| LIVIO FELLUGA Vertigo 2007
Livio Felluga emigrated from Istria and established his property in
Brazzano in the 1950s. Convinced of the winemaking potential
inherent in Collio and the Colli Orientali of Friuli, he bucked the trend of
the times and started buying vineyards. Their landmark Terre Alte was
first produced in 1981 and they have continued to make innovative
and consistently high quality wines since. Winemaker Andrea Felluga
has embraced stelvin in a characteristically forward looking way. After
experimenting with the closure for five years, he felt confi dent in using
the stelvin closure to retain freshness and perfume in his wines. The
Felluga estate now owns 200 hectares in Rosazzo, divided into 300
vineyard parcels, and is now run by Livio.s four children (Andrea,
Maurizio, Elda and Filippo). The energy injected into the estate by the
younger generation has been harnessed by consultant
viticulturalist/winemaker Stefano Chioccioli. As a result of their
combined work, the whites have acquired more intense and focused
flavours, while the reds have a ripeness and suppleness that is seldom
achieved in Friuli.
The vines are Guyot-trained, with an ecologically sustainable
approach to viticulture.
The grapes were hand-picked into shallow containers in the first ten
days of October.
The bunches were de-stemmed and crushed before fermentation and
maceration on the skins in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
After pressing, the wine was aged on its lees in 250 litre French oak
casks (in a mixture of new and used oak) for 12 months. The wine was
aged in bottle for at least four months before release.
Deep ruby red in colour, Vertigo is intense and spiced on the nose,
with perfumes of ripe black cherries, red peppers and a touch of
vanilla and liquorice. On the palate, it is full bodied, soft and
structured, supple tannins are well-balanced with the oak and ripe,
blackberry and recurrant fruit. Good length and spicy notes on the
finish.
Find this wine at www.winestore.co.uk
Price: £115.55 (Including VAT at 20%)
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