We tried some Friulian reds w/ my BBB group this wek (5/12/16): BBB Tasting: Friulian Red Wines:
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Ronchi di Cialla Pignolo Dd’OC: Friuli Colli Orientali (14%; SolairSelection) Prepotto 2011: Dark color;
very strong blackberry/black cherry/licorice very spicy/peppery bit earthy/rustic quite aromatic nose;
lightly tart quite peppery/blackberry/black cherry/spicy slight earthy falvor w/ ample hard tannins; very
long/lingering strong blackberry/black cherry/licorice peppery/earthy/rustic rather hard very structured
finish w/ ample hard tannins; needs 4-8 yrs; much like the Schioppettino but more black cherry and harder
tannins; a very interesting big/hard red w/ lots of aromatics. $65.00 (BWM)
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Sant’Elena Quantum L’Autoctono Pignolo IGT: RossoVeneziaGiulia (15%) Gradisca d’Isonzo 2006: Dark color;
very aromatic black cherry cola/black cherry/spicy bit monochromatic some spicy/licorice lovely nose;
bit softer/smoother bit simpler very strong black cherry cola/spicy/licorice flavor w/ light smooth tannins;
very long/lingering very strong black cherry cola/spicy bit soft/lush/ripe/grapey some spicy/licorice
finish w/ modest smooth tannins; not the structure of the Ronchi but plenty of lush fruit. $55.00 (DaV)
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Picech Rosso Le Vigne del Ribel Dd’OC: Collio (13.5%; Derailleur LLC/Boulder; Cabernet Franc/Merlot/
Cabernet Sauvignon; www.picech.com/en) Picech Roberto/Cormons 2012: Dark color; strong ripe/blackcurranty/
Cab bit licorice/pungent some toasty/smokey/oak rather fragrant/perfumed light herbal/peppery bose; rather
softherbal/blackcurranty/Cab slight metallic/tangy light smokey/oak flavor w/ light rough tannins;
long ripe/Cab/blackcurranty/herbal some earthy/dusty light smokey/oak finish w/ light rough tannins;
a pleasant enough bit rustic Cab, but just that. $27.50 (Cured)
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Rodaro Refosco dal PeduncolaRosso DOC: Friuli Colli Orientali (14%; www.RodaroPaolo.It;
www.WineMonger.com) Cividale 2012: Very dark color; very strong black cherry/blackberry/Refosco bit
earthy/loamy some licorice/chocolaty rather floral/lilacs beautiful nose; soft/rich/lush very strong
black cherry/blackberry/Refosco/spicy bit licorice/chocolaty slight earthy/loamy flavor w/ light hard
tannins; very long bit hard/tannic strong black cherry/blackberry/Refosco slight earthy/loamy finish w/
modest rough tannins; pretty classic Refosco w/ good aromatics; needs 3-6 yrs; very good price at
$18.00 (LM)
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Scarbolo Refosco dal PeduncolaRosso IGT: Venezia Giulia (EB; 13.5%; www.Scarbolo.com) ValterScarbolo/
Pavia di Udine 2011: Very dark color; very perfumed/floral/lilacs strong blackberry/black cherry cola/
boysenberry/ripe almost GWT-like/hair oil beautiful complex nose; soft very lush/ripe almost off-dry
intense Refosco/black cherry cola/boysenberry some chocolaty/licorice flavor w/ light soft/ripe
tannins; very long/lingering floral/lilacs ripe/boysenberry/black cherry cola bit chocolaty/licorice
finish w/ light soft/smooth tannins; on the ripe side but big/lush Refosco fruit; this is how they
would make Refosco in PasoRobles if they could. $42.00 (BWM)
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Meroi refosco dal PeduncolaRosso Vigna Dominin Dd’OC: Friuli ColliOrientali (14%; www.MeroiDaVino.com;
T.ElentenyImports; L1) PaolaMeroi/Buttrio 2010: Very dark color; rather earthy/mineral very spicy/
peppery intense black cherry/black cherry cola/blackberry/classic Refosco slight earthy/rustic some
toasty/oak very fragrant/perfumed beautiful complex nose; lightly tart very strong black cherry/black
cherry cola/Refosco slight ripe/chocolaty some toasty/oak very slight brett very structured complex
flavor w/ ample hard tannins; very long/lingering structured intense black cherry cola/blackberry/
Refosco some toasty/charred/oak slight earthy/rustic complex finish w/ ample hard/rugged tannins;
a classic Refosco but more new oak and more tannins than most; a serious rendition of Refosco; needs
4-10 yrs; a bit pricey at $82.00 (BWM)
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Rojac Refosk (Organically produced; 14%; www.Rojac.EU; www.IndieWineries.com) Rojac/Istra/Slovenija
2012: Very dark color; lightly herbal/Cab-like intense blackberry/black cherry cola/Refosco-like
bit chocolaty/ripe very spicy/bit peppery slight earthy/dusty/Cab very perfumed/floral beautiful nose;
bit tart very structured slight herbal/Cab-like earthy/dusty strong black cherry/blackberry/Refosco-like
some complex flavor w/ ample hard tannins; very long/lingering bit herbal/Cab-like strong black cherry
cola/blackberry slight earthy/dusty/rustic rather floral/perfumed finish w/ ample tannins; some Refosco-
like aromatics but less rustic & more structured; needs 4-8 yrs; a steal at $17.00 (LM)
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Matthiasson Refosco MatthiassonVnyd/NapaVlly (12.0%; www.Matthiasson.com) Napa 2013: Dark color; very
grapey/perfumed almost Gamay-like some toasty/oak very spicy/perfumed/cherry almost Sangio-like
very floral lovely nose; lightly tart bit hard/tannic slight earthy/dusty bit herbal/Sangio-like
lightly Refosco/black cherry/floral bit lean/austere flavor w/ modest hard tannins; very long bit tart/
hard/austere light black cherry/Refosco some cherry/Sangio-like bit toasty/oak finish w/ light hard/
rough tannins; quite a good red but speaks quietly of Refosco. $45.00
Stuff from TheBloodyPulpit:
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Pignolo: “pine cone” after the shape of the clusters. Or “fussy” in reference to its low yields.
