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RIVISTA DI CULTURA DEL TERRITORIO maggio 2015 Anno 7 Numero 1 issn 2036-8283 22 The mouth of the River Stella. Photograph by Stefano Zanini. 2 • 22

Forced to Focus on Quality… for the Pleasure of the Rest of the World

In the 60s, in ised was low, most of was based on general farming: the grapevines were grown in every produced milk, meat, spaced rows and cereals were and grains. The leading cultivated between them. sector was undoubtedly that But that society and that land- of breeding dairy which scape were going to change meant in practice 650 cooperative abruptly because of the irruption dairies. The cheese that was ob- of modernity and technical pro- tained, known as Montasio, was gress. General farming had to of high quality. Over 50% of it was to specialization. Many sta- consumed in the farm itself and bles were closed and the dairies was accompanied by a traditional decreased drastically in number. food of our land, ‘polenta’, a mush Many turned to the - obtained from corn. oculture of corn, but this didn’t As for wine, beside some limited affect much the regional economy. high quality productions, produc- Others began to specialize in the The charm of the landscape and the tion in general was concentrated production of wine, taking advan- care of the buildings are elements on nutritional purposes, to face tage of the special geographical that complement the wine economy and are a resource for . Lis harsh rural life. According to this and climatic conditions of the Fadis Wine Farm, in the municipality of logic, the percentage of special- region. . 22 • 3

The average size of the in export half of the wine we pro- Friuli, mostly small, necessarily duce, and we have changed from a led to quality production, which production of wine sold mainly in was the only way to compete in an bulk, to a production that is mostly increasingly complex market. In sold in bottles. this sense, there is a saying among This has given rise to a production our growers: In Friuli we are chain that has important industrial "forced" to concentrate on quality. implications. Think, for example, The of our region, beside to the production of machines for Wine originated ancillary economic increasing wine quality, makes it and all the equipment activities of all respect; one of these possible to grow large and diversi- that is required for . And is the production of labels, often fied vine varieties and, therefore, we cannot forget to mention the delegated to also famous designers, artists and graphics. Sometimes they to get a production diversification production of labels for bottles and can be an attractive advertising vehicle that reflects our identity, that is an the production of that for both cultural tourism and mass hinge between the Mediterranean can on artists and graphics tourism. The variety, world and the continental Euro- of proven talent. which in Friuli gives a wine that the same name, in the second half pean one. Our are different Surely the creation of DOC zones of the 19th century has spread in our from those of even if we (Denomination of Controlled region and has gained primacy among are so close, but they are also Origin) has stimulated the ad- the red wines. The shown here different from those of the Italian vancement of quality of our wines, dates back to the early 70s of the 20th century. region of from those of but the credit goes mainly to wine Dalmatia. Their characteristics, growers who have been able to so multi-faceted, are a priceless understand the times and the the production of grafted cuttings. heritage. changes that were necessary. Many The future of our region, therefore, The vineyards are now all special- of them, it be said, work in a is related to the vine and wine: we ized and have a visual impact on difficult environment such as the have the right climate and, above the landscape which is extraordi- hills or the karst highlands. As for all, we have the human resources narily positive, dialoguing with its the plains we must say that they and professionalism. The prestig- peculiarities and characterizing it. are largely formed by the ‘grave’ ious achievements, unthinkable The cellars, once poor buildings lands (a word that Friulian has in only twenty years ago, do not make with the floor often in clay, have common with French), where the us neglect the problems that, here become "temples" of wine: the stones prevail. Only in recent times as elsewhere, this sector is facing. study of the architecture, the the tenacity of our farmers have The pragmatism of our wine- attention to detail, the elegance been able to make them profitable. makers and their ability to fight of the houses and the non-rare But it is precisely on that stony common struggles reassure us and, presence of works of art are all ‘grave’ lands, beside cooperative above all, make it possible for us to elements that complement this cellars of considerable size, that reassure those who appreciate our wine economy. And the new direc- the nursery activity related to viti- wine around the world: the Friulian tives of the Regional Tourism Plan, culture has developed. If the wines wine will delight also future gener- rightly, consider these aspects as of the of are ations. one of the priorities. known throughout the world, vine In the last century's, 60s and 70s, nurseries of our ‘grave’ lands sup- Sergio Bolzonello the regional demand of wine was ply grapevines all over the world. Vice-President twice the production. Now the Here there are the real ‘roots of of the Autonomous situation is reversed because we wine’ and Friuli is a world leader in Region 4 • 22 INDICE

Tiere furlane Rivista di Cultura del territorio Autorizzazione del Tribunale di 9 n. 14/09 R.P. del 19/06/2009 Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia Direzione centrale Risorse rurali, agroalimentari e forestali Maggio 2015 - anno 7 - numero 1 [email protected] Monsieur le Direttore responsabile/Senior Editor: Christian Romanini ([email protected]) Sauvignon Comitato di redazione: Grabriella Bucco, Diana Candusso, Christian An all-worthy French Romanini, Angelo Vianello, Pietro Zandigiacomo became citizen of Coordinamento editoriale/Editor-in : Enos Costantini the world (but first it Hanno collaborato a questo numero/ became Friulian) Contributors for this issue: - Sergio Bolzonello Enos COSTANTINI ([email protected]) - Gabriella Bucco ([email protected]) - Giuseppe Cordioli ([email protected]) - Stefano Cosma ([email protected]) - Enos Costantini ([email protected]) 27 33 - Daniele Cˇotar - Ian D'Agata ([email protected]) - Marianna Deganutti ([email protected]) - Enrico Filaferro ([email protected]) - Luca Manfé Sauvignon The Grape ([email protected]) - Carlo Petrini Blanc in Friuli Varieties and ([email protected]) Referenze fotografiche/Photos: Venezia Giulia Wines of Friuli Quando non indicato le fotografie sono di/ If not otherwise stated: A strong identity, although Enos Costantini: front cover, right flap, pp 2, 6-7, Venezia Giulia 8, 9, 10, 12-13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32- still a "work in progress" 33, 37, 39 left, 40, 42, 46, 49, 50, 52, 59, 69, 76, 90, 91, 92, 97, 121, 127, 128 left, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 141 left, 144 Ian D'AGATA Ian D'AGATA Massimo Crivellari (POR FESR 2007 - 2013, Archivio Turismo FVG): left flap, pp 96 below, 130-131 Claudio Mattaloni: pp 34, 28, 39 right, 51 Laura Tessaro (New Cibarium, ersa 2008): pp 95, 96 above Stefano Zanini: pp 31, 36, 117, 126 right 53 61 Zumello: pp 93 Ricerche iconografiche/Iconographic research: Enos Costantini Impaginazione grafica: Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia Ufficio Stampa e Comunicazione Si ringrazia per la collaborazione/Thanks to: Enrico Filaferro Fulvio Stampa/Printed by: La Tipografica srl, Basaldella di Tomizza’s

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Chi riproduce, anche parzialmente, i testi Stefano COSMA Marianna DEGANUTTI contenuti in questo fascicolo è tenuto a citare la fonte. 22 • 5

69 72 81

Friuli Venezia Giulia, a hidden Montasio A preciuos treasure cheese leg a Friulian story Luca MANFÈ Daniele CˇOTAR Prosciutto di San Daniele 90 93 99

The numbers Friuli: a region and the rust, the where you domesticated always want to Friuli Venezia and the wild "come back soon Giulia’s

Gian Paolo GRI Carlo PETRINI Giuseppe CORDIOLI 107 117 132 A Unique Agriculture and Region: Natural civic heraldry Environments in Friuli and Wine & Art Venezia Giulia Endemics The Art of Wine in Friuli, this is how a becomes an Art Gallery Enrico FILAFERRO Umberto ALBERINI and Araldicacivica.it Angelo VIANELLO Gabriella BUCCO 6 • 22 22 • 7

The Abbey of Rosazzo has been famous since the for its wine, in particular for Ribolla. It is here that a vine, with such very particular characteristics like the , was saved. 8 • 22

Sauvignon: the lower side of the . 22 • 9

Enos COSTANTINI Monsieur le Sauvignon

An all-worthy French became citizen of the world (but first it became Friulian)

The aim of this brief presentation of the Sauvignon variety is outlining its histo- ry, first in Friuli and then in , with a tail piece regarding its motherland, the douce .

Sauvignon in Friuli Beautiful Sauvignonasse's bunches. This French variety, which the Friulians Sauvignon, also known in Friuli as those time, when quantity was call Tocai, probably arrived along "Aromatic Tocai", is a grape varie- more profitable than quality, the with Sauvignon during the second S half of the 19th century. Its productive ty that comes form France. It has Friulian people, although they characteristics, and the way it adapts not been present in our region for did not completely disregard it, to our environment, have made it very long since the earliest documen- preferred another variety which successful, to the point that Tocai has tations of its being grown trace is similar to Sauvignon, both in become the quintessential Friulian . back only to 1880s. But all is rel- name and for genetics: the Sauvi- ative: which other Italian region, gnonasse. which European or non-European That they used the name Tocai -type or -type country could boast such a long for Sauvignonasse, is merely a sweet wines. Let us not forget tradition in cultivating Sauvignon? minor detail due to the fact that that in the 19th century sweet Almost no-one; better still, proba- both varieties, which came here wines were still regarded as very bly no-one at all, except France. from the Sauternes region, were fine wines, with consequences up And I can tell you more: in cultivated for the production of to the 1930s. 10 • 22

One of the features that separate Sauvignon from Sauvignonasse is the hair on the lower side of the leaf: Sauvignon (on the left) is tomentose, whereas Sauvignonasse (on the right) is almost glabrate.

Sauvignon and – dry and sweet wines productions. nearby Portogruaro, and so on; Sauvignonasse Nowadays the production is for the – substitution of grape varieties It is likely that, after the variety most part dry Sauvignonasse/Tocai, that produced Ribolla wine, the mixing that had to be carried out but there are still some very rare typical production of the eastern after the devastation of vineyards cases of sweet Sauvignonasse; hills that was already out-dated. provoked in the 1850s by powdery – cultivation on both slopes and – to move from wines based on mildew (Oidium tuckerii), both flatlands, that in turn allows for blends (mixing of ) to sin- Sauvignon and Sauvignonasse fine products, but on flatlands gle-variety wines: Sauvignonasse/ reached Friuli together and were "mass" products prevail; Tocai is better for single-variety cultivated together in the same – production of both high-quality wine-making, whereas many tradi- vineyards. fine wines and wine for tional varieties had to be mixed in Of course, vine growers did not consumption or table wines. This to obtain a finished product miss their differences, and they characteristic offers a long-run that had to be simultaneously knew how to separate them in elasticity both in time and space: well-balanced and complete; order to keep Sauvignon on small the Sauvignonasse, with its green – to meet exactly the taste of the for producing élite biotype, proved to be ideal when Friulians, who hoisted the Sauvi- wines, and spread Sauvignonasse high productions of wines for ordi- gnonasse/Tocai flag, and made it a as much as they could, since it was nary consumptions were favoured. as well, and an aperitif, much more adaptable. This variety Nowadays, especially on slopes, a pre-dinner wine (such as the allowed (and still allows): focus on Sauvignonas- French pastis): a well-established – high yield (fundamental and se’s quality, since its yellow biotype habit, a costume, a daily routine cherished up to thirty years ago); is always the best one; people love to indulge in, but not – a high by volume rate: – cultivation on any type of ground, only just before meals. A glass of this feature, linked to the wine’s both on "grava" (such is the name white wine had, and still has, the preservation, was cherished be- of gravelly and dry terrains of high- ability of loosing the tongues of cause the most widespread tradi- er flatlands), on clayey terrains of Friulians, who are generally thrifty tional varieties could hardly reach the lowest flatlands, on "caranto" with words and, as they say, a little 10% alc/vol.; (a sitty clay loam, quite compact) grumpy. 22 • 11

With time, people started to favour rebuild wine-making using grapes quality and, as the statistics show, more suitable for producing Sauvignonasse and Sauvignon quality wines. The first document have opposite trends as far as their referring to Sauvignon that we cultivated areas are concerned: have found dates back to 1884, Sauvignon has increased in its when earl Teodoro de la Tour preferred terrain, the slope, while introduced a Sauvignon wine at an Sauvignonasse has decreased after exhibition set in , whereas leaving the flatlands in order to the grape variety is referred to perch high on those hills where it in Campolongo in 1886. Giovanni can better express its organoleptic Bolle, who at that time directed potentiality. Hence, both French the Imperial-Royal Chemical-Agri- cousins have found a new home, cultural Experimental Institute of or at least le bon endroit, on the Gorizia, supports its cultivation in eastern hills of Friuli. They have a report that can be found in the been here for at least 150 years. documentation of the 4th Austrian Similarities between Sauvignon Wine Convention held in Gorizia and Sauvignonasse/Tocai were in 1891. From this and other doc- well-known to Friulian winemak- uments it is clear that Sauvignon ers, who did not call “Aromatic came to Friuli from the Bordeaux Tocai” the Sauvignon for nothing. area and not from the Valley: Without anything better to do, in all these documents it is always researchers and journalists droned linked to Sémillon and, regretfully, on uselessly and made up many it is said that it would never reach stories about the origin of the the Sauternes' quality. This geo- Friulians' Tocai instead of focusing graphic origin is still mentioned in on their undeniable similarity, both as far as the grape's shape and the wines' characteristics are concerned. Sauvignonasse's leaf (above) and Sauvignon's leaf (below). In 1937, in In Friuli in the 19th a work entitled Rilievi ampelografici century comparativi su varietà di vinifera, Professor Italo Cosmo compared Although we have not system- the Friulian Tocai, Sauvignon and atically investigated all nine- Sémillon. He did not know that teenth-century sources, we have Tocai was all but Sauvignonasse; his enough information to presume, evaluations indicate that both varieties have similar ampelographic features. as we stated above, that Sauvi- Obviously, at the time it was known gnon appeared for the first time that Sauvignon and Sémillon did came in Friuli after the devastation from the Bordeaux area, but many stories were still told about Tocai's provoked by , Fine Sauvignon bottle label mithical Ungarian origin, because when the most farsighted local designed from an old map showing nobody wanted to admit what the land-owners arranged for other the lower Friulian plain, the French scholars had found out: that of the Grado and Marano lagoon wine varieties to come from other the Friulian Tocai is nothing more than and the Gulf of Trieste. Franco Sauvignonasse. European regions, in order to Dreossi's collection. 12 • 22

Norberto Marzotto, in his Ampelografia del Friuli in 1923, indicates the presence of Sauvignon's that may yield both Friulian and Italian works on large production, even if it is just , which explains also on occasions. That is possible by using particular type of training and the simultaneous arrival of Sauvi- in certain conditions, but it cannot gnonasse, a grape variety that was be said for this variety in general. reported in the Sauternes region The picture we include was taken in th at the end of the 19th century. on the 16 of August 2014.

In Friuli at the beginning of the 20th century Sauvignon has been present in the Austrian side of Friuli since the beginning of the 20th century, even if its use was recorded only for marginal purposes, such as second fermentation of its marc to enrich weak wines and for the production of raisin (L'agricol- tore goriziano, years 1902 and 1908). Two Sauvignon from the Friuli area which was still part of the at that time, respectively from Cormòns and Terzo, were present at a wine exhibition of all the empire wines held in in 1909. In 1921 Udine is the setting of a Friulian grapes exhibition, and Sauvignon is among the best ones. In 1923 the Ampelografia friulana by Norberto Marzotto was printed, in which also Sauvi- there is no evidence regarding Sauvignon from : "Sau- gnon found its own place. After the variety's diffusion in the re- vignon adds to Aquileia a most reviewing the Italian and French gion. delicate wine, with golden tones, bibliography on the matter, the During the 1930s, professor and very aromatic; these are val- author emphasises the vigour of Giovanni Dalmasso, in of ues that are enhanced, even sub- the variety and by way of exam- the Experimental Wine-making limated, in the renano". ple he mentions a Sauvignon vine Station of , suggests At that time, the Riesling renano of the Baradel brothers' estate to use both Sauvignon and Sauvi- ( Riesling) was the basis of in : its shoots were 30 gnonasse to produce high-quality comparison for any quality white meter-long and they could yield wines in the Gorizia province, wine. two hundreds kilos of grapes but he supports the use of Sauvi- In 1943 Sauvignon is said to be if they were to be radially cor- gnonasse in the Udine province. "fundamental for Collio's white don-trained. However we are The 4th March 1935 issue of the wines", and the Gorizia province talking of local folklore and not weekly newspaper L'agricoltura is, along with and Vi- about exact documentation since friulana is very flattering with a cenza, one of the very few areas 22 • 13

"Osterie", taverns, purchased cask wine and then they bottled it, using original labels to decorate the bottle. This tavern, "da Tilio" in Lucinico in the municipality of Gorizia, bears the picture of the Gorizia's castle, of the city, and the writing Vini classici dei colli friulani "classical wines of the Friulian hills". All this happened before DOC were established, but the interesting thing about it is that Sauvignon was regarded as a "classical" wine of the Friulian hills.

War and aftermath followed by further 700 vines From the information hereby planted after the war in Rocca reported it is possible to presume Bernarda (Pascolini 1961). that Sauvignon was marginal to In 1952, Leo Economo of that kind of wine-making in which Aquileia with his Sauvignon won the product quality was above the first prize for white wines all an "ideological" goal, that only at the 6th Wine Exhibition of "professors", experts, scholars and Pramaggiore. specialists spoke of, and that was attainable in few vineries, those Geographers' perception that were particularly advanced In order to know a specific variety, and able to cope with a still narrow it is not enough to turn to spe- market. Most wine was produced cialists and journalist of the wine for on-farm consumption or for a sector, but it is as much as inter- local market easily satisfied, where esting to turn to other sources if at most only top taverns demand- we want to understand how this ed quality. Given the wide regional variety was perceived in different demand, there were not many social environment or by ordinary people who could give up quantity, people. Both scholars and ordinary such as that ensured by Sauvi- people still regard Sauvignonasse in Italy where the Sauvignon is gnonasse (i.e. Friulian Tocai). (Friulian Tocai) as a local, native, used in single-variety vinification, But Friulians did not turn down typically Friulian variety, yet it whereas in the other provinces Sauvignon. Many of this has been proven that it originated its grapes are mixed with other variety remained hidden in vine- from France and that it had spread varieties (Montanari and Cecca- yards among different varieties, in Friuli quite recently. relli 1943). and it was often mixed up with What about Sauvignon? It is After that, Sauvignon is reported Sauvignonasse. There were always known that Sauvignon is a French to be cultivated both in the Udine those who cultivated it in a single variety, yet it is considered a typ- province and in the Gorizia prov- variety vineyards, and even in a ical production of our region, not ince (Montanari and Ceccarelli period far from being easy such as only now that it is trendy, but even 1952), but there are not relevant WWII, some vineyards were plant- Geography books of Friuli Venezia information about quantity. On ed. For instance, it is documented Giulia show it. For instance, a book the contrary we know that the that in 1944 in 1,200 intended for young readers and Sauvignon of Gorizia "is an actual vines were planted and in 1945 in published in 1978, but that was caress and a smile of life". Cividale 700 vines were planted, written for sure a few years be- 14 • 22

and it compares Sauvignon with Sauvignonasse, on flatlands and hillside alike. On flatlands 375.2 tons of Sauvignon and 2,270.8 tons of Sauvignonasse were produced. Sauvignon is therefore a little niche for quality. On the hillside 530.3 tons of Sau- vignon and 6,717.5 tons of Sau- vignonasse were produced: both varieties are productions of quality. Looking at average prices of grapes could be as much as relevant: on flatlands Sauvignon was sold at 650 Lire per kilo, whereas on the hillside it could reach 1,000 Lire per kilo. Sauvignon vine affected by esca, a grapevine trunk disease. Sauvignon is particularly sensitive to it, and it is for such reason that many winegrowers choose As far as Sauvignonasse is con- not to grow it. cerned the price for the flatlands was 450 Lire per kilo, whereas for the hillside it could reach 850 Lire fore for it does not even mention Friulian enography per kilo. the 1976 earthquake, states that In a 1969 publication, Sauvignon Therefore 6,717.5 tons of hill- among the wines of the Gorizia enters the Friulian enography, a side-produced Sauvignon had the area there are Pinot, in its differ- showcase for the most important same value as 12,688.5 tons of flat- ent chromatic declinations, Collio's varieties cultivated in the region, land-produced Sauvignonasse. Ribolla, , Merlot, along with a picture of its bunch Sauvignon had a higher economic and Sauvignon (Lugani 1978, 177). and a brief . These are the weight if we consider the whole At page 194 of the same volume, words dedicated to Sauvignon: volume of grapes: 15,731,735,000 it is claimed that Farra d'Isonzo "This wine is not produced in Lire of Sauvignonasse for is renowned for its wines: Tokay large quantities; the area of pro- 774,180,000 Lire of Sauvignon. (sic), Pinot, Sauvignon, duction is limited to the eastern If we consider the whole value of and Merlot. hills of Friuli and Collio. This is a all grapes produced in Friuli, both In a thicker volume intended fine wine for suppleness, delicate red and white, Sauvignonasse for adult and cultivated readers in fragrance and generous and corresponds to 20%, Sauvignon is (Valussi 1961, 250), Sauvignon is exquisite taste. Dry, round and slightly less than 1%. mentioned among regional wines uniformly palatable, it is best sa- If we consider only white wines, alongside Friulian Tocai. There- voured with light courses and also Sauvignonasse corresponds to 49% fore, even in the 1950s the author between meals" (Nussi 1969). of the whole production, Sauvi- deemed the Sauvignon as an im- gnonasse a mere 2.4%. portant wine... A 1979 survey Sauvignon was a vine, and a wine, It is worth mentioning that in the The survey of 1979 (Castagnaviz for few people, but these data are following 1971 edition of the book, 1980) is particularly interesting enough to show how Friuli has Sauvignon is not mentioned among because it both states how many always kept alive this small quality regional wines (Valussi 1971, 302). kilos of grapes were produced flame. Other grape varieties of 22 • 15

French origin have not had this chance and have been completely forgotten after their arrival, some for good, others, such as Pinot grigio, have been brought back to life for their productive and com- mercial qualities.

