Wine & Spirits - October 2019 - 58

YEAR'S BEST
FRIULIAN WINES

FRIULANO
272678

Our blind panels tasted 123 wines from Friuli over the past 12 months. Stephanie Johnson, our critic for Italy, rated 23 as exceptional (90+) and 14 as Best Buys. Find a complete list of wines tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com.

W HI T E S

the wine takes on air, leaving a tingling sensation on the finish. § Grand Cru Selections, NY
272441

BLENDS

91 | De Stefani

273126

92 | Livio Felluga

$55

92 | Lis Neris

$60

2016 Rosazzo Abazzia di Rosazzo ^ This
blend of Friulian varieties (friulano, pinot
bianco, sauvignon, malvasia and ribolla
gialla) balances its butterscotch richness with
fresh flavors of citrus and stone fruit. Notes
of lime pith and orange blossom give the
wine extra lift, as does the brisk salinity. § Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, Oakland, CA
272784
2016 Venezia Giulia Lis ^ Flavors of golden
apple, pear and white peach combine with
notes of toasted nuts and cream in this rich
oak-aged blend of pinot grigio, chardonnay
and sauvignon blanc. It has the potential to
gain further complexity with a year or two of
cellaring. § V.O.S. Selections, NY

$60

2017 Veneto Olmèra ^ Sixty percent of this
blend is made from friulano that's been left
to dry for a month; the concentrated juice is
then fermented and aged in barriques with
frequent lees stirring. The balance is sauvignon blanc aged in stainless-steel tanks. It's
a successful marriage, sauvignon's notes of
mandarin orange and its mouthwatering
acidity enlivening the wine's creamy texture,
the wine lasting on exotic flavors of mango
and pineapple. § Ethica Wines, San Diego, CA
273159

91 | Scarbolo

$48

2013 Venezia Giulia My Time ^ A blend of
chardonnay, sauvignon and friulano aged
in French oak tonneaux, this gold-tinted
wine offers flavors of fresh apple and peach
cushioned by a rich, creamy texture. Hints
of smoke and toasted nuts give it a pleasant
savory edge. § Soilair Selection, NY
272640

90 | Gradis'ciutta

$43

2015 Collio Bianco Riserva ^ Tropical fruit
scents lead into flavors of peach, apricot and
dried mango couched in a round, almost unctuous, texture. Ample alcohol adds warmth
and weight, balanced by saline notes that
brighten the finish. A blend of ribolla gialla,
friulano and malvasia, it should be served
well chilled with rich foods, like slow-roasted
pheasant. § Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL
272556

92 | La Tunella

$30

2017 Friuli Colli Orientali Biancosesto
(Best Buy) ^ This wine brings together the
floral and almond notes of friulano with the
racy acidity and tangy citrus flavors of ribolla
gialla. It's a lively, well-balanced blend with
a cool and zesty feel, right up through the
savory nut-skin finish. § BEVA, Randolph, NJ
273054

91 | Borgo del Tiglio

$40

2016 Collio ^ This blend of friulano, sauvignon and riesling fills its rich, round texture
with flavors of citrus, green apple and white
peach. Taut acidity draws out those flavors as
58

WINE & SPIRITS

OCTOBER 2019

CHARDONNAY
272676

92 | Meroi

$57

2017 Friuli Colli Orientali Chardonnay ^ We
tasted an impressive set of releases this year
from Paolo Meroi's Buttrio estate, including this chardonnay. Notes of vanilla, hazelnuts and spice picked up from 11 months in
new French oak barrels integrate well with
its green-apple flavors and vibrant acidity.
The wine blazes a path between Burgundy
and California chardonnay that should lead
directly to a pairing with creamy polenta. §
Artisanal Cellars, White River Junction, VT

93 | Meroi

$82

90 | Vignai da Duline

$45

90 | Lis Neris

$36

88 | Gradis'ciutta

$22

88 | La Tunella

$22

87 | Eugenio Collavini

$19

2016 Friuli Colli Orientali Zitelle Pesarin ^
After renting plots in the Zitelle vineyard for
nearly a decade, Paolo Meroi had the opportunity to acquire it in 2004. Since the plot was
large, he split the purchase with his neighbor
Enzo Pontoni of Miani, a producer of cult
status among Friulian wine lovers. Meroi
surveyed Zitelle's rock-studded clay soils and
divided his holdings into parcels, replanting
each solely to white varieties to take advantage of the site's northeast exposures. This
2016 is Meroi's first release of friulano from
the Pesarin parcel. Scented with spearmint,
lime and toasted almonds, it offers layered
flavors of spiced pear and quince that seem
to become riper as the wine rolls across the
palate. It's a bold, distinctive wine that's built
to age and will only get more interesting after
a few years in the bottle. § Artisanal Cellars,
White River Junction, VT
272386
2017 Friuli Venezia Giulia La Duline Friulano ^ Fruit culled from vines planted in
1920 and 1936 produced this sage-inflected
friulano. Cool acidity balances its creamy texture, keeping the wine light on its feet despite
its juicy peach and mango flavors. § Kermit
Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA
272785
2016 Friuli Isonzo La Vila Friulano ^ This
is intensely herbal, with scents of basil, rosemary and mint accenting brisk flavors of
golden apple and grapefruit. It finishes with
a note of white pepper. § V.O.S. Selections, NY
272246
2017 Collio Friulano (Best Buy) ^ Notes of
spearmint brighten this creamy, lightly spicy
friulano, the flavors recalling white peach
and blanched nuts. § Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL
272554
2018 Friuli Colli Orientali Friulano (Best
Buy) ^ Cool citrus notes and herbal scents
accent this wine's flavors of crisp apple and
lime pith. Fresh and zesty, it's a match for
poultry or shellfish. § BEVA, Randolph, NJ
272364
2018 Collio T-Friulano Friulano (Best
Buy) ^ Floral scents orange and peach give way
to flavors of citrus and guava tinged with bitter nut-skin. § Eugenio Collavini Viticoltori, NY
273162
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Wine & Spirits - October 2019

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