The 2011 Vitovska delivers a deep golden color and a thickly veiled, cloudy appearance. Butterscotch, blanched almond, poached pear and dried apricot all play parts in the evolving bouquet. There’s a good degree of freshness now but the wine will gain in complexity as those oxidized aromas turn more austere and linear. This unique white wine needs at least another year or two of bottle aging. Drink: 2015-2018. Gloriously basking in their unfiltered and untamed personalities, the wines of Zidarich (from the Carso sub region) offer a sneak peek into the Italian “natural” wine movement that has recently picked up so much speed in northeast Italy. They will not appeal to everyone but definitely reward those who seek out this unique school of wine. Importer: A.I. Selections, www.aiselections.com

The 2009 Vitovska bursts onto the palate with a rush of ripe, expressive fruit. This is a generous, fleshy vintage for the Vitovska. Sweet, floral aromatics develop in the glass, adding brightness and freshness. Hints of orange peel, almonds, licorice and dried flowers inform a finish that finds its minerality on the close. This is a lovely effort from Zidarich. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. GPS isn’t much use in the Carso, one of the most remote corners of Friuli. This rugged stretch of mountains lies above Trieste, with views of the ocean and a microclimate that is very much its own. Beniamino Zidarich somehow managed to paintakingly carve a multi-level cellar out of the rock. But it is really the wines that are most notable. Over the years, Zidarich has fine-tuned his approach and it shows. Zidarich ferments his whites with some skin contact, but prefers to keep that time shorter than many of his colleagues who have adopted a similar approach. Zidarich is one of the most exciting growers in Italy. His wines merit serious attention. A visit to Zidarich is essential for anyone who has a serious interest in the wines, people and culture of the Carso. Importer: A.I. Selections, Astoria, NY; tel. (718) 777-2243

The 2008 Vitovska flows across the palate with generous apricots, orange peel, tangerine and dried flowers. With time in the glass, the wine's juicy, fat personality emerges even more fully, leading to the impeccable, harmonious finish. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2015. Beniamino Zidarich continues to set a high bar for the wines of the Carso, one of Friuli's most fascinating terroirs. This is a superb set of 2008s. Importer: A.I. Selections, Astoria, NY; tel. (718) 777-2243

The 2007 Vitovska reveals lovely richness and inner perfume in its white peaches, flowers and sweet spices. This medium-bodied white flows with outstanding balance and tons of elegance, not to mention style. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2015. This is another very fine set of new wines from Beniamino Zidarich, a small producer located in Friuli’s Carso district. The whites see a brief period of skin contact which contributes volume, depth and complexity. The wines are fermented in oak vats using indigenous yeasts and without temperature control. Aging takes place in oak, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered prior to being bottled. At their best, these are some of the most unique and compelling wines readers are likely to come across. Imported by: JK Imports/Vinissimo Selection, CA, 800-946-3329