Livio Felluga Sauvignon Blanc D.O.C. Friuli Colli Orientali 2021
(Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy) - [WE 92] [WS 90]

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.

About the Wine:
The variety, of French origin, was introduced into Friuli during the rule of the Hapsburgs and was popularized in the early 1900s. A fresh and captivating wine, with unmistakable multifaceted aromas with marked notes of exotic fruit, yellow peppers, tomato leaves, mint, lantana and boxwood. A traditional Friulan wine.

Our Sauvignon vines are mainly Guyot-trained and have their roots in the Ponca soil (Cormòns flysch in technical terms), which is composed of marl and sandstone of Eocene origin, stratified under the sea over the millennia, lending our wines a unique tanginess and minerality. The harvest took place during the month of September. The healthy and perfectly ripe grapes were hand-picked in small crates, to preserve the integrity of the fruit. After gentle destemming the fruit was left to macerate for a short period, then softly crushed, and the must obtained was clarified by decantation. Temperature-controlled fermentation followed in stainless steel vats. At the end of fermentation, the wine was kept on the lees for a few months to increase its complexity, creamy texture and suitability for ageing. Once bottled, it matured in temperature-controlled rooms.

13.5% ABV

Tasting Notes:

Color: Intense straw-yellow.

Nose: Intense, varietal, complex and very subtle. Generous aromas of currants, hawthorn, viburnum, tomato leaves and nettles, followed by hints of sweet spice, gooseberries and pastry cream.

Palate: Extremely well-structured, with a beautifully balanced, refreshing viscose texture. Hints of citrus alongside fruit like white peaches, lychees, mango and cherry plums. Subtle spice, iodised and minerally, appears in the lingering finish backed by robust acidity.

Food pairings: Excellent as an aperitif, it pairs well with asparagus, vegetable soups and marinated fish.

Ratings & Reviews:

92 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"This classic Sauvignon Blanc from Friuli has aromas of fresh pear and apples mixed with lemon and mandarin orange. Notes of yellow and white flowers along with stone and fresh herbs waft out of the glass with a little more time. The palate is layered between vibrant citrus notes and fresh herbal notes finishing with a beautiful structure and clean crisp acidity." - Jeff Porter (May 2023)

90 Points - Wine Spectator:
"This vibrant Sauvignon has hints of flint and smoke on the nose underscoring ripe, juicy pineapple and pear fruit, while accents of chive blossoms, peach skin, pink grapefruit zest and graphite linger through the finish. Drink now through 2025. 3,300 cases made, 800 cases imported." - Alison Napjus (Aug 2023)