NoseIntense and complex nose with aromas of vanilla,citrus, ripe golden apple, and hints of toasted coconut. butterlemonred-applevanilla
FlavorOn the palate it is fresh,rich, well balanced with a persistent mineral finish.
Friuli Venezia Giulia At a Glance
Region NameFriuli Venezia Giulia
In Friuli Venezia Giulia, most of the best vineyards are located in the southeastern part of the region facing Alpine foothills’ slopes. Here the vines benefit from direct sunlight and a complex climatic intersection of the warm Mediterranean influence of the Adriatic Sea coupled with the cooling breezes from the Julian Alps.
Score: 94Vintage 2022James SucklingA complex and restrained wine with an intense nose of lemon leaves, pink grapefruit and mangoes, plus a whiff of herbaceous character. Medium-bodied, it shows a silky texture and elegance overall, with long, refreshing acidity and intoxicating savory length. Drink or hold. Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 93Vintage 2022The Wine Advocate With nine months of élevage on the lees in barrique, the 2022 Friuli Isonzo Chardonnay Vie di Romans is a generous white with plenty of fruit weight. Prominent aromas of ripe peach and orchard fruit steal the show, but there are sweet notes of calla lily and hibiscus. There is even a savory hint of lavender, but the wine ends on a decidedly sweet note with a 14.5% alcohol content. Both attest to the hot 2022 growing season. This is an ample production of 66,500 bottles.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 93Vintage 2022Vinous MediaA seductive bouquet of honeyed florals, almond custard, lemon curds and chamomile makes the 2022 Chardonnay Vie di Romans impossible to ignore. This is deeply textural, nearly oily and weighty in feel, yet still perfectly refined, with a saline mineral tinge up front that nicely balances its core of ripe orchard fruits. The 2022 cleans up beautifully, with a citrus concentration and hints of tropical melon that linger incredibly long as a bump of residual acidity maintains a lovely freshness. This is a fantastic effort.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 90Vintage 2022Wine SpectatorFlavors of Red Delicious apple and persimmon are set in this creamy white, underscored by hints of chopped almond, lemon curd and chamomile. Medium-bodied and well-meshed, with buoyant acidity creating a mouthwatering frame that drives the minerally finish. Drink now through 2028. 5540 cases made, 400 cases imported. –ANShelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 94Vintage 2021James SucklingNotes of glazed golden apples and candied pineapple with nutty and creamy character to it. Full-bodied, round and oily with tropical fruit and creamy texture, yet the palate is freshened with a steady acidity that gives it energy and length. Structured and solid. Drink or hold.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 94Vintage 2021Vinous MediaThe 2021 Chardonnay Vie di Romans is a showstopper, rich and floral in the glass, with dried nectarines and apricots lifted by yellow flowers and candied lime. Its textures are lifted, yet this makes quite an impact, with bright acidity enlivening masses of ripe peach and chamomile. Hints of confectioners’ sugar and lemon custard are left to linger as a burst of gingery spice and sour melon adds verve. A minute goes by, and this continues to resonate with hazelnut notes.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 93Vintage 2021DecanterThis steel fermented and aged Chardonnay is juicy and tropical, with mango and ripe banana aromas. It doesn't go through malo so there's none of that creaminess to get in the way of the tangy, bright apricot and tangerine flavours, with a hint of struck-match reduction on the mid–palate. It finishes with some moreish yellow plum and spice, and displays great balance between fruit, acidity and alcohol.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 92Vintage 2021Wine SpectatorA gorgeous, vibrant white, silky on the palate and mouthwatering, with racy acidity. Offers ripe, concentrated fruit flavors of yellow apple, persimmon and mandarin orange confiture and a rich underpinning of roasted hazelnut and espresso crema, which pushes through and lingers on the persistent finish. Drink now through 2031. 400 cases made, 100 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 92Vintage 2021Wine SpectatorA gorgeous, vibrant white, silky on the palate and mouthwatering, with racy acidity. Offers ripe, concentrated fruit flavors of yellow apple, persimmon and mandarin orange confiture and a rich underpinning of roasted hazelnut and espresso crema, which pushes through and lingers on the persistent finish. Drink now through 2031. 400 cases made, 100 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 95Vintage 2020James SucklingLots of deep fruit in this chard with apple-puree, pie-crust, and vanilla-bean character. Full and layered with beautiful fruit and a long, intense finish. Drink now or hold.