The 2016 Friuli Isonzo Rive Alte Pinot Grigio Dessimis is classified as a white, but it is really a ramato, or copper in color, reflecting the real color of this grape's skins. Slightly reductive in nature, it brings out notes of cranberry and bright cassis with some white cherry as well. It was fermented in steel and aged on the lees in barrique. This is a very interesting wine that would make a good pairing with sliced porchetta. Exactly 52,286 bottles were released.

Here is another blockbuster from Vie di Romans. The 2013 Friuli Isonzo Pinot Grigio Dessimis is a lush and thickly concentrated effort with pristine aromas of pear, Golden Delicious apple, preserved lemon and acacia-infused honey. The wine is interesting from a textural point of view in that it offers good heft and complexity, although it never feels heavy or flat. It maintains a sense of brightness and energy all the while. This Pinot Grigio is fermented in stainless steel and aged in oak.

Another spectacular wine from Vie di Romans, the 2011 Friuli Isonzo Rive Alte Pinot Grigio Dessimis is technically classified as a white wine despite its pink-coppery appearance. Toasty notes of roasted almond and hazelnut make for a fitting segue to ripe apricot, nectarine, white cherry and pink grapefruit. It has nothing to do with the commercially made Grigios on the market today and should thus be considered for sophisticated food pairings—risotto alla Milanese with bone marrow and saffron immediately comes to mind. Drink: 2014-2019. Gianfranco Gallo makes some of the most beautiful white wines available in Italy today. He has brilliantly captured the essence of Friuli, thanks to the clarity of the aromas in his wines, from both indigenous and international grapes, and the profoundly moving manner in which they caress the palate. They are silky, smooth and delightful. The results also prove outstanding in the uneven 2011 vintage. Vie di Romans, to me, represents the pinnacle of Friuli winemaking pedigree. All these wines are imported to the United States except the Dut' Un white blend. Importer: Vias Imports, www.viaswine.com