the vertical ] DAMIJAN THE MAN OF MONTE CALVARIO [by Vladimiro Tulisso ] One of the bloodiest theatres of the First World War has been transformed by Damijan into land capable of producing wines of remarkable intensity, thanks to the recovery of numerous abandoned plots. The story of one of the most significant trajectories in the rebirth of Collio wine The story of Monte Calvario and the winery of Damijan Podversic represents a remarkable example of resilience and renewal. The bond between this place and the winemaker is not merely geographical, but deeply philosophical and spiritual. Monte Calvario, near Gorizia, was one of the most brutal theatres of the First World War. During the Battles of the Isonzo, the hill was completely devastated and turned into a lunar landscape of trenches and ruins. For decades, the site bore the scars of destruction. Yet the geological nature of the soil thanks to the ponca composed of Eocene sandstones and marls has preserved an extraordinary viticultural potential. Winemaker Damijan Podversic chose not to see Monte Calvario merely as a memorial to the past, but as a fertile ground for the future. Through his winery, he has reclaimed abandoned plots, often difficult to cultivate due to steep slopes and encroaching woodland. This is something 90 has battled for years in order to recover land and restore it to vineyard use. Not a clearing of trees, but a harmonious coexistence: the forest is not an obstacle, but a vital lung that ensures the biodiversity necessary for the health of the vines. Telling Damijan Podversic s story means entering one of the most significant trajectories in the rebirth of Collio wine a borderland where identity, culture and landscape merge inseparably. But it also means recounting a human journey shaped by radical choices, decisive encounters and a gradual awakening that has led to the definition of a style that is now both recognisable and influential. Damijan was born and raised in the Collio, in a family tied to the land and to viticulture. Like many winemakers in the area, his first relationship with wine was practical and everyday, far removed from any ideological construction: it was work, effort, seasonality. Yet it is precisely in this context that he developed a particular sensitivity towards the vineyard, understood not merely as a means of production, but as an ecosystem to be understood and respected. An example? His definition of the harvest: It is the day of sowing. The vine feels ready to separate from its fruit and seeds in order to prolong its existence over time. It is a vision of plant life that projects its future through an unceasing rhythm marked by the seasons. Once in the cellar, the fruit in turn begins the life cycle of wine, starting with fermentation ( gestation , as Damijan calls it), followed by weaning through the transformative process of malolactic fermentation, and finally maturation . In the new winery, carved into the hillside and conceived with the precision of an architecture that prioritises wind direction, materials and different depth levels so that the wine can move by gravity rather than being forced by pumps Damijan approaches production without anxiety, knowing that nature will provide the necessary signals: Wine is a spiritual beverage that requires its own time, he explains. First, the vine s timing must be respected, as it needs to ripen the seed. In the cellar, the gestation period must be respected as well. Then comes maturation. Finally, time is needed for ageing, so that the wine can find its balance. Damijan also extended the period of his own formation. He recalls: When I started the winery, I had already been working in the vineyard for ten years, but until then I had only sold grapes. In 1998, I produced my first bottles of Collio Bianco, blending Chardonnay, Tocai Friulano and Malvasia aged in barrique. My mentors were extraordinary winemakers such as Nicola Manferrari, Josko Gravner and Mario Schiopetto key figures in Italian oenology. He observes, learns and internalises. It is a crucial phase, as it allows him to question the dominant production model of the Collio at the time, oriented towards technically impeccable but often standardised white wines, focused on aromatic freshness and immediacy. His relationship with his mentors does not lead to passive imitation. Damijan develops his own critical autonomy. While he shares the need to return to more respectful and less invasive practices, he also feels the necessity to find his own measure a personal balance between radicalism and readability. The decision to found his own winery stems precisely from this need for self-determination. From the outset, Podversic establishes a number of principles that still define his work today. In the vineyard, attention is paramount: respectful agronomic practices, low yields, careful grape selection ( For every three harvesters, there is a fourth person responsible for checking the cleanliness of the bunch as it is cut from the vine ). The goal is not quantity, but the quality of the raw material, seen as the essential condition for minimal intervention in the cellar. In 1999 came his first pure Ribolla Gialla, with around a thousand bottles produced. It is in the cellar, however, that the most defining choice emerges: the systematic adoption of skin maceration even for white wines represents a decisive break. For Damijan, maceration is not a stylistic provocation, but a tool to restore integrity to wine. The skins become a vehicle of substance, bringing tannin, complexity and ageing potential. The wine gains a broader dimension, less tied to aromatic expression and more oriented towards texture and depth. Yet the approach is cautious: it is only in 2003 that maceration is extended until the completion of malolactic fermentation, when lactic bacteria contribute longevity and a silky texture that balances the tannic structure derived from the skins. Time stretches: macerations can last weeks or months, and ageing continues for long periods in large casks. Fermentations are spontaneous, without the use of selected yeasts. Control is not entrusted to technology, but to observation and experience. The result is a style that privileges authenticity and coherence. In the glass, Damijan s wines are distinguished by a strong material character. The whites range in colour from deep gold to amber, with complex aromatic profiles often marked by notes of ripe fruit, aromatic herbs, spices and resins. On the palate, tannins are integrated into a broad structure supported by marked salinity, typical of Collio soils. Oxidation is integrated, contributing to the wine s stability and its evolution over time. These are wines that demand attention, time and a willingness to listen. Ribolla Gialla whose vintages have been tasted and described by sommelier Gianluca Castellano in the following pages perhaps represents the most complete synthesis of the estate s philosophy: a historic, neutral grape that, through maceration, acquires depth and remarkable ageing potential. A wine in which time, matter and territory are the true protagonists. 91