Tag Archives: Colli Orientali del Friuli

Verduzzo Friulano Bianco: the basics

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The following post is my abridged translation of the entry on “Verduzzo Friulano Bianco” in Vitigni d’Italia, le varietà tradizionali per la produzione di vini moderni (Grape Varieties of Italy, the traditional varieties for the production of modern wines) by Antonio Calò et alia, Bologna, Calderini, 2006. This is the second in an educational series on the grape varieties of the Colli Orientali del Friuli, posted in conjunction with the COF 2011 aggregate blog.

Synonyms (documented and/or otherwise plausible): Verduz, Verduzz, Verduzo, Verduza, Ramandolo.

Erroneous: Verdisio, Verduzzo trevigiano, Verduzzo di Motta.

Origins (Historical Notes): An ancient grape variety of Friuli, cited by Acerbi (1825) who notes that a grape called Verduz had been cultivated in Friuli in the province of Udine for more than 100 years. It is mentioned in the 1879 Bolletino Ampelografico (Ampelographic Bulletin) as one of the white grape varieties of Friuli. In 1939, Poggi noted a distinction between two types of Verduzzo, a “green” clone which has all but disappeared and a “yellow” clone which was probably derived from the former. Besides these two clones, there is another found in the Ramandolo area (province of Udine) called Verduzzo “raçsie” with semi-loose [semi spargolo] clusters.

Environment and cultivation: Verduzzo is not particularly difficult to grow. It likes hillside vineyards with good exposure, low fertility, and dry climate. Production for this grape is high and constant. Medium-open training systems and medium-long pruning are ideal for this grape variety. It tolerates hail better than most.

Sensitivity to Disease and Other Issues: light sensitivity to powdery mildew, sensitivity to moths, high tolerance to botrytis thanks to its thick skin.

Alcohol Content: 9-15%
pH: 2.5-3.5
Acidity: 5-10 grams per liter

Verduzzo Friulano Bianco produces a wine that is rich golden yellow with a pleasant vinous aroma, relatively tannic, full-bodied, sweet, fruity, with honey notes. Two types of wine can be obtained using this grape: a dry white wine and a sweet semi-viscous dessert wine (Ramandolo) following exposed drying on the vine or drying in an enclosure.

The variety is used exclusively for vinification. It is commonly blended with other grapes to obtain a finer, drier, and more delicate wine. It is grown primarily in the province of Udine but also in the provinces of Pordenone and Gorizia. It can be used in the production of the following DOCs: Colli Orientali del Friuli, Friuli Annia, Friuli Aquileia, Friuli Isonzo, Friuli Latisana, Lison-Pramaggiore, and Piave, and it can be utilized in a variety of ways.

Ubi Raveneau, ibi beati

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In case your Latin is rusty, the title of this post means where there is Raveneau, there are happy, blessed folks.

I certainly feel blessed to have met and to know so many cool interesting folks through blogging, like la dérive, who also posted on the outstanding flight of wines we tasted together the other night in Chicago.

I thought the Raveneau was stunning, however tight and in need of aeration. And I loved how la dérive called the Zanna “pure bottled sunshine with deep, earthy, dark fruit notes; but not heavy in anyway, just comfortable in it’s own skin.”

Check out his super cool post here.

And in Friulian news…

I think it was love at first sight for Swedish wine blogger Billigt Vin when he met Rosa Bosco (above) in the Colli Orientali del Friuli last year.

Billigt Vin is another friend I’ve made (virtually) through wine-related social media and although I can’t really read his blog, we often trade notes on tastings and impressions of Italian wines and wineries.

Check out his post here.

My favorite line was: “Rosa Bosco might be a fan of Bach but this aroma is pure Mozart.” Great writing, great wine blogging.

The Ponca 10 bid Friuli adieu

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The Ponca 10* visited cult prosciuttificio D’Osvaldo yesterday in Cormòns: Matthew Turner (head sommlier, Michael Mina, San Francisco), Brent Karlicek (wine merchant, Postino, Phoenix), Jamie Garrett (sommelier, Sonnenalp, Vail), Bobby Stuckey (wine director, Frasca, Boulder), Steve Wildy (beverage director, Vetri, Philadelphia), Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson (chef, Frasca, Boulder), Lara Persello (our handler, Turismo FVG), Shelley Lindgren (wine director, A16, San Francisco), Mario Nocifera (director of operations, Frasca, Boulder), Joe Campanale (beverage director, Dell’Anima, New York).

The group gave handler Lara a Hermès bracelet to thank her for her superb job herding cats.

The crudo at the Regione Friuli good-bye discothèque party was extreme.

Bobby (left) and Lachlan (right) posed on the red carpet with Colli Orientali del Friuli consortium president Pierluigi Comelli and his lovely wife.

Do Bianchi dug the musetto.

Kristian Keber’s Edi Keber Collio ROCKED!

A stroll through Trieste on a Saturday night was magical, electric.

THANK YOU FRIULI FOR YOUR WONDERFUL HOSPITALITY AND THE GOOD VIBRATIONS!

*ponca, Friulian dialect, the unique sandy marl (flysch), Eocene seabed, typical of the Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli appellations.

With Elda Felluga at the Abbazia di Rosazzo

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“Dream Team Friuli 2010” with Elda Felluga (Livio Felluga, to Bobby’s right in the center of the photo) at the Abbazia di Rosazzo in the Colli Orientali del Friuli.

Elda is an amazing, dynamic personality and I can’t wait to tell the truly epic story of her family and how they put the Colli Orientali del Friuli “on the map,” quite literally (and about the extremely special gift that Elda gave me).

What do you think about “Dream Team Friuli 2010” as the name of our group? Strappo, McDuff, Alfonso, suggestions please!