This is an equal blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc aged on the lees in steel vats for nine months. The Vie di Romans 2016 Dut' Un is a full-bodied white with generous textural richness that is built tall with layers of orchard fruit, apricot, cooked pear, spice, custard and lemon mousse. Production is a mere 6,806 bottles. This is an exceptional wine that relies on its geographic origin and the well-draining limestone clay soils of the vineyard for its flavor intensity and purity. The lees aging is important to affirming its creamy texture and firm construction. All of this beautiful fruit abundance is rendered linear and sharp thanks to the wine's strong mineral identity. I would love to try the Dut' Un 10 years from now.

The 2012 Dut' Un is a fantastic and unusual 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc that magically manages to deliver variety typicity for both grapes despite the vast differences between them. You definitely get the Sauvignon on the nose with pretty aromas of wild sage and passion fruit. The Chardonnay comes through thanks to the richness and the suppleness of the mouthfeel. The combination is really spectacular.

An IGT blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, the 2011 Dut' Un is a unique wine that shows loads of aromatic intensity derived from the Sauvignon Blanc component. The Chardonnay element peeks through with apricot and a touch of candied fruit. The mouthfeel is fleshy, ripe and delivers a distant hint of sweetness that fills in the back. What I liked most is the splash of green herb or dried sage that pops up briefly on the finish. Gianfranco Gallo makes some of the most beautiful white wines available in Italy today. He has brilliantly captured the essence of Friuli, thanks to the clarity of the aromas in his wines, from both indigenous and international grapes, and the profoundly moving manner in which they caress the palate. They are silky, smooth and delightful. The results also prove outstanding in the uneven 2011 vintage. Vie di Romans, to me, represents the pinnacle of Friuli winemaking pedigree. The Dut' Un is the only one of these wines not imported to the United States.

The 2008 Dut’ Un (Chardonnay, Sauvignon) is an unusual wine. Honey, apricots, flowers and almonds are some of the notes that emerge as the wine shows off its distinct personality. There is a hint of sweetness in the 2008 that suggests it could be served at the end of meal, perhaps with lighter cheeses or with spicier foods. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2015. Proprietor Gianfranco Gallo has a preference for rich, textured wines. In 2009, a year that saw a long heat wave at the end of August, many of his wines are even bigger than they usually are. The best selections, though, possess terrific overall balance. Vie di Romans has a fabulous website (www.viediromans.it) full of technical information on recent vintages and the estate’s wines, among other topics. Readers should be aware that Vie di Romans is owned by members of my wife's extended family. 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: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200

Equal parts Chardonnay and Sauvignon, this beautiful white blend delivers intensity both in terms of structure and aroma. You’ll get peach, fresh kiwi, passion and exotic fruits. The wine is amazingly creamy and smooth in the mouth.——M.L.(8/1/2009)—— 90