North East Italy - Friuli Flashcards
What is Friuli also known as?
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Where is it?
Italy’s most north-easterly region
What is Friuli best known for (wines)
high quality white wines
What countries does Friuli border?
Austria and Slovenia
What % of the wine produced is white in Friuli?
What % of Italian wine does Friuli represent?
what is the Quality?
75% White
4% of Italian Production
Quality Single Varietal wines
Where are the vineyards in Friuli?
On the flat plain near the Adriatic sea
what is the climate in Friuli?
Warm Maritime - warm air from Adriatic Sea meets cooler influences from the Alps, high rainfall
What is the main risk in Friulia
High rainfall (120cm a year) with accompanying humidity, organic viticulture hard
What are the 2 zones in Friuli?
The Plain
Low Hills
What does The Plain zone produce?
Everyday wines, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, higher yield fruit on fertile soils
What wines do the 4 of the DOCs produce?
River?
Soil in higher quality vineyard?
- Grave del Friuli DOC (volume wines)
- Friuli Isonzo (best quality from sites on right bank of Isonzo river)
- Collio DOC and Colliio Orientali del Friuli DOC - higher quality wines on calcareous marl and sandstone. Compacted Marl called Ponca = excellent drainage
What is the altitude in Friuli
200m - but a range of slopes, exposure to wine = lower yields, higher quality, greater costs and price
Friuli is famous for it’s whites, what is the style it is most famous for?
Pinot Grigio, the richest style in Italy, medium to full-bodied wines, juicy peach, and tropical fruit flavours
What is the most planted black variety grown in Friuli?
Merlot, medium bodied, medium acidity and tannins and ripe red flavours, with a hint of spice from oak.
Describe wines made on the plains in Friuli and the DOC
Friuli Grave DOC, tend to white, simple, fruity.
Describe Collio DOC(G)
Located in the hills
max yields 77 hL/ha
principal wines are single varietal white wines from Friulano, Ribolla Galla, Sav Blanc or Chardonnay
can be listed as:
Collio Friulano - 18 varieties approved
becoming? Collio DOCG
Describe Collio Orientali del Friuli (COF)
Located in the hills
became part of Italy in 19thC
What did Friulano used to be known as?
What are it’s characteristics?
what wine style does it produce?
Formerly known as Tocai Friulano - EU ruled that name Tokaj was only to be used in Hungary.
Good disease resistant (good for hi rainfall)
Med- floral apple flavours
med to hi alcohol
med acidity
S/S to preserve aromatics
Good to v good in quality, mid priced/premium
What are the main white varieties grown in Friuli?
25% Pinot Grigio
Ribolla Gialla
Malvasia di Istria
Verduzzo
Picolit
Glera (Prosecco DOC extends into Friuli)
What are the main red varieties grown in Friuli?
Refoso
Shiopettino
Pignolo
Tazzalenghe
Who introduced the wine style popular in Friuli and when?
Mario Shiopetto 1960s
What style of wine did Mario Shiopetto introduce?
Using what winemaking techniques?
Leading to what experimentation?
Clean, mainly unoaked using German expertise
S/S, temp control, cultivated yeast and pneumatic presses
Leading to experimentation with late harvest fruit, skin maceration, lees stirring, use of oak
Where will you find Orange wines?
Friuli esp Oslavia, small sub-region of Collio
Where does Oslavia neighbour?
Slovenia (centre for production of orange wines
How are Orange wines made in Friuli?
Long Maceration (8 days - 6-8 months)
On the skins of white varieties
followed by long ageing (2-6 years)
large format oak barrels
What is the commitment to Orange Wines
Organic methods in Vineyard
Use of local Varieties (esp Ribolla Gialla)
Long maceration
fermentation with ambient yeasts, no temp control
long maturation in large oak
no fining/filtration
low or no SO2
Describe the resulting Orange wine
Amber, orange or gold in colour
pronounced flavours of dried fruit, dried herbs, hay and nuts
med tannins
premium prices, appreciated by sommeliers/adventurous wine drinkers
Name the two sweet wines made in Friuli
Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG
Ramandolo DOCG
Describe wine from Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit
Historic wine
competitor for Hungarian Tokaj
Small volumes
Picolit has only 10-15 berries (berry set is a problem)
Wine made from air-dried grapes
describe wine Ramandolo DOCG
made from air-dried grapes of Verduzzo variety
What new DOC was introduced in 2016?
Friuli DOC - allows growers to produce wine to a DOC standard across all authorised areas of Friuli
yield to 98 hL/ha
How does Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC fit into Friuli?
new DOC introduced in 2017 replacing Pinot Grigio dell Venezie IGP
Grapes for PGdV have to be grown in Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino (not Alto Adige)
Describe Ribolla Gialla grape
Only grown in Collio and Colli Orientali
needs hillside sites to prevent vigour
prone to shot berries
Wines have citrus/papper notes, hi acidity
experimented with, oak/non-oak aged, Charmat sparkling wine, dry/off-dry, extended skin contact for orange wines
amphora
Describe Refosco grape
Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso
most planted black variety
vigorous
best grown on hillsides with lower fertility
late ripening, resistant to botrytis
Red wines produce red cherry with herbal aromas
small berries = high tannins, smoothed out by time in barrels
