Friuli

Friuli is the region with the capital Trieste, located at the extreme north-east of Italy, where it borders on Austria and Slovenia. The vineyards of Friuli cover about 20'000 hectares. Until the mid-1960s, around 80 percent of the red wine produced there was Merlot. Thanks to the introduction of modern methods such as chilled fermentation, the region became the Italian white wine centre within a generation. Its full-bodied white wines are considered the best in Italy. Friuli is also at the forefront in the cultivation of vines, with half of all young vines growing in Italy coming from here. About 45 percent of the wine production are DOC wines.