2023 Le Vigne di Zamò, Zamò Rosso, Friuli Colli Orientali DOC, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy.
I usually have only paid attention to the Le Vigne di Zamò whites, the Sauvignon Blanc in particular, but their unique Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Friuli Colli Orientali DOC Rosso recently made me stop and take notice, this dark garnet hued, rustic and delicious red is perfect for chilling Fall evenings with hearty foods. Medium to full bodied and slightly earthy this Zamò Rosso shows off black raspberry, cherry, currant, plum and huckleberry fruit, along with a touch of truffle, dried herbs, cedar, leather, anise, tobacco leaf and subtle violet flowers in the glass with a sense of mineral and fine tannins. This dry red was fermented, primary and malos, in stainless steel with all de-stemmed berries and a 12 day maceration to extract color, flavor and just the right amount of structural elements before being aged in used big barrels for 6 months. The Zamò were not always readily available, so it was cool to be able to check out the whole lineup, which as mentioned are led by their intriguing selection of whites, including Friuliano, Ramato Pinot Grigio, a Malvasia orange wine and the exceptional Sauvignon Blanc.
As I’ve noted before, the Le Vigne di Zamò estate, which dates back to 1924, is an old school winery in Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Italy’s northeast, with most of the grapes coming from the Friuli Colli Orientali DOC zone. Zamò, as I learned, is a family owned winery located in Manzano, one of the most renewed winegrowing areas in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Brothers Pierluigi and Silvano Zamò inherited the estate from their father Tullio, and together with Brigitte, SIlvano’s wife, have made Le Vigne di Zamò one of the top properties in the region. The 2021 harvest was the first that is organic certified for Zamò, although they have always been focused on sustainability both in the vineyards and the cellar. The estate really got going n the 1980s and is truly a gem in the Friuli Colli Orientali area, which is kind of off the beaten path in northeast Italy, but can turn out some fantastic regional wines. US wine lovers can now find Zamò a bit more easily now, since being brought over by Massanois, who as an importer have really embraced these wines, which are fabulous values and great with a rustic meal! The Friuli-Venezia Giulia has long been home to Bordeaux red varietals, especially Merlot, but for those looking for the native grapes, the Refosco helps make this wine truly Italian.
($22 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive