2019 Castelvecchio Vitovska Carso Friuli 750 ml

This is the type of rare, locals-only find that elevates a scenic drive in the northeastern Italian hills from great to “I never want to leave.” It’s one of the purest and most focused expressions of this native white grape that we’ve tried. 

And the critics agree—Castelvecchio’s Vitovska earned Editors’ Choice honors from Wine Enthusiast plus the publication’s best-ever score for the variety, multiple points higher than bottles listed for nearly four times the price.

An exemplar of the variety and region, Castelvecchio’s Vitovska has been called “hard to beat quality-wise,” by Vinous. The 2019 has never been available stateside before today. There’s no telling when it might return, so we recommend grabbing enough to last.

This Vitovska is an absolute must-try for lovers of dry white wines, a gem unearthed from the heights of the Karst Plateau, one sure to evoke wide-eyed questions like “how did you find this?” from friends. Flirting with the Slovenian border, Castelvecchio is “an outstanding source of very well made wines” that are “impeccably balanced and a real joy to taste,” according to Vinous. This 93-point showpiece is one of their best. 

The generous and captivating 2019 Vitovska showcases aromatic layers of lemon, fennel, and honeysuckle. Pear, peach, and minerality engage in a tug-of-war stalemate with vibrant acidity and a perfectly-balanced tension. A versatile wine, it shines next to nearly any dish, from roast duck to creamy pasta.

Vitovska grows almost exclusively in the Carso region (Kras in Slovenian or Karst in German and English), a tiny strip of land near the Italy-Slovenia border. Only small farms can maintain viticulture here, so much of the area’s Vitovska production is limited, and many producers opt to sell their wines locally. So access to this alluring wine, one of the region’s best expressions, is rare. 

The Castelvecchio estate sits just under 500 feet above sea level in Carso. Wedged between the Alps to the north and the Adriatic Sea to the south, its vineyards are cooled and ventilated by the powerful Bora wind. That spells hardship for the vines, but there are no better conditions for Vitovska, which turns those cool gusts into invigorating energy and tension.

Vineyards have existed here since 1578 among the land’s arid, rocky soil, where rich deposits of iron and limestone harbor bright and aromatic Vitovska. Castelvecchio’s wine ages sur lie in concrete tanks for a pure and crisp expression of this native grape. A rare find from a corner of northern Italy, it’s a gorgeous white wine debut.