Tentazione 2018 Flaibani

Overview

The Tentazione 2018 by Flaibani is an elegant and complex red wine, crafted from a harmonious blend of native and international grape varieties. Part of the Venezia Giulia IGP Rosso designation, it embodies the winery’s biodynamic philosophy. With a limited production of 1,000 bottles, this wine is designed for lovers of structured, long-lived reds, featuring intense aromas and a bold character.

Wine History

Tentazione originates from the decades of experience of Bruna Flaibani, who enhanced the family’s historic vineyards. The vineyards, located on steep terraces with excellent south-southwest exposure, have vines aged between 15 and 70 years, ensuring unique aromatic concentration. Hand harvesting allows only the best clusters to be selected, essential for producing a wine of exceptional quality.

Vineyard Philosophy

Viticulture is organic and biodynamic, aiming to preserve the natural balance of soil and plants. Careful sustainable practices combined with low-yield grapes ensure wines that fully reflect the terroir. The grape varieties used – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Schioppettino – are cultivated meticulously to express their distinct characteristics.

Winemaking Approach

Fermentation occurs through spontaneous fermentation in steel tanks, without selected yeasts. Aging lasts 10 months in French oak barriques, followed by a long minimum of 6 years in bottle, allowing the wine to develop complexity and harmony. No filtration or fining is applied: time alone grants elegance and depth.

Tasting Notes

Color: intense red with garnet highlights, bright and vivid.
Aroma: complex bouquet of ripe red fruits, spicy notes of black pepper, cocoa, and a delicate herbal nuance.
Palate: full-bodied and enveloping, silky tannins, perfect balance between structure and freshness, long and persistent finish.

Pairings

Ideal with grilled red meats, braised dishes, game, aged cheeses, and rich recipes requiring a structured, profound wine.

Technical Sheet

• Designation: Venezia Giulia IGP Rosso

• Region: Friuli Venezia Giulia

• Grapes: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and Schioppettino

• Vineyard: 3 ha, vine age 15–70 years

• Agriculture: organic, biodynamic

• Harvest: manual

• Vinification: spontaneous fermentation in steel

• Aging: 10 months French oak barriques, minimum 6 years in bottle

• Production: 1,000 bottles

• Alcohol: [to specify]

• Serving temperature: 16–18 °C

• Aging potential: 10–15 years

Flaibani Winery

A story of Friulian passion

The story of Flaibani Winery begins with Pino Flaibani, a Friulian by birth but for years a resident of Milan, where he worked in the world of printing and journalism. The 1976 earthquake that struck Friuli marked a decisive turning point: Pino went there to help the local population, and it was in those lands that he rediscovered the desire to return to his roots. A few months later, he moved his family to Cividale del Friuli, to what would become the home and beating heart of the winery. At first he looked after the vineyards during weekends, while studying winemaking with passion, until viticulture became his true life mission. After retirement, wine became his main activity and the whole family joined the project: his wife Dorina, his sons Maurizio and Michele, and above all his daughter-in-law Bruna, who would later take the lead of the estate, ensuring continuity to Pino’s dream.

Philosophy in the vineyard

The Flaibani estate extends over about three hectares of hillside vineyards, surrounded by six hectares of woodland that safeguard its natural balance. The vines, aged between fifteen and seventy years, grow on steep terraces facing south and southwest, where optimal exposure and low yields — between 35 and 50 quintals per hectare — allow the best quality potential to be expressed. Since 2016 the winery has been certified organic, and in 2022 it achieved the prestigious Bio Dynamic Farmers of the World biodynamic certification, reflecting Bruna Flaibani’s deep conviction: true wine quality is born from respect for the environment and farming practices in harmony with nature. The vineyards, cultivated without compromise, are a mosaic of biodiversity that makes each harvest unique.

Winemaking approach

The Flaibani philosophy finds its most sincere expression in the cellar, where manual harvesting and traditional pressing with the wine press are fundamental moments. This apparently simple choice preserves the original character of the grapes, maintaining their aromatic freshness and natural structure, which might otherwise be lost with more invasive techniques. The white wines, such as Pinot Grigio Ramato and Friulano, are refined in stainless steel to enhance freshness and verticality, while the reds rest in oak barrels for about ten months before further bottle ageing. Constant attention to detail, from the press to the timing of maturation, reflects the will to craft wines that are a pure expression of the land, free of artifices.

Identity and style

The Flaibani Winery represents a happy exception in Friuli’s panorama: half of its annual production is dedicated to red wines, a distinctive feature in a region historically linked to whites. Among the varieties cultivated are Schioppettino, Cabernet Franc (Carmenère), Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, alongside Pinot Grigio Ramato and Friulano, sourced from old vines of Tocai Giallo dal Peduncolo Rosso. This varietal choice, at once countercurrent and deeply rooted in local tradition, allows Flaibani to offer a range of wines with an unmistakable personality. Every bottle embodies the character of the Cividale hills, the soul of a family project, and the dedication of those who believe that wine must be the respectful dialogue between man and nature. The Flaibani style is this: authenticity, precision, and a profound bond with Friulian land.