I Clivi “Galea”, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy, 1999    about $35

.

This is what Friulian whites should be all about - crisp, clean, bright, but with complexity, concentration and balance. The Verduzzo and Tocai Fruilano vines that provide the fruit for this wine are between 40 and 80 years old. What you get is intense floral aromatics on the nose and great length on the palate.

.

This wine was a revelation to me: there IS a terroir in Friuli, it’s just so often not expressed because most of the producers either don’t have access to old vine fruit or don’t care much about what goes in the bottle (so long as it sells).

.

Fernando Zanusso set off a spark with his commentary on the wines and winemaking style of Josko Gravner, who has become a legend in Friuli-Venezia Giulia for producing wines in amphorae (see my recent post on Gravner’s Ribolla Gialla Anfora for more on this). Some, including Zanusso, claim that Gravner’s wines are “dirty” and don’t warrent the hefty asking price. One could quickly rebutt that Gravner is essentially after purity; his experiment with amphorae is aimed at removing as many cosmetic applications as  possible.

‘

In the glass, Zanusso’s wines are nothing if not exemplars of purity. He emphatically champions technology as a means to unravel the errors of the past and to make transparent the expression of the land on the wine. His ‘99 Galea proves that, when applied properly, technology can yield great wines.

.

There are some great shots of the vineyards and the old vines on the I Clivi site — worthy of a visit for sure.

.

Check out more of our Remarkable White Wines of 2008 and our Remarkable Red Wines of 2008!

.