Pale straw-gold color; lemon-lime, grapefruit, green apple, passion fruit, tomato leaf, herbs, mint hint, saline-minerality on the nose and palate.
Dry; no discernible tannins; fresh acidity. Medium body. Fresh, mouthwatering. 100% sauvignon blanc grapes from the Province of Gorizia (Lucinio, Collio Goriziano area). Hand harvest; 15% of crushed grapes underwent short cold maceration with no oxygen contact. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel for 15 days. No malolactic conversion. Wine spent four months on fine lees with regular bâtonnage (stirring the lees to build body, complexity). 12.5%
Daniele Vuerich is the winemaker and a Friulian native. Vuerich worked at wineries in Napa/Sonoma, Australia, New Zealand, and Italy before joining Attems in 2011.Vuerich emphasizes aromatic, terroir-driven wines that reflect Collio’s marl-and-sandstone soils, diurnal shifts, and influence of the nearby Adriatic Sea. He delays harvest to mute the bell pepper, green notes sauv blanc can have, although there still is a touch of tomato leaf in this effort. He favors higher, wind-swept blocks where diurnal shifts intensify aromatics.
Wine making has very deep roots in Attems. The winery notes: “Attems is a name that encompasses the history of wine in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Indeed there is documentation that confirms ownership of land dedicated to viticulture in Collio by the Attems dynasty dating as far back as 1106, whereas the production of Ribolla Gialla and Refosco can be seen listed in the 1764 general ledgers.
“A millenary tradition that has made this winery a local reference point, with Count Douglas Attems as key protagonist: to him goes the merit of having founded, in 1964, the Consorzio dei Vini del Collio (Collio Wine Consortium). It was—in chronological terms—the third to have been founded in Italy and the first in the Friuli region.”
The Frescobaldi family obtained the property in 2000 with a vow to continue the Attems tradition with “great respect of its distinctive characteristics.” Frescobaldi increased site-specific vineyard management (micro-block farming), greener farming (cover crops between rows, no synthetic inputs), and more nuanced élevage (extended time on the lees, stirring/bâtonnage).
Located in the vicinity of the Julian Alps (northeastern Italy on the border with northwestern Slovenia), the estate enjoys rainfall throughout the year. While temperatures can fall below freezing in winter, summers are warm with significant diurnal shifts. The vineyards are located nine miles from the Adriatic coast. The winery notes the refractive effect of sunlight on the Gulf of Trieste give Collio “a particularly intense and unique luminosity that, between August and September, contributes to the optimal ripening of grapes.”
Attems Sauvignon Blanc, Venezia Giulia IGT, Italia 2024 snugly occupies the suav blanc middle ground. More elegant and savory than New Zealand efforts, more floral and textured than classic Loire efforts. Emphasizes aromatics and pure-fruit presentation. No oak or malolactics. Very solid wine from Frescobaldi, a major player in Italian wine. $20-25
Pairing—Seafood, shellfish; grilled or sautéed sea bass, halibut; shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels; light raw fish, ceviche, crudo, tuna tartare. Grilled or roasted chicken with sage-butter or lemon-herb preparation; turkey or pork tenderloin with light cream or citrusy sauce. Creamy pasta, fettuccine Alfredo-style. Cheese—Fresh goat cheese, chèvre; mild, fresh cheeses, mozzarella, burrata, ricotta-based spreads, fresh ricotta on toast with drizzle of honey. Lightly aged, semi-hard cheeses, young pecorino, mild pecorino fresco, mild gouda, fontina/Friulano-style semi-soft cheeses. Can work with gorgonzola dolce or other dolce-style blue cheeses.
