Tre Bicchieri 2022. The best wines of Friuli Venezia Giulia

Tre Bicchieri in Friuli Venezia Giulia

A return to classicism. This is the underlying theme behind the 26 wines awarded Tre Bicchieri in this edition of the guide. 25 of these were whites, once again demonstrating the region's prowess for the typology. 9 are blends: that marriage of grapes that for years defined Friuli Venezia Giulia's stylistic approach (long before the affirmation of monovarietals). Thus we're seeing a new dawn for the culture of blending, of biodiversity in the bottle, on the one hand, as well as a new awareness on the part of many producers who self-assuredly propose their whites several years after vintage. True wine lovers know it well: Friulian whites age with an enchanting grace. In this sense, our tastings fully attest to a good 2019 harvest, expectations for the best expressions were high and weren't disappointed. The vintage perfectly combines maturity and freshness, with gustatory structure that promise a long journey in the bottle over time. Good signs are coming from the 2020 harvest as well which, especially, conferred excellent reserves of freshness on the region's aromatic white grape varieties. Another point of note is greater attention to the rosé market—this year 20 were presented, compared to just 2 in the last edition. Tailwinds are also arriving thanks to the new Prosecco Rosé, with several cuvées earning surprising scores. From pink to orange: some of the best macerated whites in Italy and beyond are produced here.

The best wines of Friuli Venezia Giulia

This year maestro Podversic responded to the call with the Nekaj '17, Primosic with their Pinot Grigio '19 and Draga with the Malvasia Miklus '18. The only regional red that earned Tre Bicchieri is Le Monde's Cabernet Franc '18, a wine with a vibrant, racy development, very pleasant to drink. And we couldn't miss out a special mention for Lis Neris's Tal Luc Cuvée, one of the very few sweet wines awarded in the guide. It's a world-class pearl capable of bringing even those who have their sights set elsewhere closer to the typology.