yeasts, minimal sulfur, natural clarification, and manual bottling. They are not attempts to replicate Bordeaux or Napa, but rather explorations of how these familiar varieties can express something new and unexpected when grown on alluvial, stony soils and made with natural, hands-off techniques. In the glass, the Cabernet Franc is bright ruby with garnet reflections, offering red currant, bell pepper, wild herbs, and a mineral, stony finish. The Merlot is deep ruby with purple reflections, offering plum, blackberry, and a fresh, mineral aftertaste. Both are medium-bodied, with vibrant acidity and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 14–16°C. Drink within 3–5 years. ~€16–€24 / ~$18–$27.

Vessels & Ageing: Casali Magnis works almost exclusively with stainless steel tanks for fermentation and ageing — vessels chosen for their neutrality, their ease of cleaning, and their ability to produce wines that are fresh, pure, and expressive of primary fruit and terroir without the influence of wood or oxidation. There is no oak, no barriques, no amphorae, no concrete — just clean, simple steel that allows the grapes and the vintage to speak. The ageing periods are relatively brief, reflecting the estate's philosophy that these are wines meant to be enjoyed in their youth, when their freshness, fruit, and living, evolving character are at their peak. The result is a portfolio that is unmistakably Casali Magnis: raw, mineral, alive, and deeply connected to the alluvial soils, the pietra piasentina stone, and the natural, artisanal traditions of the Colli Orientali del Friuli.