The wines of Silvio Jermann, Collio, Italy

La Vigneronne tasting
February 2002

Silvio Jermann has a reputation for making Italy’s best white wines. Does he? Well, this range of wines, which come from the predominantly mountainous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in the northeast corner of Italy, is one of the best line-ups I’ve tried in a long time. I haven’t enough experience of Italian whites to say definitely that these are the ‘best’ (what does that term mean anyway?), but if there are better whites from Italy, please can someone point me in their direction. What impressed me most about them was the purity and depth of flavour coupled with huge mineral extract, all perfectly poised and balance. The odd wines out here are the oaky Capo Martino and Were dreams, and of course the Pinot Nero. While these are very individual, and of high quality, I preferred the others. As for the prices? They are quite expensive wines, but for this sort of quality they’re positively cheap. Prices are from La Vigneronne, who hosted the tasting.

Afix Riesling 2000 IGT Delle Venezie
Named after Silvio’s son (no, he’s not called Afix; this is a name taken from parts of his two first names). Quite a beguiling, delicate floral/fruity nose. It’s quite ‘pretty’, with good density. The palate is rich and rounded showing great balance between the fruit, acidity and the touch of residual sugar. A complex, full flavoured wine, this is mineralic and slightly spicy. Perfectly poised, and brilliant stuff. Excellent (£14.95)

Pinot Bianco 2000 IGT Venezia Giulia
Another delicate but full nose: with rich bready and slightly nutty notes, this is complex and aromatic. Nicely rounded palate is rich and nutty. Very fresh with good acidity and full flavoured, slightly lemony fruit. Quite delicious. Very good/excellent (£14.95)

Pinot Grigio 2000 IGT Venezia Giulia
Fresh, slightly spicy nose with a hint of the savouriness/meatiness often found in Alsace Pinot Gris. The palate is full and rich, nutty and savoury with some varietal character. Good acidity. Currently quite youthful and fresh, this has the mineral extract to age, I suspect. Very good+ (£13.95)

Chardonnay 2000 IGT Venezia Giulia
Savoury, almost meaty nose with a smoky, bacon fat edge. I’d have guessed this as a Pinot Gris tasted blind. Quite complex. Full flavoured but light textured palate with good acidity and nutty, savoury fruit. Some minerality, too. A delicious, savoury interpretation of Chardonnay. Very good/excellent (£13)

Vinnae 2000 IGT Venezia Giulia
A blend of Ribolla, Riesling and Malvasia. Very minerally, savoury nose is tight and complex, with a slightly creamy edge. Concentrated, rich-textured mineralic palate, with good acidity and finishes dry. Nicely structured and will no doubt develop. Superb stuff: not showy but very elegant. Excellent (£13)

Vintage Tunina 2000 IGT Venezia Giulia
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Malvasia, Picolit and Ribolla, with the grapes actually vinified together. There’s a fresh lift to the stunningly complex mineralic, spicy nose. In fact, it’s almost floral. Quite a fruity palate but with good acidity and some minerality providing a nice foil. Complex stuff. Very good/excellent (£27.50)

Capo Martino 2000 IGT Venezia Giulia
A single-vineyard blend of Pinot Blanco, Pinot Grigio and Tokay, aged for 10 months in Slovenian oak. A remarkable opulent nose with lots of toasty, nutty vanillin oak. Very rich and exotic. Rich creamy, buttery palate but with good acidity. Very savoury, this is quite a striking, unusual wine, although not one that will be to everyone’s taste. Very good/excellent (£28)

Were Dreams, now it is just wine! 1999 IGT Venezia Giulia
Forget the barmy name. When someone makes wines as good as these, we can forgive them a few quirks. Quite a restrained nutty nose that isn’t giving much away except for a creamy, bready edge. Rich, nutty savoury palate with good acid structure. Tight at the moment, but with good balance and well integrated oak this may well age nicely. Very good/excellent (£30)

Red Angel on the Moonlight, Pinot Nero 2000 IGT Venezia Giulia
Another barmy name. This wine is a vivid red colour. Quite a striking cherry fruit nose with a herbaceous edge; leafy and intense. Quite a lean palate, but with good acidity. Interesting stuff, but it seems to be /flirting with unripeness. Perhaps an effective food wine. Very good (£15)  

wines tasted March 2002

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