The Winery Cantina di Sacile e Fontanafredda of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Discovering the wine region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

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).