On the nose ananas mixed with grapefruit welcomes you, followed by some marzipan. In the mouth well balanced, but less tasty and complex than I expected. On the other side, I find the finish very interesting: at first very discreet, but the flavour soon comes back full of fruit and it last for a long time.
Vintage Tunina is made from a genuine field blend of mainly Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes, with the inclusion of some Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana and Picolit. The first tests of the field blend date back to the 1973 harvest (the year I was born), but the first vintage put on sale under this name and label has been the 1975.
This iconic white wine is produced by Jermann in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in the northeastern corner of Italy, close to Slovenia and Austria. A wine-producing region characterised by a mosaic of local grape varieties and quality-conscious, small-scale winemakers.
At 45 CHF a bottle, Vintage Tunina is certainly not cheap for an Italian white wine, but it is also among the few that can age up to 10 years. I have another bottle stored in my cellar. Will keep it, taste it in a few years and compare notes. Currently I find this a good white wine, but don’t judge it worth the high price yet.
Update: Tasted the second bottle four years later, in 2023. Held up well but didn’t improve neither. Definitely not worth the high price, which in the meantime doubled.
Country: Italy
Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Grapes: Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana, Picolit
Type: White
Vintage: 2015
Producer: Jermann
Price range: Premium (30-50 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5