Italy's hidden gems

Forget about Chianti. Hugo Rose reveals there is more depth to Italy than you might think

Like old habits, old prejudices die hard. So if I introduced the Friuli region as a hot spot of quality, ahead of its time and driven by serious minded producers intent on earning respect for their wines, would you take me seriously?

Friuli, or Friuli-Venezia-Giulia to give it its full name, squats in Italy's north-eastern corner. Most of its wine exports have consisted of straightforward, gluggable reds and whites grown on the plains around the university town of Udine, frequently made from the local Tocai grape or Merlot. The official recognition of separate wine districts in the 1990s triggered a dramatic wave of improvement and today's Friuli is now highly regarded.

The star wines grow on the hillsides in the east of the region, a fact acknowledged by the names of two of the more recent DOCs, Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli, colli being the Italian for "hills". Hillsides offer natural drainage, thin soils, cool nights and perfect sun exposure; add to the mix the early adoption of new technology-stainless steel vats and temperature control systems—and the success of the region is not hard to explain.

Collio is known for its keen Sauvignon Blancs, wines with a refreshing attack on the palate but without aggressive acidity. Colli Orientali wines seem to have more depth, Chardonnay and other fleshier varieties being the best to seek here. Of the local varieties, Picolit makes a much demanded dessert wine and Refosco a hearty red.
One widespread grape, available at all price levels is Friulano. Never heard of it? Perhaps because it is a new name, forced onto growers last year by Brussels because of the risk of confusion of its former name, Tocai, with the region Tokaj in Hungary.

There are many more grapes to explore, happily usually clearly signposted by name on the label. Prices are reasonable and the quality is high. An excellent starting point is 2006 Sauvignon Soresere from Forchir, cultivated on alluvial soils of the Grave subzone. Perfectly weighted, fresh as a daisy and reasonably priced at £6.49 (branches of Majestic).