Livons 's Friuli whites

Tasted Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - Monday, June 1, 2020 by benny-g with 330 views

Introduction

Friuli Venezia Giulia is a region in Italy in the North East which produces an amazing diversity of white wines. Only last year I learned a lot about these wines and their producers, on a weeks stay in Trieste. Indigenous grapes, friulano and ribolla gialla, play a prominent role in this area between Adriatic and Alps, even if quite a range of better known white varieties, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot bianco, are also clearly present.
I purchased some bottles from La Tunella and Adriano Gigante while driving around the country side, but actually there are plenty of producers to choose from. These wines are certainly not omnipresent in shops in Belgium, but good wine merchants will have some. I found a collection of Livon wines available from Magnus Wines in Leuven, Belgium, so really a local shop for me.
I have bundled my tasting notes for 3 Livon whites here in this tasting story.

Flight 1 - Three distinct proofs of quality (3 Notes)

Three different wines from one producer tasted over some days.

  • 2017 Livon Collio Friulano Manditocai 93 Points

    Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio

    (5/28/2020)

    This is excellent! Amazingly concentrated fruit, mainly yellow but with a modest green touch as well. Beautifully integrated and intensely, lime like, acidic, which gives it a tremendous freshness. I love that in a wine. Towards the end some almond nuttiness appears to add yet another layer. The aftertaste lingers on in yellow orchard and agrum fruitiness.

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  • 2017 Livon Braide Alte Venezia Giulia IGT 91 Points

    Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT

    (5/30/2020)

    Spices are immediately noticeable as I pop the cork. Four-spice type. Yep, nutmeg/mace, ginger, cloves. To me these characterise this Livon white blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Picolit, Moscato giallo. Honey like sweetness, not overdone, give a satisfying sensation. The balance is just a tad to the sweet side, but there 's plenty of fruit (yellow plum, cantaloupe), spices and acidity.
    I should try this one with milk-braised veal (spiced with mace).

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  • 2018 Livon Collio Solarco 92 Points

    Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio

    (5/24/2020)

    Since we travelled now little over one year ago to the north east corner of Italy, I have developed a renewed love for white wines, especially for the typical grapes of the Friuli area. I don't think you will find a lot of ribolla gialla and friulano vinyards in other parts of the country or even the wine world. It is still intriguing that the focus between Adriatic sea and the Alps is on whites.
    The Solarco from Livon is a cuvee of both these grapes. The modest yellow fruit nose comes out in full on swirling, adding a surprising greenish touch. A sip fills the mouth with a basket of yellow fruits from apple to plum to citrus. Balance and concentration are great. Crisp, clean and clear. The finish is quite mineral and leaves you with a pleasant lemon and orange aftertaste.
    Great with sushi, by the way.

    Edit 2nd day: I had a bit left, which a day later developed some clear almondy bitterness in the finish. Wether that means we should drink it all on the first day, I don't know...

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Closing

Livon is one of big ones in Friuli Venezia Giulia and rightfully so, judging by what I have tasted. Livon now owns wineries in various regions of Italy, but the emphasis may still be on the Friuli whites.
My conclusions: 1) the quality of the white wines in this Northern Italian region can be amazing and diverse, worth further exploration and 2) since Livon shows such quality, it may be interesting to look into what they produce in their other domains elsewhere in Italy.

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