As its name implies, the estate’s 2005 Confini is meant to be a wine that pushes the envelope, even if the 2005 is less sumptuous than other recent vintages. Full-bodied and intense on the palate, it offers an exotic array of mango, passion fruit, ginger, flowers and minerals with terrific persistence on the palate, and a sweetly lingering finish. This blend of 60% Gewurztraminer, 30% Pinot Grigio and 10% Riesling was aged in 500-liter French oak barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. Lis Neris is located in the small town of San Lorenzo which straddles the Collio and Isonzo appellations. Proprietor Alvaro Pecorari makes elegant, refined wines from his holdings, which are located around the winery itself. He favors 500-liter French oak barrels for his single-vineyard whites and the top of the line Lis bottling, which help give the wines their characteristic roundness. Over the years my favorite wines from this estate have been the Sauvignon Picol (which I did not taste), Confini, and Tal Luc, followed closely by his top Pinot Grigio, the Gris bottling, which in important vintages is capable of challenging the oft-cited criticisms of this variety. Pecorari’s 2005s are excellent, although they show relatively modest structures. Importer: Lis Neris Estate, Manhasset, NY; staff@lisnerisusa.com