Grapefruit zest, green apples, limes and gooseberries on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, bright and fruity with a creamy, fleshy texture. Fruity and delicious. Drink now.

TOP 50 WINES OF 2022  #3 

Psst, here’s a secret. Friuli has some of the most expressive Sauvignon Blanc on the planet. The northeastern Italian DOC of Collio Goriziano in Friuli-Venezia Giulia has historically been known for Pinot Grigios and Friulanos (also known as Sauvignon Vert), but it has more recently received overdue recognition for its stellar Sauvignon Blanc wines. One sip of Russiz Superiore’s Sauvignon Collio, and you’ll understand why. Its earthy, slightly savory palate offers a nice alternative to the New Zealand-style, pyrazine-forward Savvy B Americans are familiar with, offering highly concentrated notes of bright tomato and aromatic basil. With a mineral-rich texture, it’s the perfect match for a caprese salad with lots of flaky sea salt. The palate is a study in balance with excellent acidity and just the right grip.

BEST 50 WINES 2022

Psst, here’s a secret. Friuli has some of the most expressive Sauvignon Blanc on the planet. There was a point in this region’s history where “international” varieties were more prominent than their native grapes. And while they did the work to bring those back, Friulian winemakers took varieties like Sauvignon Blanc (Merlot, Cabernet Franc) and coaxed a new kind of balance out of them. Some of the best of this grape comes from here, like this beautiful example from Russiz (Roo-seez). Bright and mineral-driven with minimal fruit, this wine is about texture. The palate is a study in balance with excellent acidity and just the right grip. It is very Friulian, and you may have a hard time sharing.

Notes of white peaches and sliced apples with crushed almonds and pie crust on offer. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished with a round fruit-forward character. Flavorful finish. Drink now.

A release of about 4,000 bottles, the Russiz Superiore 2016 Collio Col Disôre is an oak-fermented blend of Pinot Bianco, Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc and Ribolla Gialla. This is a generous, mid-weight white with rich apricot, honey, panettone fruit and pastry cream with dustings of cinnamon and nutmeg. There is enough textural richness here to pair with Peking Duck with crunchy skins. Already five years since the harvest, this wine should continue its steady bottle evolution.

Complex cigar box, herb and spice notes show on the nose and palate of this creamy, medium- to full-bodied red. Fresh and finely knit, with supple tannins lending definition to the flavors of plumped cherry and spiced orange rind, complemented by hints of iron and graphite. Best from 2021 through 2029. 4,166 cases made, 550 cases imported.  

WINE ENTHUSIAST TOP 100 2020 - #40

A benchmark for Italian whites, this wine opens with inviting aromas of honeydew melon, exotic fruit, aromatic herb and a whiff of baking spice. On the delicious, polished palate, fresh acidity accompanies ripe apricot, white peach, gooseberry, cantaloupe and pastry cream before a lingering lemon-drop finale. 

The 2018 Russiz Superiore Sauvignon is a dry, medium-bodied white with vibrant, high acidity and rich, creamy texture.  Its aroma is quiet, suggesting non-fruity notes of nuttiness, honey, vanilla, white toffee, smoke and flint along with lemon peel.  But the aromatics that are reticent to your nose come alive in your mouth.  The flavors run from white peach, tangerine, and grapefruit rind to fresh herbs, grassiness, and green apple, and these are all vivid and showing good concentration of flavor.  A gentle, smoky note suggests the use of some oak, as does the creamy texture.  In fact, 15 percent of the juice was fermented in barrel.  The oak seems to have nuanced the wine in aroma and texture but has not subdued the fresh, lively flavors.