Friulano (once referred to as Tocai Friulano) is not the most planted grape in Collio.

In terms of surface area, it has long since been overtaken by Pinot Grigio, which according to the latest figures represents a 25% share of the grapes grown in the DOC.

Friulano, on the other hand, accounts for only 15% of the total, and with its 185 hectares ranks only third in the DOC hierarchy.

However, while it might not stack up the numbers in terms of total surface area, it is the most widely diffused variety – it is the one that every producer has, and the one with which Collio has always identified most closely.

While the Pinot Grigio from Collio travels the world, Friulano is a classic example of what used to be known as a ‘vino tipico’, a wine from a native variety with a long tradition and a distinctive character, but often with the commercial handicap of a predominantly local consumption.

You will find it chalked up on the board of every osteria in the province of Gorizia, but you are less likely to see it on wine lists outside the region.

Market research commissioned by the Collio consorzio in 2025 revealed that 40% of the Italians interviewed had never heard of Friulano, and a further 25% said they recognised the name but were not aware that the wine was produced in the Collio.

Friulano deserves better, because it has all the positives of a ‘vino tipico’: great personality, great sense of place, and producers who make it with passion and commitment.

Friulano's origins

The Italian origins of Friulano are shrouded in mystery, but they are relatively recent.

Little was written about this variety, commonly referred to as ‘Tokaj’ or ‘Tokay’, until the early- to mid-20th century, when it was found growing in the eastern plains of the Veneto and later in the hills of Friuli.

It was only in 1933 that the ampelographer Giovanni Dalmasso proposed the name, ‘Tocai Friulano’, to distinguish it from the Tokaj/Tokay (Friulano) grown in the near-by Veneto (where it is also still grown).

All the texts of the period refer to it as a foreign variety, but none hazard a guess at its origins.

That part of the mystery was resolved in the 1980s by the researchers Antonio Calò and Angelo Costacurta, who discovered that Friulano was none other than the Sauvignonasse or Sauvignon Vert once grown in Bordeaux, but long since abandoned in France.

How it got to Italy, perhaps nobody will ever know.

Style and character

Friulano is a vigorous variety, fairly resistant to most vine diseases, but due to its thin skins is terribly susceptible to harvest-time botrytis in rainy vintages.

It is potentially generous in its yields, and needs to be contained by short pruning and planting on lean hillside sites.

Picked at full ripeness and vinified conventionally, it makes a wine with delicate fruit, floral aromas which recall acacia and lime blossom, and a fingerprint note of bitter almonds.

It tends to have relatively low total acidity and high pH, with medium to high alcohol, all of which combine to give a glossy texture which is balanced by the minerally finish typical of the wines of the Collio.

The variety is very sensitive to location and harvest timing: higher, cooler slopes and earlier picking bring out the fresher, more Sauvignon-like side of its character, while warmer sites favour wines with more richness on the palate.

For the former style, look to producers from villages such as Ruttars and Dolegna; and for the riper, fuller-bodied wines, Capriva and Cormons.

And the perfect balance of the two? Perhaps the hilltop village of San Floriano.

Evolution

Collio is evolving, and Friulano with it. A young generation of producers is coming to the fore, (the newly-elected president of the producers’ consortium, Luca Raccaro, is the youngest ever in the role at 34) bringing with it new ideas.

Some of this change is seen in the new approach to vinification. The use of maceration for shorter or longer periods is increasing and this has prompted the recent decision to introduce the wording ‘Vino da Uve Macerate’ on the label.

The naturally gentle tannins of Friulano make it an ideal candidate for the style.

In another direction, there are producers who are moving to align with contemporary trends, aiming for a more reductive less aromatic style that’s drier, tighter, more mineral, and lower in alcohol.

These examples make a break from the rich and fleshy Friulano of local traditions.

Friulano and friends

But what if Friulano’s true vocation was not as a monovarietal at all, but as a component in a blend of local grapes? In the original DOC of 1968, headline billing was given to Collio Bianco – or simply Collio – a blend of Friulano with fellow native varieties Ribolla Gialla and Malvasia Istriana.

This time-honoured combination saw Friulano contribute the body, Ribolla the acidity, and Malvasia the structure and aroma.

The production norms were liberalised in the 1990s to allow producers to use any blend of non-aromatic grapes in a personalised estate wine, which had a logic in the international super-wine context of the period, but sacrificed any sense of place.

Those same norms remain in place today, but there are moves to find a path back to the original formula.

The impetus has come largely from a group of young producers who have agreed a protocol for a traditional blend consisting of a minimum 50% Friulano, complemented by Ribolla and Malvasia, aged for at least 18 months, and labelled with the phrase ‘Da Uve Autoctone’ (From Local Grapes).

The project currently has a dozen adherents, who between them produce between 110,000 and 120,00 bottles, a number which is beginning to give visibility to the group’s instantly recognisable labels.

Whether as a monovarietal or in a blend that highlights the terroir of the Collio, recent tastings confirm that Friulano has the quality and the character to play a leading role in the future of the DOC, not only at local level, but in much wider contexts.

Get a taste for Friulano with these 20 wines

Collio, a strip of land in the far northeastern corner of Italy, a border area, a crossroads of peoples, cultures, history and languages.

Sometimes referred to as Collio Goriziano after its main city, Gorizia, but usually simply called, Collio (and not to be confused with Colli Orientali del Friuli), the region is a key DOC within the broader area of Friuli-Venezia Giuli, and one of Italy’s easternmost wine regions.

Termed the ‘Gorizia garden’ because the producers treat the vineyards as they would their own gardens, Collio is a crescent-shaped hilly area located between the Adriatic Sea to the south and the Julian Alps to the north; bounded by the river Judrio to the west and the Isonzo to the east, with its northern edge comprising the border with Slovenia.

It enjoys an ideal microclimate in terms of ventilation and temperature range, with warm weather influences arising from the Adriatic and the Alps protect from colder weather intruding from the north.

Summers are not too scorchingly hot, nor are winters too bitterly cold.

The area also has a particular soil type: a marly-arenaceous flysch, known locally as ponca. This alternation of sandstone and marl gives the wines their unmistakable characteristics: notable sapidity, structure, freshness and longevity.

A land of white wines

The site of ferocious and bloody battles between the Italians and Austro-Hungarians during the First World War, today the peace and beauty of this unspoilt and authentic landscape is striking. There is no single-crop agriculture among these hills and the view stretches across rivers, mountains, pastures and woods.

The annual ‘Collio Evolution’ event – organised by the Collio producers’ consortium – is a tasting focused on the grape variety Friulano, the denomination’s native grape par excellence.

Collio is a land of white wines (and increasingly skin contact/orange wines as well), 89% of the production area is given over to white varieties.

Friulano is one of the standard bearers, but Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Ribolla Gialla and Malvasia Bianca are also widely planted. What few reds there are tend to be based around Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

While the region was pivotal in the popular rebirth of Italian white wines more than half a century ago, a subsequent downturn saw the denomination being overtaken by others.

However, Collio has everything it takes to regain its rightful place at the top of Italian white wines. Below are five examples made from Friulano that show what the region has to offer.

Collio: Five to try

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Back in the 1970s, Friuli-Venezia Giulia was hailed as ‘the promised land’ for Italy’s burgeoning fine white wine scene.

