The 2009 Bianco Miani is an entry-level wine made predominantly from young Tocai vines, with a dash of Malvasia and Ribolla. It is a texturally brilliant white that shimmers across the palate with gorgeous clarity and precision. This naturally doesn’t have the definition of the single variety whites but it nevertheless offers gorgeous purity in its fruit, plenty of elegant tension and fabulous overall balance, with a finish that lasts forever. It is a great introduction to the wines of Enzo Pontoni and Miani. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. Enzo Pontoni is simply on another planet. In the best years his wines frankly have no peers in Italy. The textural richness and depth Pontoni coaxes from his old-vine parcels is a marvel. The 2009 whites show an extra dimension of ripeness from a heat wave in August of that year that gave the wines more body than is often the case but without the excess of truly torrid vintages. Quite simply, I was blown away by what I tasted. For what it’s worth, I bought as much of these wines as I could afford. As usual, the wines are aged in French oak (roughly 40% new) and the malolactic fermentations are typically blocked. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 933-6767

The 2008 Bianco Miani is a blend of all the wines Pontoni decided not to bottle separately, which includes his Ribolla, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Saurint. The 2008 Bianco is a soft, harmonious wine with pretty definition in its aromatics and fruit, and a long, creamy finish. Though clearly a small-scaled effort, the balance here is impeccable. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2014. Miani is one of the very finest wineries in the world. This tiny estate is located in Buttrio, a small town in the Colli Orientali appellation in Friuli that contains one of the finest – perhaps the finest – terroir for pedigreed, ageworthy wines in northeastern Italy. When I meet a grower with proprietor Enzo Pontoni’s passion for the vine I often wish every vintage could be a great vintage. If quality could be assigned based on sheer effort and dedication every vintage here would be profound. Pontoni releases just 7,500 - 8,000 bottles per year from 15 hectares of vineyards. Many of his plots are old-vine, terraced vineyards with superb exposures. I tasted Tocai, Merlot and Refosco from various parcels in August 2009 and came away deeply impressed by the sheer integrity of the fruit. Sadly, 2008 is a mixed bag at this illustrious property. The wet spring and ensuing bouts with peronospora left Pontoni with a difficult choice; either treat aggressively to try to save the year’s crop but risk the longer-term damage to the vineyards from excessive spraying, or let nature have her way in 2008, but preserve the health of the plants for 2009 and beyond. Ultimately Pontoni chose the latter, which meant renouncing a significant amount of fruit in 2008. There is no Ribolla, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Saurint and the production of reds will be tiny even by Pontoni’s standards. The 2008 whites are certainly pretty, but they lack the kaleidoscopic quality that informs the very finest vintages. The 2006 reds are without question the highlight of these new releases. Both Merlots are exceptional, which bodes quite well for the Rosso Calvari, a wine that will be released next year. Readers who want to learn more about Miani may want to check out my recent feature at www.erobertparker.com. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 933-6767