Wine has gone through many different ages in its history, and most of them have seen it as celebrated nectar always enriching the table of rich and noble classes. During the Middle Ages, though, wine has been almost completely forgotten, producing plants destroyed and vines lost forever. Luckily, the Christian Church saved wine from extinction: as wine is a key element in religious functions, clergy kept growing grapes, producing wine and improve the vinification techniques. 

Like many other grape varieties, Pignolo is one of the lucky ones that has been saved just in time.

After being lost for centuries, Pignolo has been recovered from the gardens of Rosazzo Abbey, in Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the last two decades.

Thanks to the curiosity and brave entrepreneurship of some local producers, now Pignolo lives a new era of glory; thanks to its characteristics, though, there is still some work to do and even better results to be accomplished.

The Rosazzo Abbey, where Pignolo vines patiently waited to be re-discovered, is located on top of a hill in the town of Rosazzo, in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is around this hill, in the municipalities of Buttrio, Corno di Rosazzo and Premariacco that Pignolo vineyards are now found, and the production of this rich wine is regulated by the denomination area Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC.

“Pignolo has to age a lot" says Alessio Dorigo, one of the first Pignolo growers of this era, in an interview to Civiltà del Bere. 

This wine has a very strong character that needs to be tamed, that’s why winegrowers have to start caring for it already in the vineyard. In Azienda Agricola Dorigo, harvesting is made by hand, fermentation happens in a controlled temperature, and malolactic fermentation is closely monitored. Finally, the wine matures in brand new wooden barrels (barrique) for three years and again inside the bottle for the same amount of time. Just then, this wine can give its best inside your glass.

Color

Deep ruby

Aroma

Taste

The strong and harsh character of Pignolo make it a powerful red that requires an equally powerful dish to create a good tasting experience. 

For this, juicy red meats, spicy foods, very tasty soups are the best complement to Pignolo.

Red Meat

Boar, Venison, Beef, meat stews.

Classic spices

Fruity Cheese

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