Winemakers such as Silvio Jermann and Mario Schiopetto, having embraced modern winemaking philosophy and new technology, became legends.

Such privileged status continues today, at least at national level; for now, the area’s wines remain less well known further afield.

Scroll down to see Michael Garner’s top 18 native white wines from Friuli-Venezia Giulia

About 75% of production here is white, and while Friuli might be best known for its excellent and distinctive Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon, the region’s talented winemakers are now gaining a reputation for varieties regarded as native.

Four in particular stand out: Friulano, Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and Vitovska.

Across the region’s four DOCG and 12 DOC areas, these account for about 14% of vineyard plantings.

Friulano

Friulano (Sauvignonasse in Chile, Sauvignon Vert in Bordeaux) is clearly the ‘favourite child’, with almost 9.5% of plantings.

A versatile grape, Friulano works well as a fresh, young varietal; the red apple and yellow peach fruit characters have mineral and saline notes, supported by a juicy freshness and silky palate.

Extra time on the lees and/or judicious ageing in wood (preferably the traditional oak or chestnut botti) develops extra intensity, bringing candied and preserved fruit tones as well as rich, savoury leesy qualities. Friulano is capable of ageing well – up to 10 years in some cases.

Malvasia Istriana

Malvasia Istriana, with about 1.5% of vineyard plantings, remains an enigma.

The most distinctive of the various Malvasia varieties, it is characterised by pronounced mineral aromas and flavours.

Good Malvasia Istriana will be firm-bodied, with a f loral-toned, white peach character and a sharp, Seville orange-like acidity. Developing well in bottle over three or four years, it can take on almost Riesling-like notes.

Ribolla Gialla

Ribolla Gialla (about 3% of plantings in Collio and Colli Orientali, where it has DOC status) swims against the tide. Whereas most of the region’s white wines are rich and ripe, strong on texture, aroma and flavour, Ribolla Gialla is much lighter-bodied, with higher than average acidity.

Best drunk young, a typical version shows notes of white pepper, turmeric root and spring f lowers with hints of Asian pear and fragrant lemon. Such delicacy requires careful wood treatment, if any.

Vitovska

Lean, lithe and full of vigour, Vitovska is made in tiny quantities only in the Carso area but is nonetheless worth seeking out.

A classic Vitovska has remarkable freshness, with smoky and limey mineral notes, lively acidity, and a saline finish.

It’s worth noting that blends such as Collio Bianco and Colli Orientali Bianco (both DOC), containing a combination of Friulano, Ribolla and Malvasia, can also be stunning.

Michael Garner’s top 18 native whites from Friuli-Venezia Giulia

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In the world of wine, smaller is often regarded as better, with boutique estates and cult micro-cuvées taking the top spots. But, as Ian D'Agata discovers, large companies with their diverse portfolios and huge volumes of wine, can offer big surprises...

Land of Torre Rosazza, owned by Le Tenute di Genagricola

Wine speak has always been littered with catchphrases: terroir, native, local, biodynamic, artisanal, organic, family estate, old vines and so forth. So it’s not surprising many wine lovers assume that only small, family-run estates, or those working organically or solely using native grapes, can produce great wines. That’s just not so, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Italy.

A number of the country’s largest wine estates produce some of the country’s finest wines: witness Frescobaldi’s amazing Ornellaia and Masseto, or Antinori’s Tignanello and Solaia. But Antinori and Frescobaldi are admired by wine lovers around the world because they also deliver excellent wines in large volumes at low prices. Other large estates in Italy are similarly successful, though their top wines may not have reached comparable levels of fame.

Unfortunately, many wine lovers get to know Italy’s large estates by tasting inexpensive, entry-level wines: competently made but insipid Pinot Grigios or Proseccos. The key with Italy’s biggest estates is to pick those wines that aren’t the absolute cheapest in their range. Nevertheless, Italy’s larger wine estates have merits that go far beyond making great or dependable wines.

‘Chianti Classico produces 35 million bottles a year, so every producer, big or small, counts,’ says Sergio Zingarelli, owner of large Tuscan estate Rocca delle Macie, and also the new president of the Chianti Classico consorzio. ‘Bigger estates penetrate international markets better, pricing wines well thanks to economies of scale, which helps increase interest in us and our wine tourism. Smaller estates produce wines better suited to other market niches and tastes.’

‘Buying a well-made, fairly priced Pinot Grigio or Frascati is important to many,’ points out Davide Mascalzoni, general director of Gruppo Italiano Vini (GIV), owner of Italy’s largest collection of wine estates. ‘People know they can count on us to deliver consistent, dependable quality. Smaller producers often have only a limited supply of grapes to choose from, and this limits their winemaking options.’ At Cantina La-Vis and Valle di Cembra, 1.5 million bottles a year of wine are produced but this large co-operative has also launched a limited number of single-vineyard bottlings of Müller- Thurgau (Vigna delle Forche) and Pinot Nero (Vigna di Saosent) that are regularly among Italy’s best wines. The Cantina Viticoltori del Trentino (Cavit) unites 11 Trentino co-ops and has more than 4,500 members. A mind-numbing 65 million bottles a year are made, but its top sparkling wine, the Altemasi Graal Riserva Metodo Classico Trento Brut is made in small quantities and is often ranked among Italy’s best.

So bigger doesn’t necessarily mean standardised or dull. In fact, maintaining the independence and identity of each estate these large groups own is key. For example, GIV’s headquarters are in Veneto, but the group owns 14 cellars and 18 brands across Italy, totalling about 1,340ha under vine.

Thinking individually

Though all the estates are under one umbrella, each has its own viticultural expert, winemaker and cellar master. Mascalzoni adds: ‘Technical and winemaking aspects are kept separate, but estates benefit by having a common sales organisation, overseeing both common and specific marketing strategies, and integrated logistics services. As GIV owns estates from Lombardy to Sicily, our clients have an easier time stocking up on diverse wines from different Italian regions.’

Veneto-based Zonin has a similar set-up across its nine estates. It produces 40 million bottles a year and exports to more than 100 countries. Zonin has enlisted Denis Dubourdieu, a winemaker and professor of oenology at the University of Bordeaux, as its wine consultant-at-large, and follows environmentally friendly, sustainable agricultural methods. It’s family owned, with father Gianni Zonin and sons Domenico, Francesco and Michele running a remarkably successful enterprise, with a consolidated turnover in 2012 of Euro140 million – up 13% on the previous year.

‘Our wine estates are run separately, by mainly locals who live and work there,’ says Domenico. ‘We lived there too: as children, we’d alternate family vacations at the various estates, giving us a great bond to the different properties, terroirs and wines.’ Zonin’s aim is to help wine regions grow. ‘Once, hardly anybody spoke about Lombardy’s Bonarda, but we always believed in its potential. Now, not only is ours extremely successful, but other producers’ Bonardas have become popular too.’

Greater resources

He adds: ‘Oltrepò Pavese has great potential as a sparkling wine region, but what used to be made there wasn’t up to scratch. So we began organising conferences and wine tastings, then co-created the Pinot Club with about seven other local producers. The club’s goal is to produce better, more interesting wines by sharing information and working together. We even have two expert sparkling winemakers from Burgundy and Champagne to help everyone in the group get the best we can from our grapes.’

