Friuli-Venezia Giulia is perhaps Italy’s most exciting white wine region. Its gently rolling hills and complex geology provide the perfect conditions for fresh, mineral driven wines. The key varieties are are the enticing Ribolla Gialla, the seductively smoky Tocai Friulano, and Malvasia Istriana. Sweet wines made from Verduzzo and Picolit are amongst the best Italy has to offer and compete with any passito style wine from elsewhere.
Red wines are also pretty interesting here. The region’s wealth of local varieties is a key feature. The most important are from the Refosco group, Pignolo and, as the name suggests, the razor sharp Tazzelenghe. There are even a handful of producers making special wines with completely obscure grapes such as Fumat and Curvin.
The most comprehensive appellation for demonstrating the region’s white grape diversity is Collio DOC, or Collio Goriziano as it’s sometimes referred to. Here, on the hillsides that border Slovenia, the production zone allows for sixteen different mono-varietal wines to made, the only stipulation being that they must count for at least 85% of the blend.
Home to the Friulano grape, Friuli Colli Orientali produces a number of complex white wines. It also specialises in white grapes such as Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo and Picolit.
Collio, also referred to as Collio Goriziano DOC is one of the key appellations of Friuli. Located on the border with Slovenia, it produces a range of varietal wines from local and international grapes.
Friuli DOC, or Friuli-Venezia Giulia DOC as it is sometimes referred to produces white and red wines from a number of grape varieties. It was granted from the 2017 vintage.
