Producer

Bortolusso

I have reviewed two wines from Bortolusso, all from the 2024 vintage, all from Friuli. Scores range from 93 to 94, averaging 94; the highest is the 2024 Bortolusso Pinot Grigio Friuli (94 points). Bortolusso also features in one journal article on this site.

Bortolusso offers a unique, coastal expression of Friuli. The family estate at Carlino, in the Friuli Annia zone, sits right on the edge of the Marano Lagoon, where the vineyards almost seem to float on the water, the soils are sandy and saline and the vines are constantly ventilated by Adriatic breezes. That maritime influence gives the wines a signature savory, salty character.

The Friulano is not the rich, almond-driven style of the hills but a wine of vibrant saline minerality: white peach, citrus blossom and wild herbs, with sea spray and crushed oyster shell on a light, zesty palate. The Pinot Grigio is a world away from mass-market bottlings, crisp and mineral with the estate’s saline note. Both are bottled as Friuli DOC: elegant, food-friendly whites that mirror the seafood cuisine of the coast, and they remain remarkable values.