2015 Eugenio Collavini Broy Bianco Collio 750 ml

The New Super Tuscans: Italy’s “Super White”

Sommeliers and savvy lovers of Italian wines know that Super Friulian whites, which combine the indigenous grapes of Italy’s top white wine region with international varieties, deserve a place in the pantheon alongside Super Tuscan blends. The 2015 Eugenio Collavini Broy Bianco Collio is a standard-bearer for this class of wines: a stainless steel-vinified blend of 50% Friulano, 30% Chardonnay, and 20% Sauvignon Blanc that earned Italy’s most coveted wine honor—Tre Bicchieri from Italy’s prestigious Gambero Rosso publication—as well 95 points from James Suckling, who said the “full and gorgeous” Broy “shows the complexity and generosity of the region.” With complex aromatics, powerful stone fruit, and ripe citrus perfectly balanced with acidity, this rare gem has earned high honors, and we have it at the best price in the U.S.

In their foundational book Vino Italiano, David Lynch and Joseph Bastianich sum up the category of Friulian “Super Whites” like this: “Friuli’s multitude of blended white wines, incorporating a wide array of different grape varieties, are some of the most complex, full-bodied whites to be found anywhere in the world.” Once again: Anywhere in the world.

One reason these incredible bottlings can fly under the radar is because their contents are not always clear. The variety is often absent from the front label, and there is no steadfast link between specific DOCs and specific styles of wine: Consumers may not know whether a wine is oaky and rich, or focused and crisp? Often all they can see on the bottle is a nome di fantasia—a proprietary “fantasy name”—that tells them niente about the wine.

Eugenio Collavini’s “Broy” is named after broili, the small gardens that grew next to old Friulian homes, and often included grapes for the families to make into wine. “Broy” reflects that tradition in its eclectic blend: Friulano and Chardonnay, which are partially dried to concentrate their juices, are blended with Sauvignon Blanc that has been harvested a few days early. The wine undergoes a short maceration, then is fined in stainless steel vats. The wine is medium-gold with thick legs, a ton of ripe peach, honeydew, and lemon, and a refreshing, mineral-driven finish. Those who know Super Friulian whites have already headed for the “Buy” button. For those who don’t, there might be no better introduction than Eugenio Collanvini’s “Broy.”