If you like this, try…
Wines like Friulano
Friuli’s signature white: dry, nutty and savoury, formerly called Tocai Friulano. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.
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What do you like about Friulano?
Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.
What these words mean
- How full and weighty it is
- Body is how much the wine seems to fill your mouth — the difference between skimmed and whole milk. It comes mostly from alcohol and ripeness.
- How light it is
- A wine you can drink without it feeling like a commitment. Usually lower in alcohol as well as lighter in the mouth.
- The creamy, rounded texture
- A soft, almost dairy-like roundness. In white wine it usually comes from malolactic fermentation or from time on the lees, not from the grape.
- That it is not oaky
- No barrel character — just the fruit and the acidity. Chablis and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc are the reference points.
- The savoury, meaty side
- Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
- That it is properly dry
- No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.
Looking for something keeping the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Based on what you said
Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.
Friuli white
Both are made from friulano, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
- Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Soave Classico
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Grechetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Xarel·lo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Altesse
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Fiano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Fiano di Avellino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Closest overall
Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.
Closest matches
The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.
Friuli white
Both are made from friulano, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Soave Classico
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Grechetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
Different grape, similar feel
Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Soave Classico
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Grechetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
Xarel·lo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and lighter in alcohol.
Change the structure
Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.
Similar but lighter
Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.
Roditis
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more fruit-driven.
Trebbiano Romagnolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more fruit-driven.
Koshu
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter in alcohol.
Parellada
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more fruit-driven.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.
Altesse
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven.
Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Grechetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Similar but fuller
Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.
Australian Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fruitier.
Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Chilean Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fruitier.
Douro white
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Similar but less tannic
For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Soave Classico
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Grechetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
Xarel·lo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and lighter in alcohol.
Similar but more structured
More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.
Friuli white
Both are made from friulano, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Kisi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and broader and softer.
Rkatsiteli
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.
Malvasia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and sweeter.
Similar but fresher
Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.
Greco
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fuller and richer.
Greco di Tufo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more oaky.
Assyrtiko
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more oaky.
Austrian Riesling
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fuller and richer.
Similar but softer
Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.
California Chardonnay
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.
Pošip
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more fruit-driven.
Roussanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more fruit-driven.
Malagousia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more floral.
The sparkling version
Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.
California traditional-method sparkling
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and sweeter.
Franciacorta
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and sweeter.
Méthode Cap Classique
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and sweeter.
Champagne
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more sparkling.
Similar but sweeter
Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.
California traditional-method sparkling
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and more oaky.
Franciacorta
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more sparkling, and more oaky.
Grechetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and lighter in alcohol.
Hárslevelű
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more floral.
Change the flavour
Same shape, different aromatic character.
Similar but more oaky
Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.
Australian Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fruitier.
Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more fruit-driven.
Chilean Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fruitier.
Friuli white
Both are made from friulano, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more tannic and structured.
Similar but more aromatic
More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.
Hárslevelű
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
Malagousia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more fruit-driven.
Roussanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more fruit-driven.
Pfalz Riesling
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more oaky.
Similar but more restrained
For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.
Sémillon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more oaky.
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more oaky.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more oaky.
Pinot Blanc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more fruit-driven.
Similar but more floral
Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.
Fiano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Fiano di Avellino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Hárslevelű
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
Malagousia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more fruit-driven.
Similar but more savoury
Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.
Vin Jaune
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and spicier.
Santorini Assyrtiko
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more oaky.
Amontillado sherry
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more aromatic.
Palo Cortado
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Similar but fruitier
More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.
Antão Vaz
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fuller and richer.
Australian Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Chilean Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Fiano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and more oaky.
Change the place
Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.
Same grape, cooler climate
Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Same grape, warmer climate
Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.
Change the mood
Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.
A safe next step
Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.
Australian Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
White Burgundy
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
South African Chenin Blanc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more oaky.
Something more adventurous
Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.
Friuli white
Both are made from friulano, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Soave Classico
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Grechetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
A better-value alternative
Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.
Friuli white
Both are made from friulano, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Soave Classico
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
Grechetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
A step up
The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.
Santorini Assyrtiko
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fuller and richer.
Australian Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.
White Burgundy
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
South African Chenin Blanc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more oaky.
Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.