52 Weeks of Wine – Week 37: Friulano (July 6th – 12th 2019)

There’s a few food pairings out there that wine geeks and cork dorks like to challenge themselves with: asparagus, brussel sprouts, cabbage, artichokes, and chocolate (that one might surprise you!). These foods are known to be among the most difficult to successfully pair with a wine due to their strong and bitter attributes. You don’t want a wine that’s too delicate in its flavors and aromas because the food will overpower it, but you also don’t want to pair a strong or earthy wine with these foods because the notes will likely clash. Well, it turns out that Friulano is one of those wines that is among the most successful for these types of pairings.

Friulano is often confused with Sauvignon Blanc, and that could be understood since it also goes by the names of “Sauvignonasse” and “Sauvignon Vert”. Citrus notes are typically present in Friulano, and more specifically, grapefruit. However, the presentation is not as strong as Sauvignon Blanc and is a bit softer and easier to drink, similar to a Pinot Grigio. Fruilano often has notes of minerality.

This 2017 Torre Rosazza Friulano was produced in Italy and was awarded a 91 point rating by Wine Spectator – a notable recognition! The color was a straw yellow and appeared to have a bit heavier body, similar to a Sauv Blanc. The aromas were of subtle citrus, peach, apple, white flowers, and a little mix of salinity and gasoline. The flavors were grapefruit rind and a very subtle minerality with a very soft and smooth finish. Overall, I thought this wine has immense potential for a party or event. This would easily please anyone who enjoys Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. I think this wine would be best enjoyed with a small tasting of a rich, hard cheese like Parmesan or Cojita.

I gave this Friulano a 5 out of 5 cork rating and it typically retails for $17-28.