Wine in the Eighties In 1984, 314,000 gallons of Sauvi- gnon were produced in the region- al DOC (Controlled Designation of Origin) areas, a mere 4% of the whole DOC wines (Sauvignonasse reached 23%). It is worth to know that Sauvignon was cultivated especially on hillsides (DOC Collio and DOC Colli Orientali) and in the DOC Isonzo, whereas its presence is almost insignificant in other DOC Areas of the flatlands. A beautiful row of Sauvignon, cordon-trained and spur-pruned, that includes more From 1981 to 1985 there was a than one biotypes of the variety. di , August 2014. positive trend, and the acres of cultivated Sauvignon increased on the hillsides. For instance, from 87, Autonomous Region Friuli After that, it decreased down to 239 acres in 1981, the DOC Collio Venezia Giulia). 6% of the whole cultivated area in reached 380 acres in 1985, with a 2011 (3,182 acres). Sauvignonasse similar increase in the DOC Colli Cultivated areas trends was in an even worse situation, Orientali and DOC Isonzo which, From 1980 to 1990 the cultivated passing from 19% of 1990 to an even if it is situated on flatlands, areas of Sauvignon doubled. The alarming 8% (3,985 acres) in 2011. followed the same trend of the absolute figure is still low (from 2% A dangerous competitor had risen hillsides. to 4% of total cultivated areas), but on the horizon: (), A document of 1986 describes two it is a clear sign. In 1986 the meth- which in 2011 reached almost type of Sauvignon wine: anol affair was a nightmare for 7,413 acres of cultivated areas, "If the wine is made along with the Italian winemakers and, in order to 16% of the whole. skin of the grapes, it will be golden wake up from it, the only path to in colour, full-bodied, and little follow was better quality. And with Recent data delicate in its aroma. Sauvignon one can only make qual- In 2014 in our region there were If the wine is made without skins, ity wines. In the same period white 3,188 acres of Sauvignon-culti- the colour will be yellow-greenish, wines started to be “trendy”, which vated areas, equal to 5.47% of with a finely aromatic taste, deli- caused the Sauvignonasse-cultivat- the whole vine cultivation. These cate, dry, with a bitter aftertaste, ed areas to increase. figures suggest that this variety is velvety and supple" (Relazione In 1999 Sauvignon doubled again holding steady. Sauvignonasse (the sullo stato dell'agricoltura in its cultivated area reaching 9% of Friulian Tocai) is still decreasing, Friuli Venezia Giulia nel 1986- the whole, its best result so far. but it has not been whitewashed by 16 • 22

Prosecco as it was dreaded: it can count still on 3,941 acres, nearly 7% of the whole cultivated areas. Together, Sauvignon and Sauvi- gnonasse, reach above 12% of the whole areas (7,129 acres out of 56,985). There is therefore still a good margin of manoeuvre, also because, since the rise of Sauvignon's leaf with red rachis (on Glera (Prosecco), Sauvignonasse the left) and Sauvignon's leaf with (Friulian Tocai) is not productivi- green rachis (on the right). ty-driven any more but it focuses only on quality. A prove of this is that Sauvignon and Sauvignonasse are both prevailing in the hillside and foothill areas, which have hoisted the flag of quality.

Red and green stems In Friuli there is a variety known as Refosco dal peduncolo rosso (meaning 'red rachis' or 'red Plant tips and detail of herbaceous stem'). Such name was given it shoots of Sauvignon with red rachis in the 19th century to distinguish (above) and Sauvignon with green it from the Refosco variety or rachis (on the left) respectively. biotype with the green stem, less relevant from a quality point of view. This distinction in the colour of the stems or pedicels, due to the different genetically driven Sauvignon VCR 243 clone, Sauvignon VCR 248 clone, Sauvignon VCR 334 clone, from Cividale; small, cylindrical, from Rosazzo; small bunch from Buttrio; medium, semi- colouring substances, can be straggly bunch; very aromatic. with little wing; aromatic. tight and winged bunch; found also in other varieties, such medium aromatic. as Sauvignon and Sauvignonasse. Professor Carlo Petrussi, in his lasting work as an ampelographer, is the first one to have described this features in both varieties (Petrussi 2013, 241-247). Accord- ing to Petrussi there is still no way to outline different oenological po- tentialities between both biotypes; so far it can only be mentioned that, in both varieties, when we taste the grapes, the biotype with the red stem is more aromatic. 22 • 17

Friuli for Sauvignon started to narrow again since acterization of Sauvignon is very Sauvignon is a French variety, but wine-makers focused entirely on fruitful thanks to Sauvignon's high Friuli has shaped its genetics. By R3 and 108 that, if conveniently variability. 1970s the VCR - Vivai cooperativi blended, produced a Sauvignon Furthermore, Sauvignon is a good (cooperative nurseries) of Rausce- with a high oenological profile. parent: the new disease-resistant do had developed a clone, called However Rauscedo is still select- varieties developed by the Udine R3, which immediately stood out, ing new clones and the coopera- University (Early Sauvignon, Petit and still does, for its positive pe- tive nurseries have gone as far as Sauvignon, Sauvignon Dorée) culiarities. Sauvignon R3 was defi- () in order have shown they have inherited nitely different from other clones, to locate new biotypes belonging the best quality characteristics of such as those developed by the to the "vegetal" Sauvignon group. white Sauvignon. CRA-VIT (Centre for Research in In 2009 Sauvignon VCR 328 was ) of Conegliano: if on approved, while others biotypes Experimentation in one hand it was poorly productive are still waiting for approval. Friuli and unstable, on the other it was Carlo Petrussi, who is carrying Among the first (and few) exper- stronger and, above all, it had a out an important work of se- imentations on Sauvignon carried high oenological value, supported lection on our eastern hills, has out in Italy, two of them – pro- by an aromatic taste that hinted at selected clones such as VCR 236, moted by the Udine University vegetables, peppers and . a "French" VCR 237 and a "veg- (professor Peterlunger) and that During the 1980s French clones etal" VCR 389. He has identified took place in the 1990s at the became very hip but only one a range of new clones (VCR 243, of the Agrarian Institute (INRA-ENTAV 108) could keep VCR 335, VCR 336, VCR 337, etc.) of Cividale del Friuli (professor up with expectations both in by observing old vineyards and Petrussi) – are worthy of mention. agronomic (good and steady scattered vines around Cividale, The first one (Peterlungeret al., productivity) and oenological Buttrio, Prepotto, Rocca Bernarda 1995) compared different root- terms (scents of apricots and and nearby the Rosazzo's abbey. stocks of this variety and conclud- ripe fruits). The range of clones His work of selection and char- ed that: "If our goal is big produc-

Sauvignon VCR 334 clone, Sauvignon VCR 335 clone, Sauvignon VCR 336 clone, from Sauvignon VCR 337 clone, from Sauvignon VCR 338 clone; from Buttrio; medium, semi- from Buttrio; medium-to-small, Buttrio; very small, cylindrical, Buttrio; small bunch with similar from Buttrio; medium-to- tight and winged bunch; cylindrical bunch; aromatic. straggly bunch; elliptic berries; features as VCR 336. large, winged, tight bunch; medium aromatic. aromatic. productive. 18 • 22

Sauvignon in the tion regardless of quality, the most Ampelografia suitable is 420A, since it universale of assures high and relatively steady earl Giuseppe of Rovasenda. productions in the long run, to the detriment of grapes’ quality (low levels and high overall acidity). If our goal is quality, with a particularly high sugar level, we should chose K5BB and 1103P, which, however, have resulted in moderate productions. If we want to reach an even situation between quantity and quality, the more suitable appear to be SO4 and 3309, which assure good production levels and good quality characteristics". The second experimentation, a graduation thesis, aimed to find how the density of the vineyard could affect Sauvignon's growth and productivity of seedlings (Ce- stari 1997-98). The result was that vignon inside an production, was widespread. Its in- the best number of vines per hec- dictionary, and this is a clear sign troduction has definitely improved tare was about 3,550 and 4,500. that it is not so popular among the in the Vocabolario della lingua public. Nonetheless we have found italiana, published by the same Sauvignon in it in the not so common Lessico Institute in 1994: "Grape variety universale italiano (Istituto della for the production of white wine Italy Enciclopedia italiana, vol. XX, much cultivated in the Loire's After this introduction on Sauvi- , 1978), where its definition area and other regions, especially gnon in Friuli it is worth saying is as follows: "White grape variety in the Bordeaux's area; it is also a few words about Sauvignon in much cultivated in the Bordeaux widespread in other wine coun- Italy. In some regions it has re- area, where it produces the re- tries, among which Italy, where, if cently received great critical and nown wines of Sauternes. It was the conditions are fitting, it yields public acclaim, but its history on introduced in other countries and very fine wines [...] The wines that the Peninsula started in the 19th also in Italy; if the condition are comes from it (in Italy especially century. fitting it yields very fine wines. in the Venezie and in South Tyrol), Its bunches are small and tight, take the same name and have Outsiders’ perceptions its berries are small, spherical around 12% alcohol content, a dry, To get an idea of how a grape va- and yellow-greenish, its flavour is uniform and pleasant flavour, and riety, and the wine it produces, is slightly aromatic". its fragrance hints at fruits". perceived outside the experts' and Although the introduction is cor- Hence Sauvignon is making is way wine-makers' world we may turn rect, we can see that the idea of into Italy. to a dictionary. Indeed, it is a very the Sauvignon being a typical Bor- Worth of mentioning is also that in hard task to find the word Sau- deaux variety, linked to Sauternes' 1974 La Domenica del Corriere, 22 • 19

a very popular weekly publication, while playfully introducing wines produced in Italy, dedicated the following words to Sauvignon: "It is a common bunch with a marked identity that yields an aromatic, pasty and intensely scented wine. It has got music in it, something that reminds of the human voice. You drink it and you feel like you are talking to it".

In the earl's collection In order to get a rough idea of the historic roots of Sauvignon in Italy first of all we have to refer to the Saggio di una ampelografia universale, which was published in 1877 by the Piedmontese earl Giuseppe of Rovasenda. From his brief notes it is possible to infer that he had tasted some French Sauvignon wines, which he ex- tolled, but his knowledge of the Picture of Sauvignon variety is limited to the plants he blanc in the magazine collected on the Saluzzo's hills. If Ampelographische Berichte/ Sauvignon was already spreading, was Bulletin ampélographique, n. 1- even slowly, in Italy, the earl of known to 6, 1880-81. It is much likely that it represents the Petit Sauvignon Rovasenda would not have failed be growing or Sauvignon jaune: this is the to point it out. in 15 , biotype that from the Bordeaux belonging to , area probably came to Friuli in th The 20th century begins , Emilia, , the 19 century; now it is the most widespread in the world. For a documented presence of , regions and the Oldest plants of Sauvignon that Sauvignon in Italy we have to south of the Adriatic coast. From can still be found in Friuli were wait until 1903, when Salvatore his dissertation we can infer that planted in the years that followed WWI, and are usually found Mondini published Vitigni the variety was not so common in scattered among vineyard or stranieri da vino coltivati in Italy because he listed less than rows of Sauvignonasse (Friulian Italia. The author includes Sau- thirty wineries that grew Sau- Tocai) and the elder winemakers vignon among the French grape vignon, frequently only for ex- called it "Aromatic Tocai". They all belong to the biotype with a small varieties of Gironda, along with perimental purposes. It appears and cylindrical bunch, rounded Cabernet, Merlot, Sémillon, etc., that the region where it was most or sometimes oval berries with a strengthening the opinion, still widespread was Emilia, followed thick skin. They have an aromatic widespread, that Sauvignon came by Veneto. A couple of wineries taste that may also be very strong. The bunch is rot-resistant from those lands. stand out from the others: Cau- and its weigh averages between According to Mondini Sauvignon mont Caimi of Felino (Parma) 70 to 100 grams. 20 • 22

that grew 6 acres of Sauvignon A little wine but the good growing Sauvignon in the prov- along with Sémillon, producing one inces of Gorizia, Trieste, Treviso, 2,200 gallons of a type of wine Following the story of Sauvignon , , , Parma, similar to Sauternes; and Casalis in Italy in the first half of the 20th Reggio Emilia and Como. from Potenza Picena (Macerata) century would prove itself an idle that had been growing Sauvignon task. It was a completely second- In South Tyrol for more than 20 years with good ary wine, flooded by a large quan- South Tyrolean Sauvignon is today results, but there is no clue about tity of everyday wines (in 1948, a good rival of Friulian Sauvignon. quantities. despite the war wounds were still In the 1950s Sauvignon was rare These winegrowers are wealthy bleeding, Italy produced 780 mil- both in South Tyrol and Friuli, and high-ranking people (earls, gallons of wine), where there but in the high Adige Valley it marquees, knights, lawyers, etc.), was no space for quality. However was already so esteemed that who could probably afford to try experts were still aware of its Montanari and Ceccarelli dedicat- out a variety not so easy to grow potentiality and, for instance, in ed to it the following: "[In South and not so much productive. 1943 Montanari and Ceccarelli Tyrol] this wine is not produced Sauvignon was also present in wrote: "This fine wine could be in remarkable quantities. The five private ampelographic collec- produced differently in the prov- characteristics that distinguish it tions, among which we mention inces of Bolzano, Vicenza, , in the other Venetian regions are the famous ones of Giuseppe , Treviso, Trieste, Pula, if emphasised, but it is all the same Acerbi from Castelgoffredo (Man- the wine was made with one sin- fine for suppleness, delicate scent, tova) and of earl Giuseppe of Ro- gle variety. On the contrary, this generous and exquisite taste. Its vasenda from Verzuolo (Cuneo): grape is usually blended with oth- colour is a bright golden with a this is a plain sign that Sauvignon er grape varieties..."- They were hint of straw-yellow, its taste is was relevant for researchers. speaking of "fine" wines that had a pleasant because it is harmonic Sauvignon was also reported in small weight on the whole quanti- and has got an agreeably bitter three agriculture schools (Coneg- ty. It appears that only in the Go- aftertaste; it is a wine that warms liano, Cesena, ) for exper- rizia province Sauvignon wine was you up without pushing into ine- imental purposes. made with that singlevariety. briation. It improves while aging; Mondini believed he had enough Towards the end of 1950s, the first of all it stirs imagination, and information about the grape production of Sauvignon grapes in then it makes you ponder calmly. variety to come to the following Italy was about 10,000 tons; 4,000 It is a pleasant wine also between conclusions: "All in all, Sauvignon tons were produced in the Vicen- meals". growing in Italy is getting good za province, 3,000 in the Parma results, and we may as well con- province, 1,000 in Friuli and the The Seventies sider this variety as an important remaining in other provinces Indicative of Sauvignon impor- part in helping our country to (Cosmo and Polsinelli 1960, 12). tance in Italy during the 1970s remarkably improve production It was a small amount if we is the dissertation about it in the of fine white bottle-wines". in mind that in 1959 the national colossal Enciclopedia agraria Hence Sauvignon was a kind production of wine was above italiana, volume X, published in of "spearhead" and it allowed 1,300 million gallons. 1980. Our grape variety is briefly, to reach such productions that In the same period of time, Pro- coolly and detachedly introduced were considered exclusive at that fessor Italo Cosmo, perhaps the in a short paragraph five times as time. "Fine white wines", even Italian biggest authority on wine- smaller than the paragraph dedi- bottle-wines, were a luxury in making, who inspired the Italian cated to . that age. legislation on wine, suggested However, we are told that it is 22 • 21

The Nineties In 1990 (ISTAT data) there were 7,280 acres of Sauvignon in Italy, 16,929 acres of Sauvignonasse (besides Friuli there was a strong production in Veneto) and more than 212,500 acres of Sangiovese!

A little bit more of wine but much better Nowadays everybody speaks about Sauvignon, but does not expect big surface areas: in 2010 there were in Italy 9,390 acres dedicated to this variety but still 177,174 acres of Sangiovese and almost 49,000 of Glera (Prosec- co). However it is worth underly- ing that the Sauvignon-cultivated area has been increasing during This table, made by Greta Turkovic´ (Ampelografski Atlas 2003), represents a type of Sauvignon with medium-to-large the last forty years: in 1970 there bunches that is very common in France, whereas in Friuli were only 4,448 acres of this vari- prevails the type with medium-to-small straggly bunches. ety. This is an unmistakable sign that the market calls for quality, the real vocation of this grape. registered in the national varie- our product: Bianco of Scandiano ties catalogue (as per Ministerial (Reggio Emilia province), Colli Sauvignon in Decree of 25th of May 1970) and Berici Sauvignon and Colli Bo- that the provinces of Bologna, lognesi Sauvignon. France Bolzano, Como, Ferrara, Gorizia, Outside DOCs our grape variety is Let us make a brief dive in Sauvi- Lucca, Florence, Piacenza, Padua, less demanding. In fact, the above gnon history in France , Parma, Reggio Emilia, mentioned Enciclopedia informs Trieste, Treviso, Udine, Venice us that: "Among table-wines pro- The first certified and Vicenza were allowed to duced using Sauvignon grapes documents grow it. Its grapes produced eight there is the wine produced in the The earliest certified document wines in Controlled Denomination Bosco and Comacchio area in the of the Sauvignon variety is to be of Origin areas, among which province of Ferrara. It is a petil- found in a small seventeenth-cen- three belonged to our region, lant wine, straw-yellow in colour, tury essay (Merlet 1690, 147) in indicating clearly our territorial with an intense and perfumed which we read: Le Sauvignon vocation. This propensity was scent, a dry and slightly bitter fla- est un Raisin noir, assez gros present also in South Tyrol where vour, and 12% alcoholic content". & long, qui est hâtif, a un goust the "Alto Adige Sauvignon" and Therefore we can infer that Sau- tres-relevé & des meilleurs. Le the "Terlano Sauvignon" were vignon had not yet conquered the a les mêmes produced. The remaining three Peninsula, but had nonetheless qualitez, & l'un & l'autre sont wines were less competitive with created a bridgehead. rares et peu connus. 22 • 22

As far as the 19th century is concerned we take into account only this extolling document by Pierre-Constant Guillory: ... le Sauvignon, dont le parfum est si aromatique et si suave qu'il peut être à juste titre considéré comme le premier des raisins blancs (Rapport sur la deu- xième session du Congrès des vignerons français, réuni à Bordeaux, en septembre 1843).

