GRAPES: CHARDONNAY/SAUVIGNON BLANC/PINOT GRIS FIELD BLEND
SKIN CONTACT: 22 DAYS
REGION: FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA, ITALY
Vinification method: Borders are blurred in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region famed for its white (and orange) wines located in the most northeast corner of Italy. The region shares borders (and cultural/language influence) with Slovenia and Austria. So while winemaker Dario Prinčič's "Bianco" is technically an Italian wine, his tiny village of Oslavia is located smack on the border between Slovenia and Italy.
Dario works about 10 hectares of steeply terraced clay-limestone soils (not far from colleagues and friends Radikon and Gravner) using organic methods. Likewise, in the cellar only wild yeast is used for fermentation. For "Bianco," which Dario has called his "entry-level" orange wine, the hand-harvested field blend of grapes macerate on the skins for 22 days and age in separate, differently sized local wood vessels for 2 years. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with a minimal amount of added S02.
Tasting notes: medium-full bodied, dried apricots, blood orange marmalade, beeswax, saffron honey, balsamic herb finish
Pairings: sliced prosciutto
Mix and match 3, 6 or 12 bottles!
