Winemaker Notes
Straw yellow of beautiful saturation with golden green reflections. Intense and delicate, suggesting elderberry flowers, pepperoni and sage, finishing with exotic fruit notes, such as pineapple. The flavors express vivacity and freshness, with a good structure.
This is a wine for antipasti, prosciutto, non-meat risotto, soufflé and baked vegetables and simple dishes of eggs and fish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A well-priced go-to for some oysters on the half shell, the Gradis'Ciutta (by Robert Princic) 2019 Collio Sauvignon is a certified organic wine with tangy aromas of grapefruit, stone fruit and Granny Smith apple. Those layers of fresh primary fruit are followed by a very linear and etched mineral note that serves as the firm backbone to this beautifully light and fragrant wine. Sauvignon Blanc from Friuli doesn't get better than this, especially if you are looking for an easy-breezy, refreshing white. If I could put a happy face emoji after my score, I would.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Viticulture has thrived in Colli Orientali del Friuli since the reign of ancient Rome and today its verdant, rolling hills support a long list of autochthonous varieties, each playing a unique and important role in the modern Colli Orientali wine scene.
The region is primarily recognized for its white wines. Its indigenous varieties of Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo, Picolit and perhaps most importantly, Friulano are made into single varietal wines or blended, and often blended with the international varieties of Sauvignon blanc, Pinot grigio and Pinot bianco. The latter have been flourishing in the area since the 1800s. But it wasn’t until the 1970s when producers started using cold fermentation techniques to produce fresh, fruity, crisp and aromatic whites that this area began to attract international attention.
While reds only make up about a third of the area under vine, Colli Orientali is home to some of Italy’s most exciting and rare red wines. Refosco, Schioppettino, Tazzelenghe and Pignolo are among the autochthonous varieties while Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir also have a stronghold.
Colli Orientali holds much in common with its neighbor, Collio; the only thing dividing them is a political line. Both are influenced by the cooling effects of the Julian Alps and moderated by the Adriatic Sea. A unique soil of alternating marine layers called flysch also dominates Colli Orientali, providing a mineral-rich environment for vine roots and optimal water drainage.