Country: Italy

Region: Friuli Venezia Giulia

Vintage: 2022

Cépage: Sauvignon Blanc(100%)

Size: 750 ml

Rating(s): 90 (JS)

Friuli is an ideal region for growing white wine grapes like Sauvignon Blanc. It is protected by the Alps to the north and receives the sea breeze from the Adriatic Sea in the south. The favorable conditions were known even in Roman times when the region was devoted to winemaking.

The gravelly, sandy subsoil of Friuli forces the roots of the vine to grow deep into the earth in search of water. As the vine struggles, its fruit grows richer, resulting in full, well-structured wine with remarkable minerality. Select handpicked grapes of optimum ripeness are gently pressed immediately after harvest and undergo a cold-temperature fermentation in stainless steel tanks. As there is no malolactic fermentation or oak aging, the finished wine is a beautiful expression of the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

This lovely Italian expression of Sauvignon Blanc is straw colored in the glass, with matchstick, peach, tangerine, celery leaf and chive aromas. On the palate, it is medium bodied, with a firm round mouthfeel, and medium-plus acidity. It is dry and has good balance. There are flavors of white peach, flinty minerality, pink grapefruit, gooseberries, and fresh green herbal notes.

James Suckling (JS)