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The latest eight versions of Vintage Tunina
Silvio Jermann’s Vintage Tunina, revolutionary when it was created, is now a great classic and one of the best-known Italian white wines worldwide.
Vintage Tunina is one of the most iconic white wines from Friuli and perhaps even Italy itself. For sure it is among those with the longest history, given that its first vision came out in 1975. It has always been made by Silvio Jermann, who began producing it when he was only 21 at the winery of his parents Angelo and Bruna. The estate is in Villanova di Farra, a stone’s throw from Gradisca d’Izonso, in an area known as “Isoletta Collio” (Little Collio Island), a small enclave surrounded by the Izonso Plain. Although it is separated from the rest of the DOC appellation, the typical soil of the hills magically reemerges in this plot of land to the extent that wines here qualify for the Collio Goriziano appellation. Except for his first, truly experimental version, Silvio has never used the name of this appellation, preferring to define his Vintage Tunina first as a “table wine” and later and still as an IGT Venezia Giulia.
He named the wine after one of Giacomo Casanova’s lovers, Tunina, who was poor and not as famous as the others. The grapes at first came from a single vineyard situated behind the old winery, on Monte Fortino. From the beginning the wine was not a blend in the strict sense of the term given that all the grapes were all harvested at the same time. The wine also underwent malolactic fermentation and matured on the lees for almost a year in stainless steel vats. For several years, however, around a third of the Chardonnay used matures apart for three months in large Slovenian oak barrels.
This wine was truly revolutionary when it came out, given that in the mid-1970s the leading producers in Friuli were making single-grape wines, as opposed to the more authentic tradition, especially for Collio wines, of a blend of Tocai (now Friulano), Malvasia Istriana and Ribolla Gialla. The first grape gave the wine structure and character, the other respectively gave it aromas and acidity. While modifying the blend, Silvio sought to return to the oldest concept of the wine, one less focused on the characteristics of the varietal and more on the terroir of each vineyard.
Not many people tasted the original 1975 version, of which only a few thousands bottles were produced, also because the following year Silvio left the family estate and went to Canada where he spent three years. He returned in 1978 and since then Vintage Tunina has been produced every year. The wine rose to fame after Luigi Veronelli wrote about it in his popular column in the Panorama weekly in an article entitled “The Mennea of Wine”, comparing it to the Italian Olympic champion sprinter Pietro Mennea. Then several Italian restaurateurs, first among them Giorgio Pinchiorri and Angelo Paracucchi, promoted the wine allowing Vintage Tunina to become legendary already by the early 1980s.
Last March, it was officially announced that Silvio Jermann had sold a majority stake in his estate to Marchesi Antinori, while remaining to supervise production. It was for this reason that I thought it would be a good idea to remember the story behind the birth of Vintage Tunina, an 80% blend of Sauvignon and Chardonnay with “additions” of Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and even a tad of Picolit. Here we look at the latest eight vintages which, for this reason, are the easiest to find on the market. Some are among the best Italian white wines around, evidence of the fact that Vintage Tunina, which started off as a revolutionary wine, has over the years become a classic, much like what occurred in Tuscany with Sassicaia and Tignanello. Of course, aside from the color, there are distinct differences between them. Nevertheless, that period of time, an almost a pioneering era, saw the birth of wines like these that have since become very famous and it set the stage for the rebirth of Italian wine, one which saw a then young Silvio Jermann as one of the lead players.
All’epoca fu un vino assolutamente rivoluzionario. Va ricordato come verso la metà degli anni Settanta i produttori di punta in Friuli avessero imboccato la via dei vini da monovitigno, tralasciando quella che in passato era la tradizione più autentica e che prevedeva, per i vini del Collio in particolare, il taglio fra il tocai (oggi friulano) con parti di malvasia istriana e di ribolla gialla. Il primo a conferire struttura e carattere, gli altri due, rispettivamente, utilizzati per i profumi (la malvasia) e l’acidità (la ribolla). Pur cambiando il senso del taglio, Silvio intese ritornare a un’idea di vino più antica, meno centrata sulle caratteristiche varietali dei vitigni e più sull’origine territoriale da un singolo vigneto.
