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2018 Friuli Venezia Giulia Malvasia “Chioma Integrale”

Vignai da Duline
Discount Eligible $45.00
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There are too many Malvasias in this world to count. From central Italy’s Malvasia di Candia, to Sicily’s Malvasia delle Lipari, to Sardinia’s Malvasia di Bosa, to Portugal’s Malvasia de Colares, the name recurs consistently across the Mediterranean and beyond. Thought to be of Greek origin, it comprehends a large family of white grapes to which the aforementioned examples may or may not belong. To complicate matters, Corsica’s Malvasia is simply a local name for Vermentino, and in Savoie they have taken to calling Pinot Gris by the name “Malvoisie.” There is even a red grape, Malvasia Nera, found in certain pockets of Italy. Enough already!
     Malvasia Istriana, native to Croatia and Friuli, is perhaps the most compelling rendition I have tasted to date. It yields this zesty, herbal white with a fascinating nose of white pepper, lavender, and pine resin. A textural wine—at once silky and faintly bitter—it presents a lithe structure and salty, mouthwatering finale. If there is one Malvasia to remember, let it be this one.

Anthony Lynch


Technical Information
Wine Type: white
Vintage: 2018
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: Malvasia Istriana
Appellation: Venezia Giulia
Country: Italy
Region: Friuli
Producer: Vignai da Duline
Winemaker: Federica Magrini, Lorenzo Mochiutti
Vineyard: Planted in 1960, .53 ha
Soil: Limestone and clay red soil
Aging: Aged for 7-8 months, 50% in 5-year old + 11hl oak barrel, 50% in 2.5hl barrels between 5 and 15-years old
Farming: Organic (practicing)
Alcohol: 12.5%

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About The Region

Friuli

map of Friuli

Friuli may be forever tied to its bland, acidic Pinot Grigios, which at one point saturated the export market, but a deeper look reveals a captivating array of unique grape-growing sites, distinctive indigenous varieties, and passionate small growers keen on preserving a rich tradition of winemaking.

Here in Italy’s northeast corner, the region is shared between the Julian Alps in the north and plains leading to the Adriatic Sea in the south, bound by the Veneto to the west and Slovenia to the east. While it is one of the wettest regions of Italy—and all of Europe, for that matter—Friuli benefits from the push-and-pull of cool air currents from the mountains meeting warmer breezes from the Adriatic. A crescent-shaped slice of foothills, where both play a role, tends to produce the region’s finest wines.

Nothing is more emblematic to Friulian wine than a crisp, peachy Ribolla Gialla served with thinly sliced prosciutto San Daniele, a local specialty. And yet, this only begins to tell the story: high-acid, mineral-driven whites from a number of local varieties including Tocai Friulano, Pinot Grigio, and Malvasia range from light and crisp to powerful and age-worthy, complementing Adriatic shellfish, hearty mountain cheeses, and everything in between. Native reds like Schioppettino, Terrano, and Refosco all have something unique to say, while there has even been significant success with French varieties like Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot, all long established in the region.

Friuli’s diversity is its strength, and it keeps us coming back for more. In fact, Kermit imported one of the region’s first organic growers toward the start of his career; our more recent collaboration with producers like Vignai da Duline is a testament to the enormous potential when devoted artisans put their hearts into Friuli’s fascinating terroir.

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Kermit inspecting wine barrels

For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.