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What We Say 2008 Friulano
EXCLUSIVE WINE ALERT:
Today’s Colli Orientali del Friuli D.O.C. is only available in the U.S. through The Wine Spies. A fun, ripe and food friendly white, this wine is the perfect start to any Italian meal.
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Mission Codename: Confusion no more
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Secure an exclusive Soave D.O.C. for our operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Comelli Paolino
Wine Subject: 2008 Friulano Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC
Backgrounder:
The Colli Orientali del Friuli is located in Italy’s northeastern location and specifically in the Venezia Giulia. Home to some of Italy’s finest white wines, the region is well known for Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and, like today’s selection, Friulano (Tocai Friulano or Sauvignon Vert). While Pinot Grigio is referred to Tokay d’Alsace in France, it is not related to the Friulano varietal nor is it related to Hungarian Tokaji. To avoid confusion, the EU is now prohibiting the use of the name Tocai Friulano and thus this wine is simply known now as Friulano.
Thought to be native to Italy’s Veneto, Friulano produces wines of medium to full body, with bright acidity and fresh white and green fruit as well as distinct floral aromas and flavors.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – A clear straw yellow to pale golden in color that becomes slightly more pale along the edges. Subtle golden hues reflect through the clear core. When swirled, this wine shows off its springy surface texture and leaves medium fast thin legs along the side of the glass
Smell – Aromatic and medium in intensity with aromas of pears and green apple with a touch of citrus. Subtle floral and herbal notes along with hints of minerality also make an appearance on the nose.
Feel – Lively and fresh, this medium bodied wine is dry and crisp with a slight tingly sensation that hits at the mid palate and dances over the tongue into the finish. Bright acidity, a touch a spice and minerality hold on to the fruit and floral notes.
Taste – Fresh and juicy green apple, tart pear, peach and citrus flavors meld with subtle herbal and floral components from the nose.
Finish – Clean and medium long in length with lingering minerality and a characteristic white and green fruit bitterness that invites another sip.
Conclusion – The 2008 Comelli Paolino Friulano Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC is a fresh and delicate white that is very approachable and a perfect pair for a light lunch of seafood or antipasto. Bright acidity and minerality along with fresh and lively white and green fruit and its distinctive floral notes make this wine a joy to drink.,
Mission Report:
Dateline: Trieste, Italy – March 2010
Agent Baco Noir had long gone missing… every now and then, the crackpot command center, what I call my office, had received an unlabeled box with some spectacular wines and detailed intel reports. Those reports, always unsigned, had the distinguished characteristics of Baco.
I was in Italy, and got a call from my Ms. Money Penny saying that a box had just come in. Perfect timing, I though, I was in Italy when something arrived, perhaps I could get back on the trail. The wines were from the small boutique farm of Comelli Paolino in the Colli Orientali del Friuli.
Hot on the trail, I quickly arranged transport up to Faedis. From there I would hunt down leads. I new where to find Baco. The first place I looked was the cafes and the second was there shoe stores. She had a passion for wine, coffee and tall Italian shoes…. No luck at those locations (there was only two shoe stores in this small town), so I headed up to the winery. Once there, I was greeted by the family who informed me I was about a week behind. They indicated that they thought she had headed back to the Piedmont.
It wasn’t a total loss however, I had a chance to taste their delicious Friulano and also their Sauvignon Blanc (look for that wine in the near future).
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Comelli Paolino north of Trieste, Italy can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Comelli Paolino
About This Wine:
A typical wine from the region of Friuli. Dry, dulcet, nicely balanced, it has a pleasing yellow-straw colour with golden reflections. It has a harmonic and fruity bouquet that leaves an aftertaste of almond, wildflower and white peach notes. These aromas reiterate a full and delicate taste on the palate that is fresh, fruity and inviting.
Food Pairing: It is perfect as an aperitif or to accompany San Daniele prosciutto crudo, soup and fish appetizers or white meat terrines. Serving Temperature: 11 – 13 °C.
Winemaking:
Area: Parco della Vite e del Vino in the Colli Orientali del Friuli in Torreano di Cividale, outlaying divison of Togliano, vineyard:“Sot la Mont”.
Land type: marly-arenaceous rock of eocene origin rich in calcium and potassium containing discrete levels of phosphorus, magnesium and many other micro-elements.
Cultivation method: Guyot.
Grape harvest: rigorously harvested by hand in the third or fourth week in September.
Vinification: Destemmed grapes are put in stainless steel tanks for 24 hours at a low temperature (cryomaceration) before being gently crushed. The must then undergoes decantation for 8-12 hours and then must ferment at a controlled temperature (16-18 °C). The wine is then kept with total yeast levels until spring before being bottled.
About Thie Winery:
Our winery is located in the “Colli Orientali del Friuli” Controlled Denomination of Origin area. It stretches over 14 hectares of vineyards in the hills, protected by the Prealps to the north and exposed to the positive atmospheric effects of the Adriatic Sea to the south, creating a ventilated and dry climate.
The soil consists of marly-arenaceous rock with Eocenic origins, therefore it is ideal for growing vines in the hills. It is rich with lime, potassium, a discrete amount of phosphor, magnesium and many other microelements.
The average density per hectare of 5,000 vines, allows us to obtain the right ratio between quantity and quality of the product.
We use some of the most modern equipment in the cellar for vinification, from ageing to storing of the wines, but we are aware that the most advanced technology can never replace nature, inasmuch as good wine finds the high clone selection of our vines, the quality of the soil, the particular microclimate as definite presuppositions, but also, if we may permit ourselves, our utmost commitment and passion and that of our collaborators.
Our production currently consists of about 65% of white grapes and 35% red. However, we are planning on gradually reaching an equal production of whites and reds.
Growing system: Guyot and runner system
Plant order: 2.5 m between each row; 80 cm between each vine.
Hand harvesting. These cultivating choices limit the quantity of grapes produced per vine, there by favouring a higher concentration of the quality, increasing the sugar content, creating a more intense colour, enhancing the typical perfume and flavour of each variety.
Technical Analysis:
Type: DRY WHITE
Vines: 100% TOCAI FRIULANO
Alcohol: 13.5%