Vintage Tunina 2012
92/100 - € 60
A blend of 40% Sauvignon, 40% Chardonnay, 10% Malvasia Istriana, 5% Picolit and 5% Ribolla Gialla. Only the Chardonnay matured for three months in large barrels, while the rest matured on the lees in stainless steel.
A straw-yellow color and a wrapping aroma with notes of exotic fruit, yellow peach. Citrus, yogurt and hints of vanilla in the background. The mouthfeel is saline, almost citrine, full-bodied, very fine and balanced with a long and warm finish.
Vintage Tunina 2013
97/100 - € 60
A blend of 40% Sauvignon and 40% Chardonnay and the remaining 20% Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and Picolit. Only the Chardonnay matured for three months, while the rest matured on the lees in stainless steel for around a year.
A clear, golden-yellow color with light, green reflections. The nose is very intact, with scents of exotic fruit and fresh almond. The elegant mouthfeel is taut, saline and fresh with a nice body and an amazing persistence considering how long it is. A great version.
Vintage Tunina 2014
95/100 - € 50
A blend of Sauvignon and Chardonnay, 40% each, and the rest Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and Picolit. The Chardonnay matured for three months in large barrels and the rest on the lees in stainless steel.
A clear, straw-yellow color and complex aromas of pineapple, renetta apple and citron. The mouthfeel is very saline and taut, also due to the year, which make it agile and fresh. The persistence is excellent.
Vintage Tunina 2015
98/100 - € 75
A blend of Sauvignon and Chardonnay, 40% each, and the rest Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and Picolit. A third of the Chardonnay matured for three months in large barrels.
An intense, straw-yellow. A complex, intense and elegant nose with notes of golden delicious apple, apricot, fresh almond, wild flowers and light hints of flint. A composed and very balanced mouthfeel with an acidity that perfectly upholds the excellent body. It is taut and soft at the same time, warm with a very pleasing drinkability and truly distinct persistence. A great version, one of the all-time best.
Vintage Tunina 2016
96/100 - € 50
A blend of Sauvignon and Chardonnay, 40% each, and the rest Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and Picolit. A third of the Chardonnay matured for three months in large barrels.
A luminous straw-yellow color with light, green reflections. The notes of Sauvignon in the aroma are more pronounced than in the other versions while the bouquet has scents of exotic fruit, white fruit, fresh almond, citron and wild flowers. The taut mouthfeel has a nice body and a dynamic balance that makes it pleasing and gives it a delicious drinkability. The finish has good persistence.
Vintage Tunina 2017
98/100 - € 50
A blend of Sauvignon and Chardonnay, 40% each, and the rest Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and Picolit. A third of the Chardonnay matured for three months in large barrels.
A bright and luminous straw-yellow. The nose is exceptionally complex with scents of white peach, mango, medicinal herbs, flint, fresh almond and hints of passion fruit. The impact of the mouthfeel is amazing, rich, composed and multifaceted an acidity that upholds the significant body which is rich, composed and multifaceted while the acidity upholds the significant body which is rich yet taut, harmonious and with an extraordinary persistence. One of the historic versions.
Vintage Tunina 2018
97/100 - € 50
A blend of Sauvignon and Chardonnay, 40% each, and the rest Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and Picolit. A third of the Chardonnay matured for three months in large barrels.
A straw-yellow color with light green reflections. The bouquet is very fruity and fine, with notes of exotic fruit and hints of wild flowers, boxwood, medicinal herbs and white peach. The mouthfeel is taut and very pleasing, elegant, with a refreshing acidity that makes it more drinkable. An agile version, one in which the Sauvignon has the greatest impact.
Vintage Tunina 2019
98/100 - € 50
80% Chardonnay (in part matured in large barrels) and Sauvignon, with the rest Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia and Picolit (all matured in stainless steel).
A bright, straw-yellow color with green and golden reflections. A captivating and absolutely balanced bouquet with scents of peach and elder-flavored apricot jam and orange blossom. The mouthfeel has a curious note of licorice stick that enriches the overall harmonious flavors of various fruits which persist throughout the long and pleasing finish. A very great wine, elegant and structured.
