Wines from LEA Winery

History

LEA is a young estate in San Vito al Tagliamento, in the Friuli plain. The name is an acronym of four first names: Lucio, Lorena, Eleonora and Alessandro. The legal owner is listed as L.E.A. di Spadotto Alessandro e C., a family agricultural company, and the winery presents itself as a project built on a family vision. Third party listings date the start of the winery to 2018.

The land and the vineyards

The estate covers 132 hectares in the Grave DOC area, and 105 of them are planted with vines. The vineyards are certified organic. The historic core is the old Casa Bianca, and the winery itself sits in a 17th century borgo, a small group of old farm buildings with the cellar inside. The company also holds the regional sustainability certifications SQNPI and VIVA and a biodiversity label, and it publishes a sustainability report on request.

The wines

LEA works in three lines. Blancjat is the organic range of still wines. Franc Lizêr is made up of Italian wines with the alcohol removed, in white and red versions, and has become the best known name of the house. Opale is a sparkling line, also offered without alcohol, sold in bottles with an iridescent look. Eleonora Spadotto is named as the winemaker in trade listings.

Today

LEA is one of the larger organic estates in Friuli Venezia Giulia, and one of the few in Italy that has built its range around wines with little or no alcohol. For a wine lover it is a useful bottle for lunch, for a driving day, or for a guest who does not drink, made on a real estate with real vines rather than as an afterthought. The Grave plain gives plenty of sun and light, and the cellar works to keep the fruit fresh and the wines clean.

Founded

2018 (trade listing)

Area

132 hectares

Vineyards (hectares)

105

Winemaker

Eleonora Spadotto