Pale copper color; cherry, white peach, flowers on the nose; white peach, cantaloup, cherry on the palate.
Dry; crisp fruit; good acidity; no oak—fermented in stainless steel. Some complexity after four months aging on stirred lees. The wine achieves the name “ramato”—Italian word for copper—by spending 24 hours in contact with the pinot grigio skins. This is not quite “orange/amber” wine, but it does utilize a similar technique: making white wine using red wine protocol. The result is rich, fruity bouquet, fuller weight in the mouth, more complex and compelling flavors; 12.5% ABV.
Records indicate Attems vineyards in Friuli date back to 1106. The estate covers 109 acres of south-facing slopes to the west of Goizia, protected from both the cold northerly winds and the “bora” wind of Trieste. The Friuli Venezia Giulia has been one of the leading grape growing regions in Italy since the 1800s.
Today, Attems is part of the Frescobaldi family company. The Frescobaldi family have been major players in Florence and Tuscany for more than 700 years. They began producing wine in Tuscany in 1308; some of their customers included Michelangelo and Henry VIII. At the high point of medieval Florence, the Frescobaldi family spread its influence as bankers, earning the title of treasures to the English crown. A little while later, with the flowering of the Renaissance, they became patrons of major works in Florence, including construction of the Santa Trinita bridge and the Basilica of Santo Spirito.
In 2013, Lamberto Frescobaldi became president of the company, the 30th generation of the family to hold the position, taking over from his uncle Leonardo. Lamberto studied at UC-Davis and has worked to modernize the company and expand in the U.S. and other markets since the late 1980s. He became vice president in 2007 and oversaw the renewal of the estates in the family’s extensive portfolio.
As the entertaining video on the Attems webpage reinforces, Frescobaldi’s mission statement emphasizes:
• Sustainable cultivation of the land to produce fine wines which perfectly represent and fully illustrate the diversity of our family estates.
• Communicating and promoting the culture of Tuscany and its different territories, through our Estates, our wines and specific value-enhancing projects.
Attems Pinot Grigio Ramato, Friuli DOC 2018 is rich, complex, fruity by keeping the pinot grigio on its skins for 24 hours. Very interesting wine. Pair with seafood; smoked salmon pasta; pan-fried or grilled halibut; lemon chicken; fried chicken with creamy gravy; white cheese lasagna; seared scallops; pork tenderloin. $16-20
Attems website, nice landing page video
