Pinot Bianco
75cl * 12.5% ABV * IGT Venezia Giulia, Italy
Jermann Pinot Bianco comes from Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Italy’s far northeast, close to the Austrian and Slovenian borders. Pinot Bianco is now a rarity in this region, but in the hands of Jermann it becomes a wine of depth, clarity, and minerality.
The estate itself was founded in 1881 by Anton Jermann, though its modern reputation was built in the 1970s by his great-grandson Silvio, whose precise, pioneering approach to winemaking brought Friuli’s whites international acclaim. Cult bottlings such as Vintage Tunina and W. Dreams placed Jermann firmly on the map, and in 2021 the Antinori family acquired a majority stake, securing the estate’s legacy as one of Italy’s finest white wine producers.
The Pinot Bianco grapes for this wine are drawn from vineyards with both southwest and northeast exposures, rooted in the region’s distinctive ponca soils, a stony mix of marl and sandstone from the Eocene epoch. Harvested in September, the fruit is vinified in stainless steel before ageing for six months on its lees, lending texture and complexity, followed by further time in bottle.
The result is a brilliant straw-yellow wine with an intense, persistent bouquet of melon and stone fruit, touched by subtle floral notes. On the palate it is dry, velvety and balanced. The creamy texture is carried by a backbone of minerality, leading to a long and harmonious finish.
Pairs beautifully with seafood soups and richer fish dishes such as sea bass, but also with creamy risottos, pasta, and fresh cheeses.