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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.

I like…

The creamy, rounded texture That it is not oaky The savoury, meaty side That it is properly dry

But it’s a bit…

too heavy too light or thin too buttery or thick too plain or too simple too savoury or funky too austere

Clear all

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 that the fruit is not covered in oak, that it is properly dry and the savoury, non-fruity character.

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.

Greco

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Keeps that the fruit is not covered in oak.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Carricante

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Keeps that the fruit is not covered in oak.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Keeps that the fruit is not covered in oak.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Grüner Veltliner

curated

The closest comparison in Central Europe: dry, textured, faintly herbal and food-shaped.

Has some of that the fruit is not covered in oak, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Juhfark

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Keeps that the fruit is not covered in oak.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Hunter Valley Semillon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Keeps that the fruit is not covered in oak.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Retsina

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Keeps that the fruit is not covered in oak.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Palomino Fino

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Keeps that the fruit is not covered in oak.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

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.

Carricante

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 fresher.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.

Grüner Veltliner

curated

The closest comparison in Central Europe: dry, textured, faintly herbal and food-shaped.

Expect: Grüner Veltliner is peppery where Friulano is nutty.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

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.

Carricante

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 fresher.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.

Juhfark

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

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.

Hondarrabi Zuri

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and lighter.

Hunter Valley Semillon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and fresher and more acidic.

Koshu

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and more restrained in fruit.

Melon de Bourgogne

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and more restrained in fruit.

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.

Arinto

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fresher and more acidic.

Carricante

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 fresher.

Etna Bianco

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 fresher and more acidic.

Hondarrabi Zuri

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and lighter.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

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 leaner and more cutting.

Kisi

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and broader and softer.

Austrian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher and more acidic.

Grenache Blanc

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and softer and rounder.

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.

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.

Austrian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher and more acidic.

Carricante

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 fresher.

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.

Kisi

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fuller and richer.

Ribolla Gialla

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 fresher and more acidic.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.

Trebbiano Spoletino

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 fresher and more acidic.

Similar but fresher

Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.

Arinto

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.

Assyrtiko

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.

Australian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Austrian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fuller and richer.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

Grenache Blanc

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and broader and softer.

Marsanne

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Auxerrois

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.

Antão Vaz

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

The sparkling version

Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.

Muscadet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and more restrained in fruit.

English sparkling wine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more oaky.

Champagne

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more oaky.

Cava

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more oaky.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Sercial

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fresher and more acidic.

Grechetto

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.

Verdelho

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.

Nahe Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.

Change the flavour

Same shape, different aromatic character.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Greco di Tufo

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 fresher and more acidic.

Marsanne

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fresher and more acidic.

Assyrtiko

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fresher and more acidic.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Retsina

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and leaner and more cutting.

Australian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Austrian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher and more acidic.

Pecorino

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 more herbal and green.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Palomino Fino

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and softer and rounder.

Muscadet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and lighter in alcohol.

Melon de Bourgogne

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and more restrained in fruit.

Koshu

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Australian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Falanghina

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Malagousia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Vin Jaune

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more oaky.

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more oaky.

Qvevri amber wine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and earthier.

Fino and Manzanilla sherry

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more oaky.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Grillo

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Australian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Kisi

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fuller and richer.

Austrian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher and more acidic.

Change the place

Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.

Same grape, cooler climate

Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.

Friuli white

Both are made from friulano, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fuller and richer.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

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 fresher and more acidic.

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.

Grüner Veltliner

curated

The closest comparison in Central Europe: dry, textured, faintly herbal and food-shaped.

Expect: Grüner Veltliner is peppery where Friulano is nutty.

Chablis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fresher and more acidic.

Australian Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Santorini Assyrtiko

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more savoury.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

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.

Carricante

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 fresher.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.

Juhfark

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

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.

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.

Carricante

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 fresher.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.

Juhfark

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

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 more oaky, and more savoury.

White Burgundy

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.

Australian Chardonnay

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fruitier.

South African Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fruitier.

How these are chosen

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.