Winemaker Notes
The nose is ripe and powerful, showing mature mandarin oranges, melons and pears. Similar in flavor and complexity to a "Grand Cru" Alsatian white.
Plus can be served with frito, scampi and raw fish in its youth, but is also fantastic with hot peppers and very spicy dishes (Indian and Thai). As it ages, it becomes a magnificent soft cheese companion - try it with the likes of Taleggio or Robiola.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 Tocai Plus shows terrific depth and complexity in a bouquet of crushed rocks and flowers that melds into ripe, succulent peaches. This generous, textured white shows outstanding length on the palate, with attractive honeyed notes that linger on the finish.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Offers amazing intensity and layered aromas of honey, candied orange, caramel and butterscotch. The wine also delivers an interesting combination of sweet fruit flavors and a bitter almond close.
-
Wine Spectator
Exhibits aromas of white peach and apple tart. Full-bodied, with tangy fruit and a long finish. Tangy and rich. Very lively.
Thriving in the NE Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia near the border of Slovenia, Friulano makes a uniquely high-pitched and vibrant white with a delicate perfume. Extensive in the area by the early 1930s, today Friulano grows in all of the best zones and is usually, but not always, bottled as a single-varietal wine. Somm Secret— The Friulano grown today, while named for its present home of Friuli, is actually the Sauvignonasse grape, a minor cultivar that came from Bordeaux.
The source of some of Italy’s best and most distinctive white wines, Friuli-Venezia Giulia is where Italian, Germanic and Slavic cultures converge. The styles of wines produced in this region of Italy's far north-east reflect this merging of cultures. Often shortened to just “Friuli,” the area is divided into many distinct subzones, including Friuli Grave, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Collio Goriziano and Carso. The flat valley of Friuli Grave is responsible for a large proportion of the region’s wine production, particularly the approachable Pinot grigio and the popular Prosecco. The best vineyard locations are often on hillsides, as in Colli Orientali del Friuli or Collio. In general, Friuli boasts an ideal climate for viticulture, with warm sunny days and chilly nights, which allow grapes to ripen slowly and evenly.
In Colli Orientali, the specialty is crisp, flavorful white wine made from indigenous varieities like Friulano (formerly known as Tocai Friulano), Ribolla gialla and Malvasia Istriana.
Red wines, though far less common here, can be quite good, especially when made from the deeply colored, rustic Refosco variety. In Collio Goriziano, which abutts Slovenia, many of the same varieties are planted. International varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc are also common, but they tend to be Loire-like in style with herbaceous character and mellow tannins. Carso’s star grape is the red Teranno, notable for being rich in iron content and historically consumed for health purposes. It has an earthy, meaty profile and is often confused with the distinct variety Refosco.