Organic in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Field-blend white from organic-biodynamic Borgo San Daniele. Arbis Blanc co-ferments Friulano, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon as a single Isonzo terroir statement.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Savoury · Refreshing

Friulano from organic-biodynamic Borgo San Daniele at Cormons. The Mauri siblings' Friulano is built on extended lees ageing rather than oak.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Easygoing

Dry Pinot Grigio from organic-biodynamic Borgo San Daniele. The Mauri siblings' Pinot Grigio in stainless steel.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Bordeaux-blend Friulian red from Bressan. Cabernet Franc-led blend matured in large Slavonian oak botti in the traditional house style.

Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Bold

Native Friulian Pignolo from cult Bressan at Farra d'Isonzo. Pignolo was nearly extinct before Carlo Bressan and Alessandro Dorigo led the revival; the variety is among Italy's most tannic native reds.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Rustic · Savoury

Native Friulian Schioppettino from Bressan. The signature black-pepper bite of the variety is amplified by the cellar's long Slavonian-oak elevage.

Dessert · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Late-harvest Verduzzo Friulano from cult Bressan. The cellar's dessert bottling from air-dried grapes.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

The estate's Friulian field-blend orange wine of Chardonnay, Malvasia Istriana and Friulano. Yellow apple and almond aromatics over a tea-tannin saline finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

Single-variety Malvasia Istriana with the estate's signature two-month skin contact. Honeysuckle and white pepper aromatics over a tea-tannin saline finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Bold

The estate's Bordeaux blend from the Gorizia hillside, with no added yeast and four years in Slavonian botti. Black plum and leather over an iron mineral dusty tannin.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

Damijan Podversic's extended-maceration Ribolla from the Gorizia hillside, two months on the skins with no added yeast. Dried apricot and honey over a tea-tannin finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Elegant

Edi Keber's monovarietal-rejecting flagship: a single Collio Bianco blend of Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Malvasia Istriana as the only wine the estate releases (since 2010). Yellow apple and white pepper aromatics over a saline finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

The Riserva tier of Edi Keber's sole Collio Bianco, with three years on lees in Slavonian oak. Yellow apple, almond cream and wax over a long saline finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

International-varietal field blend (Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Riesling Italico) vinified the same qvevri-and-Slavonian-botti way as Ribolla. Yellow stone fruit, dried orange peel and walnut over a tea-tannin amphora finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

Josko Gravner's flagship Ribolla Gialla, fermented six to seven months on the skins in buried qvevri after his 2001 conversion to the Georgian amphora method. Dried apricot and orange peel aromatics over a tea-tannin palate and a saline pithy finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Bold

Indigenous Pignolo from Oslavia, fermented in qvevri and aged six years in Slavonian botti. Dried black cherry and leather over a graphite, firm-tannin core with the distinctive amphora signature.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Bold

Merlot-led Bordeaux blend vinified in qvevri the Gravner way. Black plum and violet aromatics with leather and iron mineral over a firm tannin spine.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

I Clivi's Collio Friulano from the Brazzano holdings, the estate's DOC Collio sibling to the DOC Friuli Colli Orientali Galea. Old vines and extended lees ageing.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Mario and Ferdinando Zanusso's Friulano from old vines at Galea (Corno di Rosazzo). Extended lees ageing in stainless steel with low alcohol; the estate's identity statement for low-intervention Friulian whites.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Oak-aged Chardonnay from Edi Kante. The variety's Carso expression shows the karst's mineral signature alongside French-oak elevage.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Savoury

Native Carso Malvasia Istriana from Edi Kante. The cellar's Malvasia shows the variety's saline-mineral spine more than its aromatic side.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Sauvignon from Edi Kante on the Carso plateau. The variety's karst expression shows mineral depth more than aromatic lift.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Native Carso Vitovska from Edi Kante at Duino-Aurisina. Kante's underground three-floor cellar cut into the Carso karst is among Italian winemaking's most distinctive buildings.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

The international-variety field blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio, vinified the La Castellada way with extended skin contact. Yellow plum and dried herbs over a tea-tannin saline finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Savoury · Refreshing

Indigenous Friulano with short skin maceration, sold within DOC Collio. Yellow apple and bitter almond aromatics over a saline almond-skin finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

The Bensa family's extended-maceration Ribolla, one of the four founding Oslavia orange-wine cellars alongside Gravner, Radikon and Damijan Podversic. Dried apricot, orange peel and almond over a tea-tannin finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Bold

The Bensa family Bordeaux blend from the Oslavia ponca slopes. Black plum and leather over an iron mineral core and dusty firm tannin.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Aromatic field-blend white from Lis Neris. Pinot Grigio with Traminer Aromatico and Riesling Renano gives the cellar's flagship aromatic style.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Oak-aged Pinot Grigio from Lis Neris. Gris is the cellar's top Pinot Grigio with partial new-oak elevage, set against the broader Lis Neris Pinot Grigio.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Oak-aged Chardonnay from Lis Neris. Jurosa is the cellar's top single-parcel Chardonnay with partial new-oak elevage on the lees.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Oak-aged Sauvignon from Lis Neris. Picol is the cellar's single-parcel Sauvignon with partial new-oak elevage.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Savoury

Native Carso Malvasia Istriana from family Lupinc at Prosecco (Trieste).

