The 2010 Pinot Bianco emerges from the glass with tons of lush, tropical fruit. The wine’s expansive, generous personality is neither typical of the year nor the vintage. Frankly, it’s hard to know what to make of this offering. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2014. Villa Russiz appears to be in transition at the moment, after the departure of longtime winemaker Gianni Menotti over the summer. Hopefully things will settle down. The estate is run by a non-profit organization, and my feeling has long been that the potential of these vineyards in the heart of the Collio has yet to fully be realized. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2009 Pinot Bianco reveals lovely detail and nuance in its ripe apricots, pineapple and flowers. The Pinot Bianco gracefully balances a tropical expression of fruit and minerality in polished, layered style that is undeniably appealing. It is the best of the estate's 2009s. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. These whites from Villa Russiz and Gianni Menotti clearly show the effects of a growing season defined by the August heat wave. Menotti always seeks textural richness in his wines, and the 2009s have plenty of body, if perhaps less aromatic complexity than is typically the case. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2008 Pinot Bianco offers up ripe, tropical fruit in a forward, up-front style. It shows excellent length and a polished, refined close. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011. Gianni Menotti makes some of the richest, most fully-flavored wines readers will come across in Friuli. The entry-level 2008 whites appear to be excellent across the board, but it is the 2006 Merlot Graf de La Tour that steals the show among these new releases. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The 2007 Pinot Bianco is one of the stronger wines in this line- up. It, too, presents a rich expression of fruit, but here the wine has greater focus and clarity along with a long, clean finish. Delicate notes of minerality linger on the finish, giving the wine its sense of proportion. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2010. Villa Russiz is one of Friuli’s top estates, but this is an uneven set of releases owing to the challenges of the 2007 vintage. The whites in particular show the unfocused aromatics and overly heavy quality which is common in this vintage. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

The estate’s 2006 Pinot Bianco is perfumed in its aromatics, with citrus, grapefruit, jasmine and spice notes that develop in the glass. It is an elegant and expressive interpretation of Pinot Bianco from Collio. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. Villa Russiz is a unique property in that it is run as a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of needy children. Oenologist Gianni Menotti is one of the leading lights of the Friulian wine scene. His considerable skills are on display in this terrific set of releases which are among the most consistently outstanding wines I tasted from Friuli this year. The estate releases a set of entry-level wines plus its higher-end “de La Tour” bottlings which bear the name of the original owner of the estate, French Count Theodore de La Tour. Menotti told me he was very happy with the 2006 vintage because it gave him the perfect conditions to make the wines he likes most; fat, ripe wines with plenty of structure yet balanced by freshness and aromatic complexity. After undergoing fermentation in stainless steel, the whites are left on the lees until the Spring after the harvest which gives the wines their open textures. With the exception of the Chardonnay de La Tour (partly aged in oak), Menotti prefers that his whites not undergo malolactic fermentation in order to maintain as much freshness as possible. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900