Wines from Friuli

The Gioiello series by Nonino is the result of years of development and many experiments. They are distillates made exclusively from honey in all its flavours. The production is very limited, as only high-quality honey from ecologically pure areas is used. The distillation process is very slow in order to allow the volatile ingredients responsible for the fragrance of the distillate to evaporate and then condense in the right way, so that the rare and precious fragrance and taste characteristics of the selected honey are not lost.

Distillato di Miele di Castagno is made from 100% chestnut honey. It has a very distinctive aroma of spices and is very typical of the chestnut honey from which it is made, then mild and elegant on the palate. The honey distillate harmonises wonderfully with the finest cheese, goose liver, tea cakes, desserts with honey and ice cream. It is also suitable for refining sweet and sour sauces served with game, white meat and fish. SUPERIORE.DE

Medium yellow-green, intense floral and gooseberry aromas on the nose, fresh grapefruit, lime zest and basil. Full-bodied on the palate, elegant texture, fine acidity, mineral, racy and very drinkable. A Sauvignon with great varietal character. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright straw yellow with green notes. A little restrained on the nose, aniseed and sage, then some gooseberry. Blossoms beautifully on the palate, rich grapefruit, savoury and with good tension." Falstaff

"A simple, fresh and tangy sauvignon blanc with a subtle gooseberry and green kiwi character. Elegant and fresh, with some green stone fruit on a pithy finish." James Suckling

Zitelle Barchetta (only 1,400 bottles) is a Sauvignon Bianco from the micro-vineyard of the same name, which is only produced in very small quantities. It is a rich and exuberant expression of the very aromatic grape variety. Barchetta is fermented in oak and matured in barriques for ten months. The result is a wine that is very atypical for Sauvignon Blanc. Its more oxidative style of vinification leads to a creamy consistency, followed by warm notes of summer peach, roasted almonds and passion fruit. Complex, harmonious and very distinctive! SUPERIORE.DE

"Inviting, with a nose of bell pepper, herb, lemon and freshly cut grass; palate of white peach, white flower and lemon." Decanter

"The 2021 Sauvignon Vigneto Zitelle Barchetta is intense, pouring from the glass with an array of pungent herbs and flowers enhanced by crushed lime and sweet smoke. Its texture is deep and smooth, lapping the palate with a silky texture, while a core of sour citrus and tart orchard fruits provide contrast. The tantalising acidity makes the mouth water as the 2021 finishes with notes of sour melon and lime." Vinous

Light straw yellow in colour and intensely fruity with a banana, apple and citrus aroma. Beautifully aromatic and yet not too heavy in flavour, the wine shows excellent persistence. SUPERIORE.DE

Zitelle Barchetta (only 1,400 bottles) is a refined Sauvignon Bianco from the micro-location of the same name, which is only produced in very small quantities. It is a rich and exuberant expression of the very aromatic grape variety. Barchetta is fermented in oak and matured in barriques for ten months. The result is a wine that is very atypical for Sauvignon Blanc. Its more oxidative style of vinification leads to a creamy consistency, followed by warm notes of summer peach, roasted almonds and passion fruit. Complex, harmonious and very distinctive! SUPERIORE.DE

Light, pale golden yellow colour. Sexy aromas of tangerine, honeysuckle, crystallised ginger, minerals, apple pie and puff pastry. Big, rich and deep with impeccable balance and a very precise, multi-layered quality. The finish is long and luscious. Zitelle Durì (only 1,000 bottles) is a very special expression of a single vineyard. It achieves an impressive balance between aromatic intensity and texture. SUPERIORE.DE

"Green melon mixes with chamomile, mint and wet stone as the 2021 Malvasia Vigneto Zitelle Duri comes to life in the glass. This is seamlessly silky yet lifted and finessed with cooling acidity that enlivens its ripe orchard fruits. Pretty inner florals form toward the close. The 2021 tapers off with incredible length and staining concentration yet maintains amazing energy as vanilla custard mixes with lemon zest." Vinous

