A recent virtual tasting with Noemi Bidoia, wine educator and Manager of Hospitality at Tenute Tomasella, revealed the story of this small winery as well as their delicious, well priced wines (sent as samples). The Tomasella estates are located on the border of Friuli and Veneto and between two small regions, DOC Friuli and Prosecco DOC Treviso in northeast Italy.
Tenute Tomasella is influenced by these two distinct areas in terms of tradition, culture and geography. Cultivated on 10 hectares of vineyards in Veneto include Glera, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc; 40 hectares of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Friulano are planted in Friuli Giulia. In all, 16 different wines of red and white grapes offer four styles of wines: sparkling, white, red, and rose. Approximately 120,000 bottles are produced each year with 50% of the total exported to the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and southern Germany, among other countries (except the United States at this point).
Now in its second generation, “a new chapter opens for the winery, a further commitment to a more sustainable future,” shared Noemi. The team has an initiative to create a “Forest for Pollinators,” the first area created for bees. The forest comprises 1.7 hectares of land and will be a “haven for over 55 trees and shrubs carefully selected to attract and feed pollinators, in particular our precious wild bees.”
“We work with the best raw material to produce better in the fields. As a result, there is less work in the winery,” stated Noemi. Organic conversion will be finished at the 2026 vintage. Since the 2018 harvest, Tenute Tomasella has had the SQNDI (National Integrated Production Quality System) certification indicating that they have reduced environmental impacts from the vineyard to the cellar.
Photo Credit: Tenute Tomasella
Wines from Tenute Tomasella
There’s nothing like beginning a gathering of friends and family with clinks and sips of Prosecco Rose. Tomasella Pro Sparkling Prosecco Rose DOC Extra Dry (16 euros) is a lovely, fresh blend of the white grape Glera and the red grape Pinot Nero that offers color, structure and texture to the wine. Perfect for any season, the notes of cherries, cassis, and hint of confections on the nose and palate were balanced with a brilliant streak of minerality. Pair a few sips of this lively bubbly with salami, young cheeses with jam, caponata, fish, meats, and a warm summer day.
Having been to the Friuli region of Italy, I have fallen in love with Friulano, a full bodied white wine exuding so many notable characteristics. Tomasella Friulano Friuli DOC (12.5 euros) was a beauty with its aromas of honey, fragrant white blossoms, juicy pears and crisp apples. On the creamy palate, soft acidity along with citrus and floral notes offered a lingering finish with subtle hints of almonds. The wine pairs well with a good book as well as a plethora of foods including prosciutto, garden salads, Italian cheeses, and light pasta dishes.
As easy drinking as it is delicious, Tomasella Rigole Rosso Trevenezie IGT (18 euros) is of 60% Merlot and 40% Refosco d.p.r.. The wine was vinified on the grape skins and fermented at controlled temperatures with complete malolactic fermentation. Satin like tannins and moderate acidity provided the foundation for aromas and flavors of lush red berries, wild herbs, spice, touch of earth, and minerality – the finish lingered. Consider sipping this flavorful wine with burgers, rib roast, lamb kabobs, and of course, a hearty cheese and charcuterie plate. The Rigole Rosso is the oldest wine that Tomasella produces and “it’s very special” for the family.
So intriguing was Chinomoro (36 euros for a 375 litre bottle), a fortified wine of Merlot. According to the family, this not a typical wine of the area. The Merlot was vinified for 12 months in oak barrels then flavored with herbal essences of aloe, absinthe, calumba, coriander, rhubarb, orange, elderflowers, and more – along with alcohol. I sipped this wine (200 grams of sugar/litre, by the way!) with dark chocolate for the win. I found this rich and flavorful digestif chock full of herbs, red fruits and happiness. Perhaps a drizzle of the Chinomoro over ice cream, too?
We believe that in order to arouse emotions, it is essential to listen with patience to what the earth has to say. It is a passion that has been handed down from generation to generation, a common thread that binds those of us that, for 50 years, have dedicated our skills, time and effort. Tenute Tomasella
The swan on each label is a symbol of the castle on the property that was built in the late 19th century. The meaning? Prosperity.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
