96 points Wine Advocate
Drink Date: 2026 - 2038
The Borgo del Tiglio 2024 Collio Studio di Bianco, a blend of Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling Renano, reflects both the history and evolution of the estate, with fruit sourced from a vineyard acquired in 1989, though the modern form of this blend only began to take shape in the late 1990s. In this warm vintage, the wine shows notable substance and body, which is why it was positioned at the end of the white lineup in our tasting, just before the reds. Its enriched texture sets it apart within the portfolio. After barrique aging, time in stainless steel was shortened by two to three weeks before bottling, a decision that helps prevent the wine from shutting down and preserves its expressive openness. Recent heavy rains in November 2025 caused two small landslides on the terraces now under repair, prompting proprietor Nicola Manferrari to remark that the work to restore this vineyard is “a return to the viticulture of the past.”

95 points Vinous
Drink Date: 2026–2036
Spicy to the core, the 2023 Studio di Bianco mixes ginger shavings with citrus zest, stone dust and young grapefruit to form its compelling bouquet. It is elegant in feel, silken and serene, with white pit fruits swirling across a wave of tantalizing acidity, as a core of saline minerals adds a salty resonance toward the close. The 2023 cleans up beautifully, long and crisp yet structured, leaving nuances of green melon and young kiwi as the palate remains clenched, begging for another sip. This is an expertly tailored Studio di Bianco. Production was reduced by 40% because of challenging conditions during the season. - By Eric Guido, October 2025

The flagship white wine of Borgo del Tiglio, Studio di Bianco is Nicola Manferrari's “study in white” and the culmination of more than three decades of work in a single vineyard in Ruttars. The wine blends Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling Renano, roughly 50% Friulano with the balance divided between Sauvignon and Riesling. Rather than trying to showcase the individual personality of each grape, Nicola's goal is exactly the opposite: the three varieties work together to express the vineyard, vintage and terroir. Friulano provides body and texture, Sauvignon brings aromatic complexity and freshness, and Riesling contributes acidity and structure. The wine is only produced in good vintages and is fermented and aged for approximately nine months in small French oak barrels.

This is unquestionably one of the most serious white wines of Friuli and a wine built not simply to impress young, but to evolve for many years in the bottle.

Our Take: This is serious, world-class white wine, and easily one of the greatest examples of just how complex and age-worthy the white wines of Friuli can be. Bright golden-straw in color, the nose is pronounced, deep and complex, with white peach, quince and ripe pear layered with white flowers, dried herbs, mint, beeswax, toasted almond and crushed stone. The palate is full-bodied and beautifully textured, with tremendous depth and concentration from the warm 2024 vintage, yet medium-plus to high acidity keeps the wine energetic and remarkably balanced. The flavors are intense and layered, moving from ripe orchard and stone fruit into citrus, herbs, almond and a deep mineral/saline character, while the barrel fermentation adds richness and breadth without obscuring the vineyard. The finish is exceptionally long, savory and mineral, with lingering citrus, herbs, toasted almond and crushed stone. This has the weight and textural depth of great white Burgundy, but the combination of aromatics, salinity and savory complexity is unmistakably Friulian. It is a wine that is impressive now, but I would expect it to become considerably more complex with bottle age.

