Friuli, in the far northeast of Italy, has a justified rep for making the country's best white wines. Justin Bubb (winemaker) explains, “The key to this region is the difference in diurnal temperature. In the growing season the days are very warm but the nights freezing. This allows a nice, long ripening and wonderful aromatics for the white wines”. So it’s good news that Babo’s Pinot Grigio is sourced from this region—specifically from a 30-year-old site in San Martino al Tagliamento, near Pordenone. The vineyard sits at the base of the Alps and the soils are a mix of clay and alpine gravel from alluvial deposits.
Pinot Grigio from Friuli generally has more fleshy layers than, say, those from Veneto and Trentino, a feature Justin Bubb underscores by allowing eight hours skin contact in the press. The fruit was de-stemmed, crushed, and sat in the press for about 8 hours prior to the start of pressing. Ferment was then carried out in steel tank and the wine remained on lees for eight months prior to bottling.