Pignolo is a red wine grape native to Italy, one of that country’s three most tannic red wine grapes, Longanesi and Sagrantino being the others.

The name: Pignolo is named after its small and compact bunch that looks like a pine cone (pigna in Italian).

Where grown: Friuli-Venezia Giulia: Friuli Colli Orientali DOC Pignolo.

Viticulture: Pignolo is a difficult grape to grow and ripen well as it is sensitive to powdery mildew, needs a long ripening season and suffers easily from large temperature swings. Due to its compact bunch, Pignolo prefers well-ventilated sites in order to avoid rot.

Winemaking: Pignolo is a late-ripening grape.

Wine style: Pignolo is powerfully tannic still red wine when young. It needs at least five years of bottle age before its typical notes of blackberry and blueberry intensify and herbal and mineral notes develop. Some producers air-dry part of the harvest to soften Pignolo’s tannic power and create a smoother mouthfeel.

Wineries

Certified organic : Specogna.