2020 Vie di Romans, Flors di Uis, 6x750ml

Critics Score: 93

Publication: Eric Guido, Vinous

Drinking Dates: 2023-2030

Vie di Romans is based in the heart of Isonzo, where Gianfranco Gallo's 50 hectares of vineyard produce about 250,000 bottles a year. The soil is stony and glacial, and soaks up whatever rainfall there is like a sponge. A cool east wind causes a big difference between day and night temperatures, which in turn slows ripening and allows the grapes to accumulate a great deal of flavour. This, along with the low yields Gallo achieves, and his proclivity for late picking, gives single vineyard wines of great intensity and richness. As a result, he releases the wines a year later than usual.

Fruit is sourced from three vineyards - Boghis, Ciampagnis and Vie di Romans - in the commune of Mariano del Friuli. The average age of the vines, which cover 3.88 hectares, is 25 years. Vineyard elevation is 29-34 metres above sea level. The vines are Guyot trained with a density of 6,000 vines per hectare. Soils in these three sites range from shallow to medium-deep with gravel-pebbly textures. They are mainly sand-silt with ferrous and aluminium oxides, and are well drained.

Each grape variety was harvested and vinified separately. Grapes were picked, destemmed and crushed before a cold pre-fermentation maceration at 8ºC for 22 hours. Fermentation with selected yeast strains took place in stainless steel at temperatures between 16-19ºC for 15 days. The wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation and was aged on its lees for nine months in stainless-steel tanks. The different varieties were blended together one month prior to bottling. The wine then remained in bottle for nine months before release.