Originated in Friuli in the hills above Buttrio & Rosazzo.
Rescued from extinction in the early '70’s when an entire row of ungrafted Pignolo was
found at the Abbey of Rosazzo. GirolamoDorigo planted the first new planting in 1973.
Oftentimes referred to as “Friuli’s Nebbiolo” because of its exotic aromatics.
I’ve only had some 3-4 other Pignolas before. These two far better than any I’ve yet had. Clearly
a variety they should be planting all up&down the coast of Calif.
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Refosco dal Peduncola Rosso: “red pedical or stem” in reference to the bright red stems at ripeness.
RdPR is the best known subvariety of a whole family of Refoschi that originated in the Karst north of Trieste.
Marzemino X ?? —> RdPR. Which makes it a grandchild of Teroldego (Teroldego X ?? —> Marzemino)
Also found in the Lison Pramaggiore region of the neighboring Veneto.
Although the originated in the same area, RdPR is distinct from Terrano, another grape of that area.
In Slovenia, the grape known as Refosk is actually Terrano.
In Calif, there has been a lot of confusion over Refosco. In the 1860’s, UC (Berkeley), there was an
experimental vnyd in Jackson in the SierraFoothills. It lasted less than 10 yrs and was abandoned
for a number of reasons, mostly political. In the early 1960’s, UC/Berkeley vit professor
AustinGoheen stumbled across an old map of the Jackson experimental vnyd. He returned to that
abandoned vnyd and took cuttings of a bunch of varieties (including “Refosco”), which were then
propagated at FPS (now) at UC/Davis, where “Refosco” was distributed throughout Calif for yrs.
There were a number of vnyds planted to “Refosco” over the yrs, including PieroAntinori’s
AtlasPeakVnyd in the early '70’s. In the early 1990’s, it was found that Goheen had misread
the Jackson vnyd map (or it was incorrect), and was was known as “Refosco” in Calif was not
actually RdPR. Subsequent DNA typing indicated that Calif’s “Refosco” was, in fact, Mondeuse
Noire (which it should be pointed out, is not a bad thing). This led to a lot of confusion in
Calif that Italy’s Refosco = MondeuseNoire…which is not the case. But, according to the TTB
(who have zero expertise in grape varieties), Refosco and Mondeuse can be used interchangeably.
The only true planting (thus far) of RdPR in Calif is at SteveMatthiasson’s vnyd, from cuttings he brought
back from Friuli. He also has Schioppettino planted as well. Both of these wines were conveyed
to Ivan Rupuzzi of Ronchi de Cialla last Oct.
Paola d’Andrea has “Refosco” planted at his Deming vnyd and a “Refosco” is made by VivacWnry. He refuses
to answer me as to the origins of his “Refosco”.
The Matthiasson Refosco was a bit of a puzzle to me & seems in a weird stage. The two times before I’ve
tried it, it was very rich/lush & spoke strongly of ripe Refosco. This time, it reminded me more
Sangio than anything.
The Rojac would be from Terrano, not RdPR; two varieties that originated in the Karst but are distinct
varieties. Though they do seem to have similar profiles, w/ Terrano being a bit more structured.
Of the 10-12 Terranos I’ve had, this was probably the best. Beautiful wine.
All three Friulian RdPR I thought were absolutely first rate. Classic black cherry/Refosco aromatics
and flavors. All three producers were new to me. The Meroi was a slight favorite of them.
Tom