The 2021 Friuli Colli Orientali Friulano Zitelle Crostone plays its best cards in the mouth, where the wine delivers a silky richness that is firm and strong. The true fibre of the wine is finely knit. This inner tension frames the grape's honey, pear and green melon flavours. Like most of Meroi's other white wines, this wine is fermented in oak and then aged in barriques for ten months. There are only 1,000 bottles. SUPERIORE.DE

Sauvignon Bianco Casa Rossa is pleasantly floral with nuances of camomile and freshly cut pear. Its soft texture is balanced by a zesty acidity, while candied ginger balances green apples and a hint of nectarine. The finish is long, structured and floral, with a hint of candied lime and salty minerals that linger to the smoky final. Casa Rossa is a pleasure bomb, but perfectly balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

"The Sauvignon Vigneto Zitelle Casa Rossa 2021 needs time to open up. It is dusty and floral with aromas of gravel, dried flowers and nectarines that slowly unfold in the glass. It is silky to the touch, with an admirable weight balanced by fresh acidity. Vibrant green apple and melon sweep across the palate, leaving a hint of minerality. The 2021 folds in on itself on the finish, youthful yet with a saturation of primary concentration that lingers. A tart lemon peel note keeps me reaching for the glass to drink more. The Zitelle Casa Rossa has a lot to say, but you have to be patient. This is an absolutely stunning Sauvignon. This is the first vintage of Casa Rossa from a Zitelle parcel with significantly more active limestone in the soils. It is an absolute flagship." Vinous

Sauvignon Bianco Casa Rossa comes from a parcel of the Zitelle with significantly more active limestone in the soil. The bouquet is pleasantly floral with nuances of camomile and freshly cut pear. Its soft texture is balanced by a zesty acidity, while candied ginger balances green apples and a hint of nectarine. The finish is long, textured and floral, with a hint of candied lime and salty minerals that linger through to the smoky final. Casa Rossa is a firework of impressions, but always perfectly balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

Light, pale golden yellow colour. Sexy aromas of tangerine, honeysuckle, crystallised ginger, minerals, apple pie and puff pastry. Big, rich and deep with impeccable balance and a very precise, multi-layered quality. The finish is long and luscious. Zitelle Durì (only 1,000 bottles) is a very special expression of a single vineyard. It achieves an impressive balance between aromatic intensity and texture. SUPERIORE.DE

Rich and refined top cuvée from the white grape varieties of Friuli. The bouquet of white flowers and yellow fruit has a pleasantly smoky note. Opulent flavours of yellow and white fruits, dried apricots and honey on the palate, the balanced acidity provides backbone and structure. SUPERIORE.DE

"Sparkling straw yellow with delicate nuances of green. Stone fruit, peach and some apricot on the nose, subtle flint notes and a hint of vanilla. Powerful on the palate, lively acidity, delicate phenolics, mouthwatering finish." Falstaff

"Clean and mineral, with a saline undertone and vibrant flavours of freshly sliced apples and pears, blanched almonds, almond blossom and a hint of ground white pepper. Fresh, chalky finish." Wine Spectator

"The 2019 Abbazia di Rosazzo is more delicate and nuanced, with dusty dried flowers, crushed almonds and sweet smoke on the nose. It feels silky yet almost weightless and floats on the palate with a savoury mix of white stone fruits and inner flowers. It leaves a hint of minerality and finishes with a beautiful tension that leaves flinty notes of liquid stone and Bosc pear. The Abbazia di Rosazzo is an understated beauty." Vinous

"This wine has definitely moved into tertiary aroma territory. With a deep, off-gold color and orange highlights, the Livio Felluga 2019 Rosazzo Abbazia di Rosazzo shows aged tones of preserved lemon, candied orange peel, dried guava and sweet almond. Fermentation is in stainless steel, and the wine sees some aging in large oak casks. There are mild white-wine tannins and a hint of peppermint to close." Wine Advocate

"Fascinating aromas of ash, wet stones, dried apples, hints of honey and flint. Tar. Full-bodied with great density and energy. Framed and firm. Vine bark with mushrooms. Reserved. Old vines. 80 to 100 years old." James Suckling

