"Essence" escape: 1 night at Paraschos Agriturismo in Collio

Spend one night at Paraschos in San Floriano del Collio, among the vineyards and woods of one of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s most distinctive wine areas, just a few minutes from Gorizia and close to the Slovenian border. The family estate was founded by Evangelos Paraschos, who has worked in San Floriano since the late 1970s, and today the winery continues with the involvement of the Paraschos family.

For this "Essenza" stay, accommodation is in a double room at the family agriturismo. The rooms overlook the vineyards and surrounding woodland and include a private bathroom, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, minibar and the comforts needed for a quiet stay in the Collio countryside. Breakfast is included and features a sweet selection with homemade-style muffins, crostata, fresh seasonal fruit such as cherries, butter and other breakfast accompaniments, served in the peaceful setting of the agriturismo.

The wine experience included in the package is The Table in the Tavern, held in the winery’s tavern and guided personally by Jannis or Alexis Paraschos, making this a true family-led tasting rather than a generic cellar visit.

Seated together around the table, you taste 5 Paraschos wines, selected from the current range according to availability. The sequence is designed to tell the story of the winery itself: it begins with two historic labels that have represented Paraschos for more than a decade, continues with two wines linked to more recent ideas and approaches, and concludes with a red wine.

The tasting can include wines from Collio DOC and Venezia Giulia IGT, produced from grapes such as Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon and Merlot. Paraschos is particularly known for long skin contact, spontaneous fermentations and extended ageing, giving many of its whites the deeper colour and texture associated with the orange-wine tradition of the Collio.

Among the wines that express this philosophy are Ribolla Gialla, fermented with its skins and aged in large Slavonian oak, and Not Pinot Grigio, a 100% Pinot Grigio whose skin contact gives it an intense copper-to-amber colour. Ponka brings together several white grapes traditionally grown in the Collio, while Skala, made from Merlot vines that can reach considerable age, shows the deeper red side of the estate after long ageing in oak. These labels describe the character of the Paraschos range; the exact five wines poured are chosen by the family according to availability.

The 5 wines are accompanied by a generous selection of local products, including prosciutto crudo, salami, mortadella, assorted local cheeses and bread or crackers. These simple Friulian flavours are served at the table alongside the wines, giving the tasting a strong connection with the food traditions of the Collio area.

The rest of your stay is free, giving you time to explore San Floriano del Collio, Gorizia and the surrounding cross-border wine country before returning to the vineyards for the night.