Friuli-Venezia Giulia is an autonomous region in Italy, located in the extreme Northeast of the country, bordered by Austria and Slovenia to the north and east respectively. The eponymous wine region has four DOCGs, twelve DOCs and three PGIs and is best known for its white wine production. 77% of the region's wines are white, one of the highest proportions of any Italian region. The region's wines are distinctly different from other Italian wines in that they are made from non-traditional Grape varieties such as Sauvignon blanc, Riesling and Pinot blanc, as well as typically Italian varieties such as pinot gris and picolit.
The resulting wine varies depending on whether it is produced in the MediterraneanClimate of the South or the continental alpine climate of the north. In general, the wine produced here is fresh and Fruity, as one would expect from a cool climate wine zone. Friulano, the characteristic white grape of Friuli, is a classic example of these refreshing wines. It was once known as Tocai Friulano, but misleading associations with the prestigious Hungarian wine Tokaji led to a change under international law (it is now simply called Tai).
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
red wines from the region of Frioul-Vénétie Julienne go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, pasta or lamb such as recipes of beef miroton, homemade italian lasagna or braised lamb with peppers.
On the nose in the region of Frioul-Vénétie Julienne often reveals types of flavors of non oak, earth or oak and sometimes also flavors of black fruit, earthy or spices. In the mouth in the region of Frioul-Vénétie Julienne is a powerful.
Our feet crunched through layers of dry oak leaves as we climbed a pebbly path towards the vineyards behind the farmhouse. Roots go deep here. Not just the tall oaks and squat vines, but families too. I walked the vineyards at Mas de Libian with Hélène Thibon, but it was her father Jean-Pierre that greeted me when I arrived. Hélène’s sister Catherine was out front with Bambi the horse, ploughing the sandier plots. Later, we tasted in the winery with Hélène’s son Aurélien. Three generations of a ...
St Hilaire is the patron saint of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the pretty Champagne village which is famous for scoring 99 on the Echelle des Crus. (This classification of Champagne vineyards was developed in the mid-20th century as a means of setting the price of grapes grown through the villages of the Champagne wine region.) Prime territory That the village missed out on grand cru status by one point is generally agreed to be an injustice – all the more so as it is home not only to the superlative Clos de ...
There’s no doubt that 2021 was a challenging vintage. Most explanatory statements or technical sheets handed out over the past few weeks have mentioned the unfavourable, oft disastrous weather conditions, the sometimes very low and disheartening yields and the slightly varied or unusual blends on offer in 2021. Difficulties faced by vignerons both inside and outside of the cellar have been explained in detail as has the raft of highly important decisions needed be made throughout the year, ...