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Savoury

Native Carso Vitovska from family Lupinc at Prosecco (Trieste). Small Carso producer in the village above Trieste.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Single-vineyard Friulano from the Buri plot at Buttrio. Enzo Pontoni's cult Miani is the Colli Orientali's most sought-after producer with tiny yields and decade-plus waiting lists.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Single-vineyard Merlot from the Calvari plot at Buttrio. Miani's flagship red, considered by critics one of Italy's reference Merlots for its structure and ageworthiness.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Single-vineyard Friulano from the Filip plot at Buttrio. The cellar's second top Friulano alongside Buri, with the same hand-farmed Pontoni approach.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Single-vineyard Sauvignon from the Saurint plot at Buttrio. Miani's Sauvignon is the cellar's most overtly aromatic single-vineyard wine but built on the same low-yield concentration spine.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

Extended-maceration Friulano, deliberately named Jakot (Tokaj spelled backwards) as a protest against the 2008 EU ruling forcing Friulano off the Tokai label. Dried almond and orange zest aromatics with a tea-tannin finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Savoury · Funky

Indigenous-style Merlot from the Oslavia ponca slopes, vinified the Radikon way with no added yeast and three years in Slavonian botti. Dried red cherry and leather over a dusty, saline-edged finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Bold

Indigenous Pignolo from the Oslavia ponca slopes vinified the Radikon natural-wine way. Dried black cherry, leather and graphite over a firm grainy tannin.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

Stanko Radikon's pioneering extended-maceration Ribolla, with three to four months on the skins. The wine that put Oslavia on the global orange-wine map alongside Gravner; sold in the distinctive 500 ml bottle Stanko adopted in 2002.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Elegant

S Line orange Pinot Grigio (Sivi means 'grey' in Slovenian) with the variety's natural copper hue from skin contact. Pink grapefruit and rose hip aromatics over a saline-edged finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Savoury

The entry-tier S Line orange blend (Chardonnay + Friulano) with shorter skin contact than the flagship Ribolla. Yellow apple and white peach over a saline finish with light tannin grip.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Savoury

Indigenous Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso from the Rapuzzi family's Cialla holdings, aged in large Slavonian botti rather than barrique. Black plum and tobacco over a fine grainy tannin.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Elegant

Ronchi di Cialla's Ribolla Gialla from the Cialla holdings, in the still-white idiom (no extended skin contact). Yellow apple and almond blossom over a saline finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

The Rapuzzi family's flagship Schioppettino di Cialla. The Rapuzzi rescued Schioppettino from near-extinction in the 1970s, planting the first new Schioppettino vineyards at Cialla (Prepotto) since the variety nearly died out. Their work led to the Schioppettino di Prepotto sub-denomination.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The Rapuzzi family's late-harvest Verduzzo Friulano from Cialla, aged in large Slavonian oak botti. Dried apricot and honey over a saline-edged sweet finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Racy acidity · Refreshing · Elegant

Dry Riesling Renano from Ronco del Gelso at Cormons. Riesling is uncommon in the Isonzo and the cellar's Latimis bottling is a benchmark.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-parcel Pinot Grigio from the Sot Lis Rivis vineyard at Cormons. Giorgio Badin's Ronco del Gelso is the cellar's top Pinot Grigio.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Savoury · Elegant

Single-parcel Friulano from the Toc Bas vineyard at Cormons. Ronco del Gelso's flagship Friulano in stainless steel.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Savoury

The estate's Bordeaux blend (Merlot + Cabernet Sauvignon) with 18 months in barrique. Black plum and leather over a fine grainy tannin.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Single-vineyard Chardonnay from the Salars cru. Almond cream and yellow stone fruit over a saline finish, in the restrained Friulian Chardonnay idiom rather than the New World oak style.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Serena Palazzolo's single-vineyard Friulano from the Sol cru. Yellow apple and almond blossom over a saline finish, the estate's flagship indigenous-variety statement.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Funky

Carso field-blend white from Skerk. Ograde co-ferments four white varieties on skins as the cellar's signature blend.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · Racy acidity · Rustic · Savoury

Native Carso Terrano from Skerk. The cellar's red on the iron-rich karst soils.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Native Carso Vitovska from Sandi Skerk at Sgonico. Skerk's underground cellar is cut into the karst rock alongside the neighbouring Zidarich and Vodopivec sites.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Funky

Single-parcel long-skin-contact Vitovska from Vodopivec. Solo is the cellar's top cuvée from a single Carso parcel.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Funky

Long-skin-contact Vitovska from Paolo Vodopivec on the Carso. The cellar buried its first qvevri amphorae in 2005 and built around them an orange-wine line that critics rate alongside Gravner and Radikon.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Funky

Carso field-blend white from Zidarich. The Prulke blend co-ferments Vitovska, Malvasia Istriana and Sauvignon together on skins.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · Racy acidity · Rustic · Savoury

Native Carso Terrano from Zidarich. Terrano is the Carso's signature red and the wine retains the variety's iron-mineral signature from the karst's red soils.

Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Native Carso Vitovska from Beniamino Zidarich at Sgonico. Shorter skin contact than Vodopivec gives the wine more freshness, but the orange-wine signature remains.