The 2007 Pinot Grigio Gris opens with smoke, minerals and flowers that meld into a soft, expressive core of fruit. This is a fairly rich, lush style of Gris, and while the wine doesn’t quite have the energy and focus of the finest vintages, it nevertheless possesses outstanding balance. Light honey and smoke resonate on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. Alvaro Pecorari continues to produce some of the classiest Friulian whites readers are likely to come across. That said, the highlight among these new releases is the 2006 Tal Luc, one of the greatest dessert wines being made in Italy today. Even better, prices have remained exceedingly fair considering the quality of what is in the bottle. Readers should be aware that Lis Neris 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: Lis Neris Estate, Manhasset, NY; staff@lisnerisusa.com