Tocai Friulano

Tocai Friulano

A long-fermenting international controversy over the name of this grape became formal in 1995 and became law in April, 2006: no more "Tocai". Fearing consumers would confuse the pale, light, dry table wines made from this variety grown in Italy's Friuli region with the golden, full, sweet dessert wine, Tokaji, that is their best-known wine, Hungary took the case to the European Union and prevailed.¹ The decision also meant that the Alsatians of France could no longer call their wines (also mostly dry), made from the pinot gris variety, "Tokay d'Alsace".

To make certain their reach is global, the Hungarian case also singled-out Australian producers of the sweet wines known as "stickies". Aussies may no longer label these wines "Tokay" and must substitute instead "Muscadelle", the second most-often-used variety in stickie-making.²

The Italians, for their part, although agreeing to give up "Tocai", have not settled entirely among themselves as to the conclusive substitute nomenclature, although many producers are leaning to the lone "Friulano". Time will tell. (For the purpose of this article, we'll call it friulano from here on.)

Friulano is the main white variety of the Friuli region of Northeastern Italy. Alternating and dissimilar claims as to how the variety came to be planted there simply add to the confusion. As a matter of fact, the entire identity of the variety is in question as some authorities assert the variety is actually sauvignon vert, or sauvignonasse.

Wines made from friulano are somewhat aromatic without being very assertive or powerful. They tend to smell of wildflowers, sometimes almonds or nuts and range from light to medium-bodied.