The Jermann 2018 Ribolla Gialla Vinnae (in a screwcap bottle) opens relatively quickly but needs a few brisk swirls of the glass to get it going. There are mild aromas of struck match and crushed stone that eventually cede to preserved lemon, quince and orchard fruit. The mouthfeel shows lively, punchy freshness that gives this wine extra lift and brightness on the palate that you might enjoy with a cheesy polenta.

This is a blend of 90% Ribolla Gialla, 5% Riesling and 5% Friulano. Jermann has found the perfect formula for this satisfying but uniquely distinctive Italian white in a screwcap bottle. The 2017 Ribolla Gialla Vinnae is almost completely made without oxygen in stainless steel. Only a small part of the Ribolla Gialla is aged briefly in tonneaux for six months. Ultimately, this wine is all about freshness, and the impact it makes underlines bright primary fruit, crisp acidity and sharply delineated mineral tones. Minimal contact with wood serves to give a center of gravity to the wine. It adds that touch of textual richness that renders a broader and more permanent sensation in the mouth. Production is 130,000-bottles strong.

The 2010 Vinnae Servus Cella is quite pretty in this vintage. A clean vein of minerality frames a core of expressive apricots, peaches, mint and flowers. I especially like the lift and brightness of the finish. This is a terrific effort from Jermann. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016. This is a somewhat mixed set of wines from Silvio Jermann. The flagships Vintage Tunina, Capo Martino and Were Dreams are less exciting in 2009 than they are in cooler years such as 2008, when less extreme weather balances some of the overtness that is typical of the house’s approach with the top whites. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to taste any Pignolos this year. Readers should be aware that Jermann is owned by my wife’s uncle. I have always viewed education as an important component of wine criticism. An article on Friuli without these wines would have been incomplete and ultimately the consumer would have been poorer for their exclusion. For those reasons I have chosen to include the wines in this report. Neither my wife nor I have any financial or other interest, direct or indirect, in this property.Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2009 Vinnae Servus Cella (mostly Ribolla Gialla) shows lovely detail and nuance in its well delineated layers of white peach, mint, smoke, minerals and earthiness. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2013. These new releases from Silvio Jermann include a number of fabulous bottles. In particular, I was impressed with the top 2008s, a vintage where the cool minerality of the year prevails over the house’s typically lush style, an approach I tend to find less interesting. Jermann has a new red on the horizon, the Pignolo Vigna Truss, from recently purchased hillside vineyards in Dolegna, the home of his massive, new cellar. Previously, Jermann’s Pignolo had mostly come from the flats of Villanova, a far less prestigious village in Isonzo, rather than the Collio. I tasted all of the 2009 entry-level whites from screwcaps. Readers should be aware that Jermann is owned by my wife’s uncle. I have always viewed education as an important component of wine criticism. An article on Friuli without these wines would have been incomplete and ultimately the consumer would have been poorer for their exclusion. For those reasons I have chosen to include the wines in this report. Neither my wife nor I have any financial or other interest, direct or indirect, in this property.Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900