The 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Vieris Sauvignon comes across as quite deep and plush next to the Piere. Juicy apricots, peaches, flowers and light honey flow effortlessly from this big, round Sauvignon. The wine maintains plenty of intensity and presence through to the deep, textured finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. Proprietor Gianfranco Gallo has a preference for rich, textured wines. In 2009, a year that saw a long heat wave at the end of August, many of his wines are even bigger than they usually are. The best selections, though, possess terrific overall balance. Vie di Romans has a fabulous website (www.viediromans.it) full of technical information on recent vintages and the estate’s wines, among other topics. Readers should be aware that Vie di Romans is owned by members of my wife's extended family. I have always viewed education as an important component of wine criticism. An article on Friuli without these wines would have been incomplete and ultimately the consumer would have been poorer for their exclusion. For those reasons I have chosen to include the wines in this report. Neither my wife nor I have any financial or other interest, direct or indirect, in this property. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200

True to the Sauvignon Blanc variety, this lively white wine opens with defined aromas of citrus, kiwi and tangy tomato leaf. The wine’s natural intensity spans both the nose and the mouthfeel where fresh acidity and finesse help revive your palate sip after sip.——M.L.(3/1/2012)—— 90