Winemaker Notes
Bright, intense yellow, with subtle golden hues. On the nose, it is eclectic, extremely complex and stylish. Floral sensations of orange blossom, jasmine and honeysuckle, enriched by citrus notes of yellow grapefruit, kumquat and candied citron, and hints of ripe fruit like percoca, yellow peach and apricot. Seductively tropical nuances of pineapple, papaya and passion fruit enfolded by sage, thyme, rosemary and maquis. Spicy touches of white pepper, ginger and saffron complete the bouquet. The palate is seductive, well-balanced and layered with distinctive harmony between freshness and volume, rich texture and grip. Floral aromas of hawthorn and acacia flowers, followed by fruity hints of tobacco peach, hazelnut, almond and citrus, closing on notes of custard, vanilla and honey. A delicate mineral note creates a taut, lingering finish, with a pleasing salty tang that blends nicely with the wine’s rounded, velvety profile.
Excellent with fish dishes, vegetable starters, white meats and cheese.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very minerally wine despite its aromatic complexity and fruit richness. It shows Mirabelle plums, apricots, ferns, iodine, stones, flint, tuberose and fresh dough on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with weight, a super-silky texture, refreshing acidity, ripe stone fruit flavors and a tingling, savory finish that’s almost salty. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Livio Felluga 2022 Rosazzo Terre Alte is the estate’s flagship wine, a classic blend of Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon Blanc sourced from old vines planted between the 1950s and 1970s. Despite a warm vintage, balanced rainfall and hillside vineyard vigor preserved freshness and composure. The wine shows layered notes of citrus, mandarin and subtle tropical fruit, alongside Mediterranean herbs and mineral, saline tones from the Ponca soils. Deep-rooted vines contribute concentration and structure, yet the wine remains precise and harmonious, with nothing out of place and a long, refined finish.
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Vinous
The 2022 Terre Alte is impossible to ignore as a burst of crushed rocks and sage gives way to freshly sliced nectarines, lemon zest and mint. It is deeply textural, nearly oily in feel, with tantalizing acidity and masses of lime-infused pit fruits that envelop the senses. This vintage displays remarkable depth and concentration while maintaining balance, finishing long and potent with a salty infusion that keeps the mouth watering for more.
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Wine Enthusiast
Here stands a legend that helped put Friuli on the map. The aromatics roll and evolve in the glass: ripe cut peach mingles with fresh apple and a citrus medley of lemon, lime and orange. Subtle oak spices hover in the background like a whisper, accompanied by delicate yellow flowers and magnolia blossoms. The palate unfolds luxuriously... first tropical fruit notes gracefully transition into tangy citrus cream. Everything stays elegant and poised through the finish thanks to perfectly pitched acidity. Drink Now - 2045.
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Wine Spectator
A lovely, layered white, gracefully integrating a core of creamed golden apple, pear, orange curd, persimmon, pastry dough and crystallized honey notes with palate-cleansing acidity and an underlying streak of salinity. Expands nicely on the palate, revealing additional accents of chamomile, broom, lemon wax, wet stone and blanched almond that linger on the refreshing finish. Pinot Bianco, Friulano and Sauvignon. Drink now through 2040.
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.