Study and research are also a big part of what large estates do. Le Tenute di Genagricola is the agricultural branch of Assicurazioni Generali, a huge Italian insurance group that, much like France’s AXA Millésimes, has invested heavily in wine estates. Alfredo Barbieri, Genagricola’s general director of sales in Italy, says he has terroir and tradition, not just sales, at heart: ‘Bigger companies have the financial means to study and experiment with little-known local varieties. We’ll bottle varietal wines like Albarossa, Picolit and Pignolo even though such small productions aren’t very remunerative. But that’s okay, as we stay actively involved in preserving traditions and native wines.’

Similarly, Zonin wants to promote the wines of Gambellara, an area near Soave and another bastion of the Garganega grape. In Gambellara both dry and sweet wines have been made for centuries, but few wine lovers are familiar with them. ‘Our basalt-rich soils allow production of totally different Garganega-based wines than Soave’s,’ says Domenico. ‘We hope to work with many large and small producers in the area as a cohesive association to help improve and market the area’s wines.’

Recently, Genagricola became the first company to use Schioppettino for traditional method sparkling wine production. The resulting wine, Blanc di Neri, has been a resounding success. ‘Our neighbours thought we were crazy turning Schioppettino into something it wasn’t meant to be, but some are now asking for advice on how to make their own version,’ says Barbieri.

Mascalzoni of GIV points out that the big guys learn from the little guys too. ‘At Castello Monaci in Puglia, we made classic Primitivo or Negroamaro wines, but were aware how successful local smaller producers were with Fiano and Verdeca. We now also make these varietal wines.’ In fact, Castello Monaci’s Acante Fiano and Pietraluce Verdeca are among the most interesting and fairly priced wines coming out of Italy’s deep south in some time.

Speculate to innovate

Sometimes, it’s simpler than all that. There probably wouldn’t exist a worldwide craze for Pinot Grigio without Santa Margherita, one of Italy’s largest wine producers. In the 1960s, 100% Pinot Grigio wines were rare in Italy, but the Marzotto family liked what they tasted and believed in the grape. The rest is history.

In Abruzzo, Tollo is a cooperative that has created countless jobs and preserved the livelihoods of entire generations of families in the Chieti area. It is likely that without Tollo, many of the vineyards would have been abandoned in the wake of the agricultural exodus during the 1960s and 1970s. Wine lovers have come to know Montepulciano and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo thanks to their efforts, but the preservation of old vines also means that previously unidentified or forgotten varieties have survived, which may culminate in new wines one day.

Innovation doesn’t stop at Italy’s doors either. Genagricola has invested in Romania and will bottle its first vintage of Romanian wines this year. And with the creation of Barboursville Vineyards, Zonin helped revive viticulture and winemaking in the American state of Virginia. Winemaker Luca Paschina was even named the Virginia Wine Industry Person of the Year in 2002.

We are regularly told that good things come in small packages when it comes to the size of wine estates. And while that is often true, it’s also clear that, through their fine wines and attention to tradition and innovation, Italy’s largest estates help celebrate the diversity of Italian wine the world over.

Facts & figures

• Italy is the home of the small landowner. The average vineyard area owned by each wine estate, 1.6 hectares, is increasing but remains below the European average of 7.9ha (2010 data)
• The largest vineyard holdings per person are in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (3ha), Sicily (2.7ha), Lombardy (2.5ha), and Tuscany (2.3ha)
• Italy’s 11 biggest wine companies, on the basis of operating profit margin, are (in descending order): Antinori, Santa Margherita, Frescobaldi, Gruppo Italiano Vini, Caviro, Giordano, Botter, Martini, Mezzacorona, Ruffino and Zonin (2011 data). They are much larger land owners than the national average: for example, Zonin owns 2,000ha under vine.

Who owns what in Italy?

Antinori

Fattoria Aldobrandesca, La Braccesca, Le Mortelle, Badia a Passignano, Guado al Tasso, Pèppoli, Pian delle Vigne, Tenuta Monteloro, Santa Cristina, Tenuta Tignanello, (Tuscany); Prunotto (Piedmont); Montenisa (Lombardy); Castello della Sala (Umbria); Tormaresca (Puglia)

Frescobaldi

Castello di Nipozzano, Castello di Pomino, Tenuta di Castelgiocondo, Ornellaia, Tenuta di Castiglioni, Tenuta dell’Ammiraglia (Tuscany); Attems (Friuli Venezia Giulia)

GIV

Ca’ Bianca (Piedmont); Nino Negri (Lombardy); Bolla, Conti d’Arco, Lamberti, Santi, Turá (Veneto); Conti Formentini (FVG); Cavicchioli (Emilia Romagna); Conti Serristori, Folonari, Machiavelli, Melini (Tuscany); Bigi (Umbria); Fontana Candida (Lazio); Castello Monaci (Puglia), Re Manfredi (Basilicata); Tenuta Rapitalà (Sicily)

La-Vis/Cembra

Lavis, Casa Girelli, Cembra, Cesarini Sforza (Trentino), Dürer-Weg (Alto Adige); Poggio Morino, Villa Cafaggio (Tuscany)

Le Tenute di Genagricola

Tenuta S.Anna (Veneto); Torre Rosazza, Borgo Magredo, Poggiobello, V8+ (FVG); Bricco dei Guazzi (Piedmont); Gregorina (Emilia Romagna); Solonio (Lazio)

Zonin

Zonin (Veneto); Castello Del Poggio (Piedmont); Tenuta Il Bosco (Lombardy); Tenuta Ca’ Bolani (FVG); Castello D’Albola, Rocca Di Montemassi, Abbazia Monte Oliveto (Tuscany); Masseria Altemura (Puglia); Feudo Principi Di Butera (Sicily)

Written by Ian D’Agata

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In the world of wine, smaller is often regarded as better, with boutique estates and cult micro-cuvées taking the top spots. But, as Ian D'Agata discovers, large companies with their diverse portfolios and huge volumes of wine, can offer big surprises...

Best buys from Italy’s winemaking giants

Cavit, Altemasi Graal Riserva Metodo Classico Brut, Trentino 2004

17.5/20pts (91/100pts)

By far the best wine made by Cavit, this is a worldclass bubbly. Complex thanks to age, this boasts breadcrumbs, butter and apricots.

Price £33–£37 All About Wine, Hangingditch

Drink 2014

Alc 13.5%

Valdo, Prosecco Extra Dry, Veneto NV

16/20pts (86/100pts)

Apricot, green apple and buttercups. Fresh, uncomplicated but well made and satisfying.

Price NA/UK valdo.com

Drink 2014

Alc 12.5%

Torre Rosazza, Friulano, Colli Orientali del Friuli 2008

17.5/20pts (91/100pts)

One of Friuli’s best estates. Great Pinot Grigio, Ribolla Gialla and Friulano. This latter wine ages well, with marzipan, pear, herbs and peach.

Price £20 Premier Wines

Drink 2014

Alc 13%

La-Vis, Vigneti di Montagna Pinot Grigio, Trentino 2011

16.5/20pts (88/100pts)

Green apple, pear and white flowers, with sneaky concentration. Much better than other Pinot Grigios at this price point.

