Tunella Cru 2020 Wines

Tasting Notes

Founded in the 1960’s by grandfather “Min” Zorzettig, the Tunella winery is now stewarded by his grandsons Massimo and Marco Zorzettig, along with their mother Gabriela. They are guided by principles of respect for their grandfather’s vision, along with a strong desire to experiment. The Tunella estate consists of 70 hectares of vineyards located in the Collio Orientale (eastern hills) of Friuli. In keeping with local tradition, 70% of their vineyard area is devoted to production of white grapes.

The grapes for the Cru wines come from small, select plots of vineyards located in Cividale del Friuli that were planted in the 1980’s. These vineyard sites all feature the distinctive “ponca” soil which makes the region’s wines unique. The three wines are vinified in a similar fashion with gentle crushing and fermentation using indigenous yeasts “sur lee” in large (30 hl) Slavonia oak barrels with frequent bâttonage (stirring of the lees). This process serves to extract flavor and texture without imparting a lot of “oaky” characteristics, allowing the distinct personality of the variety to shine. The Tunella Cru wines are released one year after the traditional bottlings to allow for further development and complexity.

This case would make for a great comparative tasting of exceptional Ramato-style Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon and Ribolla Gialla!