Torre Rosazza, Friulano, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, 2016

At its best here in the Friuli hills, a clue to the style of wines produced from the Friulano grape lies in the fact that it's also known as Sauvignon Vert or Sauvignonasse. Friulano tends to be less aromatic and fuller bodied, but the grapes aren't a world away from each other in what they offer the wine drinker. In this fine example of Friulano, from a producer with 90ha of vines in the Rosazzo sub-zone of Friuli, an attractive smoky flintiness combines with a herbaceous freshness and good acidity. The wine is fermented in stainless steel before being aged on the lees for six months. One-fifth of the wine is aged for four months in new oak barrels, before being blended with the remaining 80% aged in stainless steel. An honest wine in a food-friendly style.