The region covers around 120 km2 (46 sq mi) and has about 7,000 inhabitants, mostly ethnic Slovenes, with a small number of Friulian speakers in its westernmost part (in the municipality of Dolegna del Collio).
[1] In Italy, the Gorizia Hills are designated Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) and belong to the Italian wine region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Historically part of the Patria del Friuli, then later the County of Gorizia, it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy after the First World War.
While still low in comparison to the rest of Italy, the yields in the Collio Goriziano are higher than the 3.5 tons per acre average of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Today, winemaking in the region is very technologically advanced, with refrigerated fermentation tanks, pneumatic winepresses, and centrifugation bottling systems.
To that extent, oak influence is not widely used in this region, although some winemakers are experimenting with its use and different blends of grape varieties to produce more complex wine.