Price £10 Waitrose

Drink 2014

Alc 12.5%

Cantina Tollo, Madregale Bianco, Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo 2012

15.5/20pts (85/100pts)

Easygoing wine made from Chardonnay in stainless steel. Bright and crisp, an uncomplicated glass.

Price £6.99–£10 Exel Wines, Les Caves de Pyrène, Roberson Wine

Drink 2014

Alc 12%

Nino Negri, 5 Stelle Sfursat, Valtellina, Lombardy 2009

17.5/20pts (91/100pts)

Amarone-like, but more refined, thanks to the Nebbiolo grape. Macerated red cherries, cocoa and sweet spices: a memorable experience.

Price £41–£47 AG Wines, Exel Wines, Winedirect

Drink 2014–2020

Alc 15.5%

Rocca delle Macie, Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany 2010

16.75/20pts (89/100pts)

Wines improving by leaps and bounds; the Riserva Famiglia Zingarelli is another winner. Savoury and fresh, with ageing potential, from a fantastic Tuscan vintage.

Price £16 James Nicholson

Drink 2014–2020

Alc 13.5%

Rocca di Montemassi, Le Focaie Sangiovese, Maremma, Tuscany 2010

16.75/20pts (89/100pts)

Fresh and easygoing, juicy yet savoury, perfect for Sunday brunch.

Price £9–£18 Underwood Wine Warehouse, James Fearson, Woodford Wine Room, Wimbledon Wine Cellar

Drink 2014–2015

Alc 13.5%

Pasqua, Amarone della Valpolicella, Veneto 2008

16.5/20pts (88/100pts)

Full-bodied, rich and long, with coffee, cocoa and red cherry aromas and flavours. Good with stews, or break your Port habit and try with Stilton.

Price £30 Mumbles Fine Wines

Drink 2014–2018

Alc 15%

Santa Margherita, Impronta del Fondatore Malbech, Veneto 2011

16.5/20pts (88/100pts)

A rare Italian Malbec, so this wins on novelty factor alone. Perhaps more Cahors-like than Argentina, with coffee, cocoa and tarry notes.

Price £12 Exel Wines

Drink 2014–2020

Alc 14.5%

Castello Monaci, Liante Salice Salentino, Puglia 2010

16.25/20pts (87/100pts)

Bright red fruits with black cherry, tar and flinty nuances on the juciy finish. Perfect with anything barbecued.

Price £10–£12 Customary Wines, Just Fine Wines

Drink 2014–2020

Alc 13.5%

Previous page

Italian and Slovenian wine authorities in the Collio wine region have come up with a new name for their wine – Jakot – to distinguish it from Tokaji.

Collio… now the official home of Jakot

The spelling – roughly, Tokaji written backwards – avoids conflict with the protected Hungarian name of the renowned wine.

Although some producers in Italy and Slovenia have been using that name unofficially, it is now official, according to the Brda Wine Consortium in Slovenia.

Hungary does not want anyone confusing its Tokaji – comprised typically of Furmint (70%), Hárslevelű (20-25%), and Muscat blanc a Petits Grains (5-10%) – with the dry and aromatic Sauvignonasse or Sauvignon Green grape (also known in Italy as Friulano) grown in both Slovenia and Hungary but traditionally also called Tokaj.

The consortium had considered other options, including ‘Sauvignonasse’ or ‘Sauvignon Green’, but that was a no-go for consumers because of a negative connotation of unripe wine, Slovenian media reported.

Goriška Brda (Brda or Slovenian Collio) is a hilly winegrowing region in the far west of Slovenia, extending over the border to Italy.

The grape variety has been the subject of legal struggles over the use of the name Tokaj and its various permutations.

‘It will take time to get used to the official name change,’ said consortium director Aleš Kristančič. ‘But Jakot has been very well received among those who voted on the new name.’

Written by Panos Kakaviatos

With Decanter's tasting of fine wines from Fruili Venezia Giulia coming up on October 22, Italian expert Peter McCombie MW offers an insight into this fantastic winemaking region and helps identify the range of both local and imported grape varieties said to produce the country's best dry whites. For more information about the tasting and to book tickets, click here.

For someone who may not have heard of Friuli wines or the region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, can you explain a little bit about where it is in Italy and in relation to the countries bordering it?

It’s right up in the top right hand corner, bordering Austria, Slovenia and Croatia

Can you explain a bit of the history and tradition of Friuli winemaking? They’re said to have been making wine there in the Roman times…

There’s a long history, like most of Italy but its geographical position plus the influence of its neighbours means they have a lot of French grapes (brought by Napoleon’s troops) and share grapes with the Slovenes and Croats and winemaking has some Germanic and Slavic influences. It’s a merry mash-up. In the sixties they embraced hi-tech stainless steel winemaking, then had a bit of a love affair with barrels, today things have settled down a bit and they are working on gaining weight an richness – and longevity – without excessive oak.

What is the region like in terms of DOCs and DOCGs? How is it split up?

There are 10 DOCs, 4 DOCGs and 3 IGTs, but there are three that are especially important for dry whites and reds: Collio, Colli Orientali del Friuli and Isonzo. Usefully they often – but not always, use varietal labelling along with the DOC.

How do the region’s weather patterns and terroir affect the wines?

It can be quite warm, but the Mediterranean breezes have a cooling effect and the cold, dry Bora is important in ventilating the grapes especially in Isonzo. Soils on the plains are gravelly but calcareous marl is significant in the hilly Collio and Colli Orientali.

Friuli wines may not be the most well-known outside of Italy, or perhaps outside of Europe, but they’re said to be the best whites in Italy? Is this true? Why are they not more famous?

They are certainly among the best dry whites in Italy. I suspect they are not more famous because the area is not that well known in the wider world, although it should be. Because they have a lot of French grapes I suspect sometimes people dismiss them as wannabes, but the native grapes can make delicious wines.

For me, blends of several grapes are some of Friuli’s most successful wines, but they have ‘fantasy names’ that have low consumer recognition. Finally the wines really are food wines, they really shine when paired with food, so they are harder to taste and enjoy on their own

Because of the small vineyard yield, (said to be the lowest in Italy) there is a massive emphasis on the quest for high quality over quantity, is this true? Is this also why Friuli whites tend to be more costly than other Italian whites?

They are expensive, because hillside vineyard work is expensive and yields are relatively low

How would you describe a Friuli white to someone who has never tried one? What should they taste like?

It’s hard to generalise too much but they should be fresh, lightly aromatic, with good weight and a dry, textural palate.

There are also, or at least have been at one time over 150 different grape varieties in the region – can you explain the main varieties that are used today? Both native and introduced…

The local Friulano manages the third most-planted status, in a top six that otherwise consists of French Pinot Gris (AKA Grigio), Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc. Friulano is mildly aromatic, with a dry (almondy) fruit character and salty minerality. Alongside Friulano there are a number of intriguing and distinctive native varieties.

Ribolla Gialla has an 800-year history in Friuli, where it performs best in the Oslavia and Rosazzo subzones of Collio and Colli Orientali respectively. With its delicate floral aromas, high natural acidity and relatively light body it makes an attractive aperitif or partner for lighter fish and seafood. More ambitious versions are capable of aging.

