On January 24, a sculpture by acclaimed Friulian artist Giorgio Celiberti was installed outside the Gradis’ciutta winery in San Floriano del Collio, Italy, marking the symbolic start of the yearlong celebration of Gorizia and Nova Gorica as the 2025 European Capital of Culture. This sculpture is one of four monumental stelae by Celiberti placed on both sides of the Italian-Slovenian border, reinforcing the cultural unity and shared heritage of the Collio and Brda regions.
Located at Gradis’ciutta, which promoted and organized the initiative, the stele stands as a tribute to the longstanding ties between Italy and Slovenia. Celiberti’s tall, engraved sculptures reflect the power of the written word and its role as a signature of community, dialogue, and peace. The remaining stelae were placed in Nova Gorica, Gorizia, and in front of the Ferdinand winery, underscoring the project’s cross-border spirit.
“Welcoming a work of such value into our winery is not only an honour but a further step towards strengthening the bond among art, wine and territory,” said Robert Princic, owner of Gradis’ciutta.
The unveiling brought together regional leaders and winemakers, including mayors Rodolfo Ziberna and Samo Turel, as well as Princic and Matjaž Četrtič, co-creators of the Sinefinis wine project. Created seventeen years ago, Sinefinis—which means “without borders”—unites Italian and Slovenian grapes to produce cross-border sparkling wines made from Ribolla Gialla (Rumena Rebula), a variety emblematic of the region.
The project blends tradition with innovation and uses wine as a vehicle to promote cultural exchange. Its collaboration with Celiberti marks a continuation of this mission, elevating the wines through shared values of beauty, unity, and sustainability. “The stele placed at Gradis’ciutta is not only a monument, but a tangible symbol of our vision: transforming borders into bridges,” said Princic.
As Gorizia and Nova Gorica embark on their European Capital of Culture year, Sinefinis and its artistic counterpart stand as enduring examples of what collaboration across borders can achieve—not just in viticulture, but in shaping a shared European identity rooted in art, community, and culture.