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WBW #41 | Whites From Friuli Venezia Giulia

Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 | Friuli, Italy, White Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday | 5 Comments

Let me first admit something: I’m highly suspicious of white wines from Italy. I can’t help it; I just think of cheap Pinot Grigio. Now don’t get me wrong — there’s nothing inherently wrong with cheap Pinot Grigio. Here at Pour More, we’re not wine snobs. Heck, we drink Crane Lake Cabernet Sauvignon on a regular basis and are not ashamed to admit that. But to date I have not been impressed by white wines from Italy (the exception being that delicious, sparkling treat: Prosecco). So when I became aware of this month’s topic I considered skipping it. Jack and Joanne of Fork & Bottle chose Friuli Venezia Giulia white wines. And when I had a difficult time finding anything decent from Italy’s Friuli region, I seriously considered throwing in the towel.

But I thought that I really should plod on, especially because Italian white wines are something I generally ignore. None of the local wine shops had any Friuli wines in stock (well, they had Kris Pinot Grigio, but I really didn’t think that was what the hosts were going for, espcially since Jack and Joanne cautioned us that quality wines from this region are rarely priced under $18), so I tacked two bottles onto an order from one of our distributors. The Tocai was backordered, but my second choice arrived last week.

The 2004 Vidussi Ronchi di Ravez ($24.00) is a white blend. The grapes are not listed on the wine label, and I am assuming the blend changes from vintage to vintage because in my research I found two different descriptions of this wine. One says it is a blend of Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla, and Picolit. The other says it is a blend of Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istrian, Tocai Friulian, and Picolit. Either way, we can guess that that Picolit and Ribolla Gialla both found their way into my bottle. Loosely translated, “Ribolla Gialla” means “yellow” and that certainly makes sense once you see the color of this wine. It truly is yellow, making Drew think of lemons and making me think of a pilsner beer (though ever so slightly lighter). It was an unusual and very pretty shade. The nose reminded us of a California Chardonnay: buttery, with a suggestion of cream. There was an apple componant as well and as I swirled my glass eventually I coaxed out some apricot.

Don’t be fooled, though. This wine tastes nothing like a California Chard. It’s one of the most unusual white wines I’ve had. It has a wonderful, creamy mouthfeel and tastes of dried apricots (there was a concentrated sweetness) and almonds, or perhaps another very mild nut. Almond was what first came to my mind. It has a lingering, nutty finish that coats your tongue after you swallow. The wine is full-bodied and begs you to take your time while drinking it.

I served this with a very simple pasta dish: chicken breast, red peppers, broccoli, and whole wheat fusilli sautéed with herbs and olive oil, and topped with Pecorino Romano cheese. Although it paired well, I think the wine would be better suited to a creamy risotto or with an appetizer of soft cheeses.

The Ronchi di Ravez has inspired me to try other wines from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. This particular wine was so different from most whites I drink. It was truly, a refreshing change, and I thank Jack and Joanne for challenging us this month.

About Wine Blogging Wednesday: In 2004 Lenn Thompson of LENNDEVOURS was inspired to create a virtual wine tasting. Each month a different bloggers chooses the theme and ”hosts” that month’s tasting. Other bloggers seek out a wine consistant with the theme, taste the wine, and write about it. For more information, visit www.winebloggingwednesday.org