The name It is difficult to say some- thing definite about the origin of the word Sauvignon. The most credited hypothesis so far traces its origin in the French word sauvage, "wild", pronounced differently in some French dialect. Some say that its leafs resemble the ones of the wild grapevine, but if we take a careful look, we Bunch and leaf of Sauvignon in an can see that the leafs of the wild engraving of grapevine have many different the end of the shapes. We suppose that some- 19th century. thing in the way the plant stands From Revue de Viticulture, 1899. or behaves may have reminded the wild grapevine to the un- known vigneron who gave it its The reader must not fort bons raisins, rares & peu name. Another proof is one of the be surprised about a connus). Let us consider Rézeau old synonyms of Sauvignon, Fié, black Sauvignon, since as Pinot, 2000, 329: 1779 Le Sauvignon or Fiers, a vernacular word that its chromatic varieties can be grey produit peu...; 1783-84 Souvi- comes from the ferus “feral, (), black and white. Unlike gnon fumé, ailleurs surin [...] wild”. Pinot, only white Sauvignon is raisin blanc, serré, excellent; common. 1783-84 Le Sauvignon. Le rai- Geographic origin In the following century docu- sin en est très petit, très bon à Since Sauvignon came to Italy mentation increased: for instance manger et à faire du vin mais from the Bordeaux area, where it in 1770 the agronomist and his- capiteux [...] fait un vin excel- is blended to produce Sauternes torian from Dijon Edme Béguillet lent et vif, mais il produit peu; wines, this area is often referred wrote that Sauvignons are very 1785 Sauvignon, C'est, après to as its cradle. But it appears that good grapes but rare and almost les muscats, le raisin le plus it is not precisely so if we think unknown (Les sauvignons, parfumé. about its spreading along the 22 • 23

Loire Valley. In 1901 Cazeaux-Ca- zalet wrote: Il paraît impossible de retrouver l'origine du Sauvi- gnon. Depuis plusieurs siècles, il existait en France dans les vignobles blancs de Sud-Ouest, de l'Ouest et de l'Est... A recent and more categorical opinion is given by Robinson et al. 2012, 952: "Contrary to common belief, Sauvignon Blanc is unlikely to come from the Bordeaux area [...]. Instead it is more likely to have originated from the Val de Loire in France, where its earliest mention appeared under the old synonym Fiers in 1534 in chapter 25 of François Rabelais' Gargan- tua...". Traminer is synonim for , and Sauvignon blanc has a parent-offspring This origin is also supported by relationship with Savagnin. the close relationship between Sauvignon and Savagnin. This is a linguistic link since also Savag- widespread varieties in the Loire wine (Tocai, Madera, , nin appears to have originated Valley, so there are enough evi- , Refosco, Ribolla, etc.). from a French word, probably a dence to believe that it originated patois one, that means "wild". But from this area. Gros Sauvignon and we are more interested in their Petit Sauvignon genetic relationship: "Sauvignon Intermezzo with The early ampelographic descrip- Blanc has a parent-offspring re- Traminer tion of Sauvignons is found in the lationship with Savagnin, which Everybody says until he is blue in works of the above-mentioned explains why the two varieties the face that Traminer originated Cazeaux-Cazalet, who first spoke have sometimes been confused. from Tramin/Termeno, a village about it in Revue de Viticulture Since Savagnin is mentioned of South Tyrol. Since Traminer is (n. 289, 1899), and then inside the much earlier in the literature, it a synonym for Savagnin, which in classical essay Ampélographie by would logically be the parent and turn originated from north-eastern Viala et Vermorel (Tome II, 1901), Sauvignon Blanc the progeny, the France or south-western , which can be consulted from the other parent being unknown. [...] it is an assumption we must reject. Internet. Since Savagnin most likely origi- On the contrary, the explanation Here we overlook red Sauvignon, nated from north-eastern France may be that, since in that part of that it is just an ampelographic and has never been mentioned in Germany the Tramin/Termeno curiosity, and rose Sauvignon western France, Sauvignon Blanc wine was very famous in the past, (or Sauvignon gris), known was probably born somewhere in the grape variety was called after a only to few aficionados, and we between" (Robinson et al. 2012, renown wine. There are countless focus on Sauvignon blanc. 953). The DNA analysis states instances of grape varieties that Nineteenth-century French ampe- that Sauvignon is the "sibling" of have been called after famous lographers distinguished between 24 • 22

Green Sauvignon must Gros Sauvignon also known as Sauvignon (on the left) and Petit Sauvignon also known as Sauvignon jaune are two biotypes of Sauvignon described by not be confused with G. Cazeaux-Cazalet in 1899. The same author gives the same description in Sauvignonasse the second volume of the classical Viala and Vermorel treatise Ampélographie, Some French handbook state published in 1901, from which both pictures were taken. that in Besson, a small munici- pality of 800 inhabitants located in Alvernia, Sauvignonasse was two not so different biotypes: Gros gnon blanc, but synonyms of dif- called , and this Sauvignon and Petit Sauvignon. ferent biotypes in the same variety assertion was enough for some The berries of the first one are Sauvignon blanc. researchers and journalists to greener, bigger and more rounded Petit Sauvignon (Sauvignon spread the synonym. We want than Petit Sauvignon's ones. The jaune) has always been more hereby underline that we cannot second is vulnerable to blossom widespread than Gros Sauvignon take the name that was given to drop (), has a marked (Sauvignon vert), therefore is Sauvignonasse a long time ago taste, it is more sugary and it rip- the first one that came to Italy. in a small village in France and ens before. There are not any other Montanari and Ceccarelli (1943, generalize it, and that Sauvignon relevant differences. 258) also support that: "In France vert must only make reference to However it is very interesting to are grown two subvarieties of Sau- a variety of Sauvignon blanc, i.e. know the precise terminology: vignon called large or green and of sheer Sauvignon. As far as we Gros Sauvignon is also known as small or yellow, whose differences are concerned, it is not possible Sauvignon vert, whereas Petit in shape are limited to the . We to justify the synonym of Zeleni Sauvignon is also called Sau- must notice that the under-variety Sauvignon (green Sauvignon) vignon jaune and Sauvignon mostly grown in the Tre Venezie used in for Sauvignon- fumé. region is the small or yellow one, asse, neither we are seduced by But pay attention: these are not which is prevalent also in its coun- Sauvignon verde the name they synonyms of the variety Sauvi- try of origin". use in for the same variety. 22 • 25

Ups and downs Synonyms From the nineteenth-century As we have already mentioned, works and from how Cazeaux-Ca- Fié or Fiers is a synonym of zalet resumes it in 1901 we can Sauvignon, but the name may infer that the fortune of Sauvi- vary according to the department gnon in France was fluctuating: in which it is cultivated: Blanc it has always benefited from the Fumé, Sauvignon Fumé, Fumé, quality of the wine it produces, Savagnou, Surin. The latter was but it has always been hindered reported in Merlet 1690, 151: Le by its low production. Towards the Surin est une espece de Melié end of the 17th century there was un peu pointu, d'un excellent a decrease in its area of distribu- goust, fort estimé en Auvergne. Along with "great Sauvignons", France tion, as well as of vineyards, due produce more humble ones but still In Italy its roots are old enough to poor productivity. Although in remarkable. This Sauvignon from to go by different synonyms: for the first half of the 19th century Touraine, historic French region, is not instance in the province of Reggio bad at all, has got a good price/quality there was an upswing as we find Emilia it is called Spergolina, or ratio and it can be found in Italian it in many French regions, at the supermarkets. Pellegrina, whereas Sémillon is end of the century, according called Green Spergolina – this to Cazeaux-Cazalet – with the may be another evidence of the exception of the Nièvre region fact that both varieties came where it is used to make the fa- where it was traditionally grown, together from the Bordeaux area mous Pouilly-sur-Loire wine and but it has also expanded to those where they are both grown. Sau- the wine that comes from many French regions where it had nev- vignonasse is also known in this crus of Cosne's arrondissement er been present (for example in area, but it goes by the name of –, its importance had decreased , Corsica and above all Occhio di Gatto "cat's eye". remarkably. It was nowhere to be Languedoc). Our Slovenian neighbours call it found in western and south-west- Galet (2000, 718) writes that cul- Muškatni Silvanec, i.e. a Silvaner ern France, except when it was tivation of Sauvignon in France "". used to make the famous Sau- is constantly increasing, and it ternes, but in small proportion has passed from 13,700 acres in Sauvignon at the (form one eighth to a quarter), to 1958 to 49,357 acres in 1998; in antipodes confer subtlety and aroma. Sau- grapevine-nursery it is the ninth The reader would expect the ternes is make with three quarters variety to be grown with nearly Sauvignon to have made a "trip of Sémillon and a little quantity of six millions of grafted cuttings in around the world", but suffice it . A higher percentage 1999 and the approval of almost to say that this fine variety has of Sauvignon would be a problem twenty clones. spread in all areas where the cli- because the overall production In 2009 Sauvignon reached the mate is fitting for its being grown. would be negatively affected and third position among grape varie- It has achieved a very good exploit both the wine taste and bouquet ties with white berries after Ugni in the near Austria, especially would be too strong (Cazeaux-Ca- Blanc ( toscano) and in , but it has also reached zalet 1901). with 66,320 acres good surface areas in Rumania, Nowadays its situation is im- (Robinson et al. 2012, 954). We , in the Krasnodar area proving again since Sauvignon are also surprised to note that (southern Russia), in , has not only increased in the 28% of French Sauvignon is Chile, , South and number of acres in those areas grown in the Languedoc region. ... However it was at the 26 • 22

Sauvignon has been grown in since 1970s, a century after it was first cultivated in Friuli, but there is a big difference: in Friuli it has always been marginal for , relegated in small production of high quality, and only during the last two decades has it played a supporting role among white wines; in New Zealand it has been a real boom, being the most cultivated grape in the country. The picture shows a stamp from New Zealand celebrating the "discovery" of New Zealand and its hundredth anniversary (1840- 1940): thirty years had to pass before New Zealanders got the Sauvignon "disease".

Bibliography Montanari and Ceccarelli 1952 = antipodes that this variety expe- Viscardo Montanari, Giuseppe Ceccarelli, rienced a sudden growth: in New Supplemento aggiornato sino all’anno Castagnaviz 1980 = Mario Castagnaviz, 1950 [supplement to Montanari and Zealand there are 44,479 acres of La produzione lorda vendibile Ceccarelli 1943], Ispettorato agrario Sauvignon, planted between the dell'agricoltura e delle foreste regionali compartimentale per le Venezie, 1952. nell'anno 1979, Regione autonoma Friuli - Nussi 1969 = Ennio Nussi, Viticoltura ed end of the last century and the be- Venezia Giulia, 1980. enologia nella regione Friuli Venezia ginning of this century. Therefore Cazeaux-Cazalet 1901 = G. Cazeaux- Giulia, Comitato di iniziative agricole della Fiera di Pordenone, Pordenone, 1969. it is a very recent success, but we Cazalet, Sauvignons, in P. Viala et V. Vermorel, Ampélographie, Tome II, 1901. Pascolini 1961 = Giuseppe Pascolini, La hope it may go on for many future Cestari 1997-98 = Ferdinando Cestari, viticoltura nel territorio cividalese centuries. Effetto della densità di piantagione con particolare riferimento alla vite sul comportamento vegetativo e europea innestata su piede americano, riproduttivo della vite cv. Sauvignon graduation thesis, University of Bologna, Conclusion allevata a capovolto, graduation academy year 1960-61. thesis, supervised by professor Enrico Peterlunger et al. 1995 = Enrico The history of mankind has got Peterlunger, academic year 1997-98. Peterlunger, Luca Zulini, Giorgio Braida, many edges and usually only the Cosmo and Polsinelli 1960 = Italo Cosmo, Carlo Petrussi, Augusto Fabbro, Confronto Mario Polsinelli, Sauvignon, Terra fra portinnesti per le cv. Sauvignon e most painful events (wars, suicide friulana, n. 2, marzo - aprile 1960. nella zona D.O.C. bombing) are told; if we started "Colli orientali del Friuli", manuscript, Galet 200 = , Dictionnaire 1985. to see it from the vines' side, encyclopédique des cépages, Hachette, 2000. Petrussi 2013 = Carlo Petrussi, Tocai thinking about the nectar they giallo e Tocai verde: due facce della Lugani 1978 = Valerio Lugani, Friuli are capable of giving us, we may stessa medaglia, in Enos Costantini (a Venezia Giulia, Edizioni Aristea, Milan, cura di), Tocai e Friulano, ERSA / Forum, learn a better concept of mankind 1978. Udine, 2013. and, perhaps, mankind would be Merlet 1690 = Jean Merlet, L'Abrégé Rézeau 2000 = Pierre Rézeau, Le des bons fruits, avec la manière de les dictionnaire des noms de Cépages de better. connoistre, & de cultiver les Arbres, chez France, CNRS Editions, Paris, 2000. Charles de Sercy, Paris, M. DC. XC. Robinson et al. 2012 = Jancis Robinson, Montanari and Ceccarelli 1943 = Viscardo Julia Harding, José Vouillamoz, Wine Montanari, Giuseppe Ceccarelli, La grapes, Harper Collins, , 2012. Acknowledgments Viticoltura e la Enologia nelle Tre Venezie – Memoria statistica, tecnica, Valussi 1961 = Giorgio Valussi, Friuli storica, descrittiva, Arti Grafiche Longo Venezia Giulia, UTET, Turin, 1961. I'm thankful to Carlo Petrussi and Enrico & Zoppelli, Treviso, 1950. [The book was Filaferro, that many (too many) years ago Valussi 1971 = Giorgio Valussi, Friuli ready at the end of 1942, but had not been were schoolmates of mine, for their help. Venezia Giulia, UTET, Turin, 1971. published in 1943, due to war, but only in 1950] Ian D'AGATA 22 • 27

Sauvignon Blanc in Friuli Venezia Giulia

A strong identity, although still a "work in progress"

There is no doubt that Sauvignon Blanc has become the most important traditional white Tgrape variety from which wine is made in Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) today. Clearly, I point out to readers that my use of the word “traditional” in this context is specific and exact: as doc- Notwith- umented brilliantly by Enos standing the Costantini in this same pub- fact that for any Fri- lication, Sauvignon Blanc ulian citizen a glass of sau- has graced FVG vignon is about as traditional as for at least 160 years, it gets, this “international-traditional” thereby making it a distinction is not at all a moot one, but traditional cultivar of FVG, bears enormous importance when tasting and not an international or Friuli Venezia Giulia’s many different recently planted one. Sauvignon Blanc wines. 28 • 22

The "Friuliness" factors: specific grape variety much like France’s qualitative Clearly, there is very much a FVG used, differences in , and ENTAV108 clone, both have been “style” of Sauvignon Blanc, which winemaking choices, that I shall planted all over the world and are may be summarized as being analyze here. This all makes for now the most commonly grown weightier than (Loire) fascinating possibilities in the Sauvignon Blancs. The R3 is but less aromatically pungent than realm of present and future wine- characterized by very high vigour New Zealand’s. In fact, Lamberto making with the Sauvignon Blanc but low productivity, and has very Frescobaldi of the famous Tuscan grape variety in FVG, something small bunches. It is a member of estate of the same name and now that we are already witnessing. the “green” sub-family of Sauvi- owner of the FVG estate Attems, gnon Blancs with wines exuding likes to say that FVG Sauvignon Biotypes and clones intense aromas and flavours of Blanc wines are absolutely unique The specific biotypes and clones green fig, passion fruit, sage and due to their combination of per- of Sauvignon Blanc growing in rosemary, as opposed to the rich- fume, structure and minerality. In FVG are of remarkable impor- er, deeper, rounder aromas and fact, the region’s Sauvignon Blanc tance, and I dare say characterize flavours exhibited by wines made wines fall somewhere in between the final wines more so than with with the “French” sub-family of the two recognized French-New almost any other cultivar planted Sauvignon Blanc (such as the VCR Zealand icons for this wine, and in FVG today. Sauvignon Blanc 236 and 237 clones). There are it behooves FVG producers and grapevines differ mainly because however many other interesting governing forces to broadcast this of morphological aspects (espe- clones available, such as the VCR fact as much as possible. In other cially the size of the bunch and of 195, VCR191 and ISV F 5 or the words, there is a “Friuliness” to the grapes) and of organoleptic French clone 530, and numerous Sauvignon Blanc that has not qualities of the final wines (some potentially great massal selections come to be for FVG’s Chardonnay are more vegetal and pungent such as those called Runc, Ante- wines (I would submit that FVG’s than others, such as Rauscedo’s na, GN, and G1. However as many Pinot Bianco also has a some- R3 clone, or rather biotype). Old of the vineyards planted with whereness typical to the region and new vineyards planted to these are still young (still less that ought to be evidentiated Sauvignon Blanc in FVG are made than 10 or 15 years of age), the much further by all involved). up of very different grapevines, jury is out as to what the wines This specific somewhereness is something apparent to anybody will be really like. an increasingly important card to bothering to take a walk through play for the region on world mar- the vineyards. Hence, it follows The health status kets everywhere. that even wine made in exactly Putting terroir and winemaking Clearly, over the centuries, the same manner from grapes issues aside for a moment, health Sauvignon Blanc has adapted re- grown a short distance away from status of the grapevines will also markably well to FVG climate and each other risk being very differ- contribute to determining a wine’s soils, and the wine is remarkably ent as well. FVG’s main Sauvignon organoleptic profile. In this light, successful. Even more interest- Blanc is the R3, originally selected it is interesting to know that the ing is that, within a definitely by Rauscedo in 1969 from an old health status of Sauvignon Blanc recognizable “Friuli-style” of Sau- vineyard in the Friuli Grave area grapevines in FVG has been ana- vignon Blanc, there are however of the region. So though referred lyzed in two successive stages differences between FVG’s many to as a clone, this is not exact, as over the last forty years. First in Sauvignon Blanc wines that I find it was born from a massal selec- the 1960s, and again in the 1990s, fascinating. These diversities tion and then cloned. Undoubted- but only in these latter years are essentially due to three main ly a high quality Sauvignon Blanc, were modern identification tech- 22 • 29

ENTAV 108 express 91 and 121 µg/L respectively. However, while R3 and ENTAV 108 express the largest amounts of linalool (and hence wines redolent in aromas and flavours of musk, balsamic herbs, lavender and bergamot), geraniol (rose) concentrations are highest in wines made with VCR236, 237 and 328. On the other hand, citronellol (aromas and flavours of geranium and rose) concentrations are higher in wines made with VCR237 and ENTAV 108. Clearly, these aroma molecules can exist in both free and conjugated (glycosylated) forms, leading to wines that are meant for earlier drinking (those especially rich in free nologies such as ELISA and PCR the same technology is now being compounds) and those that are tests used. By using these more applied to many of the R3 grape- more ageworthy (those richer in precise, up-to-date techniques, vines planted all over the region in glycosylated molecules). A good it was discovered that many FVG order to verify their viral status as knows how to pull out Sauvignon Blanc grapevines long well and those studies are under of each grapevine he works with held to be both viticulturally and way. what each can actually give. enologically interesting were in In fact, while winemaking has fact virus-affected (as is quite An aromatic perspective always been extremely impor- often the case, in fact), but did From an aromatic perspective, tant in the world of wine (let’s not pass modern-day health these different clones yield very remember that a grape’s natural status standards. In fact, of 866 different results. For example, tendency when left on its own is Sauvignon Blanc biotypes studied and not surprisingly, it is the not to make wine, but vinegar) it from all over the region, only a R3 and ENTAV108 clones, not has become even more so in the few were deemed virus-free, with by chance viewed as the two last ten years. This is because only six passing the Elisa test and most successful, that express of a better understanding of four the PCR test. Of these, only the highest concentrations of how to go about saving, or even VCR 328 (the “Czech” clone of terpens in general, but there are amplifying the aroma molecules Sauvignon Blanc, but in fact very noteworthy differences between just discussed. Clearly, the impor- similar in its organoleptic profile the many Sauvignon Blanc clones tance of thiols, sulfur-containing to R3) has now been officially ac- in the kind of terpens, such as molecules, has only recently cepted for planting, and VCR 236 linalool and geraniol, expressed. been appreciated but their rele- and 237 (native of the Ipplis of So while average terpen con- vance is paramount to Sauvignon area of FVG) ought centrations expressed by most Blanc wines. These molecules, to be approved shortly (while VCR Sauvignon Blanc clones range though they need oxygen for 389 is still under study). Clearly between 60-70 µg/L, R3 and activation, will be burned off 30 • 22