Verduzzo Friulano comes in dry and sweet versions. Dry can have a challenging edge of astringency and it can make a valuable blending component. It is mostly grown in Colli Orientali.

Ramandolo at the northern end of those hills produces the best sweet examples, attractively honeyed, if not hugely complex.

Picolit appears as a varietal wine in the Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC, along with Ribolla Gialla and Verduzzo, but it is prized locally for the quality of the dessert wine it produces and has two DOCGs dedicated to its production in Udine province. A shy yielder it has stone fruit aromas and moderate sweetness.

Carso, bordering Croatia is home to Vitovska whose enthusiasts find floral aromas, pears and sage and flavours of stone fruit and minerality.

Refosco Dal Peduncolo Rosso makes juicy reds, with blue-black fruit favours, an herbal undertone and fresh acidity.

Schioppettino (literally “little crack” or “gunshot”) is a deliciously aromatic grape, producing wines sometimes reminiscent of the northern Rhone. Tannic in youth with spice, pepper and violet notes interlaced with ripe fruit flavors, the wines need cellaring.

Pignolo (literally ‘fussy’) is a rare, low-yielding grape. With deep colour and considerable richness it has tremendous potential, both as a varietal and as a blending grape.

Tazzelenghe (literally ‘cuts the tongue’) produces a fruity yet tannic wine that will mellow with age, while retaining its fruitiness.

Like Vitovska, Terrano is only found on the limestone plateau of Carso, where it likes terra rossa soils. A sub-variety of Refosco it is normally made for early drinking.

Are most Friuli wines single varietal or blends? Is one more popular than the other?

Mostly single varietals, but some very good blends

As well as Friuli whites they region also produces red varieties? Are these also stand-out wines?

Until recently I think the Bordeaux varieties often struggled to achieve full ripeness in Friuli. Now they do achieve ripeness while retaining an attractive herb-tinged freshness. In addition the key native red grapes, mentioned above, are beginning to look very exciting.

Why should someone taste Friuli wines?

Because they taste great!

For more information about the Fruili Venezia Giulia tasting and to book tickets, click here.

See Decanter’s travel guide to Friuli

See Andrea Briccarello’s top Friuli whites

Written by Decanter

Antinori, Gaja, Donnafugata, Masi, Biondi Santi and other great names from every region of Italy poured their wines yesterday at Decanter’s latest event.

Grandi Marchi, the Institute of Italian Wines, is a unique group of 19 family-owned wineries whose express purpose is to promote each region of the country via their wines.

Yesterday at the Institute of Directors in Central London they welcomed press and public for an afternoon and evening of tasting some of the finest wines in the world – poured by their owners.

On the Biondi Santi table, owner Jacopo Biondi Santi and his son Clemente, 17 – the seventh generation of the family to farm in their Montalcino estate – poured two vintages of their Tenuta Greppo Brunello di Montalcino.

‘It’s very important to us to be able to show our wines here,’ the elder Biondi Santi said. ‘We’re ambassadors for Tuscany.’

Tuscany, with four producers in the group – Antinori (represented yesterday by Marchese Piero Antinori, who along with Biondi Santi founded Grandi Marchi), Tenuta San Guido (producers of Sassicaia), Ambrogio & Giovanni Tenute and Biondi Santi – perhaps needs less publicity than most.

But Grandi Marchi seeks to promote every region; from Friuli – where Jermann produces aromatic whites like Friulano and Pinot Bianco – via Lombardy (Ca’ del Bosco) and Marches (Umani Ronchi) to Apulia, Sicily and Sardinia.

‘It’s my first time here,’ Antonio Argiolas of Argiolas, the newest member of the group, said. ‘Most people ask where we’re from and are fascinated to hear we’re in Sardinia.’

‘The great value of the event is that we’re here alongside such well-known wines,’ Marco de Corato of Rivera in the north of Apulia said. ‘So it attracts professionals. We’re not from a famous region and we have to work hard to get our grapes known.’

Further south, Alberto Tasca at Tasca d’Almerita in Sicily said an event like this was the best way ‘to explain the complexities of Italian wine. We’re not promoting our brand but our region. There are more than 35,000 producers in Italy and it’s difficult to coordinate them, so doing it region by region is the best way.’

Such a roll call of renowned names attracted the wine press in force, as well as 200 Decanter readers and the wine-loving public.

‘To be able to meet the producers and taste their wines all at once is incredibly valuable,’ Spanish-Italian wine and food journalist Meritxell Falgueras said.

‘Also, being English, it’s very well organised. I go to the same events in Spain and Italy and they are normally chaotic. People are far more polite here.’

The criteria for joining Grandi Marchi, which was formed in 2004, are that the winery has to be family owned and with a long-established international market, Giancarlo Voglino, who administers the group said. ‘Most importantly, we have to be able to work well together.’ Its great value lay in its size, he added. ‘We will never exceed 20 members.’

View the Great Winemakers of Italy booklet, listing all the producers and their wines

Written by Decanter.com staff

In just over a week, 30 of the finest producers in one of Italy's most remarkable wine regions will be pouring their wines in London exclusively for Decanter.

Friuli Venezia Guilia, bordered by both Austria and Slovenia, has long been one of Italy’s most fascinating and diverse wine regions.

Its white wines are famed both for their crisp elegance and – in the case of many producers – their extraordinary oxidative qualities.

Now Decanter Events presents a superb opportunity to taste the wines and meet the people who make them, at an evening tasting at the Institute of Directors in London’s Pall Mall.

Such renowned producers as Castello di Buttrio, Fondazione Villa Russiz, Ronco del Gelso, Colutta Giorgiok, Tercic Matijaz and Petrussa will be present.

Many of these are celebrated for their local varietals. Tercic Matijaz, for example, is on the Slovenian border in the easternmost part of northern Italy, and works with Ribolla Gialla and Friulano, while Petrussa will be offering Ribolla Nera, Verduzzo Friulano and Tocai Friulano.

In all 30 producers will be present at the tasting, which takes place at the Institute of Directors, London SW1, on Monday 24 October 2011. It is open to members of the wine trade during the day and held open exclusively for Decanter readers from 6.30 to 8.30 in the evening.

See the full list of exhibitors and book your tickets here.

Written by Decanter.com staff

The styles, regions and vintages every wine lover should know about

Native whites

Yes, whites. Compared to their red counterparts, Italy’s most representative white varieties tend to be restrained and understated, with delicate floral aromas and nervy acidity.

They are also subject to periodical identity crises, prompted by the ambition to compete in the global arena with the Chardonnays and Sauvignons of this world.

All the native white varieties, from Ribolla in Friuli to Cortese in Gavi, Garganega in Soave, Procanico in Orvieto, Marche’s Verdicchio and the Tuscan Vernaccia have, at one time or another and to a greater or lesser degree, suffered efforts to crank them up through blending with international varieties, late harvesting, new oak treatment or arcane vinification methods.

But a major re-think is underway. The current trend is towards a much more essentialist approach to white winemaking which, rather than forcing native varieties into moulds that do not fit, seeks to bring out their intrinsic character.

