Why Friulano? Sauvignonasse? Sauvignon Vert? Tocai Friulano? Zeloni? Jakot? FRIULANO. It may have several names, but the wine is always distinct—and definitely distinct from Sauvignon Blanc. Don’t listen to the wine experts who claim it’s related to the white Bordeaux grape; it actually shares no genetics with Sauvignon Blanc. Originally from Veneto, since the 1600s, it has found its most noble home in the far Northeast of Italy, Friuli.
Vinification: Friulano buds late and ripens early, so it’s always a race to the finish line. Because of this rapid pace, there’s always a risk of the wine lacking some acidity. Many minimal intervention producers in Friuli, whom we respect and admire, often choose to ferment these white wine grapes on the skins, adding tannins and phenolics that help frame the wine with a touch of snugness on the perimeter of the palate. To avoid any harshness or coarse texture, we destemmed all the fruit to allow the complex aroma and flavor compounds from the skins to shine through. Fermentation occurred with wild yeasts from the vineyard, and the juice remained in contact with the skins throughout. Secondary fermentation was allowed to complete naturally, and the wine was aged in concrete for 10 months before being bottled without fining or filtration. A small addition of 20 parts winemaking sulfur was added prior to bottling.
Notes: This is not just an obvious choice for the often aromatically spiced foods of Friuli; it is equally at home with the pickled and savory spiced cuisine of far Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