Mianis Bianco is the introduction to the fabulous world of Enzo Pontoni's white wines. The 2021 cuvée of Friulano, Ribolla, Sauvignon Bianco and Chardonnay opens on the nose with peach, apricot and camomile. On the palate, it is well-textured and brilliant in its tension curve, with a full, round flavour of peach, juicy pear and a fresh, balanced and long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Deep ruby red colour. Bright, fresh and savoury aromas and flavours of blueberries, flint, coffee and fresh herbs. Long and clean with soft tannins and very good clarity on the bright finish. A beautiful, very refined wine, characterised by its early attractiveness, but also by its velvet-pawed concentration and complexity. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2019 Rivarossa, a blend of Cabernet and Merlot, takes its time to evolve in the glass. It's coy at first, with hints of dried black cherry. Swirling slowly unlocks depths of sage and exotic spice. This displays silky textures as a polished wave of red and black fruits swirls across a stream of zesty acidity. The 2019 slowly saturates the palate in youthful concentration, along with fine-grained tannins, while finishing long, structured and leaving a pleasant bitter tinge. There is potential here, yet it will require serious patience to unlock." Vinous

"Raspberry, blackcurrant bush and bark on the nose. Also some pencil. Full-bodied, but not overwhelming, with linear and polished tannins that run the length of the wine. Very solid and structured, but with a certain openness on the finish." James Suckling

Elegant and fruity grape spirit made from Müller Thurgau grapes from Trentino. Scents of apricots and apples, elegant and fine-fruity taste, floral hints in the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Nonino celebrates the 25th anniversary of the ÙE grape brandy with the outstanding Riserva ÙE 25th Anniversary - an assemblage of separately distilled grape brandies from Ribolla, Moscato, Merlot and Malvasia, which matured for five years in barriques or small wooden barrels. Golden yellow colour, elegant bouquet of vanilla, caramel and nut. On the palate a wonderfully deep grape aroma, very long and soft. Without the addition of dyes. SUPERIORE.DE

"Very floral and fruity in fragrance, muscaty-grapey, chocolaty and dried fruit aromas in the background. On the palate complex wood aromas, as well as chocolaty sweetness, spicy in the finish." Falstaff

Fine herbaceous and spicy aroma, delicate hints of pineapple and blossom honey. Multifaceted and complex flavour with beautiful minerality, juicy hints of fruit and a fine acidity. White fruit and a slight hint of mint on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Antica Cuvée - here in the high alcoholic dosage form "Cask Strength" - is a fine, very aromatic Riserva. Nonino uses the traditional still for distillation. The inviting clear amber colour is the result of storage in small barrels. A very special note is given to the cuvée by the small but essential addition of young grappa, which has matured for a year in Limousin barriques. Fruity, warm, velvety and long-lasting. SUPERIORE.DE

Also from Bruttrio, like the Friulano Buri Bellaria, comes the almost pure top Merlot from the Palazzolo family. The vines of the vineyard, which was formerly cultivated by Miani, are almost 100 years old and regularly produce grapes of great complexity and very fine tannins, which, however, require at least two years of ageing and refinement before the wine is bottled unfiltered. But then the wine embarks on a journey that could not be more exciting and rewarding. On the nose, we find violet flowers and lots of blue and black berries, rounded off with savoury herbs and spices. A remarkably silky, almost floating red that leads into a never-ending, fusiose final with fleshy berries, minerals and herbs. SUPERIORE.DE

"A smoky blend of wild berries, grilled herbs and crushed stone introduces the 2021 Rosso Buri Bellaria. This is seamlessly silky yet youthfully slender with a wave of mineral-drenched red and blue fruits that flow across a stream of cooling acidity. It leaves a tart concentration to linger along with grippy tannins. Licorice hints add a pleasantly bitter tinge. Patience will be necessary as the 2021 is wound up tight in its youthful state." Vinous

Deep gold. Slightly restrained, spicy aromas of yellow and green fruits on the nose, with hints of ginger and sage. Then very Sauvignon-like in the mouth with precise and well-structured flavours of passion fruit, fig, sage and banana. The finish is long, very rich and balanced, with an impression of increasing opulence. SUPERIORE.DE