Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Collio Studio di Bianco is a carefully contemplated blend of 45% Friulano, 35% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Riesling (with 2,300 bottles produced). The wine is packaged in the dark green label reserved for Borgo del Tiglio's top-shelf expressions. This wine sees fruit sourced from the Ruttars vineyard with light gray calcareous marl soils, and most of the vines were planted before 1989 when this parcel was purchased. The grapes are harvested on the same day and pressed together. The resulting bouquet is extremely smooth and seamless with pear and peach aromas that transition directly to anise seed and a touch of diesel fuel. What stands out most is the structure, firmness and power of the wine (at 15% alcohol) that gives you the possibility of pairing this white wine as if it were a red, with roast chicken or a fatty fish dish.
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Wine Enthusiast
A blend of 40% Friulano, 40% Sauvignon and 20% Riesling, this structured white opens with aromas of toast, crushed stone, grilled herb and a whiff of yellow stone fruit. It's full bodied, delivering baked apple, dried apricot, citrus zest, vanilla and butterscotch flavors. A hint of toasted almond and a savory, almost salty mineral note linger on the finish.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
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.