WTN: quick notes on weekend Italians

Spent yesterday and much of today grazing and guzzling at some favorite local places with my visiting aunt:

Emilio Bulfon (2014?) IGT Venezia Giulia Forgiarìn (by the glass): a much bigger and darker wine than I expected, almost Tannat-like in its dark-fruit intensity and its tannins, but with enough acid to keep it reasonably focused, even served 10 degrees warmer than I'd have liked. Nice combination of deep dark fruit and earth. I'd drink this again.

Abtei Muri (Cantina Convento Muri-Gries) 2011 Südtirol/Alto Adige Lagrein Riserva: terrific Lagrein, cherry and plum fruit with some characteristic meatiness built out around a herbaceous core, lots of tension and energy, excellent across a meal that ranged from strongly flavored seafood dishes (lightly smoked sablefish) through braised suckling lamb.

Castellargo 2014 Friuli Grave Rosso, "Rubeus" (Refosco, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc; by the glass): Seems like it's probably mostly Refosco; aromatic, middle-weight red leaning toward the purple, slightly peppery and tannic but easy-drinking; tasted blind I'd have guessed it had some cooler-climate Syrah in it. Not remarkable, but tasty enough.

Terre di Balbia 2011 IGT Campania "Balbium" (100% Maglioppo, whatever that is; by the glass): this was Andrea's, and my taste of it was jarringly tart alongside the Refosco; but she liked it a lot, said it was Sangio-like but leaning more strongly toward ripe blackberry fruit, with just the right amount of tannic structure to carry the wine without becoming overbearing.

Spent yesterday and much of today grazing and guzzling at some favorite local places with my visiting aunt:

Emilio Bulfon (2014?) IGT Venezia Giulia Forgiarìn (by the glass): a much bigger and darker wine than I expected, almost Tannat-like in its dark-fruit intensity and its tannins, but with enough acid to keep it reasonably focused, even served 10 degrees warmer than I'd have liked. Nice combination of deep dark fruit and earth. I'd drink this again.
.

Holy $hit.....somebody here is drinking a Bulfon?? Nobody but me is weird enough to drink a Bulfon.
Emilio makes some very/very interesting stuff from a plethora of Friuli-indigenous grapes. Sometime, though,
the vintages are hard to figure out. Sometimes/often they are just hand-written on the back label.
I like, across the board, his wines quite a lot. Not mainstream Italian.
Tom

Are Bulfons weird? We don't see the full range here, but the Piculit Neri seems to turn up pretty regularly on a bunch of the more interesting Chicago wine lists, and we've had the Pecol Ros too. When I saw the Forgiarin I figured I had to try it! I'd love to find some of the whites...

Are Bulfons weird? We don't see the full range here, but the Piculit Neri seems to turn up pretty regularly on a bunch of the more interesting Chicago wine lists, and we've had the Pecol Ros too. When I saw the Forgiarin I figured I had to try it! I'd love to find some of the whites...

NoNoNo, Patchen...Bulfon's are not weird. It's me that's weird. But the Bulfon's are pretty
obscure wines. We did a visit there in Oct and it was a wonderful experience. Then we walked
over to this small chapel nearby, dating back to the 1600's (I think) from where he got the fresco that
he uses on his label.
Tom

I've always wondered about that label!

Anybody growing Forgiarìn in California that you know of?

I've always wondered about that label!
Anybody growing Forgiarìn in California that you know of?

Nope...pretty sure not. Only Bulfon variety being grown in Calif that I know of
is Refosco (Matthiassen, Holdredge).
It's a beautiful little chapel right in the center of town. A real taste of ancient history.
You just open the door & walk right in. Like much of those churches in Italy.
Tom