Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio "Curubella" Friuli Colli Orientali 2020
(Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy) - [WE 95] [JS 95] [WRO 93]

About the Winery:
The winery was founded in 1956, after Livio Felluga relocated from his native Istria, but the family's winemaking traditions date back to the mid-19th century. Founder and patriarch Livio Felluga is accredited with innovating and mastering modern wine making in Italy. While Felluga passed away in 2016 at the age of 102, his reputation for creating exceptionally lush, crisp and well-balanced wines extends well beyond the region of Friuli. His wines are recognized the world over as the finest in their categories. Today, the family-owned winery is led by Livio's son, Andrea Felluga.

The 500-acre Livio Felluga Estate includes 370 acres of rolling hillside vineyards in the Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli. Friuli's temperate climate, protected by the Alps to the north and moderated by the Adriatic Sea to the south is a winemaker's dream. The sparse soil of marl and calcareous deposits is ideal for the white varieties, and also for their complex red wines.

Notes from the Winemaker:
The grapes of Curubella, a dialect term denoting rounded uplands, have a sophisticated and harmonious soul, evocative of elegant, early 20th century Middle-European salons. We have decided to valorize them by offering an increasingly specific and detailed expression of our land. A curubella is indeed the backdrop for this mass selection, with particularly tiny, quite sparse bunches, planted in 1981. On this podium, visible from the Ancient Belvedere looking towards the Vigne Museum, the terroir endows the grapes with a powerful, strongly marked character. We have therefore decided to give a unique and individual expression to this variety which has long accompanied Friuli’s winegrowing history.

Winemaking: The hand-picked grapes, placed in small crates, were destemmed and left to undergo maceration on the skins for two days. The wine was racked into 10- and 17-hecotlitre containers made of cocciopesto towards the end of alcoholic fermentation, to permit proper temperature control. Malolactic fermentation took place over two weeks. Keeping the wine on the yeasts in these containers contributed to its creamy texture and sweet aromas.

Tasting Notes: Golden yellow with coppery hues creating an unusual pink gold tone in the glass, echoing the grapes which undergo a delicate maceration on the skins. Sweet and captivating on the nose with a subtly floral and citrus profile. Lime blossom and lemon zest blend with fruity aromas of Kaiser pears, peaches and mandarins. Light hints of grapefruit, lemon balm and lychee are released in the glass. The floral aromas include an appealing note of freshly mown hay and jasmine. An extremely minerally wine. On the palate, a smooth entry follows through, supported by well-balanced freshness with hints of citrus fruits and marjoram. Appealing and nicely textured with a lingering flavor, thanks to the chalky tang in the finish.

Food Pairing: Flexible and generous, an ideal accompaniment to summer evenings as a striking aperitif or alongside seared scallops with puréed peas and powdered bacon; risotto with Romanesco broccoli, fillets of red mullet and burrata; red shrimp tartare with datterini tomatoes and passion fruit; crab alla veneziana. In colder weather, it is perfect served with beet ravioli with ricotta; pumpkin risotto with turmeric and porcini mushrooms; but also holds its own with mild, sweet white meats, complementing its tangy flavor.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"The moment you lift the glass, the nobleness of Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) is known. This is the true essence of the variety, with a cascade of aromas that can make one shudder: baked apples layered with spice and drizzled with warmed honey as pressed flowers accompany, roasted almonds crumbled on top. Subtle mineral notes dip in and out with each whiff. The palate is an ocean crashing upon the palate with wave after wave of flavors fresh apples, then roasted almonds, sea salt and fresh herbs, then crushed stone all the while lifted by a consistent acidity that neither peaks nor ebbs. A wine for now or later, there will always be smiles." - Jeff Porter (Nov 2024)

95 Points - James Suckling:
"This is spiced with candied mandarin and peach skins as well as dried herbs and hints of cream. Medium- to full-bodied. This is so complete and lengthy on the palate and very balanced. It’s polished and even with toned acidity and a somewhat firm, phenolic backbone to it. Tense and nervy, but very elegant, too. Drink or hold." (Aug 2023)

93 Points - Wine Review Online:
The Livio Felluga 2020 Friuli Colli Orientali Pinot Grigio Curubella displays a coppery hue, or "ramato" in Italian, thanks to minimal skin contact. Aged in amphorae, it develops a textural richness rarely found in standard Pinot Grigio. This depth carries through to both the aromas and flavors, where notes of peach skin, mandarin, grapefruit, and a hint of spicy saffron burst forth. It is a striking example of the traditional Pinot Grigio style that has defined the region for centuries.

91 Points - Wine Spectator: 
"A tightly meshed white that unfurls on the palate, with a minerally underpinning of smoke and saline bolstering flavors of grainy pear, orange curd, chamomile and crushed almond. Racy and mouthwatering, but shows a creamy nappe to the texture that works nicely with the acidity. The long finish shows mineral elements and light herb and floral accents. Drink now through 2030. 75 cases imported." – Alison Napjus (Jul 2024)

90 Points - Vinous Media: 
“The 2020 Pinot Grigio Curubella is both savory and spicy, with a captivating bouquet that mixes grapefruit and lemon zest with sage, tomato leaf and wet stone. It's elegant in feel with penetrating citrus and mineral tones that complicate its crunchy green apple fruit. The 2020 finishes long and airy with beautiful inner florals and a saturation of citrus.” – Eric Guido (Apr 2024)