Venezia Giulia IGT is one of several IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) titles used in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy. It covers a large area of land between the Italian Alps and the Adriatic Sea, catering to a wide range of wine styles made from both local and international grape varieties. The Venezia Giulia IGT title is dominated by fresh, light white wines made of Pinot Grigio, a style that is now popular around the world.
The title covers the region's four eastern provinces: Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste and Udine, collectively home to important DOC wines like Colli Orientali del Friuli and Friuli Grave, as well as DOCGs like Ramandolo and Rosazzo. There is a wide variety of terroir here, from the foot of the mountains to flat, sandy vineyards on the edge of the Lugana di Marano, which explains the wide variety of wines made here. However, most of the best vineyard sites in the region are used for the DOC- and DOCG-level wines. To the east of Venezia Giulia lies the Primorksi region of Slovenia, and to the west, the plains of lower Veneto (including the city of Venice).
Some generalizations can be made about Venezia Giulia's overall terroir. The climate is shaped by the presence of both the sea and the mountains. The sea provides temperature moderation throughout the year, reducing the seasonal temperature variation and giving a sunny yet cool ripening period in late summer and autumn. The mountains in the north provide shelter from cold winds from Siberia, and the region's various rivers have deposited nutrient-rich soils across the land, although these are far from homogenous.
A Venezia Giulia IGT wine may be made in any one of various styles: red, white or rosé, and still, sparkling or sweet. Following in the footsteps of the region's DOC wines, most are varietal, and are labeled as such. Venezia Giulia IGT wines are generally inexpensive and made in a drink-now style, but there are some obvious exceptions to the rule.
