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What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
What if two completely different wines—so different that there was NO possibility that ANYONE could confuse them—had names that sounded alike? Would you:
a. Teach consumers about the difference?
b. Revel in the confusion?
c. Issue a government edict that forbade the use of the name to protect one of the interested parties?
If you were the European Union, you’d select “c”—in spite of the fact that even more confusion would ensue, because none of the rest of the world was following you. So begins the story of Tocai Friulano.
Tokaiji (pronounced “toe-KYE”) wines of Hungary are famous for their lush sweetness,and are made from the furmint grape. Tocai (also pronounced “toe-KYE”) Friulano is the minerally favorite of Italy’s Friuli region at the northern tip of the Adriatic. No confusion of flavor is possible. However, in a concession to the nationalism of its new member, the EU decreed that Friuli’s favorite, going forward, should be known only by its last name. So, this should be the end of the confusion, right? Wrong. In the U. S., it’s forbidden to refer to the wine by anything BUT the name “Tocai Friulano”. Really. And, the French call it Sauvignon Vert or Muscadelle or Sauvignonasse, by the way.
No matter. Tocai Friulano tastes great. Aromas are delicate stone fruit—apricot, primarily—with some soft pear. The stone fruit reappears on palate entry—apricot, again—but the finish is ALL minerals: water drenched granite and, maybe, a little limestone. Lean, crisp, and aromatic.
It’s rare that a Friulian meal doesn’t start with an assortment of salumi and prosciutti paired with Tocai Friulano. The sweet-and-salty ham is matched by the fruity-then-minerally wine and the richness of the meats is tempered by the wine’s brisk acidity. It also pairs beautifully with asparagus—food territory where few wines go.
Nichelini Vineyards grows Tocai Friulano in the farm’s Rose Block, dedicated to Rose, the sixth child of pioneer winemaker Anton Nichelini. Established in 1890, it is part of the oldest continuously operating family winemaking operation in the Napa Valley. A wonderful coincidence of name and story for a wonderful wine.
Technical Data:
Appellation: Napa County, Chiles Valley
Blend: 100% Tocai Friulano
Alcohol: 12.8%
Acidity: 0.55 g/100 mL
Residual Sugar: Dry
pH: 3.55
Malolactic Fermentation: None
Barrels: Barrel fermented in neutral French oak
Harvest Date: September 13, 2010
Bottling Date: February 28, 2011
Release Date: April 15, 2011
Total Production: 104 cases
Price: $24
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