The models are the classic wines of the traditional DOCs. The buzz words, from Nosiola in Trentino down to the Fianos of Campania, are ‘terroir’, ‘minerality’ and ‘vineyard’.

The results are unoaked, 100% varietals with unique, unequivocal Italian-ness.

Three to try:

Il Palazzone, Campo Guardiano, Orvieto Classico Superiore 2008

POA Justerini and Brooks

Intense, herby nose, with notes of bay and sage and a distinctive salty note. Bone-dry palate, intense and minerally with a return of fresh herbs, huge length and concentration on the finish. Drink: 2011–2018. Alc: 13%

Suavia, Monte Carbonare,

Soave Classico 2008

£13.30–£17.50 Bibendum, Everywine, Flying Corkscrew

Citrus nose with hints of sweet almond and a touch of smokiness. Fresh, agile and tasty with white currants and amazing length and purity. Drink 2011-2018. Alc: 13%

La Monacesca, Mirum,

Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva 2008

£18.50 Winetraders

Nose opens slowly with honey then mint and rosemary and a vague hint of inkiness. The palate has concentrated candied peel, apricot and nectarine and huge length. Drink: 2011–2018. Alc: 14%

Brunello di Montalcino 2006

The much-awaited 2006 vintage at Montalcino is not one for the faint-hearted. There is none of the immediate fruit of the 2005s, nor the elegance of the 2004s.

The baking hot summer gave enormously powerful Brunellos which show the austere, savoury side of Sangiovese.

Do they live up to their official 5-star rating? The answer is a qualified “yes”.

The least successful wines have cooked fruit and a Porty, alcoholic quality which takes away from their appeal, but the best are vibrant terroir wines, bursting with energy.

The 2006s are phenolic on the nose, sometimes with wild herbs, sometimes inky, sometimes with notes of iodine.

On the palate they are concentrated and very dry with an intense minerally tang. Big as they are, they have two features which save them from simple blockbuster dumbness: quality tannins and an acidity which carries the abundant alcohol.

Raw and raunchy now, they need time to come together, but they should provide some memorable bottles, worthy of Brunello’s reputation for longevity.

The single-vineyard and special-selection wines look particularly good. Estates to seek out, besides those below, include Livio Sassetti, Sesti, Siro Pacenti, Villa I Cipressi, Tenuta di Sesta, Tenuta Le Potazzine, Tenuta Oliveto, Casanuova delle Cerbaie, Corte Pavone, Lisini, Franco Pacenti, Podere Canalino, Silvio Nardi, Tiezzi, Piccolomini d’Aragona and the best-ever Prime Donne from Donatella Cinelli Colombini.

Three to try:

Castello di Romitorio, XXV Vendemmia

N/A UK www.castelloromitorio.com

Spectacular nose, with wild berries, iodine and black tea. Great energy, breadth and depth on the palate, with very fine tannins and intriguing complexity in the finish. Still very raw, but will be great. Drink: 2014–2030. Alc: 14%

Salvioni

£69.50 Bordeaux Index

Leafy, herby nose with delicate floral underlay and a lovely vein of fresh cherry fruit. Very tight and concentrated on the palate with exceptional finesse for the vintage. Deceptively understated; will be great.

Drink: 2012–2030. Alc: 14.5%

Gaja, Pieve Santa Restituta, Rennina

£51.34 Everywine

Earthy nose, with notes of moss, peat and violets in the background. Massive palate but also great freshness. Long and punchy on the finish with notes of cherry brandy and minerals. Drink: 2012–2030. Alc: 15%

Barolo 2004

There is no question about the longevity of the 2004 Barolos, but the good news is that these marvellous wines are also starting to drink beautifully now.

This might seem early – in the past, to suggest opening a Barolo from a great vintage before its 10th birthday was viewed in the Langhe as subversive in the extreme.

Today it is permissible. In the specific case of the 2004s, the justification lies in the quality of the vintage, with its near-perfect tannins, balance and aroma.

More generally, it’s the consequence of a winemaking style that brings drinking significantly forward. This is not a new development. Pioneers such as Elio Altare launched the manifesto in favour of a more accessible, earlier drinking Barolo more than 20 years ago.

What the 2004s perhaps confirm is a definitive change in the mindset in the Langhe which has made the term ‘modernist’, much bandied about in the past, redundant.

These days, it is the ‘traditionalist’ who gets flagged as the odd man out. (NB: If you are lucky enough to have 2004s from the great Bruno Giacosa, Beppe Rinaldi, Mascarello, Giovanni Conterno or Cavalotto in your cellar, then disregard everything I have just written – the 10-year rule holds for these greats).

Three to try:

Sandrone, Cannubi Boschis

£80–£100 Berry Bros & Rudd, Slurp, Winetraders

Elegant, fresh and complex nose of violets, redcurrants, bay and cinnamon. Great purity and focus on the palate, which starts dry and intense and opens broad and long with powdery tannins and infinite length. Sublime. Drink: 2011–2020. Alc: 14.5%

Elio Altare, Vigneto Arborina

£90–£146 Fine & Rare, Nichols & Perks

Intense, fresh Nebbiolo nose, with a vast spectrum of aromas from billberry, black cherry and violets through fresh mushroom to sweet fennel. Fluid palate, with super-fine tannins and a very long, vigorous finish. Drink: 2011–2020. Alc: 14.5%

Paolo Scavino, Bric del Fiasc

£55–£62 Albany Vintners, Berry Bros & Rudd, Christopher Keiler, Everywine, Fine & Rare, Nichols & Perks

Ripe, sweet, mature nose with notes of new leather, tar, liquorice and nutmeg. Big, smooth, soft palate with very fine, dense tannins and an austere, dry, savoury finish with weighty concentration. Drink: 2011–2015. Alc: 14.5%

Malvasia Istriana

As the name suggests, this particular member of the Malvasia family (left) originated in Istria, from where it spread up the coast to what is now Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the 14th century.

Friuli is the only Italian region which grows the variety today. Traditionally it has been considered a minor grape, used mainly in blends rather than alone, but it is starting to find its own voice.

Left to its own devices, Malvasia tends to make rather simple, dilute wines, but if yields are kept in check it is capable of whites with a personal, floral character, peachy fruit and great sensitivity to terroir.

On the limestone plateau above the bay of Trieste, Carso Malvasia is all tangy intensity. In the Collio and the upper Isonzo on the other hand, the wines are rich and round with impressive depth of fruit and often a distinctive spicy nuance.

‘Feminine’, says Nicòla Manferrari, who is one of the variety’s greatest supporters. ‘Mediterranean’, says Gianfranco Gallo, who has recently started bottling a special selection.

More elegant than Friulano (ex-Tocai) and more complete than Ribolla, and yet mysteriously less planted than either, Malvasia is – hopefully – heading for a revival.

