2019 Miani Rosso

Miani is in Buttrio in Friuli. The 40-acre estate is owned and operated by Enzo Pontoni, who trained as an engineer but took over the estate more than a decade ago after the death of his father. The estate grows Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and the region’s traditional grapes. Miani is known for its red blends and its Merlot. Gambero Rosso, Italy’s leading wine journal, notes that Pontoni’s “wines have earned him well-deserved fame but that has not shifted his winemaking philosophy one iota….The obsessive care Enzo lavishes on his vines has made his wines very much sought after.” Only about 8,000 bottles are made annually. Many vintages have earned Gambero Rosso’s highest rating of 3 glasses.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia is the most northeasterly region of Italy, bordered by Austria on the north, Slovenia to the east, and the Italian Veneto to the west. Given its history as a political and cultural crossroads, it is no wonder that the wines and cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia reflect Italian, Austrian, French and eastern European traditions. The region is best known for its white wines, and specializes in the native Tocai Friulano, a white grape that produces plush dry wines with fruit flavors balanced by minerals and acidity. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignnon Blanc, and Chardonnay area also grown, along with the native grapes Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia and Istriana. Artisanal producers in the region also make white blends, called “super whites,” which are generally distinctive blends of native grapes and Chardonnay. However nearly 40% of Friuli-Venezia Giulia wines are red. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown, along with the native grapes Refosco, Pignolo and Schioppettino, which is also called Ribolla Nera. The region has 46,000 vineyard acres, of which 60% is classified as DOC. There are nine DOCs.