All of Jermann's wines are packaged in screwcap bottles, including this 2018 Sauvignon. Next to the other wines in the portfolio, the bouquet on this wine is tame, almost neutral. This is unexpected for an aromatic variety such as Sauvignon Blanc. But I think the point is to allow room for some of the more detailed nuances of candied lemon and crushed limestone to emerge with greater clarity. This is a finely detailed expression to crack open in front of a movie with some corn tortillas and Southwestern style salsa.

The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc delivers abundant varietal aromas of passion fruit, freshly squeezed grapefruit, acacia honey and sweet almond, all backed by a tangy green note of tomato leaf or garden-fresh oregano. This is a classic interpretation of the grape from northeast Italy that shows the energy and vibrant appeal of Sauvignon Blanc without the pungent notes you get in New World expressions. The mouthfeel is lean, light and direct. Some 140,000 bottles were produced.

Jermann has produced a set of first-rate wines in this classic vintage. The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most successful editions of this wine that I ever remember tasting. There's a natural freshness and brightness to the bouquet that feels like a breath of fresh air. It imparts tropical fruit, lime, papaya and wild sage.

The 2010 Sauvignon is a bit of a mystery. The wines in Jermann’s entry-level range are usually more representative of the house style than they are of variety, but the Sauvignon is generally the most varietally true of the wines. That is not the case in 2010. Something is missing. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2014. This is a somewhat mixed set of wines from Silvio Jermann. The flagships Vintage Tunina, Capo Martino and Were Dreams are less exciting in 2009 than they are in cooler years such as 2008, when less extreme weather balances some of the overtness that is typical of the house’s approach with the top whites. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to taste any Pignolos this year. Readers should be aware that Jermann is owned by my wife’s uncle. I have always viewed education as an important component of wine criticism. An article on Friuli without these wines would have been incomplete and ultimately the consumer would have been poorer for their exclusion. For those reasons I have chosen to include the wines in this report. Neither my wife nor I have any financial or other interest, direct or indirect, in this property.Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900