Wines from Friuli

Light, pale golden yellow colour. Sexy aromas of tangerine, honeysuckle, crystallised ginger, minerals, apple pie and puff pastry. Big, rich and deep with impeccable balance and a very precise, multi-layered quality. The finish is long and luscious. Zitelle Durì (only 1,000 bottles) is a very special expression of a single vineyard. It achieves an impressive balance between aromatic intensity and texture. SUPERIORE.DE

In the gentle hills of Buttrio, where the history of Friulian viticulture has been engraved in the landscape for centuries, lies the "Dominin" vineyard – named after Domenico Meroi, the great-grandfather who laid the foundations for today's winery in 1920. The nickname "Dominin" became a legend, a synonym for a family tradition that Paolo Meroi is now carrying on in the fourth generation. What once began as a small farm with five hectares of Sangiovese (!), whose wine was only sold openly, has long since matured into one of the most respected names in the Colli Orientali.

Within the legendary Zitelle vineyard, the Grand Cru vineyard that Paolo Meroi acquired in 2007 and which once belonged to the old order of unmarried sisters, lies the Casa Rossa parcel – the "red house". While the Barchetta parcel, with its Ponca sandstone and red clay, stands for crisp minerality, Casa Rossa is characterised by an even more intense concentration and depth. This parcel is only vinified separately in the very best vintages and bottled as "Green Label" – merois exclusive selection of the best grapes from the premier vineyards. It is not just the terroir that speaks here, but the soul of Sauvignon Blanc.

While Barchetta and Casa Rossa in the Zitelle vineyard stand for international Sauvignon brilliance, the Duri parcel tells a completely different story – duri is the third single vineyard within the legendary Zitelle terroir, which Paolo Meroi acquired in 2007 and which once belonged to the old order of unmarried sisters. However, in contrast to the Ponca-rich parcels with their sandstone-flysch soil, the Duri has a fundamentally different soil character: clay and loam dominate here, enriched with iron, magnesium and sodium – minerals, which give the Malvasia its very own aromatic depth and opulent fullness.

An outstanding red wine with origin and personality: "Vicorosso" combines 80% Merlot with 20% Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso - a cuvée that embodies international elegance and regional expression in equal measure. The grapes come from old, slow-growing vines on the typical Ponca soils between Prepotto and Buttrio. After selective hand-picking, the wine matured for around 15 months in French barriques before harmonising for a few months in the bottle. Dense ruby red in the glass with violet reflections. The rich bouquet of black cherry, blackberry and plum is finely underpinned by violets, liquorice, tobacco leaf and graphite. The palate combines juicy fruit, fine-grained tannins and lively acidity in great balance, supported by a hint of salty minerality on the finish. The wine has a precise, compact and stimulating effect at the same time - an (almost) modern Friulian red wine with depth. SUPERIORE.DE

A red wine with energy and contour: "Rosso del Gnemiz" combines Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon – a classic cuvée that has its very own Friulian character. The grapes come from various plots around San Giovanni al Natisone, whose Ponca soils lend depth and structure. The 2022 vintage produced ripe, healthy berries that retained their tension thanks to cool nights. Brilliant ruby red in the glass with a youthful glow. The bouquet opens with fresh black cherry, sour cherry and plum, as well as herbs, tobacco, violets and a subtle graphite note. On the palate, it shows taut, juicy fruit, concise, still youthful tannins and a lively acidity that gives it a clear contour. The barrel ageing provides additional depth, but remains discreetly in the background.

Deep ruby red colour. Bright, fresh and savoury aromas and flavours of blueberries, flint, coffee and fresh herbs. Long and clean with soft tannins and very good clarity on the bright finish. A beautiful, very refined wine, characterised by its early attractiveness, but also by its velvet-pawed concentration and complexity. SUPERIORE.DE

One grape variety bears the name of its creator: in 1882, Hermann Müller crossed Riesling Renano with Madeleine Royale in Thurgau, Switzerland. The globetrotter only found his true home in the Alps – nowhere does Müller Thurgau thrive better than in the Val di Cembra, where terraced steep slopes between 500 and 800 metres above sea level combine porphyry soils with extreme day-night fluctuations. It is precisely these grapes that Nonino chooses for one of its rarest cru grape brandies. Unlike grappa, the whole fruit is distilled here – peel, pulp and juice together – using the method that Benito and Giannola Nonino invented in 1984 and christened ÙE: Friulian for grape. Fermentation takes place anaerobically in stainless steel, distillation slowly in copper steam stills.