A work in progress All of the above helps understand the many different Sauvignon Blanc wines possible in FVG (or anywhere else, for that matter). In fact, for Giorgio Badin, owner of the Ronco del Gelso estate in the Isonzo DOC and one of FVG’s and Italy’s best white wine producers, Sauvignon Blanc wines are still very much a “work in progress” in the region. He says that: “Cur- rently, we still haven’t gotten to a definitive FVG-style of Sauvignon Blanc, though there is certainly a discernible style evident through- out the region’s wines. However, today it is still a matter of not just one FVG Sauvignon Blanc, but rather the Sauvignon of Vie di Romans versus the Sauvignon of Russiz or that of Volpe Pas- extremely quickly in oxidative, rich in sotolone (a molecule ini, which are wines that express high temperature environments. reminiscent of curry and resin, producer philosophies more than Therefore, picking grapes at op- aromas and flavours now found those of the terroir or the region. timal maturity is absolutely key in white wines made all over the Just like you say, there are those in making Sauvignon Blanc wines world regardless of place or cul- amongst us who don’t mind a little that are aromatically pungent and tivar) just as red wines are rich oxygen contact with the must, intense. Overipeness means not in methyl-nonadienone (aromas and those who avoid it altogether; just a loss of water by the grapes, and flavours of ripe plum even there are those who very but the increased permeability of prune). early, and those who harvest late, the skins subjected to longtime These compounds are now found and all this leads to quite different heat and also allows oxygen in wines made from superripe wines”. But Badin is also quick inside the , thereby permit- grapes and they completely sub- to point out the positive ting the oxidation of the aromas vert the idea of true cultivar and about all of this: “Clearly, it means and flavor molecules contained terroir expression. In fact, only that Sauvignon Blanc has adapted within. Grapes that have lost recently, with the establishment very well to our region and that their permeability are the site of of hyper-reductive winemaking it can give many different very formation of substances leading techniques in the cellar, has the worthwhile wines as a result of to different aromas and flavours importance of thiol preservation this adaptation to our soils and mi- that are then going to be found in become apparent to all, leading croclimates. Furthermore, on aver- wines but that are neither typical to Sauvignon Blanc wines that age, FVG is blessed with a climate of that variety nor of the terroir are fresher, more aromatically warm enough for grapes to ripen it is grown in. For example, white interesting and complex (and not fully, so it is rare to taste FVG wines made in this manner are just in FVG). Sauvignon Blanc wines that reek 22 • 31

of green bell pepper, artichoke or asparagus”. Gianfranco Gallo of the prestigious Vie di Romans es- tate has a similar view. “Sauvignon Blanc has very high phenotypic variability, and expression of its genetic potential will be heavily influenced by and cultivation techniques. But I also agree that climate is a very important factor. In the Loire, situated at roughly 50° latitude N, the fresh continental climate means grapes that have trouble reaching optimal ripeness, so pyrazinic green bell pepper notes are common in the wines made there, while this rarely happens in well made FVG Sauvignon Blanc wines. It’s not that one is better copy the Sauvignon Blanc wines in the Collio DOC area, and his than the other, but they are cer- of other regions, for ours is very vineyards are located in a much tainly going to be very different much unique and typical of its cooler area than those located in wines. specific area”. Buttrio or Capriva for example, In New Zealand, for example, so the ensuing wines will be very even though the Marlborough area So many different. Venica also believes the is located at similar latitude as Therefore, not just specific Sauvi- nearby plays an im- FVG (46° S), the oceanic climate gnon Blanc biotypes or clones and portant role, as he finds notewor- allows for cultivation of Sauvignon winemaking techniques utilized thy saline notes in FVG Sauvignon Blanc on very fertile soils rich in are important, but terroir is too, Blancs that are not always found organic matter, in relatively cool as always. Soils allowing for easy elsewhere. environments with low rainfall ac- water stress or thick clay alluvial tivity. The resulting wines are very flatland soils are not ideal, for ex- A definite regional aromatically intense, even savage ample. But it’s a lot more compli- identity (a term that harkens back to the cated than that, for in the Isonzo In ultimate analysis it should ap- grape’s name, deriving from the DOC alone there are at least four pear clear to all that while FVG’s French word “sauvage”). main different types and two Sauvignon Blancs may still be a In FVG, though we are situated different . Gravel work in progress, there is a definite in a northern position, the co-ex- and some clay are necessary to regional identity to them all and istence of two climatic areas, the allow for structure and minerality that the wines have proven amaz- Mediterranean and the sub-alpine in the wines. Things can be taken ingly successful and popular to continental, allows for the variety to a whole other level as well: date. It is likely we will hear a great to produce aromas and flavours Gianpaolo Venica of the famous deal more about FVG Sauvignon typical of both the Loire and New Venica&Venica estate likes to Blanc as vineyards age and wine- Zealand, a huge bonus for us. And point out that there are something making techniques become more all FVG producers should avoid to like 50 different microclimates uniform throughout the region. 32 • 22

Vineyards in Montsclapade, in the municipality of Premariacco. 22 • 33

Ian D’AGATA

The Grape Varieties and Wines of Friuli Venezia Giulia

I have long been in love with Fri- However, where FVG does locals from grapes that grow wild), but uli Venezia Giulia (FVG). Friulian and visitors the greatest service only Piedmont makes as many Iby way of mother, I spent the is in the realm of food and wine different wines from native summers of my youth walking the lovers. The delicious regional grapes in commercially signifi- ponca, that marly-arenaceous soil cuisine is brimming with dishes cant numbers as does FVG. Wine that characterizes the Friuli Colli (, cjalsons, potizza, guba- lovers everywhere can look with Orientali DOC around Udine and na, and many others) you won’t confidence to FVG for a bevy the Collio DOC around Gorizia. find anywhere else in Italy, and of great wines to choose from, The scenery is wonderful, with the wines deservedly enjoy a white or red, dry or sweet, spar- forests, babbling brooks, and reputation as some of Italy’s best. kling or still; in fact, FVG truly lots of wildlife everywhere, and In fact, relative to native wine offers a wine for every palate. plenty of delightful architecture grapes, there is no region in Italy The following review summa- and history going back to ancient that can claim more different rizes FVG’s most famous and Roman times. After all, Cividale, grape varieties than FVG. True, abundant grape varieties, as well one of the prettiest towns in all , Piedmont and Valle as less well known ones, but for of FVG, was founded as Forum d’Aosta are also especially rich all of which there is at least one Julii by none other than Julius in native cultivars (cultivars are monovarietal bottling commer- Caesar himself. cultivated , different cially available for sale. 34 • 22

Friuli Venezia Giulia’s most common grape varieties and wines

MALVASIA ISTRIANA well developed stalks and rather A grape and wine in any large berries. The best soils are port rocky, clay and nutrient-poor, There can be no doubt that of and the choice of rootstock is of Italy’s seventeen, mostly unrelated paramount importance. While less Malvasia varieties, the best one vigorous ones might be intuitively with which to make dry white be the ones to pick, in reality Bunch of grapes of Malvasia Istriana wines is FVG’s Malvasia Istriana mid-vigorous rootstocks are better (or Malvasia Friulana). Photograph by (or Malvasia Friulana). In the able to handle conditions of water Claudio Mattaloni. region it is used to make a wine stress in gravelly terrains, espe- generically labeled malvasia, with cially in warm . Consid- the DOC name attached; there- ering that much Malvasia Istriana derive from the cultivation tech- fore, you’ll find Carso Malvasia, is planted on the Isonzo’s gravel nique, soil fertility, meth- Collio Malvasia, Isonzo Malvasia terrains, that is something worth ods, and harvest timing, though and so forth. Like all Malvasias keeping in mind. Clay-rich soils the single most important aspect and their wines, it has a long and are too water retentive, and as the is the generosity of yields; unless distinguished history: just like variety does poorly in excessively yields are kept low, the aromatic with , the wine was humid soils, these are best avoid- nature of Malvasia Istriana is lost so famous that everybody wanted ed. Fertile, rich soils also are not in the wines. Admittedly, there to plant a Malvasia variety and ideal, as resulting wines tend to be also exist in FVG different bio- everyone wanted their wine to be neutral and low in acidity. types of Malvasia Istriana which made with a Malvasia. And just can account for part of the differ- like with the Grecos, more often The wine ences found in the finished wines. than not there was no Malvasia at Wines made from Malvasia - Which is a shame, for Malvasia all either in the vineyards or the na in FVG can be very different. Istriana is especially rich in aro- wines. The grapevines are differ- While some are neutral and very matic molecules such as noriso- ent from other Malvasias grown mineral, others are incredibly prenoids, which over the course of in Italy, and actually they can aromatic, not unlike a dry Moscato the years bring to the fore aromas look different within FVG as well. Bianco (White Muscat). Carso of apricot, and wisteria; Some Malvasia Istriana I have seen Malvasia wines are especially fa- with more aging still (wines can over the years are characterized mous for their intense mineralily easily last and improve for eight by very compact and very large and austere mouthfeels, but many to ten years), dihydronapthalene bunches, with wings and without, others display rich mouthfeels and becomes more apparent, the typ- but there are also loosely-packed intensely aromatic notes. These ical diesel fuel characteristic of ones too. They all have very different organoleptic profiles Riesling wines. 22 • 35

MALVASIA ISTRIANA bunch is due to floral abor- (OR MALVASIA FRIULANA) tion, or partial sterility of Cluster. Size: medium; shape: cylindri- the male pollen; the gynoidal cal, with one very small wing, sparse. Berry. Size: medium; shape: round; lead to unreliable skin: thin but resistant, yellow-green. fruit set and hence carry Harvest: medium-early. Clones: ISV Conegliano 1, ISV-F6, only a few berries as a result. VCR 4, ERSA FVG 120, ERSA FVG This characteristic of the variety 121, VCR 113, VCR 114, VCR 115, is an important one, as it caused ERSA FVG 122, ERSA FVG 123, 2007 ISV-VA 101. Clones VCR4, 120, 121 cultivation of to decline and 115 appear to be particularly greatly in the 19th century, due to successful (they offer the best ba- Bunch of grapes of Picolit. Illustration lance between vigour and aromatic from Pomona italiana ossia Trattato the difficulties in producing any personality). degli alberi fruttiferi by Giorgio Gallesio, commercially sensible quantity of Specific characteristics/requirements: 1839. wine. generally speaking a regular, high yielding variety, it prefers compact Actually, Picolit presents a great poor soils, and is disease-resistant deal of intravarietal variability, (perhaps only oidium can prove a problem). sencia. Most important, because a condition that won’t surprise of the very fact that Picolit has those who realize it’s an extremely graced FVG soil for centuries, it ancient variety. Consequently, PICOLIT is also one of the very few Italian it’s likely that Picolit has built up The ugly duckling is cultivars closely associated with many mutations over the centu- very much a swan specific high quality viticultural ries, explaining different pheno- Is Picolit Italy’s greatest wine? areas, something that modern types. Besides modern clones that Luigi Veronelli, Italy’s most famous day DOCG legislature has unfor- have further muddled the picture wine writer ever certainly believed tunately failed to recognize. And (some Picolits now have atypical- so. It is also my favourite Italian though it pains me to say so, it is ly large bunches and plenty of ber- grape of all. Historically, it was extremely sad that the great grand ries and in my view, shouldn’t real- common only in FVG’s Friuli Colli crus for Picolit, Cialla, Rocca Ber- ly be allowed to be called Picolit at Orientali (despite what people narda, Rosazzo, and Savorgnano all) there are Picolits with a green might think and wine writers re- are not recognized officially (Cialla stalk and bright yellow berries, port today, it was not at all typical is the lone exception) on labels others with a red stalk and smaller of the Collio or Friuli Grave, for nowadays. It’s a huge missed op- berries, and others still that have example), though in decades past portunity: sort of like owning vines an even darker, blood red stalk as small lots were made in regions in Musigny or Bernkastel’s Doctor described by Pietro di Maniago as far away as Veneto, , vineyard and not being able to already back in 1823 (Andrea Fel- Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. write it on the label. luga of the famous Livio Felluga One of Italy’s oldest native varie- Picolit’s name derives from Fri- winery believes the best of these ties, though official documentation ulian picolit 'small stalk', while to be the red stalked biotype). of it dates to the 17th century only, time ago it was thought that The two people who have done it is also one of the very few Italian it came from Italian adjective most for Picolit and its wines grapes and wines with a noble his- piccolo, ‘small’. In fact, Picolit’s throughout the centuries were tory. In fact, Picolit’s golden, sweet grape cluster is not just small, but two noblemen, in fact both wine was a long a fixture in the scrawny, with very few berries (a , Count Fabio Asquini and royal courts of , praised normal grape bunch has 100-200 Count Gaetano Perusini. The as much as Château d’Yquem berries, while Picolit normally former brought Picolit great fame or ’s famous Tokaji Es- has fifteen or less). The scrawny and attention all over Europe, 36 • 22

mouthcoat- PICOLIT ing, though Grape/wine colour: white. some wines of Cluster. Size: very small; shape: conical-cylindrical, usually winged, decades past, extremely sparse. made by late Berry. Size: very small; shape: sphe- harvesting the roidal; skin: very thin, bright yellow- gold (you can see the pips through grapes left the translucent skin). on the vines Clones: ISV Conegliano 1, ISV-F4, ISV–F6. by producers Harvest: late September/early Oc- brave enough tober. to confront Specific requirements/characteristics: needs good, warmer exposures; FVG’s fickle its scrawny bunch allows air drying (and rainy) directly on the vine, provided Rocca Bernarda estate. Here Giacomo autumn , were also mag- is not a problem. The variety is Perusini, at the beginning of the characterized by strong vigour, but 1900s brought back Picolit just as it nificent. Unfortunately, for the unfortunately it pushes growth of the was disappearing. His son Gaetano reasons discussed above, there shoots rather than grape production, promoted various experimentations on just can’t be much Picolit wine which is extremely low, and can be this variety and kept up its prestige. plagued by low acidity levels. Photograph by Stefano Zanini. available: even the region’s big- gest producer, La Roncaia, rarely bottling his wines in hand-blown exceeds 6,000 three hundred and Murano glass bottles, while the seventy-five mL bottles a year, PICULIT NERI latter successfully brought Picolit and most produces rarely make Not your usual Picolit back to life in the 1950s, at a time over 1,000 half bottles a year. So Piculit Neri is a lovely if confus- when interest in a scrawny, poorly it’s still very hard, for foreigners ing little grape. It is not related productive variety was of no in- especially, to drink a Picolit show- to Picolit: the two are not mu- terest to anyone. Perusini actively ing what the variety and wine tations or biotypes. It is also selected and planted the healthi- are capable of. Last but not least, not the same variety as Refosco est looking ‘Picolit’ vines he could ill-advised but well meaning leg- Gentile or Refosco di Rauscedo, find in the hillside vineyards of his islature has decreed that DOCG as once believed. Nowadays most family’s Rocca Bernarda castle. Picolit can be made by using only experts agree that it is a closer a minimum 80% Picolit, not at relative of Refosco Nostrano, The wine all a good idea because buying a perhaps even a biotype, but in Picolit is the ultimate “ugly duck- Picolit wine that smells or tastes my opinion, the two grapevines ling” grape that once turned into of Sauvignon Blanc is completely look completely different and wine, will fly like a swan; in fact, pointless. Instead, a good Picolit is the wines couldn’t be farther it’s potentially one of the world’s characterized by a refinement and removed from each other as well. best sweet wines. Potentially, be- grace that is uncommon in most We don’t have much historical cause much Picolit wine was and sweet wines; not just sweet and information on Piculit Neri. Ap- is not as good as it should be. The velvety, but showcasing an amaz- parently, it was on display at the end result being that consumers ing lightness of being with deli- grapevine fairs organized by the lost interest in a wine that wasn’t/ cious acacia honey, ripe tropical Friulian Agrarian Association isn’t worth the high prices asked fruit, fresh citrus and white of Udine in 1863 and 1921 and for it. Today it is made especial- aromas and flavours. It doesn’t considered typical of the area ly via air-drying, which means age especially well, but why defer around Castelnovo, and was also Picolit wines are very rich and gratification? cited in Pirona’s "Vocabulary of 22 • 37

PICULIT NERI Grape/wine colour: red. Cluster. Size: small; shape: cylindrical- conical, compact, with one small wing. Berry. Size: medium-small; shape: round; skin: thick, blue-black, with little bloom. Harvest: late September/early Oc- tober. Specific requirements/characteristics: vigorous; good resistance to most diseases except grey rot, despite its relatively thick skins.

Bunches of grapes of Piculit Neri ready The Pignolo variety always has an for harvesting. indented leaf. The three biotypes that stand out within the variety differ in the size of the leaf and for vigour. This painting by Tiburzio Donadon the Friuli Language" ( Vocabola- PIGNOLO accompanies Guido Poggi’s Atlante rio friulano) of 1871 and 1935. Abbey road ampelografico published in 1939. Historically, it was grown mainly on the right bank of the Taglia- It is thanks to the Abbazia di show that the wine was used as a mento river around the town Rosazzo, or Abbey of Rosazzo, that welcoming gift for visiting nota- of San Vito and as far as Schio we can still speak of Pignolo and bles as early as the 14th century. In (near Vicenza) in Veneto. A its wines today. An abbey vineyard the 18th century dithyramb Bacco vigorous variety, farmers appar- worker named Casasola selected in Friuli, Pignolo was especially ently appreciated its dependable, the grapevines that looked differ- singled out for the quality of its abundant production and gener- ent from all others, and that made wines, and modern day experts alized disease resistance. a very good wine; he therefore such as Dalmasso also believed it avoided Pignolo becoming extinct. to be a high quality grapevine. The wine In the early 20th century, most There are apparently three dif- Piculit Neri wines were always experts recommended against ferent biotypes of this cultivar: much sought after due to their Pignolo’s cultivation (though one with a heavily indented leaf finesse. In fact, the wine can be Poggi praised the variety in 1939) (not very productive), one with a excellent, and in my experience because of the extremely tightly lobed leaf, and one with a leaf that considerably better than many packed grape bunch that acts es- shows a degree of indentation in other made with native FVG red sentially as a rot magnet in years between that of the previous two grapes, if for no other reason of poor weather (Pignolo’s name and is slightly more productive. because of much more refined derives from its very small and All three need relatively warm . The aromas and flavours compact bunch, reminiscent of weather to ripen completely, and are mainly those of underbrush, a pine cone or pigna, in Italian). all are best planted on the top part red currant and chestnuts, with Add to that tannins of uncommon of hills where ventilation makes sweet spice notes. We would not brutality (indeed, Pignolo wines grey rot less of a problem. have Piculit Neri to talk about are some of the most tannic in today if it weren’t for the passion all Italy) and you understand The wine and dedication of Emilio Bulfon, why people couldn’t be bothered. Pignolo has lived a remarkable a producer who, to his everlasting However, in earlier times Pignolo turnaround, and from the 1950s credit, resurrected many local was very highly thought of: official when it was virtually desapareci- FVG natives from oblivion. documents of the city of Udine do, it is now grown in many parts 38 • 22

of FVG. However, it is still most abundant around the towns of Al- bana, Premariacco, Prepotto and Rosazzo in the Friuli Colli Orienta- li. It is not an especially easy vari- ety to work with due to its wealth of polyphenols, as the high osmot- ic pressure of the must creates a very unfriendly environment for , and so stuck fermentations are not unheard of with Pignolo. Pignolo is considered to be one of FVG’s red grapes with the best Bunches of grapes of Refosco dal Stem of a leaf of Refosco dal potential, though I wonder if that Peduncolo Rosso. Peduncolo Rosso. isn’t due just to the fact it can give wines of great structure, that are, by definition, always considered REFOSCO DAL be related to Refosco Nostrano. to be “important”. In my expe- PEDUNCOLO ROSSO By far the best summary available rience, it takes many years for Old reliable anywhere on this variety is by Pignolo wines to smoothen out (at The very red stalk (once the Claudio Fabbro who wrote a mag- least eight or nine years in truly grapes are fully ripe) gives this va- nificent scholarly work in 2005 on monovariety examples) and to riety its name. Refosco del Pedun- the Refoscos and the history of showcase delicious blackberry and colo Rosso is FVG’s best known the Friuli viticulture. blueberry aromas and flavours, red grape, first called so in 1877, Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso does and a very noteworthy mineral to differentiate it from the many well in most soil type but prefers edge. For these reasons, some other Refosco varieties that were nutrient poor, calcareous-clay producers have taken to air-drying also grown in the region through- soils and hillside locations. The the grapes, in an effort to obtain out the centuries. It was always later are all important because fleshier, rounder wines. One held in high esteem by local grow- otherwise the variety’s very wonders if others don’t cut it with ers and winelovers because the vigorous nature takes over and hefty doses of smoother Merlot wines are were good (already in vines are thin, dilute and green. wine, though nobody seems to do 1939 Poggi had written that this And Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso so, if you listen to producers. Refosco variety was the one worth really does need to ripen fully well concentrating efforts on thanks in order to avoid vegetal aromas to the superior quality of wine it and flavours that you’d typically PIGNOLO produced), and because it tends associate with the Cabernets. Bunch. Size: small; shape: cylindrical, to ripen one to two weeks earlier compact. than other red grapes of FVG. The wine Berry. Size: medium-small; shape: round; skin: thick, blue-black. Recent genetic data has revealed Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso is Harvest: late September/early Oc- that Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso most common in FVG, though it tober. is related to other varieties such also grows in Veneto. The best Specific requirements/characteristics: very sensitive to oidium; in really old as , Primitivo and Mon- wines to try are those of the DOC vineyards the vines are ungrafted, a tepulciano, while Piculit Neri, a Friuli Colli Orientali del Friuli, rarity, for Pignolo is very sensitive to variety once believed to be closely though there are increasingly . related to it as well, is now felt to noteworthy wines being made in 22 • 39

REFOSCO DAL PEDUNCOLO ROSSO Cluster. Size: medium-large; sha- pe: pyramidal, one very small wing, sparse. Berry. Size-medium; shape: sphe- roidal-oval; skin: thin but resistant, very dark blue. Harvest: medium-late. Clones: ISV-F1, ISV-F4 Toppani (one of the most planted for its wines are more complex and age best; less vigorous), VCR 14 (the least sensitive to Botrytis), ERSA FVG 400 (slightly less productive than the rest; complex wines), ERSA FVG 401 Villa Chiozza (wines with more floral notes), ERSA Scodovacca "the Territory of FVG 402, ERSA FVG 403, VCR 473, Refosco". The soil and the climate ERSA FVG 404, ERSA FVG 405. of Scodovacca, a village in the Specific requirements/characteristics: municipality of Cervignano, make drought and cold weather resistant, it possible for the Refosco dal but susceptible to peronospora; low Peduncolo Rosso to express all its fertility of the basal buds. Bunch of grapes of Refosco Nostrano. organoleptic potentialities.

