Friuli – Italy

Friuli Venezia region is bounded by the borders with Austria and Slovenia in the north-east. This relatively flat land on the foothills of the Alps is best known for its white wine production. Friuli gained recognition for unique and intensely flavoured styles of Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc. Local white grape Friulano also stands out.

Friuli is the only part of Italy in which light, aromatic whites have been produced with ease (thanks largely to the early introduction of refrigerated ways of getting pure, fresh, varietal fruit into a bottle), Italian connoisseurs have been prepared to pay well over the odds for them.