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Underdog Grape · Italy

Friulano

Pronounced free-oo-LAH-noh

If you like Sauvignon Blanc but want less grass and more salt, drink Friulano — a dry, pear-and-almond white from northeast Italy that a courtroom forced to change its name.

Tasting profile
Green pear and white peach up front, a saline snap in the middle, and a finish that turns unmistakably toward bitter almond.
Where it grows
Friuli, Italy
Explore the Northern Italy field guide
Where to buy
For specific bottles and where to buy them, read the deep dive.

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The region

Friuli, Italy

If you like

Sauvignon Blanc

Wines like Friulano

Albillo MayorSavatianoRobolaVitovska

Friulano: common questions

What wine is Friulano similar to?
If you usually drink Sauvignon Blanc, Friulano is the underdog swap to try. Other lesser-known grapes in the same style: Albillo Mayor, Savatiano, Robola.
Read the deep diveFriulano: The Savory Italian White That Lost Its Name and Kept Its Soul

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