Friuli Grave, Friuli Annia, Friuli REFOSCO NOSTRANO Refosco di growers. There Isonzo and Friuli . Some Long confused with Refoscone, are roughly 25 estates involved of the western DOC areas of FVG in the not too distant past am- in the association (there’s only can be a little too cold and rainy pelographers such as Poggi and about 30 producers in all making in some years for Refosco del Marzotto thought the two varieties wine from this grape) and they Peduncolo Rosso to ripen fully, so identical, but we know today that have agreed to general guidelines know your vintages. Refosco del two are completely different vari- by which to make the wine so Peduncolo Rosso makes the most eties. In fact, there are numerous as to avoid the problems that complex of all Refosco varieties: FVG producers today who consid- have plagued more famous wines black cherries, dried red cherries, er the two identical even to this such as or Vino Nobile di fresh herbs and flowers (lavender, day, but this is incorrect. Refosco (where it seems geranium, violet) are commonly Nostrano is grown all over Friuli, almost every grape variety has found in every glass of well made but especially in the province of been allowed into the blend so Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso Udine, near the town of Faedis that wines are completely different wine. Well made is the key word and understandably, local growers and don’t resemble each other at here, as Refosco del Peduncolo would much prefer to call the all, generating only confusion and Rosso is a reductive variety and grapevine and wine Refosco di disaffection in the wine loving pub- working with stainless steel can Faedis. The variety prefers dry lic). The estates have even agreed be a problem, unless air contact is clay-alluvial sites, but suffers wa- on the same label, with the name allowed in the immediate post-- ter stress easily. of the estate written in freehand mentation phase, for otherwise on the front label and admittedly, off-odours will develop easily. For The wine far more legibly on the back label. this reason, many estates prefer to Refosco Nostrano wines have Wines made with Refosco Nostrano use small oak in the vinifi- rebounded back with a venge- don’t have the complexity of those cation process. ance thanks to the association of made with Refosco del Peduncolo 40 • 22

Rosso, but have finer tannins and less steep, low yielding hillside are usually devoid of the intensely vineyards, a dry white wine can be green and vegetable notes of wines made that is light and lively and a made with unripe Refosco del to drink. Peduncolo Rosso, so that’s a real Ribolla Gialla (or yellow Ribolla) is plus. The wine has lovely notes of so-called because there also exists blueberry, sweet dark plums and a Ribolla Verde, less qualitative and violet. I think there’s a huge future less common in Italy (Di Rovasen- for Refosco Nostrano and its pro- da also mentioned a Ribolla , ducers, who unlike many in Italy, but this was most likely another, show signs of being able to work unrelated variety, also mentioned together; the road won’t be an easy by Zava in 1901). Ribolla Gialla has or a short one, but the future is in always been believed to be an ex- their favour. tremely ancient cultivar grown in Bunches of grapes of Ribolla Gialla against the sun setting on the Collio. FVG and native to the hills of Gori- REFOSCO NOSTRANO zia, but also common in nearby Slo- Cluster. Size: large; shape: pyra- venia’s Goriška Brda, but it is most midal, long, sometimes winged, Unfortunately, given the cultivar’s likely people have always confused midcompact. Berry. Size-medium-large; shape: mind-bending acidity levels, the the wine named “Ribolla” with the spheroidal skin: thick, blue-black. variety is also used today to make grape variety. In fact, there is no Harvest: mid-October. large volumes of a simple sparkler official documentation anywhere of Clones: VCR 5, VCR 470, VCR 471, VCR 472. meant to duke it out with Prosecco a Ribolla Gialla or Verde grapevine Specific requirements/characteristics: (rather successfully I may add), anywhere in medieval times. The resistant to diseases; abundant and while others have turned it into the first mention of Ribolla Gialla was dependable producer. “orangest” of Italian wines. probably Pietro de Maniago’s in his The latter wines made by long skin 1823 catalogue, in which he also RIBOLLA GIALLA contact and even aging in terracot- described, albeit briefly, Ribolla The wine of summer ta amphoras, are the new darlings Verde. In past centuries, “ribolla” Ribolla Gialla is potentially one of the wine press (always looking was a name most often used to of Italy’s best white wines, but for the latest fad to write about) describe a wine that was very pres- the problem is it has become the but the truth is that the majority tigious and costly (for example, the darling of experimentally minded of people I talk to and go out to governing body of the city of Udine producers bent on turning into dinner with want their white wines used ribolla as a welcome gift for something it doesn’t necessarily to be white, and have very little visiting notables; in 1568 the Duke have to be. Today, just about every patience or interest in white wines of Bavaria received “28 bocce di imaginable type of wine can and that behave as red wines. malvasia e 26 bocce di rabiola is made from Ribolla Gialla: white, In Italy, Ribolla Gialla grows only [i.e. ribolla].”); for this reason, orange, dry, sweet, sparkling. In my in FVG, and even in this region it much like with the many unrelated view the grape shows best when it is limited essentially to two DOC Grecos and Malvasias of Italy, is used to make a delightfully light areas, the Friuli Colli Orientali and Ribolla varieties and wines sprung white wine of sneaky concentra- the Collio. Grown in flatland vine- up everywhere. tion, with white floral and citrus yards, it can produce huge volumes In nearby Slovenia and , aromas and flavours; a really good of mainly high-acid, neutral grapes the variety is often called Rebula, Ribolla Gialla wine will also carry giving watery and insipid wines. but this is an incorrect, as there a delicate note of white pepper. Instead, when grown on more or are numerous different Rebula 22 • 41

SCHIOPPETTINO Short excerpt of a document dated 1420, written in Friulian, that reports the rents paid to a brotherhood of Cividale del Friuli. The rents were mainly in kind such An explosively great red as cereals and wine. In this case, as you can read on the left, the wine is Ribolla wine (written Ribuello) and the quantity due for the rent of a vineyard on the hill of During my university years, I fell Gagliano (uno vigno puesto su la mont di gaglian) was of almost eighty litres. in love with this wine and began buying and collecting Schioppet- varieties and Rebula biotypes yards are located at higher altitudes tinos from every producer and and clearly not all are identical to and in a cooler microclimate, are every (there wasn’t much Ribolla Gialla (for example, Rebula, mineral, lemony and higher acid. being made then, Rebula Briška and Rebula-Old are Ribolla Gialla wines will always be so my university student budget homonyms, not synonyms), though best when made from grapes grown allowed me to do so), and regu- Ribolla Gialla and Rebula Briška in poorly fertile soils and rich in larly visited producers. are certainly very closely related. mineral salts, such as the areas Consequently, I have built up around Buttrio, Rocca Bernarda, a significant experience with The wine Spessa, Dolegna del Collio and San both variety and wine, and still Ribolla Gialla is typical of FVG, Floriano (near Oslavia). today Schioppettino is one of my and the best and easiest to find are In my opinion, Ribolla is one of favourite red wines of all. And those labelled Friuli Colli Orientali Italy’s greatest light-bodied white when the Association of Schio- Ribolla or Collio Ribolla, which are wines, and one of the greatest ppettino Producers of Prepotto also the only two DOCs of monova- summertime wines around, but the asked me to lead and moderate rietal Ribolla. Just like with Picolit, variety’s versatility and generosity the first ever conference dedicat- it is not surprising that an ancient are such that far too many different ed to the variety and guide two and famous wine such as ribiolla/ wines, of greatly varied quality lev- never before organized vertical Ribolla would closely be associated els, are made with it. tastings, my love for Schioppet- with specificcrus . But when made from grapes grown and its wines had come full This is an important and unique in hillside vineyards and low yields, circle. feature of Ribolla (and Picolit) with low fermentation temper- Believe it or not, as recently as wines, and not at all common, for atures and avoiding all oak (too 1976, Schioppettino was an out- example, of some of Italy’s most dominant for a delicate grape and lawed variety, but the inhabitants famous wines such as Brunello di wine), it is a memorable wine per- of the town of Prepotto (along Montalcino or della Val- fect for summertime sipping. with Albana and Cialla, one of the policella, in which specific vineyard three grand crus for the variety) sites become renowned only in the RIBOLLA GIALLA rebelled en masse and in 1978 20th century. Bunch. Size: medium; shape: cylin- got Schioppettino legal again. In In my view, the two best sites, or drical-pyramidal, medium-compact. fact, Schioppettino has always Berry. Size: medium-large; shape: true grand crus, for Ribolla Gialla round, slightly flattened at the sides; thrived in FVG’s Colli Orientali wines are Rosazzo in the Colli skin: thin, yellow-green. (where it is also called Ribolla Orientali and Oslavia in the Collio. Harvest: medium. Nera or, rarely, Pokalca, to be Specific requirements/characteri- Ribolla from Rosazzo, a warm stics: it tends to do poorly in flatland read Pokalza, the variety’s Slove- microclimate, has a slightly fuller vineyards, where it becomes overly- nian name), but for which there body and greater concentration productive and yields neutral, insipid is little historical documentation. wines. The best soils are those with than most (though rich is a relative a low clay percentage and that are Di Rovasenda quotes a Ribolla term, as Ribolla wine is always a well draining as this will contribute Nera from Udine in 1877, and on fresh, fragrant white wine), while to diminishing the cultivar’s naturally Guida delle Prealpi Giulie, Ju- high vigour. Ribolla from Oslavia, where vine- lian Prealps Guidebook, 1912 edi- 42 • 22

no wines, something that hadn’t SCHIOPPETTINO been so apparent prior to their Bunch. Size: large; shape: cylindri- making the wine in commercially cal, elongated, one or two wings, compact. viable numbers. They first pro- Berry. Size: quite large, but not uni- duced a Schioppettino wine in form; shape: spheroidal, elongated; 1977 and have never looked back; skin: thick, blue-black. Clones: VCR in the process there are count- 412. Harvest: early October. less estates now making a pure Specific requirements/characteristics: Schioppettino wine today, when not particularly resistant, in rainy, back in the early 1970s finding cold springs it suffers from extreme [i.e. the presence in one was next to impossible. Schi- grape bunches of berries greatly oppettino’s name derives from its differing in size and, most importantly, crunchy berries which literally maturity] and floral anomalies, so Bunch of grapes of Schioppettino. explode (scoppiettare) in the yearly production is anything but dependable or constant. mouth; others believe the explo- tion, you can read that Pokalza sion was the result of secondary was one of the most commonly refermentation that routinely cultivated varieties in the after- took place in the closed bottles TAZZELENGHE math of phylloxera. In modern due to residual sugar left over in Tongue tied times, it is the Rieppi and the unfiltered wines, causing them to Unfortunately, the wonderfully Rapuzzi families that have done referment, with bottles bursting crisp and high acid reds made most for the grape and wine. The from carbon dioxide being pro- with Tazzelenghe have fallen out Rieppi family is a centuries old duced within the closed vessels. of favour in modern times, as dynasty of Albana, and though people clamoured for softer, high the estate no longer exists (it The wine pH wines with plenty of creamy is now run by the talented Lino Schioppettino is still most com- fruit and ripe flavours. However, Casella) its history is closely mon in the Colli Orientali del the high acid Tazzelenghe makes linked to Schioppettino. In the Friuli, where over 90% of FVGs wines that will match with food 1960s and 1970s, Maria Rieppi Schioppettino vines are located. much better than many of the red was considered an excellent The grand area is that of wines of today, that though im- winemaker and her wines sought Prepotto and Albana, though in pressive at a , usually after. recent years outstanding Schio- fail miserably at the dinner table, Dina and Paolo Rapuzzi of the ppettinos have been made near where nobody really wants to Ronchi di Cialla estate single- Rosazzo and Premariacco as well. drink them. handedly did more for a DOC Wines can be extremely elegant The name Tazzelenghe derives than perhaps anybody else in It- and refined, with blackcurrant from tazze lenghe, a term in aly. Recognizing that Cialla has a and black cherry, green pepper- Friulian meaning “cuts the very unique microclimate (cooler corn aromas and flavours, with tongue”, referring to this variety’s than many other parts of FVG) high acidity and smooth tannins. amazingly high acidity levels and the Rapuzzi’s set out to produce Unless made from air-dried not-shy concentrations wines from the local native grapes, it’s always a mid-weight (and the high acidity makes those Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso, wine of uncommon refinement. It tannins stand out even more). Picolit, Verduzzo and of course ages extremely well and twenty First documented in 1863 around Schioppettino. The Rapuzzi’s had year old, well kept bottles are Udine, Tazzelenghe has always faith in monovariety Schioppetti- what memories are made of. called home the areas around the 22 • 43

TAZZELENGHE Bunch. Size: medium; shape: truncated cone, usually winged, sparse. Berry. Size: medium-large; shape-sphe- roidal; skin: blue-purple. Harvest: medium: early October. Specific requirements/characteristics: extremely resistant to poor climate and diseases; most producers purposely harvest it as late as possible in order to decrease its natural high acidity.

Bunch of grapes of Refosco d'Istria, variety with which the wine is TERRANO produced. This painting by Tiburzio Not just a Refosco by Donadon accompanies Guido Poggi’s any other name Atlante ampelografico published in The Tazzelenghe illustrated by Tiburzio 1939. Donadon for the Atlante ampelografico (Ampleographic Atlas) by Guido Poggi, Though related to Refosco del Trieste. 1939. Peduncolo Rosso and also known It is also called Cagnina (a name as Refosco del Carso and Refosco used in Romagna where it also towns of Buttrio and Manzano d’Istria, recent studies have de- grows, most likely arriving there in FVG’s Colli Orientali. Beware termined Terrano to be a distinct along with the famous Istria that, in the past, Tazzelenghe was variety from the Refoscos. That stone used to build many of the mistakenly considered a member said, differences between Terrano palaces and buildings in of the Refosco family, identified and Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso and other cities in Romagna). with the variety then called Re- are actually fewer and smaller Other names include Teran and fosco del Boton. than those between it and other dal Peduncolo Rosso members of the Refosco family. (or Picol Ros), but the last term The wine In documents from the 13th and should not be used since it only Tazzelenghe is only grown in 14th centuries, terrano (from the generates confusion with the true FVG, near Buttrio, Manzano, and word terra 'land') referred to any Lambruscos. Cividale near Udine; the only wine produced locally, in the ter- The earliest documentation of DOC wine is Friuli Colli Orien- roir, whether white or red. These wine called terrano is found in tali Tazzelenghe. When properly wines received the denomination sales contracts, signed in Gem- made, Tazzelenghe wines are terrano to distinguish them from ona in the 13th century. Similar very elegant and age extremely the more highly-considered, im- sales contracts for terrano were well. ported wines including Ribolla, increasingly frequent for several Deep purple, with intense aromas Malvasia and other wines which hundred years afterwards in of violets and fresh blackberries, came mainly from Greece, and Gemona, which was the commer- with more blackberry and black- therefore called vini navigati, cial capital of Friuli at that time, currant on the palate with hints ‘shipped wines’. More recently and in other towns in the region. of , chocolate, underbrush the term terrano has come to From these documents we under- and tar. It’s a lovely refined red refer to the characteristic, typical stand that the wine referred to as wine that deserves to be known cultivated on the Carso/ Terrano was of inferior value to better. Karst, the area that lies beyond Ribolla. 44 • 22

This label, dating back to the 1950s, For the longest time many believed accompanied the Tocai sold in a that Terrano was the variety that typical trattoria in Udine that, as you the ancient Roman Pucinum wine can see, had a bowls court. The Tocai wine was, and still is, the most popular was made with, though I’m not white wine of Friuli. It is considered sure how anybody can be absolute- to be an excellent aperitif, it goes ly certain of that. well with many dishes and it is a ‘conversation’ wine, known to loosen the tongues of the Friulani who are not The wine very loquacious. Terrano is typical of the Carso area of FVG and the wines are usually labelled as DOC Carso Terrano. In reality, there are two different Car- so areas associated with Terrano TOCAI FRIULANO production: the better known Car- Made in FVG so Triestino, narrow and extremely Enter any osteria or trattoria of vignon” taste just like Friulano, rocky, with iron-rich red soils, and FVG, ask for the and rather than Sauvignon Blanc). the less well known Carso Gori- the tajut (the Friulian name for There are some plantings of Tocai ziano, where the soils are slightly a glass of wine) you are likely to Friulano in other parts of the more fertile and less ferrous. In get is one of Friulano (or Ribolla world as well, such as New Zea- Emilia Romagna it is often called Gialla). Please note that Tocai land, and estates are starting to Refosco Terrano and is used to Friulano is the grape variety, bottle it increasingly with its real make the DOC wine Cagnina di while Friulano is the name of the variety name (most usually, the Romagna (an off-dry, slightly sweet wine. The wine from FVG can chosen name is Sauvignon Vert or red wine), mainly around Forlì no longer be called Tocai (much Sauvignonasse). In FVG, there ap- and Ravenna. A good Terrano is as in there is no more a pear to be at least two different bi- purple-ruby, with expressive violet, Tokay-, but just Pinot otypes of Tocai Friulano, one with blackberry and blackcurrant aro- Gris), as EU directives allow the very green berries (even when mas and flavours, with almost pain- “” or “Tokay” name only for ripe) and a yellow berried one; ful acidity and strong minerality. It the made in the Carlo Petrussi, FVG’s most famous is never an especially fleshy, rich eponymous region. Interestingly, ampelographer has documented wine, but its very characteristics though I don't understand the the existence of a red stalked make it a great food wine. logic, you can buy Tocai Friulano biotype of Tocai Friulano as well. labelled wines made in New York The yellow berried biotype is the TERRANO state and other parts of the world, more common of all nowadays, Cluster. Size: large; shape: pyramidal, as long as it’s not Europe. In any and clonal selections have been winged, compact. case, Tocai Friulano has a long propagated from it (clone R14 is Berry. Size: medium; shape: elliptical; skin: thin. and distinguished history in FVG. an example). Interestingly most Clones: ISV-F2, ERSA FVG 44, CAB Tocai Friulano is a very interesting producers I have talked to over 29, CAB 40. Harvest: late September. variety with a complicated history the years have told me that it’s the Specific requirements/characteristics: here in Italy. We know today that green berried biotype that has the though it has good resistance to it is identified with Sauvignonasse. more intense aromatics. most diseases, it is both drought and wind-sensitive. Adapts well to Once a common variety in France, most soil types but gives the best it is now found mainly in FVG The wine wines when grown on rocky, very and in Chile (in fact many very The wine is produced everywhere nutrient-poor soils. good Chilean wines labelled “Sau- in FVG, and even in nearby Vene- 22 • 45

to, where the grape is usually TOCAI FRIULANO UCELUT called Tocai Italico. Therefore, Cluster. Size: medium; shape: cylin- One of the many “ Veneto DOC wines such as , drical/truncated pyramid, usually grapes” of Italy Lison-Pramaggiore, Garda and winged, compact; Berry. Size: me- Ucelut is rare, both as a grape more are also made with Tocai dium; shape: spheroidal; skin: thin, variety and wine. However, it is Friulano. In FVG, many produc- yellow-green. worth seeking out, for its poten- ers feel that Tocai Friulano wines Clones: R 5, R 14, Fedit 19 C.S.G., tially one of Italy’s greatest sweet ISV-F 3, ISV-F 6, ISV-F 8, VCR 9, are muscular on their own and wines. Ucelut is believed to be VCR 100, VCR 33, ERSA FVG 200, don’t need oak aging, but others the result of the of ERSA FVG 202, ERSA FVG 203, disagree. Certainly unlike Ribolla ERSA FVG 204. a native wild grapevine, and its Gialla, Tocai Friulano wines do Harvest: early-mid September. name derives from the word “uc- take to oak well, provided one Specific requirements/characteristics: cello” or bird, in English. It is in doesn’t exaggerate. A good Fri- The variety is a resistant one and fact one of Italy’s many uve uc- ulano is a pale straw-green, with has problems only with botrytis in celline (“bird grapes”) much like delicate aromas of white flowers, the fall. Its thin skin makes it very Veneto’s Corvina or . sweet almonds, freshly cut grass, susceptible to autumn during The name was probably attribut- harvest, a huge problem. The wine green fig, and green apple; the ed to the variety because the ripe can be marred by off-odours because almond note is highly typical of berries are targeted by glutton- Tocai Friulano is a reductive variety. Tocai Friulano wines. ous . The fact that Ucielute

This more than a hundred year old old Tocai vine is in Cividale del Friuli. It can be considered to be a real living monument of this vine variety that has accompanied the lives of the Friulian people and has, for at least a century, influenced economy. Photograph by Claudio Mattaloni. 46 • 22

The wine VERDUZZO FRIULANO Ucelut wines were always made The other great sweet in both a dry and sweet style, but white hope it is thanks to Emilio Bulfon, who Much like Picolit, Tocai Friulano moved to the Spilimbergo hills and Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo is an near Pordenone in the 1970s and historic and archetypal cultivar of began producing Ucelut wines FVG. Many believe that again, that we can speak of this it descends from a domesticated wine today. Thanks to his passion local wild vine, though opinions and efforts, plus that of many vary. There are two Verduzzo Fri- other luminaries, the indigenous ulano subvarieties or biotypes in varieties of Spilimbergo and FVG, Verduzzo Giallo and Verduzzo immediately surrounding areas Verde (a distinction first made such as Ucelut were admitted by Poggi based on the colour of to the national registry of grape the floral cap); both are distinct varieties. from another variety also named A bunch of grapes of Ucelut. By Bulfon E., Forti R., Dalle colline spilimberghesi Good Ucelut made from late Verduzzo, the Verduzzo Trevigiano nuove viti e nuovi vini, Provincia di harvested grapes is a wonderful of Veneto. The Verduzzo Friulano Pordenone, 1987. that is not overly verde biotype used to be grown sweet and not too full bodied. mainly in FVG flatland vineyards Aromas and flavours of sweet al- for dry white wine production; the was also named in the Vocabo- monds, acacia honey, ripe mango giallo is at home on steep hillsides lario botanico friulano written and dried apricot are common. It and has always been used to make by Giulio Andrea Pirona in 1871, is usually less sweet than Picolit especially sweet, at times very hinting that the variety was felt and less tannic than Verduzzo sweet, wine from air-dried grapes, to be indigenous of the region wines made in the such as for example in the Raman- already back then. Actually, not DOCG. There is no DOC, and so dolo DOCG (where some of the much historical information is wines are generic Vino da tavola verde biotype is also found). Actu- available on Ucelut, though we or IGT. ally, according to Perusini (1935) know the variety was presented there are two biotypes of Verduzzo at the 1863 Udine Agriculture Giallo found in the Ramandolo area Exhibition, and the following year UCELUT of FVG: the rosso (characterized cultivation was started at the Grape/wine colour: white. by a small compact bunch) and breeding center of the Agricultu- Bunch. Size: medium-large; shape: the rascje (which has instead a ral-Horticultural Establishment pyramidal, truncated, compact, with semicompact bunch). Due to its (Stabilimento Agro-orticolo). one to two wings. more loosely-packed bunch, the Berry. Size: medium-large; shape: The original production areas latter maybe better suited for late round; skin: thick, yellow-green. of Ucelut wine were centered Harvest: mid-late September. harvest wine production where around the villages of Ramuscello Specific requirements/characteristics: the grapes are left on the vine to and San Giovanni, but by 1921 sensitive to most common diseases dehydrate, though in FVG’s fickle experts such as Dalmasso wrote especially botrytis. The size of its autumn weather few producers that Ucelut’s cultivation was dif- berries differentiates it very clearly are willing to risk true late har- fuse around Valeriano, Castelno- from both Picolit and Verduzzo, the vests. The fact everyone thought other two varieties that give famous vo del Friuli and Pinzano, in the Verduzzo Giallo was the superior sweet wines in FVG. . of the two Verduzzos led growers 22 • 47

for this reason many experts such as Perusini and Filiputti have gone on record as saying that the one true grand cru of Ramandolo is the eponymous town). In any case, all DOCG Ramandolo wines are thick and very sweet, with deep, extremely rich honey, caramelized almond, and ripe tropical fruit aro- mas and flavours.

VERDUZZO FRIULANO Cluster. Size: small, and smaller still in Verduzzo Giallo; shape: pyramidal, A bunch of grapes of Verduzzo Giallo. A bunch of grapes of Verduzzo Verde. usually two wings, compact. By Poggi G., Atlante ampelografico, By Poggi G., Atlante ampelografico, Berry. Size: medium; shape: elliptical; 1939; paintings by Tiburzio Donadon. 1939; paintings by Tiburzio Donadon. skin: very thick, yellow-green, golden when exposed to the sun’s rays. Clones: R 5, ISV - F2, VCR 2, VCR 100, VCR 200, ERSA FVG 220, ERSA to replace verde biotype with the the light and delicately floral wines, FVG 221, ERSA FVG 222, VCR 303, CRAVIT-ERSA FVG 223. giallo, so that the latter is now while Verduzzo Giallo is sued to Harvest: late September/early Oc- far more common than the latter. make wines that are richer, hinting tober. Verduzzo Trevigiano shares some at acacia honey and apricots. All Specific requirements/characteristics: slightly susceptible to both oidium morphological and phenological Verduzzo wines are marked by aro- and peronospora, but very resistant aspects with FVG’s two Verduzzos, mas and flavours of sweet almonds to botrytis thanks to its thick skin; but in reality both grapevines and or . Another highly typical prefers dry conditions. Verduzzo is not attacked as easily by wines have very little in common. feature of Verduzzo wines is that as Picolit, though it can certainly be Most important, the wines made they are always inherently tannic, a target in the right area where the with Verduzzo Friulano are far su- independently of being oak aged or noble is found. perior in quality and renown. not; this is because a characteristic of Verduzzo Friulano is that it’s a The wine rare tannic white grape. Ramando- VITOVSKA Verduzzo Friulano is grown all over lo is the most famous wine made Border crossing FVG; it is most common in the with Verduzzo; it can be made Vitovska is yet another native , and less so in only in the cool, almost mountain- white grape of Italy that grows the provinces of Gorizia and Porde- ous DOCG zone of the townships only in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, none, but can also be found in of , Faedis, , Torlano though it is also common in Slove- Veneto (DOC Lison-Pramaggiore). and Ramandolo. The very steep nia and Croatia where it is better Verduzzo Friulano is used to make slopes at roughly 250-370 meters known as Organca, Gargania, both dry and sweet wines; in gen- a.s.l. of the town of Ramandolo and Vitouska (in Slovenia, even eral, wines simply labelled Verduz- are protected by Mount Bernadia, more commonly as Vitovska Gr- zo are fresh and bright, while those which shelters the grapes from ganja or Garganja). Vitovska is labelled Ramandolo, or those that cold northerly ensuring the commonly grown in the Vipava carry the ‘Passito’ designation are area of Ramandolo has a slightly Valley of Slovenia’s Carso or Kras. unabashedly sweet. Usually, it is warmer microclimate than that of Even in FVG, it’s not especially Verduzzo Verde that is sued to give the other towns of the DOCG (and diffuse: it grows predominantly 48 • 22

relationship. I was among the first Less well journalists to try Vitovska wine, back in the early 1980s, a grape known nobody really knew much about. The wines were exceptionally Friuli good though, and so Vitovska’s path to stardom was assured Venezia from day one. Actually, Vitovska’s began in the 1960s, Giulia when Luigi Lupinc, a small wine producer in San Pelagio di Pre- cultivars potto in the ), was the first to perform and wines selections of Vitovska, producing wine. Others soon followed, most importantly the well known Edi Kante. He and other producers CJANORIE believed in monovarietal versions A delightful pale, light than merely using the variety only red wine Bunch of grapes of Vitovska. Photograph by Dean Dubokovicˇ (by as a blending agent as had been Also known as Chianòrie or Cosma S., Vitovska, Canale 2007). commonly done in the past. Cjanòria, it was never diffusely grown in FVG, limited in its culti- The wine vation to hillsides around Mania- in the Friuli Carso, with scattered There are roughly 70 hectares un- go, Meduno, Navarons and in the vines also found in Friuli Isonzo. der vine in the whole DOC Friuli area of Vito d'Asio. Clearly, the name of the grape Carso, and fourteen are of Vitovs- Its name derives from cjanôr, is of Slovenian origin, probably ka. Vitovska wine is delicate and a word in the deriving either from Vitez (“the nuanced, with lemony, pear, white meaning 'pale'. Once again, Emil- wine of the chevalier”) or Vitovlje, flower and chlorophyll aromas and io Bulfon, a trained viticulturalist, a small town located in the Slove- flavours. is the person we have to thank if nian Brda region. Clearly, whether today we can taste a wine made Vitovska is native to Italy or Slove- with Cjanorie. nia is the subject of much debate. VITOVSKA ùIn 1972, he realized that the Actually, there is little historical Bunch. Size: medium; shape: pyra- grapevines growing around his information of any kind available midal, compact. Spilimbergo were completely on Vitovska. Recent genetic stud- Berry. Size: small; shape: round; different than any he had ever skin: yellow-green. ies have suggested that Vitovska seen or studied previously. He Harvest: early/mid September. is an offspring of Malvasia Bianca Specific characteristics/requirements: set out to select, propagate and Lunga (also known as Malvasia Vitovska sometimes shows the phe- save these forgotten grapevines, del Chianti) and Prosecco Tondo. nomenon of gigantism, as clusters of which Cjanorie was one, with Other genetic data revealed that can reach 1 kg in some cases; the the fundamental help of Enrico Vitovska Grganja and Vitovska are mean weight is around 250-300 g; it Murador, past director of the needs careful management not the same variety, but share Agriculture Department of the to reach full berry ripening. a first degree (parent/progeny) province of Pordenone. 22 • 49

The wine Today Cividin grows mainly around Pinzano al , though recently Cividin vines have been identified in old vineyards near the upper reaches of the Vipacco river and even in the Car- so, near Trieste. Cividin can give a rather big, medium to full bodied wine with echoes of white flowers, honey and herbs.

Bunch of grapes and leaf of Cjanorie.

CIVIDIN The wine One of Julius Caesar’s Apparently, the wine was highly wines thought of by local noble families Cividin’s name derives from the in the 18th century, but had fallen town of Cividale, the ancient by the wayside in the 20th century. Forum Julii founded by Julius A real shame, as the wine can be Caesar. However, Marzotto wrote lovely. Unfortunately, it is rarely in 1923 that Cividin did not bottled as a monovariety wine, originate in Cividale but in the but I for one love its very pale red Valley of Natisone at San Pietro and light bodied mouthfeel, the al Natisone where it was once delicate aromas and flavours of very common. So the jury’s out to red berries and vibrant acidity. the effective origin of the grape’s Cjanorie grows nowadays mainly name. Nonetheless, Cividin was Bunch of grapes of Cividin. around Gemona, , Peonis, apparently very highly thought and Pinzano, and my of in the past and the wine was hope is that more producers will much sought after for wedding start making monovariety wine banquets of the 17th and 18th cen- CIVIDIN from it. turies. The first description of the Bunch. Size: medium; shape: cylin- variety is that of Maniago in his drical, rarely winged large wings, compact. CJANORIE Catalogue of the grape varie- Berry: Size: small; shape: spheroidal; ties of the Lumbard-Venetian Bunch. Size: medium; shape: conical, skin: light yellow-green, amber when winged, sparse. Reign and seems to be making a fully exposed to the sun. Berry. Size: medium-small; shape: comeback today, with a number Harvest: late September. spheroidal/oval; skin: blue-black. of FVG estates growing and ex- Specific characteristics/requirements: Harvest: late September. perimenting with it, which was very sensitive to oidium; if not in Specific characteristics/requirements: well exposed sites it fails to ripen unheard of as recently as fifteen very vigorous and fertile. completely. years ago. 50 • 22

Uchì, an historic blend of three va- rieties (Palomba, Refosco Gentile and Cordenossa, once commonly grown in the flatland vineyards near San Giorgio della Rinchivelda. Cordenossa provides tannins to blends, but in fact monovariety bottling I have had over the years have struck me as being not espe- cially tannic, with a medium-dark purple-ruby hue, aromas of red berries and fresh herbs but with high total acidity thanks to loads of tartaric acid, which clearly makes Bunch of grapes of Forgiarin. the tannins stand out more. There is only one monovariety bottling Bunch of grapes of Cordenossa. made in FVG I know of. and San Daniele, most likely due to its extreme oidium sensitivity. CORDENOSSA CORDENOSSA Getting back Bunch. Size: medium; shape: conical- The wine Another variety typical of FVG’s usually winged, sparse. Today, Forgiarin is grown only in Spilimbergo hills, it is grown main- Berry: Size: medium; shape: sphe- the Pordenone province, around roidal; skin: thin skinned, purple-red. ly around Harvest: late September. Pinzano al Tagliamento and (Marzotto 1923) and San Giorgio Specific requirements/characteristics: Castelnovo del Friuli, although della Richinvelda. A reliable, large very vigorous; shows asynchronous more producers are starting to producer, it was always held in maturation of the bunch; needs well pay attention to what is undoubt- exposed sites to ripen fully; good high esteem by locals who distin- edly a high quality wine grape. I disease resistance. guished between two biotypes: love a good Forgiarin wine, and Cordenossa Grande, reportedly the I think it resembles wines made more common and better of the with the Schiava, variety such as two, and Cordenossa Piccola, with FORGIARIN Lago di Caldaro or Santa Maddale- smaller berries and a more com- Something new and na. Bright red, it offers lovely flo- pact bunch. great ral, almond, and red berry aromas The town of Forgaria (Forgjarie and flavours. It has harmonious The wine in Friulian), where this cultivar but refreshing acidity and low Only grown in FVG’s Pordenone probably originates from, gives the alcohol levels. province, around towns such as grapevine its name. It should not San Giorgio della Richinvelda be confused with other similarly FORGIARIN and Pinzano al Tagliamento. The named varieties such as Uva Fog- Bunch. Size: medium-large; shape: Regional Institute for the Devel- arina, a completely different vari- pyramidal and medium-long, with 2-3 large wings, compact. Berry. Size: opment of Agriculture (ERSA) ety. Forgiarin wines were already medium-small; shape: spheroidal; in FVG, in collaboration with the known and sought after in the 19th skin: thin, pale reddish-blue. town of San Giorgio della Rin- century, though it was only ever Harvest: late September. chivelda and the Tondat estate, grown in a limited area, around Specific characteristics/requirements: extremely sensitive to oidium. recently recreated the Vin di the towns of Maniago, Spilimbergo 22 • 51

Bunch of grapes of Corvino. Leaf and bunch of grapes of Fumat. Photograph by Claudio Mattaloni. By Poggi G., Atlante ampelografico, 1939; paintings by Tiburzio Donadon.

CORVINO up into the hills of Spilimbergo, Also called Curvin, this variety is today it is found in scattered reduced to only a few sporadic plots only in the latter production vines in old vineyards but is the zone. It was rapidly phased out subject of ongoing university by growers because it is not espe- studies as the grapevine is of cially disease resistant (Fumat is potentially high quality as a wine especially susceptible to oidium Bunches of grapes of Refoscone. grape. In this light, it’s not sur- and peronospora). Monovariety prising that it was once far more wines are ruby-purple in hue, abundant and seems to have even with bright aromas of blueberry around Torreano and Faedis, so it been the second most cultivated and blackberry, and lively spicy often shared vineyard space with red grape variety in some parts blackberry flavours resonate long Refosco Nostrano. Furthermore, of FVG. Its name recalls the dark on the palate too. The wine does it was also abundant, seeing as it plumage of blackbirds (corvo, have a noticeably flinty or smoky had always been one of the most ‘raven’). Microvinifications of the note as well. planted Refoscos of all, being a wine have shown deep colour, very high yielding variety char- intense red berry aromas and acterized by very strong vigour. flavours and plenty of tannic REFOSCONE Refoscone may turn out to be a structure, but it requires plenty Despite what most books on the high quality variety, but presently of sunlight and heat to ripen fully, subject state, Refoscone is not there aren’t any monovariety otherwise wines can be tart, green Refosco di Faedis: a simple look wines by which to back up that and harsh. at the grapevine in any vineyard statement. Generally speaking, will clear this misconception im- Refoscone wines are characterized FUMAT mediately. For one, Refoscone’s by fruitier but simpler aromas and Like many other of Italy’s grapes, are much bigger (unmis- flavours than those of wines made this too is named after a physical takeably much, much bigger) with Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso trait: Fumat derives either from than the round, almost dentless or Refosco Nostrano; in my expe- the smoky-black colour of its ber- leaves of Refosco Nostrano. Some rience these also tend to be less ries or the slightly smoky aromas confusion on the variety’s iden- floral and less persistent (though and flavours of the wine. A grape tity is understandable, for, like it is hard to determine how much variety once common between Refosco Nostrano, Refoscone also human talent had a role to play in San Daniele and right grows mainly in vineyards planted these findings). 52 • 22

REFOSCONE Cluster. Size: large; shape: cylindrical, usually two wings, compact. Berry. Size: medium-large; shape: spheroidal-oval; skin: thin but resi- stant, very dark blue. Harvest: late. Clones: n/a. Specific requirements/characteristics: the bunch is large, obviously bigger than that of Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso, and the basal buds are more fertile; for these two reasons, Refo- scone is much more productive than Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso (and all other Refoscos in general). The thin skin and compact bunch makes it susceptible to grey rot, but it has more problems with oidium too.

SCIAGLIN Essential Bibliography Back to the wine future CALÒ ANTONIO, COSTACURTA ANGELO, The variety’s name (and its Delle viti in Friuli, Arti grafiche friulane, synonyms like Scjablin, Scjarlin, Udine, 1991. Schiaglin, Scjaulin and Schiarli- COSTANTINI ENOS, MATTALONI CLAUDIO, PETRUSSI CARLO, La vite na) derives from schiavolino nella storia e nella cultura del Friuli, or Slavic. It was described at Forum, Udine, 2007. Bunch of grapes of Sciaglin. the 1863 Regional Exposition of D'AGATA IAN, Native Wine Grapes of Italy, University of California Press, Grape Varieties organized by the mouth with a lightbodied texture. Berkeley/Los Angeles/London, 2014. Friuli Agricultural Association I think it is a delicate wine of MARZOTTO NORBERTO, Ampelografia and Sannino wrote in 1921 that great refinement and I really do del Friuli contenente la descrizione di 42 vitigni con notizie sulla loro Sciaglin plantings were still very believe more bottlings of Sciaglin importanza viticola ed enologica, common at the beginning of the would be welcomed by wine lov- in “L’Agricoltura Friulana” anno 1923, Cattedra Ambulante di Agricoltura per la new century. ers everywhere. Provincia del Friuli, Tip. Domenico Del Bianco e Figlio, Udine, 1923. Also at the website www.sangiorgioinsieme.it/ The wine librionline.html. Sciaglin grows near Pordenone, SCIAGLIN POGGI GUIDO, Atlante ampelografico, Maniago, Spilimbergo, Fagagna Bunch. Size: medium-small; shape: Consorzio provinciale tra i Produttori dell’Agricoltura, Sezione della Viticoltura, and Vito d’Asio in the west- pyramidal, sparse, with one to two wings. Arti grafiche Pordenone, Pordenone, 1939. ern-most part of FVG. There are Berry. Size: medium-small; shape: Historical introduction and ampelographic descriptions of Blaufränkisch, Cabernet oval; skin: thin and soft-skinned, at least two different monovariety franc, Merlot, Fumàt, Piccolit, Pignòlo, wines made, and they are both yellow-green. Pinot bianco and Pinot grigio, Refosco Harvest: late September/early Oc- d’Istria, Refosco dal peduncolo rosso, lovely. White flowers, lime, yellow tober. Refoscone, Ribolla gialla, Ribolla nera, apple, lime, minerals, chlorophyll, Specific requirements/characteri- Riesling italico, Riesling renano, and tangerine notes abound, the stics: disease resistant, it’s a regular, Tazzelenghe, Tocai, Verduzzo giallo, dependable producer. Verduzzo verde. With 45 artistic colour wine is fresh and lively in the plates by the painter Tiburzio Donadon. 22 • 53

Stefano COSMA Grapevines and Wine in Trieste

It might seem strange to us, The Roots of Viticulture bought from the Bishop the right people of the twenty-first cen- in the Trieste area to levy a tax on wine. In the Itury, but wine production used In Roman times, Pliny, in his Nat- following century it was Trieste to be very important in the area uralis Historia, sang the praises that offered wine, first in honour of Trieste and its surroundings of the wine of Pucino, a castle of the Doge of Venice, and then in past centuries. It used to near Trieste. of the Duke of Austria (Trieste have a prominent role that this The Middle Ages provided us with was Austrian from 1382 to 1918): territory has been working hard many more historical sources that a sort of "regalia", a gift, which, to reclaim in the last decades give us a fascinating glimpse of until the time of the Empress Ma- focusing, once again, on quality the Civitas Tergestina, the city of ria Theresa, consisted in 100 orne rather than on quantity like it Trieste, of that time. So we know, (=56,60 hectolitres) of Trieste Ri- did in the past. for example, that in 1253 Trieste bolla which can now be identified with the Prosecco wine, a blend The cellars of many wine producers, all medium-small sized, are of grapes that also contains the particularly striking because they are rock-hewn in the Karst, which creates a truly unique atmosphere. Photograph by Massimo Crivellari Gargania vine, currently known (POR FESR 2007-2013). as Vitovska. 54 • 22

The Ribolla wine was doubtlessly city that the grapes came from product. the most important wine of that their properties or from those Since 1776 the need for annual time and its name can be found of their wives or children." The surveys – ordered by the Austri- in numerous documents, like the merchants, however, were able to an governor Count Zinzendorf – revenues of the Lordship of Dui- transit foreign wines, since they on the wine produced, imported no (1296), when farmers of the were allowed to have wines from and found in the taverns and Karst paid their tributes in wine, Greece (Candia, , Malvasia, inns, is also due to the request in two distinct varieties: Terrano ) for their personal use. of exemption from the new tax and Ribolla. Always in the Statutes and in the imposed on the wine harvest in From a medieval document in miniatures they contain, we find the territory of Trieste. From the ancient local language we that there were the messetti (in- the documentation on this is- learn that at least three varieties termediaries) who dealt with the sue we learn that high quality of wine were produced there: trading wine and oil, as well as wines, both white and red, were hav fat quindis ornis de ter- the canevaro, that is the cellar produced in Trieste and in the am, doi de refosch e zinch de man of churches and brother- surrounding villages. blanch ‘I’ve made fifteenorne hoods, and the tavern keeper. A classification distinguished (56.6 litres each) of Terrano, From the sixteenth century on- them from common wines, those two of Refosco and five of White ward, a number of quotations can for a more widespread consump- wine’. be found related to Prosecco, the tion and very fine wines, made The rules concerning viticulture ancestor of the famous wine from with greater diligence, called and wine contained in the Stat- the Northeast, named after the liquors. utes of Trieste, drawn up in 1318 village which is still part of the The latter are divided into white and in 1350 to protect the local municipality of Trieste. wines (white Moscato, Prosecco, production, are very interesting. or ‘vino dolce di Trieste’ which Only the “podestà” (mayor) was Trieste Becomes a Free means ‘Sweet Wine of Trieste’, authorized to introduce wine Port formerly known as Ribolla) and and other food in the territory of In 1719 the Austrian , red wines (red Moscato, Refosco Trieste for himself and his family, Charles VI, declares Trieste a and ). with the exception of Ribolla. "free port" of the Empire. From We also learn which was the In 1321, the ploughing of private that point on, wine will no longer destination of the wines from woods in the town’s surround- be the town’s main resource, both Trieste: the most valuable ones ings for the purpose of starting for the public and the private (liquors) were mostly shipped to the cultivation of vineyards was sector; it is to be replaced by places beyond Ljubljana; Prosec- allowed, in order to eliminate the businesses, the production of co to Carinthia (Austria), where- importation of wine. According rope, shipping activities, con- as the various types of Prosecco to the Statute of 1350, those who struction and later, by , wine as well as sweet common were not citizens or residents of coffee roasting, the production wines used to be sent to Slovenia. Trieste, were not allowed to plant of beer and spirits. Nevertheless, It would have been more prof- new vineyards in the area, they privileges remain for the ‘vino itable – someone wrote in 1776 could only renew them. Moreo- paesano’ (local wine) as opposed – to export all the wines to the ver, only citizens and residents to the ‘foresto’ (foreign wine) and Cragno (Kranj) region (now Slo- were allowed to "…bring the with the increase in by land venia), to Carinthia and Styria, grapes originated from vineyards and sea, the export of wine from whereas in town the wines of of other areas: nonetheless, they Trieste increases, but so does Austrian Friuli and Veneto might had to swear to the judges of the smuggling and alteration of the have been drunk as table wines. 22 • 55

este differs greatly from that of other parts of Italy. Five are the qualities of the wine called ‘Nos- trano’ (local), and here they are: Di Città (of the City), this is how it is commonly called; Marzamino; Sevedino; Refosco and Prosecco. [As for] the Marzamino and Re- fosco that you make in the coun- try house of the Swiss Consul General Andrew Griot [...] I could almost say that the and Montepulciano wines can- not face comparison to these!’. Engraving depicting the town of Trieste, 1689. On the left, at the foot of the castle, you can clearly see the grape vines that use the as supports and look like Baron Dahlerup, from Denmark, garlands hanging between the trees. This was the most widely used system for between 1849 and 1850, living in raising vines. Villa Necker in Trieste, in whose there was ‘a big vineyard, Trieste: a Destination for here, too, the wine wraps around a pergola with a copy of beautiful Celebrities the trunks of the trees.’ The Bohe- ripe grapes of exceptional qual- Trieste was the destination of mian Franz Rzehak, two years lat- ity’. Jacob Christoph Heer, born famous travellers who appreciated er, was much more accurate and in Zurich in 1859, who lived for the quality of life, the colourful said that in the German hotel near several months in Monfalcone in people and the culinary delights: the town hall of Trieste everyone 1887, tells us about a ‘tasty and Giacomo Casanova, Lorenzo da paid 34 ‘soldi’ for lunch, one bottle healthful’ wine made between Ponte, Stendhal, Camillo Cavour, of wine included. He cited sweet Trieste and Duino in Roman James Joyce... Some of these, in wines and muscat, stressing that times. Many other small but ex- their memories and in their writ- a bottle of red wine cost 12 or 14 citing allusions on the wines from ings praise local wines. It is worth ‘soldi’, while an equal quantity of Trieste are made by the Germans mentioning a few of them, given costed 40 ‘soldi’! Karl Küttner (1798) and Wil- that this article will be read by There are many testimonies of helm Müller (1824), by Cavour Italian and foreign visitors of the senior officials of , like (1836), and by the explorer and Expo2015 in Milan. The German General Louis Charles Desaix writer Richard F. Burton with geographer Büsching, in 1775, (1797) who were impressed by his Scottish wife Isabel Arundell. recalls that in the surroundings of the ‘cultivated terraced land with Previously, also the famous the city 'exquisite wines are made, vines’ and Charles Nodier, fasci- physician Pier Andrea Mattioli for example the Tcernecall and nated by Trieste. Aspects that, in (1548) and the Slovene Marzemin wines' and stressed that 1802, even the Saxon Seume did Janez Vajkard Valvasor (1689) the district of 'produces not fail to notice: ‘on the moun- must be remembered. A special exquisite grapes which make ex- tains around, terraces have been mention should be made to Lud- cellent sweet wines'. The Dutch- built, up and down, and vineyards wig van Beethoven who, as we man Johan Meerman, in 1791, de- have been planted’ In 1818 the read in his diaries - November scribed the Trieste Karst like this: very attentive Sicilian musician 5, 1823 when he lived in Vienna ‘… these endless stretches of rock Matteo Di Bevilacqua wrote: ‘The - drank Picolit with Trieste oys- grow flora of extreme beauty (...), wine producing territory of Tri- ters. At the time Picolit was also 56 • 22

produced in the Karst, so that the over the Austro-Hungarian Em- scholar Hlubeck classified it as pire was organized. In 1891, the the "Italica tergestana" (Italian, most important speaker at the IV of Trieste) variety. In 1825, six Congress of Austrian wine held in years before the Assicurazioni Gorizia, was Giovanni Bolle (1850- Generali, even a company that 1924), a true scientist, who was offered an insurance against born in Prosecco. was set up! In 1841 a Communal In the late nineteenth century Agricultural School was founded the most common varieties were, under the direction of the histori- among red wines, Refosco, Teran an Pietro Kandler. and Rossara, and for white wines, 1857 is the year in which the Moscato, Prosecco, Malvasia and ‘Società d’orticoltura del Litorale’ Ribolla (Gargagna). (Association of Coastal Horticul- ture) was founded. Two years lat- The Twentieth Century er the monthly ‘L’Ortolano’ (The In 1906 the Italian ampelographer Market ) was created Girolamo Molon catalogued the but both the association and the Trieste Malvasia as a grape variety monthly paper will soon expand differentiating it from the Istrian their area of responsibility and Malvasia. In 1911 an interesting change names; the first one into promotional wine testing was held ‘Società agraria di Trieste’ (Agri- at the Museum of the Chamber of cultural Society of Trieste) (1868) Commerce. But a civilization was and the other one into ‘L’Amico coming to an end. With the out- dei Campi’ (Friend of the Fields) break of the war, which will send (1865). the people of Trieste to the Eastern The ‘Società agraria di Trieste’ Front starting from the summer conducted a census of the vine- of 1914, there will be a profound yards, to collect information on transformation of agriculture in the damage caused to viticulture Trieste and its neighbouring areas by powdery mildew, downy that, at the end of the conflict, will mildew and phylloxera, giving become Italian. The deeply scarred advice to growers on how to fight territory, goes from being the south these adversities, which varieties of a great empire, to becoming the and which rootstocks to employ. northeast of the ; Leafing through the pages of the the city, the main port of a great monthly ‘L’Amico dei Campi’ one empire, became one of the many discovers the evolution of viticul- Italian cities that face the sea. ture in Trieste from the second Grape resumed regularly half of the eighteen century to several years after the end of the The difficult harvest in the "pàstini", the terraces with vineyards the Great War: French varieties conflict, so that the first new sta- and trees that from Santa were introduced. With the aim of tistics date back only to 1929. As Croce, Prosecco and Contovello spreading the wine and sparkling recalled by the geographer Ernesto descend towards the sea. It was wine production, in 1888 a fair Massi in his valuable work of 1933, a ‘heroic’ kind of viticulture that was abandoned in the 1960s. attended by growers from all all the typical products of local (Photographs by Mario Magajna and Guido Radovich, Slovenian National Library of Trieste). 22 • 57

wine changed, except the Terrano wine. A wine to which Quirino Lustri (alias Orazio Sturli) even dedicated a poem, a small convivial one, in 1931. In the next edition of 1941 a preface written by Silvio Benco is to be found, with illustra- tions by Ramiro Meng, father of architect Paolo Meng, who some years ago designed the magnificent cellar of Zidarich in Prepotto (Dui- no). What can be said about the situ- Gorizia, in the 1920s. Label of the ation during World War II? Some Abuja company of Gorizia. Calling it information can be evinced from "Vino fino d'Istria" (Fine Wine of Istria) a publication of the Central Insti- this company traded a red blend produced also with grapes coming tute of Statistics, which analyzed from the area of San Dorligo della the situation in three particular Valle/Dolina and from Muggia that can years: in 1938 1,606 hectares of be considered, geographically, already vineyards were estimated; in the Istria. years 1949/1950 an average of In 1969 Emilio Caucigh designed this 1,329 hectares. Let us read a few which approximately two thirds wine tour in the province of Trieste. In paragraphs: are represented by white wines the upper part you can see the Karst ‘... The grapevine is more impor- and one third by red wines. Here vines growing trained along a pergola. Below you can see an example of tant than anything else. It annually winemaking is much more accu- what the sea in Trieste can offer. The provides an average of 77,000 tons rate and advanced, and although small amphora bears the word Pucino, of grapes including about 6-7,000 many of these varieties are vinified the name of a wine produced on site in tons which are consumed directly, together, the product is generally Roman times. The two modern bottles bear the label of the wine names while the remaining are vinified by good and very alcoholic; it is not Terrano (red) and Prosecco (white). producers. [...] The white wine of uncommon to find white wines The ship with the barrels underlines the Karst is the product of different with an alcohol content of over the role that this town played also in varieties of grapes vinified together 14 degrees. The grape varieties the wine trade. and its quality is just alright. The are widespread: the Istrian Mal- grapes used, Ribolla, Glera, Garga- vasia, Malvasia di Ronchi, Glera, nia [now called Vitovska], Malvasia Gargania, Pinella, Canariola, and some other minor ones, living Ribolla; among the vines recently In the Karst area the conditions almost in the geographical limits introduced, there abounds Sau- of viticulture are generally good; of the vine, give very often an vignon, Sémillon, Italian Riesling, the characteristics of the soil unripe grape with little sugar; the Pinot Gris and . As a and the hilly terrain provide an wine, in fact, is low in alcohol. result of these new varieties the environment suitable for growing The arenaceous-marly area, in- quality of the grapes has signifi- healthy vines. State intervention stead, produces wines that are cantly improved, we produce over has prompted farmers to make completely different from those 1,500 hectolitres of wine such as new vines; in fact, over 650,000 described above; the production Malvasia, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, grafted vines were planted be- is around 40-47,000 hectolitres, of Sauvignon ". tween 1947 and 1950. 58 • 22

Surveys conducted in 1950 showed that approximately 63% of the wine production of the province consists of white wines, with an alcohol content variation from 10.8 degrees to 14 degrees; the rest, about 37%, consists of red wines, among which Terrano emerges for its organoleptic characteristics. The alcohol content, in red wines, ranges from 9-10 degrees for the Terrano to 11-11.5 de- grees in the others. After nearly two decades with no technical publication for the farmers of Trieste, the fortnight- ly ‘Rinascita Agricola’ (Agricul- tural Rebirth) was founded in 1953 thanks to the intuition of the agronomist and oenologist Duilio Cosma, who had just returned to Trieste after twenty years spent in other Italian re- gions, and the journalist Bruno Natti. ‘Rinascita Agricola’ was published until 1969, providing technical information to sub- scribers, tax deadlines, legal an- nouncements and news related to the agricultural, horticultural and floricultural world of Trieste and its province. But also Rai [Italy's national public broad- casting company] programmes related to agriculture, accurately scheduled, book reviews and much more. There were also interesting interviews with local farmers: in one of these, with Luigi Lupinc of Prepotto, the Vi- tovska grape is first mentioned. The villages of Prosecco and As for vineyards and wineries, Contovello seen from above. In the background you can see the town advice was given on a monthly of Trieste. Photograph by Stefano basis. Zanini. 22 • 59

In 1957 a competition and exhibi- areas sloping down to the sea are tion of wines produced in the prov- arranged in terraces called ‘pàstini’. ince of Trieste was held. In 1959 The Karst is a barren and difficult the wines of the area of Muggia land, to cultivate it you have to were put in competition, with 12 reclaim and make fertile and wel- exhibitors and 20 samples of wines coming an environment that then including Merlot, Malvasia, Pinot repays the effort by giving excel- Gris, Refosco and others. lent products. June 28 and 29, 1967 the first Most of the territories that fall in exhibition and tasting of local the municipalities of Muggia and wines, promoted by a consortium have brown of producers of wines of the city soil on Flysch, while the soil of of Trieste, took place at Santa the Karst has an intense reddish Bunches of Prosecco grapes. Croce. Simultaneously also the colour, due to the large amount of first ‘Exhibition of the Pucino’ was iron it contains. The other features held. The famous wine of Roman 1968, four wine festivals followed: of the area are the influence of the times, recovered and re-launched at Santa Croce with 34 exhibitors; nearby sea and at the same time of ‘because the vines of these areas at San Dorligo della Valle; the VII the , the powerful cold wind – according to an article of the exhibition of typical wines of the that lashes down from the north- time – can make a product that can Municipality of Duino Aurisina, and east. equal the best known Italian wines finally, the traditional festival of the The grape varieties currently [...], the white Prosecco wine was Terrano wine at . grown include, as elsewhere, so appreciated that the vines were autochthonous vines and those, moved to the area of Conegliano Contemporary History mainly French, introduced in the giving its name to the famous What has been written so far is the mid '800s. The best known wine Prosecco of Conegliano’. The City history of the viticulture of the past produced by a native variety is Council allocated 3,600,000 lire of Trieste, both distant and recent, definitely the Terrano with its acid for the restoration and weeding of while contemporary history start- and vigorous flavour and charac- the paths between Prosecco and ed, we can say, in 1985 with the teristic ruby red colour. According Santa Croce in order to facilitate establishment of the ‘Carso-Kras’ to medical studies it has excellent moving and grape harvest oper- DOC (denominazione di origine antioxidant properties and, in the ations to farmers in the area. In controllata, i.e. Registered Desig- past, some scholars identified it the summer of 1968 eighty types nation of Origin). The Consortium with the Pucino known by the of wine, selected among the most was founded in 1993 and after a Romans. The grape that produces famous of the region of Friuli couple of years of merging with the Terrano wine is the Refosco Venezia Giulia ranging ‘from the the ‘Collio’ DOC it closed down d'Istria, but we will not get into most important producers of Friuli in 2013. It was an association of disputes and claims, since the to the small farmers of the Karst’ thirty producers promoting wines Karst also produces a wine called were presented throughout the through demonstrations and Refosco. Taste both and then draw season at the Regionale tasting, and the publication of bro- your own conclusions. (Regional Winehouse) of Trieste in chures and books. Among the white natives we would the harbour of Grignano under the The landscape of the plateau, like to mention Malvasia, Glera and fortress of the Miramare Castle, which has rich and varied flora, Vitovska. The latter has become with the participation of writer and is characterized by small flat or the white signature wine of the film director Mario Soldati. In July slightly inclined plots, while hilly Karst since the beginning of the 60 • 22

The Osmiza Wines, as well as other products of the province of Trieste (especially cheese and ham), can, and indeed, must be tasted in the ‘osmize’ which should not be skipped. Such inns are similar to the taverns, a world to enjoy and discov- er, made of food treats and local traditions related to the This was the magnificent landscape Slovenian community. where the best wine of Trieste was To find an osmiza (osmica in produced. The terraced land, called Slovenian) just look for a pàstini, descends steeply from Prosecco and Contovello towards the branch displayed at the entrance. sea. In the background you can see The term osmica derives from the castle of Miramare. osem, or "eight" in Slovenian, as The Istrian Refosco in a beautiful plate By Cosma S., Dubokovic D., Vitovska. this was the number of opening I vigneti dal mare al Carso, Canale, by Greta Turkovic´ (Ampelografski 2007. days originally granted to the Atlas 2003). This is the variety the hosts for the sale of their prod- wine known as Terrano comes from – still nowadays one of the most ucts. In these places you can buy characteristic wines from the area of last decade. Among the varieties of or drink wines directly in the cel- Trieste. French origin, Merlot, Sauvignon lar of the manufacturer, thanks to and Chardonnay have spread since a decree issued in 1784 by Joseph the second half of the ‘800s. Other II of Austria, which enabled farm- coppa), raw ham, salami, accom- vines, after the outbreak of the ers to sell bulk wine produced at panied by the inevitable slices First World War, are either not home for a period of just eight of bread, often homemade, from present any more, or the amount days. Even today, in turn, the various types of cheese, such of grapes they now offer is so small farmers of the open as the local production of Tabor that they are mixed with those of their cellars, offering the food cheese, and pickles. The habitués the most common varieties. they produce. are easy to detect because they In recent years there have been The osmica is welcoming, home- order a boiled egg. A widespread some throwbacks, such as the pro- made, informal, offering a wide belief is, in fact, that this egg is duction of the ‘chiaretto spumante range of activities including able to absorb the large quanti- (sparkling claret) Prosecco’, as food, wine, music and dancing. ties of Terrano and Malvasia that Benco wrote in 1941, and Brezan- There are not two osmice alike, accompany assorted cold cuts. ka, a typical white wine of the each one offering diverse prod- This is not a place for people who Valley of Moccò. ucts, from wine to pork, which diet, but for those who do not The cellars of many wine produc- is brought to the table in every fear calories and the threat of ers, all medium-small sized, are possible form: ham (hot with high cholesterol levels must know particularly striking because they grated horseradish), bacon of all that one eats well in the osmiza, are rock-hewn in the Karst, which types (raw, cooked, smoked, pep- the quantities are generous and creates a truly unique atmosphere. pered), ossocollo (capicollo or the prices reasonable. 22 • 61

Marianna DEGANUTTI Fulvio Tomizza’s depiction of the Karst

The Karst from above (Photograph by Stefano Zanini).

