2009 Colli Orientali del Friuli Bianco

The 2009 Bianco Miani is an entry-level wine made predominantly from young Tocai vines, with a dash of Malvasia and Ribolla. It is a texturally brilliant white that shimmers across the palate with gorgeous clarity and precision. This naturally doesn’t have the definition of the single variety whites but it nevertheless offers gorgeous purity in its fruit, plenty of elegant tension and fabulous overall balance, with a finish that lasts forever. It is a great introduction to the wines of Enzo Pontoni and Miani. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. Enzo Pontoni is simply on another planet. In the best years his wines frankly have no peers in Italy. The textural richness and depth Pontoni coaxes from his old-vine parcels is a marvel. The 2009 whites show an extra dimension of ripeness from a heat wave in August of that year that gave the wines more body than is often the case but without the excess of truly torrid vintages. Quite simply, I was blown away by what I tasted. For what it’s worth, I bought as much of these wines as I could afford. As usual, the wines are aged in French oak (roughly 40% new) and the malolactic fermentations are typically blocked. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 933-6767