After the end of the Second World War, many Italian vineyards, particularly in the north, were abandoned as families relocated to the cities seeking greater stability and the job security provided by the manufacturing sector. Despite the advantages that city life can provide, Paolino Comelli lived his life with a deep understand that the land never betrays. With this conviction, in 1946, Paolino began to acquire vineyards in the eastern hillsides of Fruili-Venezia-Giulia near the village of Colloredo di Soffumbergo, where he saw great potential.

Grape growing in the Friuli Colli Orientali dates to Roman times when Julius Caesar founded the village of Cividale del Friuli in 53 B.C. Today, these hillsides are some of the most prized in all of Friuli. The region’s eastern hills are located between the Southern Limestone Alps to the north, and the Adriatic Sea to the south, with the Slovenian border to the east. The vineyards sit at a higher altitude than what is typical in Friuli, ranging from 90 to 250 meters above sea level. The microclimate here is characterized by the large diurnal shift in temperatures, resulting higher acidities and aromatics in the wines. The local term for the soils in the Colli Orientali is known as ponca: a mix of marl and sandstone with marine fossil deposits, with a greater proportion of limestone in higher elevations. 

Azienda Agricola Comelli Paolino consists of 12 hectares of vineyards planted mainly using guyot training systems on the terraced hillsides of Friuli Colli Orientali. The combination of the poor, limestone-rich soils, and the high-density planting of their vines, result in wines with great depth and concentration. Paolino’s love for the land was infectious, and his son, Pierluigi took over the estate in the 1980s. Today, third-generation Filippo and Nicola, grandsons of Paolino, manage the estate.