Picolit

:"Not to be confused with picolite, an alternative name for pykrete"

Picolit (also known as Piccolit and Piccolito) is a white Italian wine grape grown predominately in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. The grape is allowed in the "Denominazione di origine controllata" (DOC) wines of Colli Orientali del Friuli. The grape is most commonly associated with sweet dessert wines often made in the "passito" style. Historically planted in poor and infertile vineyards, the grape gets it name from the very small "piccolo" yields that the vine produce. The grape had a worldwide reputation in the 18th century when it was featured in royal courts from Great Britain to the Russian Empire. While experiencing cult wine popularity in the 1960s & 1970s, Picolit's extremely small yields have made it economically difficult to grow and has limited the number of plantings. J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 524 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906 ]

History

While the exact origins of the grape are not clear, Picolit was well known internationally during the 18th century as a favorite of Count Fabio Asquini. The Count oversaw production of more than 100,000 bottles that was exported to the royal courts of the Holy Roman Empire, Great Britain, France, Holland, Russia, Saxony and Tuscany as well as the Vatican. Asquini was a pioneer who left diligent notes on his growing and winemaking methods to coax the most out of the limited resources that the Picolit vine produces. The difficulties in growing the vine lead to sharp decline in plantings. The Perusini family invested many resources during the 20th century to try and develop new clones that are easier to cultivate but still retain the desirable characteristics of the grape. While a brief spike in popularity in the 1960s & 1970s did elevate the Picolit wine to cult wine status, the work of Perusini family is credited with keeping the grape from extinction. The popularity of Picolit wine has led to the illegal practice of blending it the inferior quality Verduzzo to stretch supply.

Wine styles

The Picolit grape balance of acidity and sugar lends itself well to dessert wine production. Both late harvest and "passito" styles are made. With "passito" wines, the Picolit grapes are normally harvested in mid-October and then dried to raisins on straw mats before pressing. The late harvest styles are picked several weeks later, just before the grapes raisin on the vine. After fermentation, the wine is aged-often in oak barrels. In addition to being served after dinner, the wine is also considered a "vino da meditazione" or apéritif that can be served alone. Picolit wines tend be characterized by soft floral aromas with peach and apricot flavors.

References

External links

* [http://www.sanpellegrino.com/flash_site/articolo.asp?id=867|Further Information About the History of Picolit]