2010 Tocai Ronco della Chiesa

Borgo del Tiglio's 2010 Ronco della Chiesa shows what this hillside site in Cormons can do in cooler vintages. Still bright, focused and intensely saline, the 2010 bursts from the glass with grapefruit, lime, mint and crushed rocks. The 2010 will probably be appreciated most by readers who like tense, vibrant whites. Next to some of the other vintages, the 2010 lacks a little mid-palate pliancy, but it is quite beautiful just the same. I especially like the way the 2010 opens up nicely in the glass over time.

The 2010 Ronco della Chiesa is another huge wine. The aromas and flavors still need to develop, but the 2010 shows remarkable depth and textural richness. This old-vine Friulano, from the hillside vineyard behind the winery, looks to have a very bright future.

The 2010 Ronco della Chiesa is another huge wine. The aromas and flavors still need to develop, but the 2010 shows remarkable depth and textural richness. This old-vine Friulano, from the hillside vineyard behind the winery, looks to have a very bright future. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020. My wife and I sat down for a late summer dinner at L’Androna, the best restaurant in Grado, a gorgeous seaside town in Friuli. I had just returned the day before from two weeks in Burgundy, where I tasted just about every great 2009 white Burgundy, including virtually all of the benchmarks. Within that context, the next white I tasted should have been disappointing. Instead it was a revelation. The wine? Borgo del Tiglio’s 2009 old-vine Friulano Ronco della Chiesa. On this night, the Ronco della Chiesa was every bit the equal of the vast majority of the wines I tasted in Burgundy, and frankly far better than the average. Proprietor Nicola Manferrari is one of the leading lights in Friuli. His wines deserve far more recognition than they typically receive. Make no mistake about it, these are some of the most compelling whites being made anywhere in Italy. Various American importers, including: Volio Vino Imports, Denver, CO; tel. (720) 284-7301; Free Run, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 669-9757, ?? Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608-9644, PWM Wine Merchants, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 525-3826