Friuli Grave

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The zone extends over approximately 7,500 hectares astride the Tagliamento river, between the provinces of Pordenone and Udine, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
• The upper Friulian plain was formed by alluvial deposits from the Meduna, Cellina, and Tagliamento rivers, which laid down calcareous-dolomitic material torn from the mountains by the force of the water.
• The soil is characterised by a broad stony surface that accentuates the diurnal temperature range, and some growers used to cover the floor of their vineyards with stones in order to replicate these conditions.
• The soil contains a substantial coarse skeleton fraction of between 20 and 60%, while the fine earth accounts for the remaining 40–80%, with a predominance of sand.
• According to the Köppen classification, the climate is temperate sub-continental, with a mean annual temperature of between 10 and 14.4 °C and an annual temperature range exceeding 19 °C.
• Mean annual rainfall varies from 1,100 mm to 2,000 mm, increasing gradually from the lower plain towards the foothill zone of the territory.

• The origins of viticulture in the zone date back to 700 BC, as attested by ancient Greek and Roman written sources, later confirmed during the Roman colonisation in the writings of Livy and Strabo.
• Merlot was introduced to the zone in 1880 by Senator Pecile and Count Savorgnan di Brazzà, with the first plantings at Fagagna and San Giorgio della Richinvelda.
• The Friuli Grave DOC zone was recognised on 20 July 1970, and in 1972 the Consorzio di tutela was established.
• In the early twentieth century, nursery and vine-propagation activity developed in the zone, making Rauscedo the world's leading production centre for young vines propagated by rooted cuttings (barbatelle).

• Still wines from white-berried varieties are fresh, fruity, and savoury, straw-yellow in colour of varying intensity, with good acidity.
• Still wines from red-berried varieties are harmonious and aromatic when young, full-bodied and structured with age, ruby-red in colour of varying intensity, tending towards garnet with ageing.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A0954
• Official trade body site — Consorzio Tutela Vini DOC Friuli Grave