2016 Vigne del Malina, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.
The Vigne del Malina lineup is absolutely stunning and shows off the quality of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia terroir, with their Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, which I reviewed already, and this exceptional Refosco being an elevated example of this rare, to us in the States, native grape, all impressing me. This dark garnet 2016 Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, which saw 36 months in large Slavonian oak Botti and then 48 months in bottle, has a purity and refinement of tannin, making it wonderfully developed and mature with a lovely velvety mouthfeel showing off a medium/full palate of dusty plum, dried cherry, red currant and earthy red berry fruits, along with savory tones, tobacco leaf, cedar, roasted herbs, subtle Asian spices, delicate floral and truffle notes. While I was initially really intrigued by the Chardonnay by Vigne del Malina, this Refosco, with its unique and distinctive character, grew on me and the lingering aftertaste reminded of experiences I’ve had with nicely mid term aged Bordeaux and obviously the attention to detail and care in the grape growing here has really paid off. Refosco, also known as Teran in Coatia, has minor plantings in California, has a red stem and a deep pigmented skins, with chewy tannins and phenolic bitterness, which have been tamed well here by Vigne del Malina. The 2016 vintage in Italy was a top red wine year across the country and this wine shows that off with depth, ripeness and structure.
One of the most intriguing winery discoveries at the 2025 Tre Bicchieri (Gambero Rosso) Tasting, was the Bacchetti family’s “Vigne del Malina” label, with a top notch set of Venezia Giulia regional wines. As mentioned in my first review, the Vigne del Malina estate is set between two ancient streams, the Malina and the Ellero, with tons of alluvial stones scattered throughout the vines. Again it was a great pleasure to taste the wines with Erica Bacchetti, of Vigne del Malina, who is the international face of the winery and part of a talented young generation in Italian wine, which is an impressive group of vignerons that are leading the country forward into a new golden era. The terroir here in this part of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia is distinct with its soil composed of alluvial gravels and large stones, along with a unique micro-climate, with what the winery calls high thermal excursions, that are constantly ventilated by the wind channeled by the pre-alpine valleys. All allowing for perfect ripening and retention of acidity, perfect for grapes like Chardonnay, as I reviewed earlier, plus Pinot Grigio, which I also tried and loved, along with the Refosco red grape, indigenous to this area of Northeastern Italy like Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and of which is, as seen here, put into bottle with a great sense of grace and purity. The Vigne del Malina label, imported by H. Mercer Imports, which has a selection of older vintages, like the 2009, is a winery to watch for and these wines are well worth chasing down, as this wine proves. Again a big thank you to Erica Bacchetti for showing me her wines and giving me a greater insight into this region.
($35 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive