Winemaker Notes
Luminous straw yellow with light green hues. Very intense and complex, varietal and polished. It opens on delicate hints of boxwood, tomato leaf and yellow peppers, then explodes with floral notes of elder, broom, acacia flowers, lime and vanilla. This is followed by fruity hints of peaches, cedar, pineapple, lychees and passion fruit, finishing on pleasant sensations of herbs, ginger, sage, peppermint and gunflint. A beautifully fresh and very stylish flavor, tangy and harmonious. Complex and generous mouthfeel, with hints of citrus and tropical fruit. Very lingering flavor supported by well-balanced acidity, it closes on a captivating mineral and balsamic note.
Excellent as an aperitif, it also pairs well with asparagus, vegetable soups, and marinated fish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A more restrained and classy sauvignon with white sesame, light pears, apples and flint. Medium-bodied with a solid center palate and lovely length. This is complex and pretty. Real refinement with sauvignon blanc.
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Wine Spectator
A lively Sauvignon, this is sleek and mouthwatering, with hints of chive blossom, pink grapefruit zest, green melon and sliced almond. Drink now through 2027. 700 cases imported.
The 500-acre Livio Felluga Estate includes 370 acres of rolling hillside vineyards in the Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli. Friuli's temperate climate, protected by the Alps to the north and moderated by the Adriatic Sea to the south is a winemaker's dream. The sparse soil of marl and calcareous deposits is ideal for the white varieties, and also for their complex red wines.
Felluga does not believe in undistinguished, homogenous wine styles, but rather focuses on subtle, elegant expressions of wines made from grapes which have been grown in Friuli for centuries. Balance and clarity are the hallmarks of these wines, with minimum influence from oak and maximum freshness.
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.