FIRE SEEN AS A SIGN

Mowing between the rows and under the vines, leaf treatment, selection of the buds, shoot pruning and positioning: out of the blue, in only 15 days everything moved forward.

Last year, in these same days, we were busy handling the effects of a late frost: now it’s a whole different story.

According to statistics, April 2018 has been a warm month if compared with the historic climatic data of this area. Therefore, the vegetative development is 2 to 10 days earlier than usual, depending on the varietal.

A presto

Alvaro

Verona 15-18 April
Pavillion 6 Stand E7

MEET – LEARN – APPRECIATE

Friuli has a privileged geographic position. Sea, mountains and valleys create a unique environment that represented the cradle of Europe’s most important civilisations: the ancient Roman Empire, the Republic of Venice and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thanks to its privileged position, Friuli has always represented a bridge between Latin and Germanic cultures and its wines are a perfect mix of Mediterranean thought and German precision, combining the energy typical of southern climes, and the natural elegance of northern ones. A wonderful land that gives excellent products: wine is one of them and, definitely, the most famous.

Modern vine growing in Friuli was born form a dream. The dream of a group of winemakers that, between ‘60s and ‘70s, started believing in the potential of this land. These producers replanted the varieties introduced in the 19th century by the Austrian Empire and vinified them following the traditional German style. Simple families with a great dream that is still present in their vineyards.

Lis Neris was among the protagonists of Friulian Renaissance, their wines represent a clear example. A company where the idea of Top wine doesn’t exist: base production is very good and single vineyards are even better. This family is able to create convincing products in every field: aromatic and non aromatic grapes, white, red or sweet wines, aged in stainless steel tanks or in oak barrels.

See you in Verona
Kind Regards

Lis Neris Staff

Despite a winter characterized by low temperatures, cold winds (Bora), rains and, especially on the mountains, snowfalls, in these last days of March we are starting to experience milder temperatures.

Rebirth, colors, light, life: these are probably the first words that come up when thinking about Spring. During this season Nature shows most of its beauty and everything come to life again.

Spring has always inspired many legends: the Greek myth of Persphone for instance, which made Nature wake up and flowers bloom; for ancient Romans Flora was the goodness governing blooming of flowers, cereals and fruit trees and looking after everything which came back to life. Ceremonies for fecundity and fertility were celebrated even at the time of Ancient Egypt, on Sham El Nessi day, the first day of Spring. Myths, traditions, philosophy, symbols and ancient rituals were created to describe the astonishment of rebirth.

Exeptional snow falls in these days occur here as well!

The story of traditional Epiphany bonfires has survived for generations from modern times and our trust in science.

In fact, being weather still unpredictable yet vital for agricultural production, it could be still scary for rural people.

Expert say that 2018 will be a well promising year.

We are hopeful!

Thanksgiving is celebrated in November in every corner of our country. Whereas in the US and in Canada this celebration involves the whole population, in Italy it concerns only the rural world.
In the past people used to thank directly their land, a custom which was linked to social-religious local traditions and sometimes also to legends. Nowadays after great economic and agricultural revolutions, farmers are businessmen and the rural economy is open to the world; as a consequence thanksgiving can’t have only a local involvement.
We always feel the need be thankful but we also have to protect every day the features of our environment and to increase its value.
The Earth is the mother of everyone of us, we all can and must take care of it.

A good wine expresses its land, history and people: an open door for sincere emotions… as sincere are our wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

There are several ways of communicating that make the world smaller and bring our experiences closer to yours. That’s why we created Lis Neris Family Estate app, enabling you to enter a source of precise and passionate information.

Lis Neris Wine Club: a new space for sharing a broad and well organized range of information, for making a virtual tour from the vineyards to the tasting and for discussing in a direct and approachable way all the matters concerning the world of wine and its related connections. Wine as a central theme together with geographic, environmental and historical topics as well as their social and economic implications.

Moreover, by reading  the QR Codes on the labels with the scanner provided, you will have the possibility of viewing comments and remarks on each wine through active sheets that evolve together with the product itself.

A qualified tool to share all of our opinions

What a strange time… it seems to me that the maturation is going too fast and at the same time too slow! One thing is sure: the frost we had on 21^st April left its mark. Vines affected by low temperatures reacted to such a point that now, on the same plant, different maturation stages of the bunches are coexisting. This difference could be overcome if the summer will be regular; from our side, we have all the knowledge and the means to face it.

