The 2009 Chardonnay Grafin de la Tour is surprisingly bright for the year. Clean veins of vibrant minerality support a core of apricots, butter, passion fruit and spices. Expressive varietal notes continue to flesh out on the generous, inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. 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 2007 Chardonnay de La Tour is a fat, rich Chardonnay with good ripeness, volume and varietal expression. That said, the wine comes across as somewhat monolithic, one-dimensional and excessively oaked, while lacking the verve of the finest vintages.Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. 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

Year after year, this is one of our favorite Chardonnays from Northeast Italy. This year, however, there is an aromatic element out of place and the wine seems unable to deliver its bouquet with the same intensity. You do get exotic fruit and toasted nut but the wine really excels in the mouth thanks to its creamy, spicy flavors.——M.L.(8/1/2009)—— 88

The 2006 Chardonnay Grafin De La Tour is one of the few highlights from Villa Russiz this year. This French oak-aged Chardonnay reveals superb depth and clarity in its ripe tropical fruit, minerals, flowers and sweet toasted oak. A pretty underpinning of acidity gives the wine its exquisite length and clean, refined finish. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2012. 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

This is a sophisticated and smooth Chardonnay with an extraordinarily soft and silky texture in the mouth. The wine’s aromas recall peach blossom, caramel and butter squash and are delivered with intensity and confidence. Pair it with honey-roasted ham or stuffed pork roll.——M.L.(3/1/2009)—— 92