Gagliano
Province of Gorizia
Established: 1997
Owners: Joe & Lidia Bastianich
Winemakers: Emilio Del Medico & Maurizio Castelli
Production: 180,000 bottles
Hectares under vine: 40
Viticulture: Conventional
The Colli Orientali near Udine is home to some of the finest terroir in Friuli. Here, the vineyards’ terraced hilltop positioning and proximity to the Adriatic Sea and Giulian Alps combine to create the ideal climate for viticulture. Warm days of sunshine are followed by cool nights that lock in fruit aromas and slow maturation to yield wines of impeccable balance, finesse and power. The Bastianich approach is simple: take the best varieties of Friuli, highlight their unique expression and, in so doing, educate and invigorate the consumer.
Vespa Bianco, their flagship wine created to showcase the power and evolution of a great Friulian white, is equal parts Sauvignon and Chardonnay with 10% Picolit. The Sauvignon and Chardonnay are vinified separately – half in large oak, half in stainless steel – while the Picolit, harvested late, ferments in tonneaux. Following vinification, the wines stay on lees for almost a year before blending. You then get a tightly wound and complex balance of citrus and minerals, evolving with time to honey and pear. Its powerful structure and acidic backbone give it both immediate impact and cellaring potential. Vigne Orsone is 100% Friulano, fermented in stainless steel followed by nine months on lees with frequent battonage. Medium-bodied with ripe pear, almonds and zesty acidity, the wine offers great value with textbook varietal typicity that accompanies seafood as well as it does prosciutto San Daniele.
Calabrone is an ‘Amarone style’ red made from 70% Refosco with equal parts Pignolo, Schioppettino, and Merlot. When the conditions are perfect for ‘appasimento’, half of the Refosco and all of the Schioppettino are hung, bunch by bunch, for 4-6 weeks to shrivel and concentrate. There are complex notes of spice, coffee and chocolate, the palate surprisingly fresh and elegant for such a robust and powerful wine.
Wines
Friulano DOC ‘Vigna Orsone’
Vespa Bianco IGT Calabrone IGT