“Blueberries, blackberries, sweet violets and a dusting of autumnal spice wafts up effortlessly from the 2015 Rosso Sossó Riserva. It’s rich, powerful and fruit-forward in the glass, flaunting its spicy oak influence, yet doing so with style. Silky and elegant, this impresses with a more savory, almost-salty display of mineral-tinged red and black fruits which coasts over a vibrant core of acidity, nearly masking the 2015’s youthful tannins which steadily build. There are depths yet unseen here, tapering off structured and full of potential, with crunchy wild berries, tart citrus and hints of clove lingering long. The Sossó is a blend of Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Merlot, and Pignolo from Friuli Colli Orientali that spends eighteen months refining in barriques, expertly integrated.”

“This is a beautiful white with just the right combination of balance and concentration. It leads with confident peaches and apricots, which move into more tropical suggestions of dried papaya and mangoes. Notwithstanding, there are hints of dried cloves and white pepper. Full-bodied and very dense and flavorful; the rich, layered phenolics wrap up the waxy stone fruit into a subtle texture, similar to a sponge cake. Moreover, there’s persistent, direct acidity. Very long and deep on the finish. Drink now or hold.”

“This blend of Friulian varieties (friulano, pinot bianco, sauvignon, malvasia and ribolla gialla) balances its butterscotch richness with fresh flavors of citrus and stone fruit. Notes of limes pith and orange blossom give the wine extra lift, as does the brisk salinity.”

“This is one of my favorite Italian dessert wines, but I have not tasted it in a while. It's very nice to be back in front of the 2011 Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit (in a 500-milliliter bottle). This is a gorgeous wine: so delicate, so fresh, so teeming with life and spirit. Aromas of honey, candied orange peel and lightly toasted almond come bursting from the bouquet. It is impossible to compare Picolit to Italy's other sugar-heavy dessert wines. This rare grape makes for a wine that is so much more elegant and tight, and it expertly navigates any cloying or overtly sweet sensations. I just love it.”

“Bright medium golden-yellow. Apple, peach and honey are complicated by white flower notes on the lively nose. Then similar flavors to the aromas, with a suave, light-bodied mouthfeel on entry that turns a bit tannic and chewy with aeration. Finishes long with repeating notes of floral honey and juicy orchard fruit. I like this wine’s balance and suave mouthfeel, but those who remember Livio Felluga’s very thick, viscous, rich Picolit wines of the late 90s and early 21st century will be surprised by the stylistic change this wine has undergone. Andrea Felluga told me he now prefers making a less syrupy sweet wine.”