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Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit (DOCG)

icolit is a rare, superior quality wine obtained from Picolit grapes grown in Friuli’s, Colli Orientali region. It is considered, and rightly so, a jewel in the crown of Italian wines. For centuries, it tickled the palate of princes and bishops and it remains the Friuli wine par excellence. Picolit was produced as early as 1700 by Count Asquini di Fagagna, who exported it in green blown-glass bottles to the rest of Italy, and also to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Russia. Among his clients was the Holy Roman Emperor who considered his Picolit to be "better than any other wine." Picolit vines are extremely delicate and easily subject to catching cryptogamic diseases that lead to floral abortion, causing its grape bunches to look like winglets, yielding only 10 to 15 tiny grapes. A consequence of the difficulty of harvesting this grape is that annual production of Picolit never exceeds 50,000 liters. Picolit is a very old vine, believed by some to had been grown since antiquity. It's praises were sung by celebrated Venetian playwright, Carlo Goldoni, who called it 'the delight of popes, cardinals and emperors.' Picolit is only harvested manually and late in the growing season. The grape bunches are handpicked and placed in low boxes to age. Traditionally, vinification takes place after the grapes have been alowed to wither for up to three months. Picolit should be drunk alone in order to best savor its freshness and richness of flavor, typical of northern wines, as well as its sweetness and concentration, and the dried fruit aroma which is typical of southern wines.

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