Verduzzo Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC 2017 – I Clivi

The grapes to produce the Verduzzo Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC I Clivi are hand-harvested from Corno di Rosazzo. Gentle whole bunch pressing (no prior de-stemming). Spontaneous ferment in stainless steel using native yeasts. The lees are transferred to used French oak for 30 days, the purpose of which is to cleanse the lees to avoid their reductive effect, by the biochemical interaction between the tannins of the oak and the organic matter of the lees. Once the lees are reintegrated with the wine they have an anti-reductive effect, opening the wine and naturally stabilizing all potential instabilities (acidic, proteic, etc). The wine matures on the oaked lees for 24 months in stainless steel. After this time, the wine is bottled with a light filtration.

I Clivi, located in Friuli Venezia Giulia, is an exciting young estate from Mario Zanusso. He owns 12 hectares, across two hillside vineyards, one in Brazzano di Cormons, in the Collio DOC district, and one in Corno di Rosazzo, in Colli Orientali DOC. I Clivi’s aim is to reflect the uniqueness of this complex, mineral and expressive terroir, through the use of indigenous grape varieties and a hands off, less is more approach to viticulture and vinification. They work with very old vines, between 60 and 80+ years, that are deep rooted in these clay, limestone and sedimentary rock soils of marine origin.