Where are the best white wines of Italy produced? There are lots of regions vying for the title, but today we will focus in on one producer, Edi Kante, whose wines make the compelling case that it is Friuli that is king.

Just looking at geography and soil, you might guess that Carso, a part of Friuli lying just outside of Trieste, is a superb place to make white wine. The soils are pure gray limestone. Cold air rushes down from the Alps, keeping the weather fresh and acidities high. The collision of cultures in this part of the world – first between Venetians and Austro-Hungarians and later between Italians and Slavs – has resulted in an incredibly open and innovative culture that resulted not just in espresso but also an incredible range of wine-making techniques and grape varieties.

No wonder that it was here that Gravner – often considered the greatest white wine producer in Italy – emerged on the scene, and no wonder it is that we also find here Edi Kante.

Kante took over his family winery in the late 1980s and ever since he has been experimenting. He has tried different grape varieties, played around with orange wine, and experimented with all manners of vessels for fermentation and elevage. Over time, he has learned to make the best possible white wines from his very formidable terroir – and also, as you will see below, a little red.

The 2019 whites offered below are all made in roughly the same manner from vines planted at 800 feet above sea level. They are aged for a year in old barrels – some as old as 18 years – and then aged for a further six months. They are certainly ready to drink now, but don’t be in any rush – in the past the winery would occasionally release old bottles from their library that were quite fantastic.

The red is a little bit special as it is a multi-vintage blend of several different red wine varieties (40% Pinot Nero, 30% Terrano, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot). Aging is extensive, including time in both barriques and giant wooden casks.
It is rare to come across such unique wines – wines that we really consider “must tries” – for such reasonable prices:

Kante Venezia Giulia Chardonnay 2019 - $32.99

Kante Venezia Giulia Malvasia 2019 - $32.99

Kante Venezia Giulia Rosso Ludvik NV [2020 release] - $26.99