Wines from Friuli-Venezia Giulia

The White Wine Heaven of Italy

Friuli-Venezia Giulia, which is located in the extreme north-eastern corner of Italy, is a unique wine region.

While the lovers of red wines could head to Piedmont and Tuscany, the white wine lovers could reach this part of the country to taste some best wines.

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Although this region is found to be small compared to the other parts of Italy, it ranks among the top producers of white wines.

This region, whose landscape is characterized by the coastal lands, mountains, and plateaus, is famous for its white wines from non-traditional grape varieties.

Now, let’s learn about the viticulture and viniculture of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in this article…

Topography and Climate of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

In the northern and eastern sides, this region is found to be bounded by the countries of Austria and Slovenia. To its southern side lie the Gulf of Trieste and wine regions of Veneto.

When it comes to terroir, the vineyards of Friuli-Venezia Giulia are most influenced by their placement between the Alps Mountains and the Adriatic Sea.

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The mountainous topography in the northern and eastern sides is found to be lifting several vineyards of Friuli-Venezia Giulia above the low-lying clouds.

This makes the vine plants to get bright sunshine without getting overheated thereby, allowing the wine grapes to get complex phenolic characters and richer aromas.

On the other hand, the vineyards planted in low-lying areas down close to the coast are experiencing maritime climatic conditions.

Here, the climate is being moderated by the diurnal temperature differences. This phenomenon is creating more stabilized and reliable weather for the local vineyards.

The soil types of the region are found to be varying from marl and sandstone in the hilly regions to the clay, sand, and gravel types in the valleys. The marl and sandstone types of soil are found to be rich in calcium contents.

Viticulture and Winemaking in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

We can observe that most of the region’s vineyards are located in the southern parts.

It is in the southern half of Friuli-Venezia Giulia that the larger wine areas of the region can be found, including:

Cantina Tramin – Pinot Grigio 2014 75cl Bottle
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Collio Goriziano
Colli Orientali del Friuli
Isonzo
Carso

On the other hand, we can see the smaller wine areas of Friuli-Venezia Giulia being located in the central and western parts.

Examples of such smaller wine regions include:

Annia
Aquileia
Grave
Latisana

I would say that the best vineyards of Friuli-Venezia Giulia are located on the slopes of the Alps that are facing south. This is the region that is most benefitted by the direct sunlight exposure and cool breezes from Adriatic.

In contrast, the smaller wine areas are found to be located on the alluvial plains, where the wines are found to be lighter and less elegant in nature.

When it comes to wine production, the region is standing least in average production with just 3.5 tons per acre of vineyard. This is because of the fact the winemakers of Friuli-Venezia Giulia are focusing on quality more than quantity.

This is why the white wines of Friuli-Venezia Giulia are found to be more expensive than other whites from Italy. Obviously, the white wines are dominating the wine industry and most of these are made in varietal forms.

At present, this region is found to be home to three DOCGs and eleven DOCs. Also, there are three IGTs here.