What I really love about this job is that you can always find a positive side even while facing difficult moments. A vintage that seems to be difficult in the vineyards counterposes itself to two wonderful vintages in the bottle. Traditionali wines 2016 and Selezioni 2015: I cannot remember two vintages in a row with such a high quality. An opportunity not to miss!

Have a great summer

Alvaro 

It was a great summer, grapes ripened gradually, helping both white and red wines. If compared with the previous one, this vintage has slightly more alcohol and acidity: in one word more energy.

This is in brief the profile of 2016, a high quality vintage.

From now on you will be able of reading comments and notes on each wine, at any time, just by scanning the qrcodes on the labels.

A.P.

… for a more immediate and effective communication.

After the hot temperatures recorded at the beginning of April, which favoured bud breaking, we experienced some quite cold days and now, at the beginning of May, temperatures are under the seasonal average.

Normally in our area the risk of frost is low, but the night of 21^st April had an impact on vines as proved by the vineyards located near our cellar.

As far as we are concerned, Chardonnay is the most affected variety. All we can only say is that there will surely be less 2017 bottles.

AP

Pav. 6 Stand E7    9 – 12 April 2017

LIS NERIS – VALLEY OF ISONZO RIVER – EASTERN FRIULI – 2015 – 2016

I tasted many wines produced on the right bank of our river and I spoke with several producers, big and small, colleagues and friends.

2015 was a great vintage and 2016 is turning out to be very good as well. 41 harvests occurred since I started my experience and I cannot remember two such good consecutive vintages.
They have the same quality potential, but with two different profiles: more balance in 2015, more energy in 2016.

I am sure that the hard work and the improvements which were done in the last years are leading us to the real “Friuli Style”. Wines are very versatile: finesse dominates strength without being overblown; precise in every sense of the word these wines are beautiful to taste when young and will offer greatness through time.

I am as enthusiast as at my first harvest, I am aware that there are still a lot of things to do, but one day I would like to claim that these wines can’t be duplicated anywhere in the world.

We look forward to meeting you in Verona to talk about our job and to taste together its fruits.

A presto

Alvaro

The biting cold of these days makes us feel the real spirit of winter in Friuli.

Low temperatures are combined with a cold eastern wind called Bora: it is not easy to work in the open air for the entire day in this situation. Yet it is the best time for pruning, for removing unwanted wood twigs from vines giving them a new shape to face the new season.

Rule n. 1 for men and women at work: to keep high the rhythm of their movements and dress warmly from head to toe. It is clear that in these conditions the best clothes are mountain outfits made of light materials yet able to keep bodies warm. Here is another example where innovation supports tradition.

Go guys!

Colors start burning bright while summer fades away. As every year, still, an enchanting living magic.

At the end of fermentations, with high acidities and alcohol, wines are now starting to shape themselves, with our versions in oak a little more open than those in stainless steel.

This match between power and elegance has just begun, I am sure however that the winner will eventually be Lis Neris.

AP

Christmas is the most fascinating time of the year.

We are happy of having shared another year with you, your support is a great encouragement.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank you and to wish you all the best for both your life and job. Merry Christmas!

Lis Neris

Dear Friends,
before getting fully immersed into 2016 harvest, I’m feeling, as every year, the typical stress made of expectation and good will.

The most of the vineyards in Friuli benefited from an ideal summer: there are all the premises for a great harvest.

We are always looking for the perfect vintage, which I wish to bump into at least once in my life.
 
Have a nice harvest
 
Alvaro

We are going through an ideal summer time: for the whole month of July and, even more, in the first half of August, a shining and bright sun held the stage.

While having counted hot peaks on the fingers of one hand, “bora” influenced night as well as day temperatures too.

Grapes are maturing very well and we are dedicating all of our attentions to the vineyards.If there are no surprises, we will have a harvest of high standards.

Enjoy the summer

Alvaro

For the Agricultural culture I belong to, this is the time to restart.
A new chapter of our experience: twelve everchanging months, always special, always better,
Happy Easter to everybody.

A.

Dear Friends,
The wines confirm all the positive situations which have influenced this vintage. Good results for international grape varieties, very good results for indigenous ones.

Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay
Sauvignon
Floral notes in the first one, fruity notes in the second one. They are, as usual, quite different, but in this vintage they have the same capacity of adapting to various situations. Sauvignon has a stronger outline, it is playing the match, enthusiast as a beginner, self confident as a veteran.