• Varieties: Approximately 50% Friulano, 25% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Riesling Renano
• Appellation: Collio DOC
• Wine: The flagship white wine of Borgo del Tiglio, produced only in good vintages
• Meaning of the Name: Studio di Bianco translates essentially to “Study in White,” reflecting Nicola's decades-long experimentation with the vineyard, varieties and final blend
• Vineyard: A specific parcel within Borgo del Tiglio's Ruttars property, acquired by Nicola Manferrari in 1989
• Estate Acquisition: Nicola purchased approximately 5 hectares on the southeast-facing hillside of Ruttars in 1989 and began experimenting with the varieties already planted there
• Studio Vineyard: Approximately 1 hectare, with the varieties planted together within the site
• Exposure: Southeast-facing hillside
• Varieties in the Vineyard: Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling Renano, grown together to express the site rather than being treated simply as three independent varietal wines
• Soils: Classic Collio Ponca/Flysch, composed of alternating layers of marl and sandstone
• Blend Philosophy: Friulano contributes body, texture and power; Sauvignon Blanc brings aromatic complexity and freshness; Riesling Renano contributes acidity and structure
• Harvest: Hand harvested with extremely careful selection of the fruit
• Co-Harvest Philosophy: Sauvignon is allowed to ripen later than would normally be expected so it can be harvested alongside the later-ripening Friulano and Riesling, helping the three varieties behave as a single expression of the vineyard rather than three distinct grapes
• Winemaking: Extremely gentle pressing, followed by fermentation in small oak barrels
• Malolactic Fermentation: Yes
• Élevage: Approximately 9 months in 250-liter French oak barrels
• 2024 Élevage Detail: Following barrel aging, the estate shortened the usual time in stainless steel by approximately two to three weeks before bottling, helping preserve the wine's openness and expression
• Alcohol: Approximately 14%
• Production: Naturally very limited because of the tiny vineyard and rigorous selection
• Serving: I would serve this around 12–14°C / 54–57°F, rather than refrigerator-cold, and give it plenty of air when young
• Aging Potential: Exceptional. Studio di Bianco is built for extended bottle aging; while delicious young with air, this is absolutely a wine worth cellaring for 10+ years
• Food Pairing: This is powerful enough for serious food: white truffles, lobster or lobster risotto, roasted poultry or guinea hen, rich seafood, aged Parmigiano and dishes incorporating ginger all make sense with its combination of texture, aromatics and acidity

The Ruttars Vineyard & the Birth of Studio di Bianco

The story begins on Easter Monday in 1989, when Nicola Manferrari completed the purchase of five hectares on the southeast-facing hillside of Ruttars. Rather than looking at the different grape varieties planted there and immediately deciding which one belonged where, Nicola began experimenting. He vinified the old vines separately, studied how each variety behaved in the site and gradually worked toward a blend that could express the vineyard more completely than any one grape could on its own.

Over the following vintages, the formula gradually settled around 50% Friulano, 25% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Riesling Renano. By the 1996 vintage, Nicola felt that both the varietal combination and the cellar approach had crystallized into the wine we essentially know today.

That is really the key to understanding Studio di Bianco. It isn't supposed to taste like Friulano plus Sauvignon plus Riesling. Nicola deliberately harvests the Sauvignon quite ripe so it can be processed alongside the later-ripening varieties. This diminishes some of Sauvignon's obvious varietal character and allows the three grapes to speak more as one vineyard and one wine.

Why Studio di Bianco Is Different

There is a hierarchy between Milleuve, Collio Bianco and Studio di Bianco, but Studio is much more than simply the richest or most expensive selection.

Nicola's objective was to create something closer to a cru: a wine whose identity ultimately comes from its vineyard rather than the name of a grape variety. That's an unusual idea in Friuli, where many of the region's most famous whites historically built their identities around Friulano, Sauvignon, Chardonnay or Malvasia.

Studio di Bianco turns that idea around. The grape varieties are tools for expressing the vineyard. Friulano supplies the flesh and texture; Sauvignon supplies aromatic lift; Riesling supplies acidity and structure. None is supposed to dominate.

That philosophy also explains why Studio di Bianco is only produced in good vintages. After the selection for Studio is made, wine from the Ruttars vineyard that doesn't go into the flagship is blended with Friulano, Sauvignon and Riesling from the estate's other vineyards to make Collio Bianco. In other words, Collio Bianco gives you a glimpse into the Studio philosophy, while Studio di Bianco is the complete expression Nicola is trying to achieve.

The 2024 looks particularly compelling because it was a warm vintage, giving Studio considerable body and textural richness, yet the Sauvignon and Riesling components provide the acidity and freshness necessary to hold everything together. Wine Advocate's 96-point rating reinforces what this wine has become: not simply one of Borgo del Tiglio's best wines, but one of the benchmark serious white wines of Italy.