Vie di Romans: Sauvignon Vieris vs Piere

When talking about Vie di Romans, we touch on one of the most important winemaking realities of Friuli Venezia-Giulia. And by “most important realities” I don’t mean the top 20, but the top 5, maybe top 4. As already mentioned in the article on Ronco del Gelso, this winery has not only brought prestige to a DOC, that of Isonzo, otherwise rather unfortunate, but has also inaugurated a style.

The History of Vie di Romans

Vie di Romans was born in Mariano del Friuli, in the heart of the Isonzo DOC, and takes its name from an ancient toponym that indicated the “road of the Romans” that crossed the area. The agricultural company was officially founded in 1978, but the Gallo family had been cultivating the land for generations. The decisive turning point came in 1978 with Gianfranco Gallo, who took the reins of the company and began a radical transformation process, oriented towards absolute quality and enhancement of the territory.

In the eighties, Gianfranco introduced concepts that were then little widespread in Friuli: separate vinifications for individual vineyards, use of barrique in an interpretative key (not standardizing), and deliberately late harvests to maximize grape maturity. In 1990 the company began to bottle all production independently, definitively interrupting the sale of bulk wine. 1992 marks another key passage: it was decided that all wines would be released on the market one year after harvest, to guarantee greater complexity and stability.

In subsequent years Vie di Romans progressively expanded its vineyard holdings, reaching a surface area of about 60 hectares under vine, all in the area of Mariano and surroundings. The varietal choice is strongly identity-based: Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Friulano, Malvasia, Pinot Grigio, but always vinified in purity and with surgical precision. The current cellar is the result of successive expansions, culminating in an important restructuring at the end of the ’90s. Today Vie di Romans is recognized as one of the most solid and influential realities of Italian white wine.

When talking about Sauvignon at Vie di Romans, the dialogue immediately becomes two-voiced: Piere and Vieris. Two interpretations, same grape variety, same territory, but very different souls.

Sauvignon Vieris

The Sauvignon Vieris is born from a unique, homonymous vineyard of about 9.4 hectares located in Mariano del Friuli. The vines, with an average age of 25 years, are predominantly French clones, planted with high density (up to 6,500 vines/ha) and very low yields – just 0.7 kg per plant. The soil, loamy-sandy and rich in iron and aluminum oxides, gives that almost blood-like note that often returns in the glass. The altitude is modest (31 meters above sea level), but the agronomic management is anything but banal: simple guyot and spur-pruned cordon, crossed East-West and North-South exposures to optimize light and ventilation.

The vinification of Vieris follows a precise and patient script: destemming-crushing, brief cold skin maceration, controlled fermentation at 16-19°C, and no malolactic fermentation to preserve freshness. The wine then remains 9 months on lees and clarifies naturally. Bottling takes place in July of the year following harvest, followed by an additional 9 months of aging in bottle. The result? A Sauvignon at 13.9% vol, with balanced acidity (5.75 g/l) and a pH that settles on a balanced 3.26. A meditation white, which finds its evolutionary peak around 7 years and has estimated longevity up to 18 years.

Sauvignon Piere

With Sauvignon Piere we are still in Mariano del Friuli, in the same Isonzo DOC Rive Alte zone, but the approach changes: here the vineyard extends over 11.5 hectares, with slightly younger plants (21 years on average) and a less intensive focus on qualitative yield. The predominant clones are Italian, with sparse bunches, on a French base, and production per plant is almost double compared to Vieris – up to 1.6 kg. The North-South orientation and the deeper and siliceous soil (with presence of conglomerates) favor regular maturation, which aims straight at varietal expressiveness.

In the cellar, the script is similar but with slight variations: destemming-crushing, cold maceration, fermentation between 16 and 19°C, and absence of malolactic. Where Piere distinguishes itself is in the duration of fermentation – slightly longer (18 days) – and in the élevage of 8 months on lees, followed by a more prolonged aging in bottle: a full 10 months before market release. The technical result is a finely chiseled Sauvignon, with 13.88% vol, total acidity at 5.72 g/l and pH 3.28, which finds its evolutionary apex around 8 years.

Sauvignon Vieris vs Sauvignon Piere – Technical Specifications

Vieris and Piere represent the evolution of an idea of Sauvignon deeply Friulian but with international vocation. Same denomination, same producer, but very different results. Below, a schematic synthesis to quickly grasp the main differences:

Two wines that therefore have really much in common. Lower yields for Vieris, slightly longer bottle aging for Piere, but the differences are not so evident, especially since the two wines are not part of distinct lines in the company catalog. Here then are the impressions from tasting, where instead the singularities of the two bottles emerged

Impressions on Sauvignon Vieris 2021

The Sauvignon Vieris from Vie di Romans recalls a starry night where the softness of the fruit is illuminated by the structure of the wine, then dissipated by a sunny saline finish.

This is a serious Sauvignon, a Sauvignon with profiles, with structure, with everything. On the nose it opens with the classic scents of green apple and tomato leaf, but also flanks a creaminess that hints at the complexity and stylistic ambition of the wine. The palate doesn’t explode in a concentration of fruit, but is truly enveloping and round. Yellow fruit tones support a high acidity that grows in the mouth slowly, like a balloon inflating. An inversion compared to the norm where it’s the structure that supports the fruit.

The clean finish expresses all the seriousness of the wine: it’s deeply spiced (notes of white pepper, almost like Styrian Sauvignon), saline, and rich in apple and tropical fruit profiles that chase each other against the background of an umami texture. A long sip, capable of being a great wine. The saline finish worked wonders – and added character – with sushi and its soy sauce.

Price: €36.50 (from a retailer). Excellent, cost of a wine from a lower tier than where Vieris positions itself for quality.

Impressions on Sauvignon Piere 2020

The Sauvignon Piere 2020 from Vie di Romans recalls a shiny and chromed parallelepiped, agile and elegant, of structure and chiaroscuro.

A great Sauvignon. The nose reveals a multitude of profiles: orange, lemon zest, cream, flint stone. A rich, deep first impression, but at the same time restrained. On the palate the body is juicy, the moderate acidity struggles a bit to free itself from the dense and sensual texture, supported by good fruit concentration.

My wife described the flavors as “earthy,” I also perceived them as stony and measured. The acidity rests on the soft body and grows with small and stimulating peaks. The finish is tropical, with clear notes of juicy and citrusy pineapple, and an acidic vein of grapefruit. The tactile sensations of the last part of the sip are truly stimulating: deeply saline, with a polyphenolic nuance. A satisfying and deliberately provocative finish for such an elegant wine. It made the flavors of penne with cream and salmon explode in an excellent pairing.

Price: €33 (from a retailer). Also in this case, an excellent deal.

Sauvignon Vieris vs Sauvignon Piere – Sensory Profile

So, summarizing:

Conclusion

It’s never a great climax to close a comparative article with a tie, but in this case it’s necessary. Both wines are excellent. Piere is a great Sauvignon, rich in profiles and character. Vieris, instead, is a great wine—less focused on varietal character than its counterpart, more expressive of its terroir (as the lower yields clearly suggest), and driven by the ambition to be a truly great white. So, if you like high-level Sauvignons, Piere is the wine for you, while if you’re more attracted to the creaminess and character of Burgundy Chardonnays or whites from Wachau, go for Vieris. In both cases you won’t be disappointed.

Read also the comparison between Flors di Uis and Ciampagnis Chardonnay from Vie di Romans and between Sauvignon Blanc in general and Viognier.