Fiore di Campo
BBK
Fiore, a cuvée that opens your mind and warms your heart. BBK pure saltiness, a unique experience, let’s try it!

ap

Standing in a circle, around the fire, getting closer to ancient legends, searching for answers to superstition… warming up. Everything depends on the direction of the smoke. After several fluctuating years, interpreters/experts, from several parts of the region, all agree on this: 2016 will be a good year.
Thank goodness!

Maybe we have gone too far!

In the last years climate changes news have been filling up newspapers, TV programs and social networks, moreover a lot of people talk about them in a very inaccurate way. This subject attracts audience’s attention as if it was a gossip, but different values are involved here.

Me and my wine grower colleagues experience the climate every day and I think that, if we add to our personal experience a bit of power of observation together with the attitude to catalogue events, we could discover interesting things.
For example, in my area, 5 out of the last 10 vintages were characterized by balanced summers with no exaggerated temperatures and rainfalls.
People need to be aware and scared of the problems caused by globl warming and its related consequences. Climate changes occur regularly through the centuries, but nowadays we have more knowledge to face them.

In the same way an urban settlement needs the right position and the right building techniques to avoid problems, the right terroir is the vital element for planting a vineyard.
Mere profit is not the path to follow, the world is already full of negative examples.

A.P.

Autumn’s colors prevail in the vineyards. In the cellar the long maturation on the fine lees has started. After a promising harvest, several positive situations coexist in the wines.

Don’t expect exaggerate wines from this vintage, the balance between power and elegance will enhance a measured, real, clear, unmistakable expression: Lis Neris style!

Alvaro

Ten days have gone by since the beginning of the harvest and I’m very pleased with the results!
A natural balance acids/sugars reminds me of the best vintages… actually, looking back, I can’t remember a climatic situation so positive to the classic “Friuli” model.
I look forward to the end of the fermentation to try the first wines.

Alvaro
 

A lukewarm sun lights up the first snow on the mountains… a perfect moment for harvesting Sauvignon Blanc

These are the weeks in which the true identity of vintage 2015 will be decided.
An ideal Spring put our vineyard in the best conditions to then reach our targets: the heat we had in July as well as now in August was never too muggy, thanks to wind Bora blowing from the East. Moreover, the water that vines needed was provided mainly by some storms we had earlier this month.
Yes it’s true, these days’ situation looks promising, but keep in mind that you can understand how really things went only when they are over… There are at least 20/30 days to come before the harvest and our task as vineyard’s watch allows us no rest. After all, our old acquaintances are already aware that this is not new to us.
Adrenaline is rising, just like sugars in the bunches!

Kind regards,

Alvaro

At this time of the year our effort is in the most intense phase. Our working days start very early in the morning, giving us the possibility of enjoying the unexpected natural shows our land give us. The grape vine season is going on very well and our staff is working hard!

Alvaro

Dear Friends,

even if grown up in a different vintage, we consider these wines as our “children”, and , aware of the difficulties they have faced at the beginning of their life, we know that they need more love and care than their “siblings”.

Considering the premises, there is a lot of interest about this vintage.

I believe in 2014 wines, for many reasons.

Alvaro     

Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon

Ready, wide, direct and typical.

The first one shows more structure, the second is more crispy and tasty.

Chardonnay and Fiore di Campo

They look like wines produced in regions set north of the Alps. Citrus notes for Chardonnay, spicy and herbaceous notes for Fiore di Campo.

In the cellar we taste and evaluate new wines, in the vineyard we set the basis for the next harvest. Nature has awakened and every day corresponds to a visible growth of the leaves of every vine. This is the ideal time for the selection of sprouts, an operation that aims to give a qualitative definition to this year’s production, entirely handmade by trained staff, before the buds reach too developed sizes. This context, that may seem very technical, recalls me of when I used to accompany my children on their first day of school… everything begins again, a feeling that is synthesis of high expectations and confidence.

Alvaro

Giordano was an “old-style man” and, even if he was much older , was good friends with my father

When I used to listen to their discussions I was a teenager and got convinced that, at the end, doing things in the right way is not so difficult.

His vines were planted on a slope, in a lower position with respect to our Picol vineyard. A part of this slope was characterized by an outcrop of ochre “ponca” that they use to call “cret”.

