Voluptuous, enveloping and charming, this Tocai Friulano holds you in its gentle embrace. White flowers, tropical fruits, minerality and fresh acidity make this wine a seductive winner. Miani's owner, Enzo Pontoni, doesn't just grow his grapes organically; he grows them maniacally, considering each individual vine its own microclimate and employing one of the most assertive green harvests in all of Italy. Miani has intensely low production numbers--just 8,000 bottles, or fewer than 700 cases across all labels for any given vintage--and demand always outstrips supply for these cult Friulian wines.
- Country: Italy
- Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia
- Sub Region/Classification: Colli Orientali del Friuli
Enzo Pontoni took over the family vineyards nearly 11 years ago after his father passed away. Enzo, who stands almost seven feet tall, worked as an engineer for 17 years but eventually had to return to his home and his true passion. This reclusive maverick owns a mere 4 hectares of vineyards and rents another 9, all of which he runs organically and from which he produces less than 700 cases a year. A man of the land, Enzo practices the same principles set by masters like Valentini, Gravner, Quintarelli, and Radikon. He works in shockingly unassuming cellars - which he calmly admits are falling apart - where Enzo transforms his exceptionally minuscule yields of a dozen different varieties into delightful, rich wines. The result is a tiny line of decadent, full-bodied, complex wines that are near impossible to obtain and one of which is perhaps Friuli's greatest example of Sauvignon Blanc.
|