I’m a member of the Dutch affiliation of wine connoisseurs (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland). As a member of the journey committee of the VVN, I set up wine journeys to Italy along with Fred Nijhuis. Final yr the journey to Campania was the primary tour I organized. This yr we’re going to Friuli, within the north-east of Italy, on the border with Slovenia. Friuli was a part of Austria, and most of it turned a part of Italy after World Struggle I. Friuli has its personal identification with its personal tradition and language, which can also be noticeable within the wines. The standard and elegance of winemaking are generally extra Austrian than Italian. Friuli is thought for its prime quality of white wines, which have been produced there for the reason that Nineteen Seventies when in the remainder of Italy the white wines have been nonetheless fairly ‘rustic’. Of the 25 Friulan wines which have gained tre bicchieri within the Vini d’Italia 2025 information by Gambero Rosso, 24 are white. Friuli produces 9% of all DOC(G) wine in Italy, whereas Friuli solely produces 4% of all Italian wine.
We begin our tour of Friuli with Friuli Graves, the biggest subzone of Friuli. It’s dominated (and has been formed) by the river Tagliamento. This can be a very extensive river: the dikes are 2 km (1.4 miles) aside. The river has not been urbanized, so annually it chooses its personal path to the ocean, abandoning sand and pebbles. Thus the realm has a thick layer of these, which implies that rain will drain shortly deep into the bottom. The identify “Grave” refers to this gravel, identical to the Bordeaux appellation Graves. In the summertime the river seems to be empty, however then the water will nonetheless run underground. This implies the vines should root deeply to get to the water. The flat sandy and gravelly soil is usually suited to white wines. In direction of the coast there’s limestone, that forces the water to return to the floor, making it extra fertile. That space is extra appropriate for Friulano and pink wines.
One other issue that’s necessary for the terroir of Friuli Grave is the wind. The closeness of the Alps to the ocean creates a relentless sea breeze. This breeze is ideal to dry the well-known prosciutto from San Daniele, nevertheless it additionally helps to dry the vines after the frequent rain showers within the space.
Greater than 80% of the wine from Friuli is white. Within the Nineteen Sixties it was nonetheless 60% Merlot, however the space is extra appropriate for whites and the demand for pink wine (together with Merlot) has descreased. This yr the Merlot subsequent to the Pitars vineyard was changed with white varieties. In Friuli Grave DOC white wines are produced from Chardonnay, Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Verduzzo Friulano. In addition to reds from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero, and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso. Friulano is probably the most well-known grape number of Friuli. It was known as Tokai or Tokai Friulano till Hungary joined the European Union, when Hungary claimed the identify Tokai as a result of it has a geographical space with that identify. The Italians realized from this and created the brand new Prosecco DOC in 2009, encompassing each Friuli and Veneto. The identify Prosecco was linked to the grape selection known as Prosecco, however now they began calling the grape selection Glera, and linked the identify of the DOC to the city additionally known as Prosecco in Friuli. Although the basic space for producing Prosecco is round Valdobbiadene in Veneto (now for Prosecco with a DOCG). This determination brought on huge business success, as a result of now 700 million of bottles of Prosecco are produced annually.
Pitars
The primary vineyard we go to in Friuli Grave is Pitars. This can be a household enterprise of Bruno Pitaro and has household. Pitars is the Friulan spelling of (the plural of) Pitaro. Pitas has 190 hectares (470 acres) of vineyards and produces 1 million bottles per yr. The Pitaro household has lived on this space for the reason that 1500s.
Bruno Pitaro can also be the president of the Consorzio di Tutela Vini DOC Friuli Grave. He confirmed us across the vineyard.
It was constructed utilizing recycled supplies from the realm (together with the chairs within the tasting room), to mix in with the atmosphere. They don’t use malolactic for white wines to maintain the wines recent, and limit the usage of sulfites.
Nicola, son of Bruno, continued the presentation. He defined that the Pitars domesticate their very own yeast along with an organization from Navarra (Spain). This provides the wine their very own character, moderately than utilizing business yeast that makes all wines style the identical.
At Pitars we tasted the next wines:
- Ribolla Gialla Spumante Brut (charmat methodology for six months, 8 grams residual sugar): recent and fruity, however extra construction than a Prosecco
- Ribolla Gialla Spumante Further Brut 2023 (charmat methodology for 9 months, 4 grams residual sugar): earthy, dry.
- Ribolla Gialla IGT Venezia Giulia 2024 (Ribolla Gialla DOC solely allowed in Collio)
- Friuli Friulano DOC 2024: frivolously fragrant, grass.
- Friuli Malvasia DOC 2024: extra physique and construction, white fruit, almond end.
- Friuli Sauvignon Blanc DOC 2023: restrained nostril and creamy for a SB.
- Friuli Sauvignon Blanc DOC 2024: basic SB aromas of inexperienced apple, grass, and grapefruit, crisp.
- Friuli Sauvignon Blanc DOC 2018: golden coloration, developed, mineral, oily, honey.
- Friuli Refosco DOC 2021 (with a machine solely ripe berries are harvested with out the stems, ganimede methodology for winemaking to extract coloration and tannins in a delicate manner): recent, gentle tannins.
- Friuli Refosco DOC 2018 (harvested on October 26, a lot later than different vintages as a result of normally it’s required to reap earlier than it rains an excessive amount of, 24 months American oak): very ripe fruit, advanced.
Le Monde
The Le Monde vineyard was based in 1970, however the present house owners acquired it in 2008. It’s a household enterprise that produces 800,000 bottles per yr from 125 hectares (300 acres) of vineyards, 20 totally different labels. Giovanni Brumat confirmed us round and defined that the identify sounds French however isn’t; Le Monde is the native identify of the realm. The soil right here is clay and limestone. They don’t use chemical compounds within the winery, however they don’t seem to be licensed natural due to the paperwork that will be concerned.
The wines we tasted at Le Monde have been:
- Pinot Nero rosé spumante (charmat methodology for 4 months, 5 grams/litre residual sugar): mild coloration, fruity, dry, gentle mousse, good end.
- Friuli Pinot Bianco DOC 2024 (10% in oak, 90% chrome steel): contact of oak, pear, construction.
- Pratum Friuli Chardonnay DOC 2022 (not launched but, fermented half in oak and half in metal, then 1 yr oak, adopted by 1 yr metal): oak not but built-in (wants extra time within the bottle), full-bodied however nice freshness.
- La Ponca Collio Malvasia DOC 2022 (50% used oak, 50% metal): mineral, physique, construction, salty, almond end, recent.
- Friuli Cabernet Franc DOC 2022: inexperienced bell pepper, recent, gentle tannins.
Ristorante Rosenbar
We ended the day with a dinner at Ristorante Rosenbar, the place we loved:
- Vegetable polpettine with cream of Montasio cheese and sclopit greens
- Crimson mullet sandwich with salad of zucchini and almonds
- Marinated anchovies with salad of tomato, olives, and capers
- Maccheroni pasta with ragù of mussels, calamari, and prawns
- Sardine skewer with inexperienced beans
- Gibanica (native dessert) with strawberries and cream
After all there was wine as properly. The Paraschos vineyard was type of sufficient to allow us to style their Sauvignon and Friulano. They have been each pure wines, ‘however’ very good. We additionally had Sharis by Livio Felluga, a mix of Chardonnay and Ribolla Gialla. And eventually we had the Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia IGT 2016 by Gravner, an exquisite wine made with pores and skin maceration, with nice complexity and stability.