There, with South exposition, were planted three lines of Rebula: breathtaking.

For sure one of the examples which formed my identity as a wine producer.

Barbana, Biljana, Kozana: three small villages situated in the more famous area known as Brda (Slovenian Collio).

A particularly vocated area.

Ponca (schisty marl/stony clay soils) and Rebula (Ribolla Gialla) have lived here together since centuries.

The road to follow for reaching this area rises at times mild, at times hard. The sound of the surrounding silence is nearly deafening.

In the highest part of the hills, where there is more “ponca” and where vines descend towards South, is born the myth of Rebula.

My grandmother used to speak with nostalgia about fine wines, as a recall of her time under Austro-Hungarian Empire. She thought that our wines would have never been like those: we were not good enough to produce them nor gentlemen enough to appreciate them.

My father looked for new scenarios, with his creative personality and his enthusiasm. He has always been fascinated by new things, even too much. The fight against him was a tough yet nice one.

The wines we produce today involved and then got to surprise different generations of my family, so at the end Lis Neris style prevailed.
We will be glad of meeting you at Vinitaly to speak about our job and to taste together its fruits.
A presto
Alvaro

European vine growers agree: mild winter and wet summer put us through the wringer.

Every vintage has its strong and weak points. Since last summer it was already possible to detect the problems occurring in the vineyards and to try to solve them working hard.

Now I can affirm that the worst is over and that the results are better than I was thinking during the summer. All the wines have a lighter structure (less alcohol) and, at the same time, flavors and aromas are supported by a tasty and mature acidity which enhances their expression potential. This situation is more positive for white wines than for reds.

The Celtic tradition is always very followed and this is confirmed by the many fires turned on in the Friulian countryside on January 6th.
In these cases, sacred and profane are mixed up very easily, so we don’t care too much about signals saying that 2015 will be a not easy agricultural year!

Dear Friends,
During this special and magic moment of the year, we love to maintain the beautiful tradition of exchanging Christmas greetings with confidence and optimism.

Lis Neris Staff

We have to go back 18 years before we find another as cold and rainy summer. We have been experiencing features more likely to areas more up north than Friuli.

In the last months we have been involved in vineyard operations generally used in Burgundy and Champagne: leaf thinning to let air and sun reach better the bunch zone as well as several prunings of the new vegetation, to maintain a more mature leaf pattern. An older canopy does not force the vine to get even more water, which it is not needed.

We worked really hard in the vineyard, both in terms of labour and means. However, the frequency of rains encouraged the main vine diseases and reduced the sun exposure.

Wines will have more acidity, that’s why there’s no need to hurry to start the harvest.  Who decides to wait will benefit from every ray of sun, that will give tastes and flavors to the grapes which could increase the value of this difficult vintage.

Alvaro

Our newsletters try to get you involved with and passionate about one of the activities which have always marked men’s life.
Several reasons make us believe that also vintage 2014 will give us satisfactions!
Happy holidays
 
Alvaro

We passed half of this month and no trace of global warming!

In the last 30 days the maximum temperature never exceeded 30°C, the average temperature has been 27.06°C. Taking into consideration the rain fallen as well, the characteristics of this season are more typical of countries north of the Alps.

That’s why leaf thinning, done partially also on aromatic varieties, is so important. This operation permits rays of sun together with their health effects to reach the bunches.

The competition now moves into top gear!

Alvaro

The foliage starts to reach its typical summer pattern and the small bunches, after flower shedding, commence to become bigger.
Our staff has been involved first in the selection of the buds and now in the leaf thinning: both operations that traditionally begin quite early in the morning.
We will see the fruit of this unseen and meticulously handmade work, during the ripening months (August/September) and we will taste them in the wines!

Alvaro

This is a crucial moment for the maturation process of 2013 white wines.

It’s time to decide on their future: continue the maturation on the fine lees or start preparing the wines for bottling.

At the end of the harvest we spoke about “elegance and finesse”, now I can confirm these words. Moreover, I can also add that the wines are showing a good aromatic personality supported by a tasty acidity and a well set but not extreme structure.

At the moment my favorites are Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Alvaro

A new edition of Vinitaly is about to start.
The Verona-based fair, despite its many contradictions, is still a reference point for Italian wine production.
Don’t get mislead by the mess during the fair, those days are even too full of meetings and unpredictable events. As usual, the best results are achieved thanks to a good organization and solid ideas.
See you soon
 
Lis Neris Staff

During the last months the climate has been mild and rainy. Plants have been misled by this kind of weather and started to wake up quite early.

