The 2006 Confini is late-harvest Traminer, Riesling and Pinot Grigio. Gingerbread spices, lime peel, passion fruit and mango are some of the nuances that waft from the glass. The estate has brought down the residual sugar in Confini quite a bit from previous vintages in order to make the wine easier to pair with food, but that decision has left the wine with higher alcohol and a certain heaviness that is hard to escape. Frankly, I miss the old Confini. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2012. Proprietor Alvaro Pecorari has made some important changes over the last few years. The late harvests and super-ripe style of previous vintages have been replaced with earlier picking and an emphasis on freshness, an approach Pecorari feels is better suited to the Isonzo microclimate which can be quite warm but also feature good alternation of daytime and evening temperatures. Pecorari has also taken steps to eliminate the use of herbicides in his vineyards. After tasting a few of the estate’s wines from 2000 and 2001 I can safely conclude that the new direction is quite positive, as those earlier wines remain heavy and haven’t developed the degree of elegance I had hoped they would a few years back. Pecorari favors 500-liter French oak barrels for his top selections, with batonnage (stirring of the fine lees) taking place twice a week. Over the last few years Lis Neris has imported its wines directly into the US, a consumer-friendly decision that has kept prices quite reasonable. Importer: Lis Neris Estate, Manhasset, NY; staff@lisnerisusa.com

Here’s a cheerful and beautifully aromatic blend of Pinot Grigio, Traminer and Riesling that boasts both freshness and complexity. The Pinot Grigio gives it weight and structure and the other two varieties create a fragrant bouquet of stone fruit and white flowers.——M.L.(3/1/2009)—— 88