Pignacolusse 2018 Jermann

With the Pignacolusse, made from 100% Pignolo grapes, Jermann has undertaken a true revitalization of this rare indigenous Friulian variety, so named for its characteristic pinecone-like shape of the grape cluster. Today, it is still cultivated by only a handful of passionate enthusiasts. The birthplace of Pignolo is the hills of Rosazzo, in the province of Udine; in the 19th century, it gained great fame, being mentioned in the significant "Catalogo delle Viti del Regno Veneto," compiled under the administration of Vienna. However, by the early 20th century, Pignolo fell victim to growing disinterest, nearly disappearing completely. It was in the early 1980s that the discovery of some old Pignolo vines in the vineyards of the Abbey of Rosazzo encouraged a few local producers to once again bet on this native variety, capable of producing very concentrated wines with robust alcohol content and a dense tannic structure that favors long-term aging. One of these pioneers was Silvio Jermann, who immediately recognized in the vinification of this grape the potential to create a distinguished pure red wine, celebrated for its typicity and authentic territorial character. Embracing the austere and bold nature of Pignolo, Jermann relies on long macerations, with intense contact between must and skins, and slow aging in oak barrels, releasing Pignacolusse only after three years from the harvest to ensure an evolution of intense complexity.