Picolit DOCG

The D.O.C.G. "Eastern Hills of Friuli Picolit" extends in an area that interests in total, nineteen municipalities in the central eastern end of the province of Udine, near the border with the Republic of Slovenia. The municipalities involved, if only to small portions, are: Attimis, Buttrio, Cividale del Friuli, Corno di Rosazzo, Faedis, Magnano in Riviera, Manzano, Moimacco, Nimis Povoletto, Premariacco, Prepotto, Reana del Rojale, Remanzacco, St. John al Natisone, Tarcento, Tricesimo and Torreano.

The territory is expressed in a variegated alternation of hills and plains that develop continuously along the new north-west south-east, creating large areas that can enjoy optimal exposure for growing grapes. The "Cialla" sub contemplated in the product, develops instead in a much more limited territory, falling in the north of the municipality of Prepotto on the border with Cividale del Friuli.
The soils of the DOCG "Eastern Hills of Friuli Picolit" belong to the so-called "Flysch of Cormons" which consists of alternating layers of marl (calcareous clay) and sandstone (calcified sands) looking very typical. This set is called in Friulian (the traditional language of the region) "ponca", and is easily alterable in the presence of atmospheric agents and it quickly crumbles into scaly fragments that later decalcify and change in the original yellowish gray-bluish color, leaden-gray to dissolve in soil

clay.
The cultivated vineyards are between 100 and 400 m above sea level, the majority is on terraced hills, occupy some of the flat portions or with a slight slope, the areas preferred by the tenants are the highest points of the hills. Over the centuries the profile of the slopes was modeled with the work of generations of winemakers, the visitor's gaze can chase steps and the wine growing terraces.
Count Asquini Fabio Fagagna, a village to the north

west of Udine, wrote a treatise on wine marketing "Picolit" well over 250 years ago. The count was a teetotaler, did not drink alcohol, but was surrounded by a great group of taste-vins and managed to raise awareness of this wine in the major courts of Europe, in 1762 he undertook a large-scale trade, selling several thousand bottles and succeeding to consolidate a wine, Picolit who was identified with its territory, Friuli, becoming, in addition to its flag also a myth for the entire winemaking. Wine was sold in the second year, and to test its resistance to travel, the Asquini once thought of sending a crate of bottles in Cadiz, and have them put off, with excellent results. The market in which Picolit was placed enjoyed high prestige, the Count it was sending to London to Paris to Amsterdam, in Russia, in many cities in Germany, but also Genoa, Milan, Naples, Ancona and other places. It gave on several occasions the Court of France, the King of Sardinia and the Emperor of Austria in Trieste declared him "better than anyone else wine."
Several documents report that in early 800 an expedition actually left for the United States of America. With the death of Count Asquini began a long, slow decline for this wine, until the Renaissance a few decades ago, largely due to the work of Perusini family who owned the Rocca Bernarda Ipplis Premariacco, in the eastern hills of Friuli.
It was to know the "Picolit" the Countess Josephine Perusini that Luigi Veronelli in 1959 was for the first time in Friuli and wrote: "I do not think there is in Italy the most noble wine of this, it was gem genuine Friulian oenology ...; It could be the pride of our entire wine only if it were possible to stabilize the cultivation and vinification. Its qualities make it in Italy, which for France is the Chateau d'yquem ".
At the beginning of the last century in 1905 the couple Perusini Antonini bought the Rocca Bernarda and James began his tremendous work on the Picolit that found in the vineyards of Ipplis affected by natural disasters, and his son Gaetano completed the work started by his father.
Isi Benini, argued in the pages of his "Wine", the revival of what he called "The phoenix of the Friuli": ... the most singular and sympathetic interpretation that has been given to this wonderful wine is contained in a saying blossomed perhaps from that inexhaustible source that has the wit of the people: "Do not offer it to a lady or a young lady - says the recommendation addressed to gourmets in age - because you might run the risk of being told yes"
Picolit is Friuli native grape, certainly very old, already cultivated in Roman imperial times, had the honor to delight the palates of popes and emperors. Among the admirers of the Picolit, also it includes Carlo Goldoni, which defines this wine the brightest gem of Friuli wine.
Picolit is characterized by limited production due to a peculiarity in the development of the grapes that undergo a partial floral abortion, leaving the loose bunch with smaller and sweeter grapes. Today is grown in the hills of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the provinces of Udine and Gorizi

to. The 2006 vintage is the first to D.O.C.G. "Eastern Hills of Friuli Picolit": thanks to the recognition of particular value, Picolit is in fact the second D.O.C.G. the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

Eastern Hills of Friuli Picolit is a DOCG wine produced in the province of Udine

production area

See the eastern hills of Friuli Picolit DOCG

grape varieties that are allowed to produce it

Picolit: minimum 85%

Other white grape varieties suitable for cultivation n

she autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia (excluding Traminer): maximum 15%

technical production

They are considered unsuitable vineyards in the valley.

The new plants and replanting will have a density of not less than 3 500 plants / hectare.

It is forbidden to practice of forcing, but allowed the emergency irrigation.

All the vinification and bottling operations must be carried out in the DOCG area but exceptions are permitted.

It may be marketed only after September 1 of the year following that of harvest.

organoleptic characteristics

color: golden yellow more or less intense;

smell: intense, sometimes sweet wine, fine, pleasant, with possible hints of wood;

flavor: sweet or sweet, warm, harmonious, with

Any hint of wood;

Suggested pairings

Meditation wine that accompanies However worthily different dishes, from oysters to foie gras, to blue cheeses like Stilton or Roquefort or long-seasoned spicy. Superb in combination with dry pastry, to presnitz Trieste or gubana Friuli and different preparations with the presence of chocolate.

It is remarkable that famous sommelier they consider equal, if not superior, to the famous Château d'Yquem