Three to try:

Borgo del Tiglio, Collio 2008

£27–£42 Astrum, Bordeaux Index, Ten Acre Wine

Elegant, complex, scented with aromas of pressed flowers, honeydew melon and a hint of walnut oil. Glossy, concentrated ripe fruit palate with white pepper on the finish. Very personal. Drink: 2011–2016. Alc: 14%

Skerk, Carso 2008

£25 Bat & Bottle

Intense citrus and white blossoms on the nose, mouthwatering freshness on the palate filled out by masterfully handled lees ageing. Subtle fruit and a long, minerally finish. Drink: 2011–2015. Alc: 12.5%

Vie de Romans, Isonzo, Dis Cumieris 2008

N/A UK www.viediromans.it

Sweet, floral nose, with hints of tropical fruit and cinnamon in the background. Soft, round and full-bodied palate with suave complexity and length on the finish. Drink: 2011–2018. Alc: 14%

Pink fizz

Over the past five years, Italy has witnessed a demonstration of one of the basic laws of commerce that, if demand exceeds offer, then production must expand to meet it.

Demand in this case is for pink sparkling wine. The response has come from all quarters. The quick fix is to put bubbles into existing rosés, as in the case of the pleasantly undemanding Bardolino Chiaretto Spumante (look for the excellent Monte Saline’s Metodo Classico).

This idea is also catching on in Puglia, where noted wine consultant Riccardo Cotarella has been involved in a new Metodo Classico for the historic Five Roses producer Leone de Castris.

Other examples look slightly more improvised, such as a Frappato-based fizz from Sicily or another made from Aglianico in Basilicata.

The more serious stuff comes from the DOC or DOCG zones with a spumante tradition and their own Pinot Noir grapes.

The producers’ consorzio in the Oltrepò, which has more than 3,000ha of Pinot, has just launched a new brand of Metodo Classico Rosé called Cruasé – watch this space.

The top wines come from Trentino and in Franciacorta, where Cà del Bosco has made a big splash with the first vintage of a luxury cuvée made from 100% Pinot Noir, aged for seven years on the lees.

Three to try:

Cà del Bosco, Cuvée Anna Maria Clementi,

Extra Brut Rosé, Franciacorta 2003

£65 (2002) Christopher Keiler

Great freshness on the nose with suggestions of cherry pie, rose hip jelly and delicate floral nuances, great intensity on the palate, minuscule perlage, long,

savoury finish with underlying notes of cherry liqueur. Drink: 2011–2025. Alc: 12.5%

Cavalleri, Rosé Collezione,

Franciacorta 2005

£37.25 (2004) Everywine

Fresh, crusty nose. Palate of substance and energy, with firm acid structure and a long, salty finish with a very good return of pinot noir fruit.

Drink: 2011–2015. Alc: 12.5%

Ferrari, Perlé Rosé Metodo Classico, Trentino 2005

£22–£52 Bat & Bottle, Vinum

Delicate red fruit nose with a touch of floral-spicy nuances. Palate firm and dry with good body, fine perlage and a return of red currant fruit at the end. Drink: 2011–2015.

Alc: 12.5%

Taurasi 2007

Taurasi is a hilltop village in Campania’s Irpinia region, high in the Apennine mountains. The red wine that grows here is made from Aglianico, and belongs to that category of full-bodied, austerely tannic reds at the most serious end of the Italian wine spectrum.

Despite its ‘Barolo of the south’ tag, Taurasi is not one of the country’s better known wines. Its reputation among specialists has long been assured by Mastroberardino’s spectacularly long-lived reserves, but for decades this historic winery was a flagship without a fleet.

Wider recognition of Taurasi’s potential has only come more recently, with the increase in the number of producers and the upgrading of what used to be very uneven quality standards.

The 2007s, which are coming out this year, are evidence of the new credibility of the denomination. They have ripe but not overextracted tannins, good freshness and oak which leaves lots of space for the expression of the Aglianco grape.

The DOCG has a good co-op and an increasing nucleus of high quality grower-producers which includes, besides the three below, Colle San Domenico, Contrade di Taurasi, Di Prisco, Molettieri, Tecce, Perillo and Tenuta Cavallier Pepe.

Three to try:

Feudi di San Gregorio 2007

£28.50 Slurp

Fresh and complex with wild berries and liquorice on the nose and delicate spicy notes in the background. Very firm, dry palate with refined tannins and elegant length. Drink: 2012–2017. Alc: 13%

Mastroberardino, Radici 2007

£29.50–£32 (2005) Amordivino, Wine Circle

Nicely defined floral-herby nose with sweet ripe fruit at the back. Quite soft on the palate with classy tannic weave and good freshness on the finish. Needs time to absorb the oak. Drink: 2013–2017. Alc: 13.5%

Villa Raiano, Raiano 2007

N/A UK www.villaraiano.com

Ripe, concentrated oaky fruit on the nose with suggestions of wild herbs. Juicy berry fruit on the palate with lots of smoothed out tannin and a big, round, velvety finish. Drink: 2012–2017. Alc: 14%

Bardolino

Bardolino, from Lake Garda in the Veneto, has been one of the victims of the opinion that held sway in Italy over the past 20 years that ‘light’ and ‘red’ were contradictions in terms.

The unpopularity of its traditional character prompted attempts at restyling, which went from the Beaujolais Nouveau-model Novello through the oaked-up Bardolino Superiore, to the sparkling pink Chiaretto.

Now, after the string of mutations, which did more to cover up the real issues (chronic over-cropping and casual winemaking) than resolve them, Bardolino is returning to the pale, juicy reds with the cherry and almond aromas that it does best. Except that today, it is making them much, much better.

Lake Garda looks set to play a strategic role in the reds of the Veneto in the future. With production of the fresh style of Valpolicella rapidly declining, it is Bardolino that has picked up the standard of the dry, tangy Corvina-based wines which used to be the stock in trade of the hills of Verona.

Unoaked and not more than 12.5% alcohol, these delicious reds prove that personality depends on varietal integrity and sense of place, rather than huge concentration, and that ‘light’ and ‘red’ can after all be complementary.

Three to try:

Le Fraghe 2009

£8.95 The Wine Society

Natural grapey nose, with red cherry fruit and sweet almond aromas. Fresh, juicy palate, fine dry tannins at the back and a long finish with hints of mint and fennel. Drink: 2011–2012. Alc: 12%

Giovanna Tantini 2009

£12.50–£13.50 Bat & Bottle, Wine Library, Winetraders

Delicate, very personal nose with aromas of pressed flowers, cherry and liquorice. Ripe fruit, smooth tannins and a bone dry, savoury finish with lots of length.

Drink: 2011–2013. Alc: 12%

Raval, Classico 2010

N/A UK +39 (0)4 57 23 65 69

Lovely, fresh maraschino and almonds on the nose with floral notes at the side. Zippy palate with crisp acidity, good tannic presence and tight-packed fruit concentration in the finish. Drink: 2011–2012. Alc: 12.5%

Marsala

Until a very short time ago, Marsala had been given up for dead. Today, in the wake of the general interest created by the Sicilian wine boom, it is slowly making a comeback.

This timid revival needs to be put in perspective. Sadly, if you Google the word ‘Marsala’, you still get pages and pages of cookery sites. It will be a long time before Sicily’s historic fortified wine liberates itself from its image as a cheap ingredient for sauces.

But today it is possible to drink Marsalas of quality and character, either in the searingly intense salty-dry style or the more accommodating grapey semi-secco.

The interest starts at the Superiore Riserva level, which must be at least four years old, and increases with the age of the wine through the categories of vergine (or soleras) to vergine/soleras stravecchio and riserva.

