DOCStill huntingEasy

Friuli Colli Orientali DOC

The larger, cooler sibling of Collio on the same ponca marl, running north along the Slovenian border, and the home of Friuli's native reds. Whites are full and dry: Friulano with almond and pear, Ribolla with lemon and chalk, Sauvignon with nettle and grapefruit. The reds are the reason to come: Schioppettino from Prepotto smells of black pepper and violets with fine, cool tannin; Refosco is tart, dark and bitter-edged; Pignolo is massive, tannic and cellar-worthy. Producers like Ronchi di Cialla, Miani, Le Vigne di Zamò and Ronco del Gnemiz are top-tier.

Still hunting

I'm still looking for a bottle of this.

If you make Friuli Colli Orientali, import it, or know who does, the form takes two minutes and I reply to every one.

Can you help me get one?

Bottles I'm chasing

Producer	Wine	Price	Buy
Ronchi di Cialla	Friuli Colli Orientali Schioppettino di Cialla The family that rescued Schioppettino; white pepper, blackberry, violet, silky tannin, ages 15 years.	$45 to $60	Wine-Searcher
Livio Felluga	Friuli Colli Orientali Friulano Textbook hillside Friulano; pear, chamomile, almond, medium-full and saline, Empson import.	$25 to $30	Wine-Searcher
Le Vigne di Zamò	Friuli Colli Orientali Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Dark, tart blackberry and plum with black pepper and the grape's bitter-cherry-pit finish.	$20 to $28	Wine-Searcher

At a glance

Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Established: 1970 (DOC, as Colli Orientali del Friuli; renamed 2011)
Zone: Eastern hills from Tarcento through Cividale to Buttrio and Corno di Rosazzo, province of Udine
Styles: White (Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Malvasia, Verduzzo, Bianco, riserva); Red (Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Schioppettino, Pignolo, Tazzelenghe, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Nero, Rosso, riserva); sweet (Verduzzo, Picolit under separate DOCG); subzones Cialla, Prepotto, Faedis, Rosazzo
Key grapes: Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Sauvignon Blanc, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Schioppettino, Pignolo, Merlot
US availability: Easy. Bastianich, Livio Felluga, Le Vigne di Zamò, Ronchi di Cialla, Volpe Pasini and Ronco del Gnemiz are all imported; Wine.com, K&L, Astor and Wine-Searcher list plenty.