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2018 Friuli Colli Orientali Friulano
La ViarteFormerly known as Tocai Friulano, before the Hungarians gained exclusive rights to use the “Tocai” part in the production of their famous Tokaj sweet wine, Friulano is the white grape that is for me the signature of the Friuli region. Whoever named the grape must have thought so, too. With an aroma of ripe orchard fruits, sometimes a touch of honey, the best examples, like this one, have a full, generous palate while maintaining a salty freshness on the finish. There is the faintest suggestion of hazelnut. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when the winemaker served me this alongside a generous plate of vibrant pink, freshly sliced Prosciutto di San Daniele.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Friulano |
Appellation: | Friuli Colli Orientali |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Friuli |
Producer: | La Viarte |
Vineyard: | 32-35 years, 2.97 ha |
Soil: | Eocene Marl and Sandstone |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
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First class depth and complexity on par with village level White Burgundy, but with a Friulian slant. Zingy adicity with citrus and apple notes.
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About The Producer
La Viarte
About The Region
Friuli
Friuli may be forever tied to its bland, acidic Pinot Grigios, which at one point saturated the export market, but a deeper look reveals a captivating array of unique grape-growing sites, distinctive indigenous varieties, and passionate small growers keen on preserving a rich tradition of winemaking.
Here in Italy’s northeast corner, the region is shared between the Julian Alps in the north and plains leading to the Adriatic Sea in the south, bound by the Veneto to the west and Slovenia to the east. While it is one of the wettest regions of Italy—and all of Europe, for that matter—Friuli benefits from the push-and-pull of cool air currents from the mountains meeting warmer breezes from the Adriatic. A crescent-shaped slice of foothills, where both play a role, tends to produce the region’s finest wines.
Nothing is more emblematic to Friulian wine than a crisp, peachy Ribolla Gialla served with thinly sliced prosciutto San Daniele, a local specialty. And yet, this only begins to tell the story: high-acid, mineral-driven whites from a number of local varieties including Tocai Friulano, Pinot Grigio, and Malvasia range from light and crisp to powerful and age-worthy, complementing Adriatic shellfish, hearty mountain cheeses, and everything in between. Native reds like Schioppettino, Terrano, and Refosco all have something unique to say, while there has even been significant success with French varieties like Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot, all long established in the region.
Friuli’s diversity is its strength, and it keeps us coming back for more. In fact, Kermit imported one of the region’s first organic growers toward the start of his career; our more recent collaboration with producers like Vignai da Duline is a testament to the enormous potential when devoted artisans put their hearts into Friuli’s fascinating terroir.
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236