Nature, Culture, and Collio: Inside Tenuta Stella’s Organic World

Perched atop the hilltops of Scriò in Dolegna del Collio—among the highest elevations in the Collio DOC of Friuli-Venezia Giulia—Tenuta Stella embodies the art of organic winemaking and the preservation of indigenous varietals. Founded in 2009 by entrepreneur Sergio Stevanato, whose family is renowned for Venetian glass craftsmanship, the estate is today guided by agronomist Alberto Faggiani and oenologist Erika Barbieri.

The estate spans roughly 30–40 hectares, of which about 15 hectares are planted with vines, while the remainder is woodland. Their vineyards rise to altitudes as high as 270 meters above sea level, and benefit from the region’s signature Ponca soil—layers of marl and sandstone that impart minerality, freshness, and longevity to the wines. The climate is shaped by the Julian Alps to the north, breezes from the Adriatic Sea, and occasional influence of the Bora wind; these forces combine to deliver cooling diurnal shifts that boost aromatic complexity and maintain balance.

Since about 2013, Tenuta Stella has adopted organic viticulture, achieving certified organic status with their first organically certified vintage released in 2016. They maintain low yields—especially for Friulano—and engage in spontaneous fermentations using indigenous yeasts; malolactic fermentation is also standard.

The variety roster centers on native grapes of Collio: Ribolla Gialla, Friulano (formerly “Tocai Friulano”), Malvasia Istriana, and smaller proportions of Pinot Nero, as well as red grapes such as Schioppettino, Pignolo, and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso. Merlot appears in their portfolio following acquisitions of neighboring vineyards in 2018 and 2022.

Environmental stewardship is baked into Tenuta Stella’s philosophy. They pursue biodiversity monitoring (including via the DiversityArk certification), use sustainable plant nutrition methods, adopt circular practices (such as composting grape pomace and minimizing waste), and design their operations to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Erika Barbieri remarks that the estate views itself “as custodians of this land”, insisting that organic practices and native varietals protect biodiversity and ensure wines that give authentic voice to Collio. CEO Alberto Faggiani echoes this mission: the goal is for each wine to act as a narrative of place, with Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, Friulano and other local grapes serving as translators of terroir.

Today, Tenuta Stella is celebrated not merely as a producer of high-quality wines, but as a living ecosystem where heritage, viticulture and biodiversity are in harmony. Each bottle is intended to carry the terrain of Collio—the soil, the altitude, the climate—and the subtle, nuanced fingerprint of its stewards.