Angoris Collio Bianco Riserva Giulio Locatelli 2015 Review

Are you looking for an amazing Italian white wine?

Your instinct is probably to go for the classics. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. They’re the safer choices and you know that you’re going to get quality whenever you buy a bottle.

But it’s worth remembering that there are literally hundreds of wine producers in Italy. And with so many regions and classifications out there, you’re always going to have the chance to try something new and perhaps discover something that you’ve never heard of.

That’s the sort of direction we want to point you in with this wine review. The classification of the wine may not be the most familiar to those outside of Italy. But the bottle that we’re about to look at has a level of quality that very few wines can compare to.

But before we get to that, we’re going to explore the history behind the company that made the wine. After all, to truly understand what’s gone into the wine that you’re drinking, you need to know the story of the people who made it.

Let’s examine Tenuta di Angoris.

The History of Angoris

While you may not be familiar with some of the wines that they produce, Tenuta di Angoris has a history that rivals almost any other Italian wine company.

Let us take you back almost 400 years. It’s 1648 and the region of Friuli is part of the Hapsburg Empire. That means it’s embroiled in the 30 Years War, which is a conflict that claimed many lives. Those in the region fought bravely and were recognised for their service in several ways.

One of the men who achieved distinction during the conflict was Locatello Locatelli. Besides having a wonderfully alliterative name, Locatelli’s service in the war put him in place for great honours from Emperor Ferdinand III.

To thank him, the Emperor granted Locatelli 300 fields, all of which were located in the Cormons area.

Thus began the life of the Tenuta di Angoris wine company.

The fields are nestled within the gorgeous wooded areas and sloping hills that are well-known in the Friuli region. But behind these gentle surroundings lies a company that has rubbed shoulders with the true elite of Italian society. During the reign of the Hapsburg Empire, Tenuta di Angoris became a retreat for the rich, royal, and noble.

The villa that lies at the heart of the estate to this day was the jewel in the crown. Within those walls, some of the most powerful men and women in European history have slept and enjoyed the privileges that few from the era could afford. The villa that dominates the Tenuta di Angoris estate became a bastion of quality and hospitality.

But it’s the wines that they produced that truly stood out.

This association with royalty led to Tenuta di Angoris finding their way into many a European court in the 17^thcentury. Where Barolo may be known as the “King of Wines”, Tenuta di Angoris made the wines that kings, queens, and the elite actually drank. No matter where you went in Europe, the royal courts would almost always have a stock of the company’s wine stashed away somewhere.

That was almost 400 years ago. A lot of time has passed since then and the makeup of Italy itself has changed. The country is no longer a collection of regions that have lose bonds. It’s not a united country in which each region still has its own personality while being part of a larger whole.

The Italian wine industry has evolved along with the country. 

And Tenuta di Angoris has managed to weather the storms of change. While the company hasn’t always managed to reach the peaks that it enjoyed during its early years, it’s still carving out a niche for itself as one of Italy’s most impressive wineries.

Much of that comes down to the current ownership.

Today, Tenuta di Angoris is still owned by the Locatelli family. However, it’s a different family than those who county Locatello Locatelli as their ancestor. How strange it is that a family with the same name as the company’s founder has managed to revitalise a winery with their own innovations.

Claudia Locatelli is the matriarch of the modern-day Tenuta di Angoris. She’s responsible for the amazing wines the company produces and has the business acumen needed to continue the winery’s growth.

And if they keep producing wines like the one we’re about to review, we believe that growth will happen faster than even she may have anticipated.

Angoris Collio Bianco Riserva Giulio Locatelli 2015

The 2015 vintage of the Angoris Collio Bianco Riserva Giulio Locatelli may just be the most impressive that the company has ever produced. It’s an Italian white wine that’s capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the very best that the industry has to offer.

You will see this almost from the moment that you pour your first glass.

The straw yellow wine has just the subtlest hints of green, which suggest that this is a wine that’s ready to drink but will also benefit from a few years of ageing.

But it’s the surprisingly complex bouquet that may catch you off-guard. While this is still a refreshing white wine, the notes of apple, cedar, thyme, sage, and white peaches seem to blend and bounce off one another all at once. It’s a wonderful mix of aromas to experience and hints at a wine that has almost 400 years of experience and history behind it.

The first sip shows you that your nose has not lied to you. This is a wine of true quality that deserves every ounce of your respect. Easy to drink and with an elegance that belies the winery’s royal history, this is a bottle that you’ll keep coming back to.

It’s no wonder that it’s received a 95/100 rating from the Xtrawine team and 3 Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso. And at less than €15.00, you’re getting a level of quality that you’d expect from an Italian white wine that costs five times as much.