March 2025 - Northeast Italy

We’re featuring wine from the northeast corner of Italy with most of our selections from Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine is a rather unknown and very diverse region in the northeast of Italy between the Alps and the Adriatic, bordering Austria and Slovenia. The wines of the region stand out from other Italian wines. Light-bodied, refreshing white wines are something exotic and foreign for many Italians. Due to its location, the region has a bag of cultural influences that are worth to be explored. Mountains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region inspire and its charming towns, culinary delights, and wines take you somewhere different, but still in Italy.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region is particularly determined by two climatic factors: on the one hand, the mild Mediterranean climate, and on the other hand, the cold air currents from the Alps. Ideal conditions for white wines, which are predominantly grown here. In Friuli-Venezia, DOC wine is produced from 26 different grape varieties. Half of them are native varieties, which means they have their origin in the region.

Red grape varieties: Refosco, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Ribolla

White grape varieties: Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay. Riesling, Picolit

March's Wine Tasting will be on 3/19/25, 6:30 pm. Tickets now available. Limited seating.

Whites

Bortoluzzi Sauvignon 2022 Friuli-Venezia Giulia

100% Sauvignon. Light straw yellow with verdant hues. The bouquet charms with notes of bell pepper, peach, and sage leaves endowing it with distinct elegance. Full on the palate, fresh, very appealing, with complex varietal flavors.

Le Monde Pinot Grigio 2023 Friuli-Venezia Giulia

This classic Friulian Pinot Grigio provides aromas and flavors of golden apple, white nectarine, and dried almond. Grapes are sourced from sustainably-grown vines aged 25+ years before undergoing a 48-hour cold soak ahead of fermentation and brief aging on lees in stainless steel. The winery headquarters, built in the eighteenth century, maintain the architectural characteristics of the time.

Zamo Ribolla Gialla 2021 Friuli-Venezia Giulia

All the fruit is destemmed and pressed immediately, the most ferment in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 16-18°C. The wine stays on the lees for eight months before going into bottle. Deep golden-yellow color, rich, warm and inviting aroma of ripe fruits and honey. Harmonious taste on the palate. It pairs wonderfully with fresh fish or seafood served with light vegetables

Le Vigne Di Zamo Orange Zero 2021 Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Varietal: Malvasia. Farming: Organic, Unfined/Unfiltered, No added SO2. Cloudy pale orange, intense nose with grapefruit, apricot, peach skin, moss. Dry, mid acidity, mid body, mid well integrated tannins, mid palate with fermented lemon, orange peel, apricot, long lasting finish. A beautiful example of an orange wine. Spontaneous fermentation with the Malvasia grapes being macerated

Reds

Cabert Pinot Noir 2023 Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Cabert Pinot Noir is an Italian red wine showcasing the elegance of the Pinot Noir grape. It presents a nose with aromas of red cherry, strawberry, and subtle earthy notes. The palate is light to medium-bodied, with flavors of red berries, raspberry, and a hint of spice, all framed by soft tannins and a smooth finish. This Pinot Noir is a delightful expression of the variety.

Abbazia Di Novacella Schiava 2022 Trentino Alto Adige -

A light, fruity, and low-tannin red wine. Light ruby to ruby-red in color. A fruity, fresh bouquet. Dry, elegant, with mild acidity on the palate; soft tones of bitter almonds in the finish.

Le Monde Cabernet Franc 2020 Friuli-Venezia Giulia

This vibrant Cabernet Franc from northeastern Italy shows aromas and flavors of red cherry, cassis, and hints of green pepper. Grapes are sourced from 40+ year-old sustainably-grown vines of before undergoing fermentation and 9 months of aging in stainless steel. The winery headquarters, built in the eighteenth century, maintain the architectural characteristics of the time

Gran Passione Rosso Appassimento, 2023 Veneto

60% Merlot, 40% Corvina. Rosso is crafted in the tradition of “Apassimento” (to dry and shrivel), the same style as Amarone wines of the region. Gran Passione has an intense purple color, tending towards amber with ageing. It is full-bodied with a solid structure due to the elevated alcohol and fine balance between soft tannins and acidity from rich red and black fruits.