Pighin has been making wine in Friuli since the 1960s, and this is the house white: a blend of Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay from the gravelly plains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in Italy's far northeast. The 2017 vintage was warm and dry, giving a wine with ripeness on the nose and a firm, mineral spine underneath.
- Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay — a classic Friulian blend.
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the white wine heartland of northeast Italy.
- 2017, a warm year that ripened fruit early.
- 13% ABV, dry, medium body, high acidity.
- Citrus, green apple, white peach, stone fruit, mineral.
How it is made
The three grapes are fermented separately, then blended. Friulano brings the almond note and the firm structure; Sauvignon Blanc adds the green, grassy edge; Chardonnay fills out the middle. The wine stays unoaked to keep the fruit clean and the acidity sharp.
How it tastes
Bright and lean, with citrus and green apple up front, white peach and a touch of stone fruit in the middle, and a dry, mineral finish that lingers. The acidity is high but not aggressive, and there is a subtle almond note on the back end that is typical of Friulano.
Where it comes from
Friuli-Venezia Giulia sits between the Alps and the Adriatic, and the diurnal temperature swing between warm days and cool nights is what keeps the grapes' acidity intact while the fruit ripens. The region is small, but it has a strong claim to being Italy's best white wine area.
Good to know
Friulano was once called Tocai Friulano, but the name was banned by the EU in 2007 after Hungary argued it was too close to its own Tokaji. Growers in Friuli voted to rename it simply Friulano, and that is the name it carries today.