The Collio Chardonnay Selezione with a grey label in a small edition of just 2,000 bottles is another special wine from Borgo del Tiglio, characterised by extreme varietal purity and a light, lively and airy bouquet. The wine's aromas are characterised on the one hand by fresh apricots and nectarines and on the other by creamy almond paste, preserved lemon and poached pear. The warmth of the 2023 vintage has contributed to an added textural richness that makes it a perfect match for an appetiser of escargots. SUPERIORE.DE

Reserve your best fish recipe for the Borgo del Tiglio Collio Sauvignon Selezione. It is a textbook rendition of the fragrant grape, dressed in a manner typical of Friuli. In fact, compared to Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, this region tends to produce softer wines that do not have pungent green notes. The bouquet is floral and delicate, with notes of white rose, fruit, quince and delicate lemon. There is also a very pronounced mineral note, reminiscent of crushed shells, in this edition of 1,200 bottles, which immediately transports you to the north-east of Italy. Hats off! SUPERIORE.DE

Borgo del Tiglio's Collio Rosso Riserva is a northern Italian Merlot (with the addition of 5% Cabernet Franc) and is only vinified in the best vintages. A beautiful red with a delicate personality and a resting intensity that emphasises a kind of elegance that is particularly rare for this grape variety. On the nose, redcurrant, sour cherry, blue flowers and hints of caraway and crushed linseed. A great, exceptional red wine, of which only 1,200 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE

Among the red Bordeaux grape varieties, Cabernet Franc is the most poetic: less vigour than Cabernet Sauvignon, but more fragrance, more herbs, more finesse. In Friuli, where it is rooted in the Grave soils, it has its own unique character – and it is precisely this that Nonino captures. Only Cabernet Franc grapes from the Grave del Friuli are used for this rare cru grape brandy, harvested when perfectly ripe and distilled as a whole fruit: skin, pulp and juice together, using the ÙE method invented by Benito and Giannola Nonino in 1984.

Also from Bruttrio, like the Friulano Buri Bellaria, comes the almost pure top Merlot from the Palazzolo family. The vines of the vineyard, which was formerly cultivated by Miani, are almost 100 years old and regularly produce grapes of great complexity and very fine tannins, which, however, require at least two years of ageing and refinement before the wine is bottled unfiltered. But then the wine embarks on a journey that could not be more exciting and rewarding. On the nose, we find violet flowers and lots of blue and black berries, rounded off with savoury herbs and spices. A remarkably silky, almost floating red that leads into a never-ending, fusiose final with fleshy berries, minerals and herbs. SUPERIORE.DE

Since the 2016 vintage, Livio Felluga's top wine Sossò has been maturing in the bottle for an extra year before being released for sale. This Riserva is a beautifully rich and comforting red wine that is dense on the palate, imparting pretty cherry and dark fruit flavours with plenty of spice and tobacco. The extremely articulate flavour shoulders a convincing tannin portion and yet steers into an intensely fruity final with terrificlength. The wine simply glides forward with its unique feel and a dynamism that is slow and long-lasting. SUPERIORE.DE

"Vigna Dominin" comes from a steep single vineyard with old vines that are deeply rooted in the characteristic Ponca soil. Paolo Meroi only vinifies this wine in the best years and with uncompromising precision. The 2015 vintage was characterised by a cool growing season, which gave the grapes exceptional aromatic tension and a remarkable balance of fruit, structure and acidity. After rigorous manual harvesting, the wine matured for 24 months in French barriques and was only released after several years in the bottle.

Also from Bruttrio, like the Friulano Buri Bellaria, comes the almost pure top Merlot from the Palazzolo family. The vines of the vineyard, which was formerly cultivated by Miani, are almost 100 years old and regularly produce grapes of great complexity and very fine tannins, which, however, require at least two years of ageing and refinement before the wine is bottled unfiltered. But then the wine embarks on a journey that could not be more exciting and rewarding. On the nose, we find violet flowers and lots of blue and black berries, rounded off with savoury herbs and spices. A remarkably silky, almost floating red that leads into a never-ending, fusiose final with fleshy berries, minerals and herbs. SUPERIORE.DE

Named after the estate's founder, "Dottore Palazzolo" is Ronco del Gnemiz's rarest and most characterful red wine - a cuvée with a high proportion of Merlot, complemented by Cabernet Franc, which is only produced in selected years. The grapes come from the estate's oldest plots around San Giovanni al Natisone, whose Ponca soils with their marl-sandstone structure provide depth and structure. The 2021 vintage offered an almost ideal growing season: A cool spring was followed by a stable summer with moderate temperatures and perfectly pronounced day-night fluctuations. The grapes were harvest very late and selectively in order to bring in fully ripe, aromatically dense harvest. The wine was matured traditionally with spontaneous fermentation and 24 months of ageing in French barriques, which frame the wine without dominating it.

An icon of Friuli: "Vigna Dominin" Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso comes from a single vineyard with old vines that are deeply rooted in the typical Ponca soil. Paolo Meroi brings out the best in this demanding, indigenous grape variety with a precision that few winegrowers have mastered. After strict manual harvesting, the wine is matured for 24 months in French barriques and a further year in the bottle before being released in very small quantities.

Pure Pinot Nero that is only produced in the best years. Fine, very elegant bouquet of redcurrant, blueberry and sweet spicy notes. Cool and lean on the palate, with Burgundian finesse and structure, the fruit discreetly underpinned by fine spice and wonderfully polished tannins. Long and complex with aristocratic restraint and blessed with great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE