Friuli–Venezia Giulia lies in extreme northeastern Italy, with Slovenia bordering it on the east and Austria on the north. Its capital and largest city is Trieste, which is in the small Venezia Giulia portion in the southeast. In the wine world, Friuli–Venezia Giulia is best known for white wines made from such varieties as Pinot Grigio and Friulano, although it is also a source of Prosecco. It has 4 DOCGs, 12 DOCs (see map on this page), and 3 IGPs with a regional total of 28,500 ha (70,400 acres) of vineyards. Thanks to the world popularity of Pinot Grigio, in 2022 Friuli–Venezia Giulia produced a record volume of over 2.2 million hl (24.5 million cases) of wine, 86% of it white—the highest proportion of white wine of any Italian region. Beyond Pinot Grigio, the region’s primary grape varieties are Glera, Merlot, and Friulano.
