Trieste and the Wines of Friuli and Venezia GiuliaUntil 1918, Trieste, was the Austro-Hungarian Empireeuros only deep harbour with access to world shipping lanes, a circumstance that brought in great wealth throughout most of the nineteenth century. Three vibrant and creative cultures and languages intermingled here: Austrian German, Venetian Italian and Slavonic Balkan, and Christians, Jews and Muslims lived and laboured side by side peacefully for four generations. The city blossomed into a sophisticated, modish intellectual capital with some grandiose architecture, widely noted for its musical and literary life James Joyce (1882-1941) lived there from 1904 to 1914: see him eurowalkingeuro there, in bronze. In 1920, two years after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Trieste became a part of Italy, but in the new post-war order of Europe swiftly lost its cultural or commercial significance.One visits Trieste today for the echoes of all that, for the imposing and largely unspoilt mountainous hinterland of the entire Friuli-Venezia Giulia region from Trieste on inland . . . and for the regioneuros wines.Friuli wines stand with those of Tuscany, Piedmont and Veneto as Italyeuros top-ranking world-class products. Owing to the nearness of Slovenia and the Istrian Peninsula they manifest unmistakable Slavic and traditionally Austrian influences. Nearly two thirds of Friuli-Venezia Giulia labels are entitled to DOC status whilst the rest take pride in their DOCG. Fine white wine predominate and are rated among Italyeuros best, especially the Malvasia and Vitovska. Terranno, on the other hand, is an earthy red beloved by countless connoisseurs, some of whom come here from afar to enjoy it. Names such as xxxxx are known around the world of win lovers.