Winemaker Notes
Vintage Tunina is a field blend made of Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Ribolla gialla, Malvasia and little percentage of a sweet local grape variety. It is bright straw-colored with golden reflections. The nose is intense, wide, very elegant and persistent with scents of honey and country flowers. To the palate it is dry, soft, well balanced with an extraordinary persistence due to its full body.
It matches with first courses with truffles with fish dishes and poultry. It is a great match with fresh salmon stuffed with parmesan cheese and artichokes.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
This is really beautiful with so much mango, pineapple and lemon character. Hints of honeysuckle, too. Full body, intense dried fruit and vibrant acidity. Great Italian white blend.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This white blend enjoys one of the most popular and heartfelt followings in the varied and beautiful world of vino Italiano. The 2016 Vintage Tunina is a blend of 25% Chardonnay, 25% Sauvignon Blanc, 22% Ribolla Gialla, 23% Malvasia and 5% Picolit. Despite the complexity of the blend, each variety shows its distinct personality with varying degrees of intensity. For example, there is no mistaking the radiant fragrances of the Sauvignon Blanc and the floral layers of the Malvasia. The Chardonnay gives the wine its textual fiber and core weight. The two indigenous grapes, Ribolla Gialla and Picolit, add unmistakable territory-specific personality with lush Mediterranean fruits. Fermentation is kicked off with indigenous yeast in stainless steel. Once 5% or 6% alcohol is achieved, one-quarter of the must is moved to Slavonian oak casks, where it completes fermentation. The wine then rests in oak for 11 months.
-
Wine Enthusiast
One of Italy’s most iconic white wines, this radiant blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla and Malvasia opens with aromas of spring wildflower, white and yellow stone fruit and sun-warmed hay. Vibrant and boasting tension and elegance, the linear, delicious palate doles out ripe apricot, creamy white peach and juicy grapefruit before a white-almond and saline close.
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.