Friuli - Italy's White Wine Hidden Gem

Italian white wines are famous for their incredible range of indigenous grapes, regions and styles. Such diversity can encourage conservative drinking, however: playing safe, and sticking to the tried and tested grapes and familiar regions. But throw vinous caution to the wind, and you will soon discover under-the-radar regions producing terrific wines from both indigenous and international grapes. One such region is Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Friuli, for short) - a wine region located in the North Eastern part of Italy with a very long history of wine production.

For the history-minded, it’s worth noting that this region was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and as such, only became Italian in the early 20th Century! The influence of its neighbours, Slovenia and Austria, has added a fascinating dimension to Friuli’s winemaking traditions. Friuli extends from the Alps to the Adriatic coast, and specialises in aromatic, floral and crispy whites known for their bright acidity.

The white wines of the region are often vinified as varietals - though there are blends too. These include international grapes such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but also indigenous grapes such as Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo and the relatively rare Picolit.

What makes the whites of Friuli rather special is their ability to marry beguiling lightness with substance of fruit and texture. The important four DOCs in the region are worth sketching out; they are Collio, Friuli Colli Orientalli, Friuli Isonzo and Friuli Grave.

This tasting will introduce you to six well chosen white wines from Friuli made from the following grapes:

Friulano
Ribolla Gialla
Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc

The wines will be a mix of single varietal wines, blends and the line up will include one orange / amber (skin contact) wine.

Tutor - Inbar Galinsky-Johnson

You can read Inbar's blog about Friuli white wines to get you in the mood at this link.

Sussex Wine School wine tastings are led by qualified wine educators and include 6 wines tasting samples, a digital presentation, tasting notes and some cheese.