Summer's here, and this is when the cool, clean varietal
whites of Friuli-Venezia Giulia really shine. With its magical
interplay of Alpine and Adriatic air currents, Friuli is said
to be naturally "air-conditioned," making its vineyards some
of the most prized white-wine vineyards in Italy. In wine
zones such as Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli, both
of which are in the pre-Alpine hills that hug the Italian
border with Slovenia, white wines reach their pinnacle of
power and elegance-and can rival the great whites of more
famous production zones such as Alsace in France or the Mosel
in Germany.
Friuli has an excitingly diverse crop of indigenous and "international"
grape varieties from which to choose, starting with the native
tocai friulano, the wine you're likely to get if you ask simply
for a tajut (small glass) of vino in a local
osteria. Tocai is a distant relative of sauvignon blanc,
not to be confused with the tokay-pinot gris of France or
the Tokaji wines of Hungary (the latter are made from the
furmint grape). Floral and minerally in aroma and rich-yet-flinty
in taste, tocai friulano is Friuli's signature contribution
to the world of white wine. It is complemented by a wide range
of other great varietal whites, including ribolla gialla,
sauvignon, pinot bianco, and pinot grigio. They tend to be
touch more expensive than other Italian whites, but they are
worth it. Here are two of our favorites to get the exploration
under way:
Scarbolo Grave Tocai Friulano 2000
Here is one of the best values in Friuli: A tocai that is
rich, almost viscous, with a flinty, minerally finish. Scents
of white flowers and white peach introduce this powerful tocai,
which is made just south of Udine in an unheralded but up-and-coming
part of the vast Grave DOC. This is one of the riper, richer
tocais you're likely to find, and it won't break the bank.
Villa Russiz Collio Sauvignon "De La Tour"
2000 
A benchmark sauvignon from one of the Collio DOC's best producers.
This wine is typical Friulian sauvignon: intensely aromatic,
racy, and quite full-bodied. It is fantastic with Mario's
Black Spaghetti with Lump Crab Meat, Green Chiles & Scallions.
It is a very sexy pairing…the aromas leap out of the glass
(and from the plate) and commingle in a very promiscuous way.
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