'14 Livon Pinot Grigio 10/38

'14 Livon Pinot Grigio

Collio, Italy

lemon, vanilla, steely

The Company “Azienda Agricola Livon”, founded in Dolegna del Collio in the early 1960`s, coincided with the creation of the “D.O.C. Collio” region. The two sons, Valneo and Tonino Livon, have continually developed and improved the winery and the estate which now include 385 acres of vineyards and three wine cellars.

Since the mid-eighties the Livon family has worked extensively to further develop their vineyards with the primary goal being to reduce production yields in order to maximize the quality of the fruit. They completely altered the layout of their vineyards, pioneering which was at the time a very unique and progressive approach to vineyard management. Shorter pruning, the application of more organic methods and high-density plantings (greater number of vines per acre) were strategies used, along with the introduction of integrating indigenous plants onto their land, the use of organic intervention to cure infections, maintaining low grape yields per vine and the construction of three great wine cellars for the development of the wine. This was the start of a long-term commitment and of a vision that has become highly regarded in some wine circles as the latest innovation of the wine industry.

Due to the unique terroir of Friuli, white wines can be made to develop with ageing potential much like the nobler reds. The Collio region promotes great structure, acidity and alcohol levels, all of which are the origin of the formula for great ageing potential. 

Due to their unique practices, Livon has proven to be a true pioneer in the Italian wine industry. Their trademark logo is recognized worldwide by ERTE’s numeral “5”. The mirror image represents the letter “C” for Collio on the wine label.

Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio

Color: Pale, straw yellow with golden reflections

Bouquet: Fragrant bouquet, reminiscent of vanilla and lime

Taste: Dry, well structured, soft and minerally with gentle undertones of nutmeg and almond and a long finish

NOTES ABOUT THE VARIETAL: Grigio is Italian for "gray," (Gris in French) which may refer to the grayish hue of this Pinot varietal. Pinot Grigio is thought to be a clone of a French Pinot gris (which is thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape). Pinot gris can vary widely in color from silvery blue to grayish violet to ashen yellow. The grapes' varying colors produce wines that range from white to slightly pink. The style of wines ranges from crisp, light and dry-such as the Pinto Grigio produced in northern Italy, to the rich, fat, honeyed versions from France's alsace region (where Pinot Gris is called Tokay d'Alsace).