Temperatures during the winter were on average 3,5/4 Celsius degrees higher than usual, favouring great snowfalls on the mountains and a lot of rain in our area.

Almond, apricot, peach and cherry trees as well as the vines started their vegetation cycle much earlier than usual. The risk of late frost is high, but today we would like to welcome Spring trying to feel confident.

A.P.  

Lots of snow and lots of rain, all the statistics have to be rewritten!

A new page is add – enriching the story of our terroir – to the long and charming chapter of seasons.

A. P.

Following the tradition on 6th of January many Epiphany bonfires have been lightening up our Friuli’s land.
The fire is seen as a sign: the first half of the year will be difficult, then things should get better.

Lis Neris Staff

AN OASIS OF PEACE AND WELLNESS IN THE HEART OF OUR ESTATE

For years, we fantasized about the possibility to offer hospitality in the heart of our farm. We outlined the features of this desire during 2012, when we acquired an ancient farm building adjacent to the cellars.
We enthusiastically dived into the adventure and with care and passion developed the idea of creating a Bed & Breakfast, with Lis Neris quality and style, representing a privileged starting point to discover our territory, full of history, culture and traditions.
Therefore our Relais is about to open: an oasis of peace and well-being to experience closely the naturalness of the authentic rural world.
Four apartments in a relaxed and timeless atmosphere. A unique opportunity to cultivate the passion and the pleasure of good wine, homemade culinary specialties, journeys, art and many other things that can make life more pleasant.

It’s been 11 years since Francesca took her way. Some people believed in an idea that was in her heart, and this is the reason why few events to involve people have been made with the aim to start real humanitarian aid. We have been walking this path made out of hope along with New Humanity/P.I.M.E., Suore dell’Immacolata, Comunità di Sant’Egidio and Carinthia University.
Many have been joining us to bring smile on children’s’ faces: we are moved by stories from Burma, India and Equatorial Africa.
We will not forget them, we can do a lot more and, in this time of the year, “Fatto in Paradiso” can be a big opportunity.

I’m talking to everybody’s heart and sensitivity to support a project that can be a light of hope for many children who are living a difficult life in far away countries, where Francesca’s new home is.

Alvaro

For white wines, it will most likely be a vintage year that will make a name for itself. Harvesting and fermentations are behind us and we are at a stage where we cannot hide our satisfaction to glimpse in our wines a rich, complex and well structured texture, result of a good summer season and especially of an almost perfect harvesting period.
There is still a long way to go, but it is definitely a good start.
Best regards and until next time.

Alvaro

Here we are. Everything is ready for what in our job are considered to be the hardest
weeks of the year! Every year we face – with anxiety and confidence – a challenge that begins at the
same way, but always ends with different results.

Although spring and the beginning of the summer were a little bit difficult, now we look at it
with a certain amount of optimism. July and August were kind of good months: there wasn’t
too much heat, always balanced by fresh nights.
To sum up: 2013 could be even better than 2012.
Let’s see!

Alvaro

Si susseguono frenetici i lavori in cantina (imbottigliamenti) e in vigna (sfogliature, diradi), dove le piante sono finalmente giunte all’invaiatura. I grappoli del Pinot Grigio, primo fra le varietà bianche ad entrare in questa fase, stanno assumendo le bellissime sfumature tipiche di quest’uva da cui si produce il vino bianco italiano più conosciuto all’estero.

We can now confirm that the blooming season was not regular and that some varieties, in particular the ones characterized by early maturation, were clearly affected. In our vineyards that is the case of Pinot Grigio where we will have more sparse grapes which will have the possibility to grow bigger than usual.

On the one hand this situation will mean a lower production but on the other hand it will permit to the air to circulate better inside the bunch, preventing Botrytis and letting the grapes breath better. Every cloud has a silver lining.

The blooming season has arrived and, despite the weather conditions of this Spring, while working in the vineyards we can smell an intense perfume. This is a delicate phase for the vine which, in these days, is forming its small bunches.

Rains together with low temperatures do not help the regular development of the grapes; flowers tend to fall quickly and are not replaced by grapes.

We will have bunches with sparse grapes especially in young vineyards.