Every wine enthusiast has a favourite wine region or terroir. But when you want to look for different white wines which you will not find elsewhere in the world, you need to come to Italy. Here, in the north-eastern corner of the country, lies Friuli Venezia Giulia, the most important Italian wine region for the production of white wine.

The region has four DOCGs (Controlled and Guaranteed Origin Denomination): Ramandolo, Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit, Lison and Rosazzo. It also has 10 DOCs: Carso, Friuli Colli Orientali, Collio, Friuli Annia, Friuli Aquileia, Friuli Grave, Friuli Isonzo, Friuli Latisana, Lison Pramaggiore and Prosecco. And finally, there is an Indicazione Geografica Tipica attributed to the whole region: IGT Venezia Giulia.

The most common terrain in Friuli Venezia Giulia is flysch, a sedimentary rock characterised by various layers of sandstone, sand and marl dating back from the Eocene period. Geographically, it is located between the Adriatic Sea and the foothills of the Julian Alps, and comes under the influence of the north-easterly Bora wind, which contributes to the creation of a microclimate in which there considerable brusque changes in temperature, while the sea breeze brings humidity, favouring the growth of the grapes.

In Friuli, vineyards cover over 20,000 hectares of land. Here, there are a number of cellars specialising in the production of white wines. There are dry, semi-sweet, sweet – in some cases sparkling – wines, all made with the same varietal of grape. Wines can be found that are aged in stainless steel tanks, and others in wooden barriques and, finally, some that combine the two methods.

The dry whites are dominated by local varietals such as Istrian Malvasia, Friulano (formerly known as Tokai Friulano), Ribolla Gialla (perhaps the most representative local varietal), Glera, Prosecco, Verduzzo, Pinot Grigio and also some international grapes, such as Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

In the Collio territory, for example, about 85% of production is set aside for white wines. Here such special wines are produced using Pinot Grigio that are able to compete internationally. This area also has another peculiarity: it is located right on the border with Slovenia, so different styles and cultures mingle while producing the same wine, sometimes separated only by a road or a river.

Despite being a fairly small region, there are areas where each varietal grows best. The Pinot Grigio and Ribolla Gialla are outstanding especially in the area around ??Gorizia. Friulano and Malvasia do best north of Cormons and Vitovska in the Karst, to mention just a few examples. Among the sweet white wines, there are two that are considered historic. Picolit, for example, is produced by several wineries scattered throughout the region using the grape of that name, which is sun-dried or harvested late, which gives a great result and combines well with a wide variety of foods and desserts thanks to its elegance and subtlety.

In addition, we have sweet wines made from Verduzzo grapes. This varietal is cultivated in Friuli and the Veneto, but the best quality can be found in the DOCG Ramandolo territory north of Udine. There are also dry whites that use Verduzzo, but it is with semi-dry wines that its honey-like density and aroma emerges to best effect.

Many wineries producing white and red wines also produce a sparkling wine using the Ribolla Gialla grape and in some cases adding a small amount of Pinot Noir. We also find sparkling Teran, but above all, there is Prosecco, made from the Glera varietal of grape.

The Ribolla Gialla varietal is the most emblematic and versatile of them all. It is used to make young, aged, sweet and sparkling dry wines. It is also the most commonly used varietal for making the region’s wonderful “Orange Wines” or macerated wines. In the latter case, the must has to macerate in contact with the grape skins for a variable period. It is a rare wine that reaches a new dimension in Friuli, which boasts some of the worlds finest producers of this type of wine.

The red wine sectors sees local grapes and also international varietals. Among the locals are Teran-Terrano, Pignolo, Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso and Schiopettino (also known as Ribolla Nera). Usually, all the producers make wines from a single varietal, and it is not common to find a mixture of these grapes, although there are some Refosco wines with Merlot and Teran.

The international grapes in Friuli Venezia Giulia are mainly Merlot and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Merlot grows very well in this area, offering wines with very balanced and at the same time elegant tannins. Generally, the wines are made with just Merlot grapes and, in some cases, with a small addition of Cabernet Sauvignon, although usually less than 30%.

Friuli Venezia Giulia is a region where wine lovers will find a place to stay and enjoy more than one quality of win, thanks to the many production methods and varietals that make it difficult to choose.