Pignolo () is a red
Italian wine grape grown predominantly in the
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
(man), it, Friulana (woman), it, Giuliano (man), it, Giuliana (woman)
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region of northeast
Italy. Believed to have been cultivated in the hills of
Rosazzo
Corno di Rosazzo ( fur, Cuar di Rosacis) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about northwest of Trieste and about southeast of Udine. , it had a population of 3,313 and ...
, the grape is now a prominent variety in the
Colli Orientali del Friuli The Colli Orientali del Friuli is a ''Denominazione di origine controllata'' (DOC) located in the Italian wine region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The region is located in the province of Udine and is sub-divided into three main sections; Ramandolo ...
''
Denominazione di origine controllata'' (DOC). In
Italian the grape's name originates from ''pigna'' (
pine cone), because the grapes are dense like pine cones. The first recorded mention of the grape was in
Abbot Giobatta Michieli's late 17th century book ''Bacchus in Friuli'' in which he described the grape making "excellent black
wine". Today the grape is used to make rich, deep colored, full
bodied wine that does well with some time in
oak.
[ J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 527 Oxford University Press 2006 ] Well made examples of the wine have good balance between the grape's
acidity and
tannins with flavor notes of
plum
A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes.
History
Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...
and
blackberry. Most experts believe that it is not related to the
Lombardy
Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...
Pignola
Pignola is an Italian town in the province of Potenza in Basilicata. It borders to the east with Anzi, to the south-west with Abriola, to the west with Tito and to the north with Potenza
Potenza (, also , ; , Potentino dialect: ''Putenz'') i ...
grape of the
Valtellina region.
[ Oz Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 169 Harcourt Books 2001 ]
References
Red wine grape varieties
Wine grapes of Italy
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