For the ultimate experience, get your hands on one of the rare, very old vintage riservas from Florio, Rallo or Pellegrino – wines of extraordinary intensity for enthralled sipping.

But do not disdain the more readily available wines from these producers’ wide ranges. There are intentionally no drink dates here: Marsala lasts indefinitely

Three to try:

De Bartoli, Oro Vigna La Miccia, Superiore

N/A UK www.marcodebartoli.com

Sweet hazelnut and date aromas, with sultana and a hint of saltiness. Lovely round, sweet fruit palate, with great freshness and zippy mineral finish. Alc: 18%Florio, Ambra Donna Franca, Semisecco 15 Years,

Superiore Riserva

N/A UK www.cantineflorio.it

Rich nose of sultana, walnuts and figs with a distinctive salty nuance. Well-knit palate with bright acidity to contrast the spirit and an elegant sweetness to underline the fruit and green walnut finish. Alc: 19%

Pellegrino, Vergine Riserva 1981

N/A UK www.carlopellegrino.it

Mature, austere nose with great mineral intensity and subtle dried fruit and nut aromas. Bone-dry palate, with mouthwatering acidity and an intense, slightly spirity finish. Alc: 19%

Sub-14% alcohol wines

Perhaps it is the implosion of the market for hyper-concentrated show wines, perhaps a response to society’s slightly edgy awareness of the health issues associated with alcohol, or just the basic realisation that the opportunities for drinking blockbuster wines, however theoretically well-balanced, are limited in everyday life.

Whatever the reason, there is growing consensus in Italy that it is time to throttle back on the alcohol. This does not mean stripping down Barolo, Brunello or Amarone, but simply not pumping up the alcohol where it does not belong – in wines made for pleasurable, everyday drinking with a meal.

This implies a greater focus on what used to be Italy’s core business before the advent of the attention-grabbing ‘SuperTuscans’: food-friendly, medium-bodied wines from native grapes.

The country has a whole raft of varietal wines which deliver their best at under 14% and even better between 12% and 13%: Schiava from Alto Adige, Dolcetto, Lambrusco, young Chianti from theColli Fiorentini, Frappato from Sicily, Cerasuolo from Abruzzo, Lake Garda reds, Vermentino from Tuscany. All this without chasing after rarities like Blanc de Morgex from Val d’Aosta, Pigato from Liguria or Ribolla from Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

They might not all be in your supermarket yet, but keep a look out, because a lot of people believe this is where the future of wine Italian exports lie.

Three to try:

Cavicchioli, Vigna del Cristo,

Lambrusco di Sorbara 2009

N/A UK www.cavicchioli.it

Light mousse, delicate rose petal and red cherry nose. Savoury, bone-dry, mouthwatering palate with a long floral-almond finish. Drink: 2011. Alc: 11%

Glögglhof, Santa Maddalena,

Alto Adige 2009

N/A UK www.gojer.it

Irresistible cherry and spice nose. Soft, smooth, medium-weight palate with a return of red fruit and then a touch of sweet almonds on the finish. Drink: 2011. Alc: 12.5%

Malenchini, Chianti Colli Fiorentini 2009

£6.75–£9.99 The Wine Society, Valvona & Crolla

Dark berry fruit and violets on the nose. Fresh, dry and juicy palate, good firm finish with earthy fruit and a hint of almonds. Classic Chianti. Drink: 2011-2014. Alc: 13%

Recioto della Valpolicella

Sadly, this is a case of a reverse trend. As Amarone production continues to bulge (the 2010 grape harvest will yield more than 13 million bottles – an increase of about 4.5 million bottles on the average for the previous four years) its alter ego, the sweet Recioto, shrinks in proportion.

The percentage of the grape harvest which producers are allowed to use for dried grape wines is fixed by law, which means they have to decide whether to allot their quota to Amarone or Recioto.

With exports of the former up 40% on last year, there is no contest. Most producers continue to make at least token quantities of Recioto, but the commercial pressures are such that there is a serious risk of Verona’s sumptuous sweet red disappearing off the radar altogether in the future.

If you are one of those wine drinkers who associate rich, raisiny flavours with Christmas pudding rather than beef stew, and therefore with Recioto as opposed to Amarone, this would be a great shame.

It would also be a terrible irony, since the dried grape wines of Valpolicella were, from their Byzantine origins to the modern advent of Amarone, exclusively, lusciously sweet.

Three to try:

Monte dell’Ora, Sant’ Ulderico 2006

N/A UK www.montedallora.com

Rich and complex on the nose, with black cherry, plum and wisteria, newsprint and nutmeg. Pure dense fruit on the palate, with a distinctive raisiny follow through, bursting with flavour. Drink: 2011–2020. Alc: 14.5%

Tommaso, Bussola 2008

£31/500ml (2004) Ballantynes

Intense crushed berry nose with notes of hibiscus and nutmeg. Lovely pure blackberry on the palate, with

juicy acidity and fruity sugars in perfect balance.

Drink: 2011–2015. Alc: 12.5%

Allegrini, Giovanni Allegrini 2007

£22.50–£35/500ml Corks Out, Christopher Piper, Harvey Nichols, Imbibros, Liberty, Philglas & Swiggot, Secret Cellar, Slurp, Valvona & Crolla, Wine Direct, WoodWinters

Black cherry, plum and almond nose, with a hint of vanilla. Smooth, round palate with mellow fruit and lovely freshness to balance a substantial finish. Drink: 2011–2015. Alc: 14

Written by Richard Baudains

Two wines blended from 40 different grape varieties from all over Italy have been made to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of the republic.

A team of winemakers under the auspices of the Associazione Enologi Enotecnici Italiani (the Italian Oenologist and Oenotechnicians Association) have put together the red and the white wine – called Una – which will be launched at Vinitaly next week.

The grape varieties, 20 red and 20 white from Friuli in the north to Sicily in the south, are an encyclopaedia of Italian indigenous grapes.

From Valle d’Aosta, for example, the white is the Prie Blanc, the red Petit Rouge. Lombardy sent in a Trebbiano di Lugana and a Croatina. There is Friulano from Friuli, Pignoletto from Emilia Romagna, Sangiovese from Tuscany, Falanghina from Molise and Greco from Basilicata.

Calabria sent Gaglioppo, Sardinia provided Vermentino, and Umbria Grechetto. Trentino supplied Teroldego; Veneto, Garganega and Liguria the little-known red, Rossesse di Dolceaqua.

Each region’s agricultural supervisor chose the grapes: the whites all come from the 2009 vintage, the reds from the years 2005-2009.

The wine will not be available commercially but will be given to the president of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, ‘the highest Italian authorities …Italian embassies abroad and noted dignatories from other nations.’

A total of 6,800 bottles have been produced in jeroboam, magnum and standard sizes, all designed by Italian architect Aldo Cibic.

The wines will be launched at a dinner at Vinitaly in Verona on 6 April; so far they have been tasted by only a handful of critics.

Reports suggest the white has citrus and pear notes, minerality, racy acidity and is relatively full-bodied for such a young wine. One critic said, ‘it is a decidedly Italian wine.’

The red is dry with good acidity, full bodied with black and red fruit, oak and chocolate notes. The critic noted, ‘none of the varieties that go into the wine was dominant.’

Written by Adam Lechmere