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 93Vintage 2020Vinous MediaThe 2020 Chardonnay Vie di Romans pulls you close with an enticing bouquet of sweet peach and white flowers offset by hints of smoke. This is elegance personified, rich and polished with fleshy ripe fruits and motivating acidity. It tapers off with persistence, leaving the senses coated in glycerol fruits, along with blood orange and gingery spices. The balance here is remarkable, as is the depth. The 2020 will require cellaring, but it is a total knockout.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 92Vintage 2020Wine SpectatorA creamy, layered white, with minerally hints of smoke and saline underscoring lush golden apple, baked white peach, lemon curd and elderflower notes. Round and medium-bodied, with bright acidity keeping this focused and fresh through the mouthwatering, spiced finish. Drink now through 2037. 400 cases made, 100 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 94Vintage 2019James SucklingPlenty of cooked and dried apple with some pie crust and a hint of toffee. High-tone and aromatic. Full-bodied with a tight center-palate and lots of fruit and fresh acidity. Opulent and energetic at the end. Drink or hold.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 91Vintage 2019Wine SpectatorAn enticing nose of lime blossom and spice draws you into the glass of this round and harmonious, medium-bodied white. Bright acidity frames flavors of creamed yellow apple and pear fruit, candied ginger and mineral as they linger on the lightly mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2024. 400 cases made, 100 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 95Vintage 2018Wine AdvocatePolished, clear and silky, the Vie di Romans 2018 Friuli Isonzo Chardonnay Vie di Romans is a beautifully balanced wine that gives equal weight to the intensity and quality of the fruit and the abundantly enriched texture of the mouthfeel. This is Chardonnay presented in 360-degree splendor with peach, melon, honey, pastry crust and cream custard. Ten months of aging on the yeasts gives the wine added dimension and opulent richness. Saffron, spice, cumin and fragrant sandstone are intermingled on the long and silky finish.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 94Vintage 2018Vinous MediaAs is usually the case, the Chardonnay Vie di Romans really stands out amongst its peers, especially in the 2018 vintage. There’s an undeniable richness to the bouquet as this gorgeous expression slowly blossoms in the glass. Pretty white and yellow florals, lemon confit, hints of custard, peach and sweet melon all come forward over time. It’s silky and pliant in texture, with formidable weight, yet balanced by brisk acids, as ripe citrus-tinged fruits and minerals excite the senses. A subtle hint of sweet exotic spice and almond lingers on the long and dramatic finish. The 2018 is charming today, yet also full of potential.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 94Vintage 2018James SucklingA rich, aromatic white with sliced and cooked apple, steel and stone. Full-bodied with
layers of fruit, but in a focused and polished way. It’s creamy and fruity with a round texture and a delicious, flavorful finish. Mineral and steely notes at the end. Drink or hold.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 91Vintage 2018Wine SpectatorVanilla and oak spice aromas on the nose transition to flavors of ruby red grapefruit, blood orange and lime blossom in this well-cut, medium-bodied white. Bright and finely-knit, this is rich and creamy on the finish. Drink now through 2026. 4,800 cases made, 280 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 93Vintage 2017James SucklingA medium-bodied white with a solid core of fruit and creamy texture. Dried apricot and apple character throughout. Tangy acidity at the end. Drink now.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 91Vintage 2017Wine SpectatorA bright, elegant and well-spiced white, offering an aromatic mix of nectarine, lime blossom and white cherry flavors, with a touch of toast point set in a finely knit, medium-bodied frame. Features a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2027. 4,500 cases made, 280 cases imported.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
Score: 95Vintage 2016Wine AdvocateThe 2016 Friuli Isonzo Rive Alte Chardonnay Vie di Romans is exotic and tangy, just slightly ripe and absolutely beautiful. The notes of exotic fruit and papaya are almost incomparable in definition, with some sweet cinnamon mingling in there as well. The mouthfeel is silky and long, with an esoteric or abstract quality that is hard to put into words but remains mysterious and attractive nonetheless. Enjoy this barrique-aged Chardonnay with someone who can appreciate this level of craftsmanship. Production is exactly 57,613 bottles.Shelf TalkerFull Page Review
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