Villa Russiz Collio Chardonnay Grafin de La Tour Magnum 2019

Villa Russiz Collio Chardonnay Grafin de La Tour Magnum 2019 is a refined, single-varietal Chardonnay from one of Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s most historic estates. Bottled in magnum, it’s crafted for those who appreciate exceptional aging potential, depth, and an elegant, Burgundian-inspired style with a distinctly Italian soul. The Grafin de La Tour cuvée pays tribute to the estate’s noble origins and has become a benchmark white in Collio, showcasing just how complex and long-lived Friulian Chardonnay can be.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, this Chardonnay shows a bright, luminous straw-yellow color with golden highlights that hint at concentration and careful élevage. The nose is layered and refined, offering ripe pear, golden apple, and lemon curd intertwined with white flowers, toasted hazelnut, vanilla, and a subtle flinty minerality. On the palate, Grafin de La Tour is full-bodied yet impeccably balanced, with a creamy texture supported by vibrant acidity. Expect flavors of orchard fruit, citrus zest, and stone fruit wrapped in delicate notes of brioche, butter, and well-integrated oak spice. A salty, mineral backbone keeps everything precise and focused, leading to a long, persistent finish. In magnum format, the 2019 vintage has excellent aging potential: it is already highly enjoyable now but will evolve beautifully over 8–12+ years, gaining additional complexity, truffle notes, and honeyed nuances with time.

Production
The grapes for Grafin de La Tour come from selected vineyards in Collio, a hilly area in Friuli-Venezia Giulia renowned for its white wines and its distinctive ‘ponca’ soils—marl and sandstone that lend natural minerality and tension. Yields are deliberately kept low, with careful, often manual harvesting to ensure only perfectly ripe, healthy Chardonnay clusters make it to the winery. After gentle pressing, the must typically undergoes alcoholic fermentation in oak (often French barriques or tonneaux), with partial or full malolactic fermentation depending on the vintage, followed by maturation on fine lees to develop complexity, texture, and aromatic depth before bottling, especially critical for magnum formats intended for long-term cellaring.

Food & Serving
This Collio Chardonnay is a superb match for refined cuisine: think lobster or scallops in butter sauce, rich seafood risotto, roasted turbot or halibut, veal in creamy morel or truffle sauce, or roast chicken with herbs. It also shines alongside aged cheeses such as Comté, Gruyère, or mature Asiago. Serve at 10–12°C (50–54°F) to allow the aromatics to open gradually, especially from a magnum. Decanting for 30–45 minutes is recommended, particularly while the wine is still youthful, to let the oak integrate and the mineral and floral notes fully emerge.

Producer
Founded in 1868 by Count Théodor de La Tour and his wife Elvine Ritter von Zahony, Villa Russiz is one of Friuli’s historic estates and a key name in the rise of Collio as a world-class white wine region. Based near Capriva del Friuli, the estate has long been known for marrying meticulous vineyard work with a strong sense of place, helping to elevate Friulian whites onto the international stage. Today, Villa Russiz is respected for its elegant, terroir-driven wines and for maintaining a tradition of quality and social commitment, with part of its mission historically tied to charitable and educational initiatives. The Grafin de La Tour Chardonnay stands as one of the flagship labels of the estate, regularly earning critical praise and confirming Villa Russiz’s role as a reference point for serious Italian white wine.

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