Winemaker Notes
The color is a brilliant yellow, luminous and intense. The nose reveals great elegance and complexity. Rich bouquet, embracing and harmonious. Refined white flowers, jasmine and acacia blossom blend with fruit notes of canary melon, yellow peach, apricot compote and tropical hints of passion fruit and pineapple. Citrus aromas are enriched by elegant creamy sensations of pastry, candied almond, vanilla, crème brûlé. Balsamic finish of cedar wood, thyme and liquorice. Constant evolution. In the mouth, the wine is full and velvety. Excellent harmony with the nose and great refinement. Pleasant acidic note. Mineral, savory and round. The richness of tropical fruit, nuts and creamynotes is enhanced by spicy notes of white pepper and cardamom. Long and persistent, the aftertaste is elegant and florid.
Excellent with fish dishes, vegetable starters, white meats and cheese.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of papaya, jack fruit, grapefruit seed, waxed lemon, thyme, wild herbs and crushed stones. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a textured palate. Complex layers of fruit, herbs and minerals. Some anise and spice, too. Fantastic blend of friulano, pinot bianco and sauvignon. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
In a heavy glass bottle, the Livio Felluga 2018 Rosazzo Terre Alte is an aged white wine with dried fruit aromas, saffron and peppermint over a mid-weight mouthfeel. There is a heavier citrusy signature of orange juice or thick pomelo wedges. The wine falls on the evolved or downward side of its lifespan bell curve.
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.
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.