The Karst area that lies beyond Trieste: And the Meaning of Trieste at the north-eastern edge Nowhere: “Organically it is just Tof Italy is a limestone plateau as isolated. Close behind Trieste, that offers some distinctive ge- down towards the sea, ographical, cultural and social stands an outcrop plateau of the traits which cannot be found Julian . […] It is a loveless anywhere else. The narrow strip limestone formation from which of Karst that belongs to Italy geologists have evolved the ge- (most of the Karst lies within Slo- neric name of karst. The venia) is a fascinating land which call it the Carso, the Slovenians borders the Adriatic Sea (more the Kras, the Croats the Krš, and specifically the Gulf of Trieste) in all their languages the name and presents a rocky and harsh is onomatopoeic: the Karst is environment that cannot pass tough, flinty, pot-hole country, without notice. Not for nothing, sparsely vegetated and riddled it is this aspect which prevails with caverns and underground in Jan Morris’s description in streams” (Morris 2001, 18). The Karst taken from Giorgio Valussi, Friuli Venezia Giulia, UTET, 1961. 62 • 22

Fulvio Tomizza works, Tomizza explored exile, The arid and, to some extent, troubled identities, borders and inhospitable Karst should not plurilingualism (besides Italian, he deceive as this upland offers a frequently employed Croatian and unique nature which does not Slovene and their dialects), taking fail to surprise, with breathtaking advantage of the Mitteleuropean views over the sea, villages castled influence, and above all the “Slav” over the ridges, traditions which literary heritage. This fact may have been preserved through have caused an obstacle to a wider time, and an invaluable cultural awareness of his literary produc- mix. Among the writers who have tion, even though Tomizza should truly pinpointed the essence of be acknowledged as one of the the Karst is Fulvio Tomizza. Even most remarkable authors of the though an immediate association European 20th century. would rightly be the well-known Triestine writer Scipio Slataper A land of stone (1888-1915) – who dedicated Although Tomizza is an Istria-born The cover of Alle spalle di Trieste an entire work Il mio Carso to (Bompiani 2009), the collection of author, he captures in the Karst this rural region, characterized essays Tomizza wrote about the land some relevant similarities with by a “hovel with a thatched roof beyond Trieste, which includes the his homeland, which allow him Karst plateau. blackened by rain and smoke” to explore the subtler aspects of (Slataper 1993, 208) – thanks to the area. Leaving aside the essays his deep knowledge of borderland which touch upon the stony pla- dynamics and his sharp eye for causing the massive exile of the teau behind Trieste, there are at detail, Tomizza captured the most Italian population from the area. least the novels L’amicizia and distinguishable aspects of the This fact marked a fracture in Franziska, but also the short Karst even more. Tomizza’s life, driving him into story La casa in campagna with- Fulvio Tomizza was born in the exile to Trieste, the city where in the collection Dove tornare, Istrian village of Materada in he settled down and became a which deal with the most typical 1935, a southward land not too far famous writer and journalist. features of a land placed at the from Trieste which at that time Tomizza has been a very prolific intersection of different civiliza- belonged to Italy. Like the Karst, author: he published more than 40 tions. But what attracts Tomizza Tomizza’s home country should be works, including novels, essays, to the Karst is also its powerful considered a borderland, which articles and tales. Among these natural landscape, comprised of had been historically shaped by the most remarkable are certainly pine forests and cliffs, sporadic both the Italians settled on the Materada (1960), La ragazza winds which shatter everything, coast, and the “Slavs” (in Istria, di Petrovia (1963) and Il bosco stones, valleys called doline both Croats and ) of di acacie (1966), which came to- (form the Slovene “dolina” which the hinterland, forming a hybrid gether to form the Trilogia istria- means “dale”), and caves. Against “grey” zone. The combination of na; the autobiographical novel a background of this kind, human the two elements certainly led to L’albero dei sogni, which won lives have historically settled fruitful results, but also to con- the Viareggio Prize in 1969; and down, sometimes struggling to trasts, such as when Istria passed La miglior vita, which obtained reach the wellness of more fertile under Tito’s Yugoslavia following the most important Italian literary locations. Nevertheless, in these the post-war border redefinition, prize, the Strega, in 1977. In these quiet surroundings Tomizza found 22 • 63

SFOGLIATE DI CREMA

The Monrupino fortress functions as a cultural events during summer. From here The “sfogliata di crema”, also cal- one can admire panoramic views of the Gulf of Trieste and the villages of nearby led sfoiada, zabata or carsolina, Slovenia. Photograph by Massimo Crivellari (POR FESR 2007 - 2013), Archivio Turismo FVG. is a delicious sweet that should be served with a sweet wine. The “something” that Trieste was not people who identify themselves ingredients are the typical products able to offer him. As Lorenzo Mon- considering it the spontaneous of the Karst: eggs, flour, milk, cream, do, one of the reviewers of L’ami- lengthening and the ideal op- powdered sugar and white wine cizia, underlines: “When Tomizza position to their city. The Karst (possibly sweet wine) or rum. The climbs into the Karst, his page coincides with precipitous slope, recipe is the following: whip 4 fresh breeds also stylistically, he breaks in a mixture of cottages and stony eggs with 180g of caster sugar; up the narrow and unpleasant houses, of pergolas and brambles, then add 100g of sifted flour, a atmosphere of the city, its small hard white rocks and crumbled pinch of salt and slowly 600 ml businesses. Up there, on the other plates of sandstones. For them of milk. All should be cooked in a hand, there is the cyclic immuta- it perhaps corresponds also to bain-marie until it boils. It should bility of the ground, the rests of a the open and strong sea or, to a then be removed from the fire and reluctant and secluded civilization, fantastic landscape, which is the 35g of butter added, along with the presence of the minority of the most living and easy background” two spoons of sweet white wine. Slavic brothers, a geographic ideal (Tomizza 1974, 135). The mixture is cooked again in a extension of the lost Istrian coun- The sketches of the Karst outlined bain-marie in order for the cream to try of origin” (Mondo 1980, 13). in this story are fully developed thicken. Meanwhile three rectangular One of the most significant pas- in the novel L’amicizia, where dough should be baked in an oven sages in which Tomizza delves into the writer describes in depth a at 180°C. When the cream is luke- the Karst’s dimension is given at “genuine small rural civilization” warm, add it gently to the whipped the beginning of the short story (Tomizza 1980, 142). In the story cream. The “sfogliata di crema” La casa di campagna, where an of Marco and Alessandro, charac- should be made by overlaying one “attack of restlessness” drives the ters cover an extended series of dough over the other and inserting first-person narrator up to the pla- villages of the Karst – Basovizza, the cream in-between. The last teau: “Above Trieste, as you know, Padriciano, Trebiciano, Monrupi- dough is sprinkled with powdered lies the Karst: an arid land, wood, no, Zolla, , Gabrovizza, sugar. The ideal decoration would stone, scrub, that still employs its Sales, Samatorza, Tarnova piccolo, be a branch of juniper or leaves of fascination, above all on Triestine San Pelagio, Aurisina and Sistiana, “sommacco”. 64 • 22

The “sommacco”, a typical bush of the Karst, turns red, orange and scarlet in autumn, colouring the area. Photograph by Stefano Zanini.

letting the most remarkable often struggle to make space for The sommacco traditional and rural features themselves among stones, which The prevalence of this element emerge. By passing through the are the real protagonists up does not nullify the relevance which lies beyond the Gulf there. The ground of the Karst that should be attributed to the of Trieste, characters approach is mainly made up of stones, vegetation. In Tomizza’s words, the upland, leaving behind the whose shape and size do not greenery, which is “hardly able sea. The latter may appear and repeat twice: they are small and to exist among stones” (Tomizza disappear unexpectedly to a stacked, or composed in nev- 1999, 27), is in effect explored in “carsolino” [the name indicates er-ending slabs. The same pat- detail. The writer describes one the inhabitants of the Karst], tern is also present in houses, of the most characteristic plants, according to the morphology of which are often made of stones, the “sommacco” or “scotano”, the land; in any case, when it and in roves: there are villages which can hardly be found in the comes into view, it represents “with roves covered by slabs of surroundings. The “sommacco” the background behind a cliff or grey stones” (Tomizza 1999, 27), (Cotinus coggygria) is a wide- greenery. The scrub dominates as well as in small walls, which spread species of flowering plant, the landscape of the Karst, run along streets. but native to southern Europe, even though plants and shrubs which expanded also in central 22 • 65

Asia and from the Himalayas to herself between two intermittent but so copious and varied, so northern . It is a bush that of scotano, while in the enchanting to provide for the might form a small tree, whose lane came out again the stone. sterility of the barren stretch and oval leaves turn an intense red in How many times in her childhood transform it into a symbolic or- autumn. It is in Franziska – the she stretched out her hands chard of more Southern regions. story of a girl from the Karst who towards the vermillion leaves, Franziska could not resist from falls in love with a lieutenant from imagining them of fruiting plant, bending over the bush and pulling Cremona, Nino Ferrari – that not different from the ones of the out a couple of branches particu- Tomizza pictures the best impres- pear tree, of the apple tree, of larly loaded with big stretched sions of the “sommacco”. The girl the service tree, with its golden leaves, and placed them on the minutely traces her sensations: bunches… Then, by finding only hollow part of the arm. They did “By moving forward towards the tufts like wood on branches, she not have any smell, apart from crest, humidity diminished, trees imagined that leaves themselves the zesty gummy of the plant; thinned out, the gloomy colour ripped by the sun were fruits. It they were beautiful, pure fruitless of the forest was replaced by was instead the result of what the appearance, like the totality of lively dyes, inclined towards red arid Karst was able to offer after the Karst, like its own exalted and and yellow. Soon after she found the peak of the summer season, vain love” (Tomizza 1999, 205-6). 66 • 22

The legend of the bora

It is inevitable that an atmospheric phenomenon like the bora has created many legends that tried to explain the origin of this cold A human landscape wind. Among them there is that of Tergesteo, precursor of the city of Trieste, which says that… Once upon a time there was Eolus, father Tomizza’s Karst also contem- of winds, who went around the globe with his sons, Tramontane, plates other typical features con- Libeccio, Ostro, Scirocco, Greco, Mistral, Ponente and Levante, cerning human life more directly. who had a sister called Bora. One day, by wandering freely over an The landscape scene often leads upland, Bora looked at a cirrus and got lost. She found a shelter to villages which are composed in the cave in which she saw also Tergesteo, the heroic Argonaut of houses, a church and its bell returning from the adventure of the Golden Fleece. The two fell in tower, an old lane which may still love immediately and this made Eolus upset. Bora was separated by her lover and cried. Her tears fall down becoming stones, while lead to a waterhole, old fences Tergesteo’s blood – who was killed by Eolus – generated the plant and crosses. These places have of sommacco. Since then the Karst is an expanse of stones and been built historically with local sommacco and from time to time Bora blows with strength looking materials, such as stone and for her beloved Tergesteo. wood. Tomizza underlines that this blend was “a mixture of the far South and the closer Alpine The bora acterized respectively by light or regions burdened by the snow” Like many other plants, such as bad weather. According to Tomiz- (Tomizza 1980, 141). By entering pines, oaks, hawthorns, dog roses za’s characters, bora increases villages, Tomizza’s characters find and cardoons, the “sommacco” “the sense of fight” and causes a peasants, who grow their own should also find its space among “tension all in the head that cor- vegetables or breed livestock; stones and fight against a typical responds to a nerve excitement” winemakers and landlords. Peo- phenomenon of the area, the so- (Tomizza 1980, 60). ple here live in traditional houses called “bora”, a violent cold wind The impact of bora and the and farms, where the stony which blows only occasionally sounds it makes in the Karst night facades complement the wooden reaching unbelievable speeds have also been exploited by the interiors. Inside, wooden walls (up to 200 kilometres per hour). Slovene poet Srecˇko Kosovel, born create intimacy, while old ward- Although it can be felt over in Tomaj, just a few kilometres robes, on which are placed bot- Dalmatia, Istria, the Slovenian from the Italo-Slovene border. tles of oil and vinaigrette, as well Littoral, Trieste, and the rest of Here is the third part of his poem as jars of syrup, jam and sauces, the Adriatic east coast, behind (Kraška Vas) Karst Village: close the angles of a kitchen or the Karst, in the Slovene area a dining-room. In the traditional of Postojna, there is a rill from The ocean of pines house, bedrooms have a bed, with which the wind blows with intense darkly murmurs. a deep mattress, a wide walnut strength, so much so that people The Adriatic curls into the wood wardrobe and the porcelain block the shingles of roves with shore, basin and pitcher for toilette. stones. The Karst is, therefore, into darkness. Outside, the traditional house still hit by the “bora”, which is a wind The burja hammers offers the so-called “ognjišcˇe”, generated by the contrast be- against the dead window. a conical room for the fireplace tween the high-pressure regions Night over the Karst village. leaning against the walls. Apart of the hinterland and the warmer Who despairs? from creating a relaxing ambience, Adriatic. This wind can be divided Who laments which historically was also used into two categories, depending on that I may curse him for heating, cooking and other the conditions of the weather: the in my sick hearth? domestic uses, the “ognjišcˇe” “light bora” (“bora chiara”) and Who? gives the house a sense of warmth “dark bora” (“bora scura”), char- (Kosovel 2010, 15)) and friendliness that cannot be 22 • 67

The “frasca” (a branch of tree) placed outside the “osmizza”. Maria Theresa of Austria imposed only one rule to farmers who wanted to sell their own The red soil covers the Karst’s dips and depressions called “doline”. It generates products in the area: to mark venues from the decomposition of calcareous stones, and its colour is due to ferric oxides by a clear sign, that was an hanging present in the ground. It constitutes an ideal soil for vineyards, given that the latter “frasca” placed outside. Photograph are satisfied with simple conditions. Photograph by Massimo Crivellari (POR FESR by Massimo Crivellari (POR FESR 2007 - 2013), Archivio Turismo FVG. 2007 - 2013), Archivio Turismo FVG.

compared to standard radiators. sign that was a hanging “frasca” In the “osmizza”, there is also the Indeed, the house of the Karst (a branch of tree) placed outside. , where is possible to preserves old items and traditions In Tomizza’s words, it “was an au- taste the dark wine, which here that are nowadays lost in cities thentic osmizza with tables below is called “vino nero” (in Italian it like Trieste. the pergola and the wine cellar would have been red wine, but the opened to the customers, who Slovene linguistic contamination The osmizza wanted to taste wine directly from drove inhabitants of the area The same level of intimacy is barrels. Benches were occupied by to call it black wine). When the offered by the “osmizza”, de- a group of workers dressed with host illuminates the wine cellar, scribed by Tomizza in the village a blue overall, probably occupied the “hearth” of the venue is de- of Samatorza, which smells of hay by a work of excavation in the sur- scribed as follows: “It was a cellar in the spring. The “osmizza” is an roundings, two complete families of a wealthy family, equipped informal eating place where prod- who arranged a meeting after a and well-maintained: barrels in ucts, such as meat, cheese and walk in the forest, where wom- decreasing order with varnished wine, are homemade and provided en and children had picked up circles, the taps which did not lose directly by local farmers. The bunches of primrose. The waiter a drop; on the opposing wall there name “osmizza” has a significant was a tall and skinny woman, with were the press, the grind, a etymology, given that it derives big light eyes and gristly hairs; she of overturned demijohn (…) The from the Slovene number eight, probably was at her first experi- man leaked from the last small “osem”, indicating the number ence because entertained with of rosato wine, raised it of days that Maria Theresa of everyone as if they were invited towards the light and offered it to Austria allowed the venue to stay and bought as gifts from the kitch- me. A bit sparkling, barely zesty, open. The sovereign imposed only en slices of pandolce, hard-boiled went down giving me a euphoric one rule to farmers who wanted eggs, plates with bacon in order to burst of heat. It reminded me of to sell their own products in the prevent wine from making them the first grape harvest of a new area: to mark venues by a clear drunk” (Tomizza 1980, 144). vineyard that my father had plant- 68 • 22

ed at home” (Tomizza 1980, 146). quality of products which were not A blend of cultures The wine tasted is the local Ter- passed through shops and fridges. Alongside its natural landscape rano, the colour of which is so In particular, she appreciated the and traditional villages, the Karst concentrated it is called “blood green peas of the Karst, as they truly attracts Tomizza for its blend of Karst”. Terrano should grow were consumed whole and dressed of cultures and languages, which on the “terra rossa” – red ground, by the small squares of bacon, materializes in characters like which is typical both in the which were also homemade. Even Boris, a young man “with dark Karst and in Istria; it is a dense more satisfied was the professor complexion, strong traits and fair juicy wine with a unique flavour with his lasagna, in which he found eyes” which was “for sure Italian reminiscent of forest berries. a flavour of Low Sunday, convinced and Slav” and seemed to have Nevertheless, Terrano is a wine that also the butter tasted of herbs found the perfect balance (Tomiz- that does not age well and should and flowers of the Karst” (Tomizza za 1980, 190). By describing be used within a reasonable time, 1980, 194). people, cuisine, landscape and ar- usually one year. There is also Tomizza’s cuisine of the Karst also chitecture, Tomizza always sought another typical Slovene (but includes dishes such as “ e to find this blend, especially given also Balkan, Central and Eastern fagioli” (pasta and beans), “salsicce that it failed to exist in his native European) drink, which is widely con crauti” (sausages and sauer- land. In other words, the Karst popular in the area: the “slivovitz”, kraut), and sweets: the homemade offered him the chance to keep his a strong alcoholic beverage made “strudel” and the “sfogliate di auspices of peace and conciliation from plums, which may corre- crema” (cream pastries), revealing alive. spond to a plum . not only a strong Slovene influence but also an Austrian legacy. For Home-made food instance, the strudel, which is a Bibliography Food is another key aspect layered pastry with a filling of sour Belci Corrado, Il libro della bora, Trieste: touched on by Tomizza’s novel cherry or sweet cherry, or plum, Lint, 2002. L’amicizia. Among the typical poppy and sometimes also Cannarella Dante, Leggende del Carso dishes of the Karst, Tomizza, who cheese, is a traditional sweet wide- triestino, Trieste, Edizioni Italo Svevo, 2004. already mentioned the “kitchen spread throughout the Habsburg Halupca Enrico, Le Meraviglie del Carso, slices of pandolce, hard-boiled Empire. Also sauerkrauts, which immagini, storia e cultura di uno dei eggs, plates with bacon” (Tomizza corresponds to cut fermented più affascinanti paesaggi d’Europa, Trieste: edizioni LINT, 2004. 1980, 144), also introduces the cabbages with a remarkable sour Kosovel Srecˇko, Look Back, Look Ahead: gnocchi of turkey with peas and flavour, are used as a condiment Selected Poems, Brooklyn: Ugly Duckling the ham meatballs: “Gnocchi, big with various foods in Germanic and Press, 2010. and soft, were offered in their do- Slavic countries. In Germany it is Mondo Lorenzo, “Trieste e una donna (alle spalle il Carso)”, La Stampa, 21 Mar. 1980, mestic decoration achieved by the served as a side dish for pork, sau- p. 13. grater, while the backside offered sage or bacon; in Russia it is a fun- Morris Jan, Trieste and the Meaning of a scar left by a finger for the sauce damental ingredient for a tradition- Nowhere, London: Faber and Faber, 2001. to fill in. The turkey, raised in the al soup (“shchi”); and in Serbia it Slataper Scipio, “Two passages from Scipio Slataper’s Trieste”, in Joseph Cary, A ghost pasture, had golden and soft meat, is used to prepare “sarma” rolls for in Trieste, Chicago: University of Chicago penetrated with the flavour of occasions like Orthodox Christmas, Press, 1993. sage and rosemary dipped in white New Year, Easter etc., which are Tomizza Fulvio, Dove tornare, Milano: Mondadori, 1974. wine; cooks widely used parsley made of sauerkraut leaves, ground ---, L’amicizia, Milano: Rizzoli, 1980. in making the ham meatballs. My meat, rice and seasonings. In this ---, Franziska, Milano: Mondadori, 1999. mother-in-law, who was expert in sense, Tomizza’s Karst seems to Veit Heinichen, Trieste. La città dei venti, cooking, admired especially the open towards new horizons. Trieste: E/O, 2010. 22 • 69

Luca MANFÈ Friuli Venezia Giulia, a hidden treasure

Friuli is well known all over the world for its great white wine (Ronchi di Manzano).

When I first moved to the States, one who was or had some rela- to help my beautiful region to get 12 years ago, when people asked tives in the Army or Air Force and the recognition it deserves. I em- Wme where was I from I always they knew of my hometown Avia- braced with all my heart the role had to say: “Near Venice” because no. They didn’t know Aviano, they of Ambassador of Friuli in the no one knew where Friuli was just knew that it was home for a United States. and it took me too long to ex- United States Air Force base. Friuli Venezia Giulia is a part of plain. Now things have changed for Italy with lots of history because I was 22 years old and I was me. I have been away from my it is situated in a very strategic working as a waiter in Disney country for more than 12 years part of Europe. It has easy and World, in Florida. We had custom- and I want people to know where fast access to Eastern Europe, ers from all over America, many I come from. Whenever people Russia, the Middle East, Northern of whom traveled a lot around ask me: “Where are you from?” I Africa and the Mediterranean. For Italy: Florence, Milan, Rome, Ven- always say: Friuli. this reason, the Romans made of ice, the , but nobody Right after winning ‘Masterchef’, the city of Aquileia, in the prov- ever mentioned Friuli. when I was interviewed in maga- ince of Udine, one of the most Once in a while I would get some- zines and TV, I felt it was my duty important ports of their Empire. 70 • 22

scenarios: from the valleys to the mountains, you'll see fields, farms and wineries, lots of wineries. Fri- uli is well known all over the world for its great white wine, the best in the world with some of the oldest vineyards and oldest producers in the world. Red wines are very good as well, maybe not as com- petitive as Tuscany or Piedmont, but we surely defend ourselves. Not many people know, that the first plants of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in California came from Friuli! When I go out for dinner I only order wines from Friuli be- cause "I like to help the economy", but mostly because it makes me feel at home. I love to go back to Friuli. My fa- , plan taken from an old print. This is a fortress town known also from its rather unusual plan as "the -shaped town" (la Città Stellata). It was, in fact, vorite thing to do when I am there founded in 1593 as a defense post on the frontiers towards Austria and its shape is is eating. I like to find the most perfectly symmetrical with nine points and a spacious square from wich six streets rustic and traditional places, bet- radiate outwards. From Lugani, V. (ed.), Friuli Venezia Giulia, Aristea, Milano, 1978. ter if family owned where things are still done the old way. Back in Throughout the years Friuli was situated in the Adriatic coast so the days, most families were farm- invaded by Romans, barbarians, we get plenty of seafood, but at ers with animals and fields so Friu- Venetians, the Austrian and Hun- the north it borders the beautiful lan cuisine is made of very poor garian kingdom, and even Napole- Alps, so we get everything the – yet delicious ingredients. on. Every era had a great impact in mountains can offer. I always look for restaurants Friuli’s territory and architecture. Driving from the sea to the Alps, or ostariis that serve the best There is proof every time you from Trieste to , you have Frico, a staple of Friulan drive around. I get fascinated a wonderful sequence of different cuisine made with Montasio when I walk around Cividale del Friuli where ruins of the city first built in 50BC can be found all over Cjalçons are a feast or driving into Palmanova and its day dish in . star-shaped fort built in the Late They are made in a Renaissance. wide range of styles, from the sweetish to There is a lot to see in Friuli and the sharply penetrating, a lot to learn, but what excites me and every recipe the most about my beautiful region is a family secret. is obviously food and wine. Friuli Photograph by Ulderica da Pozzo (POR FESR Venezia Giulia offers almost every 2007 - 2013), Archivio type of food you can think of. It is Turismo FVG. 22 • 71

cheese, onions and potatoes. So simple, but so incredibly delicious. I never go out to fancy restaurants when I am there, I get those here in NY. But nowhere in the world can I find food the way it's pre- pared back at home, not even in my kitchen. For me, at least one dinner in to have the best Prosciutto in the world, is a must, because even if you can find pro- sciutto everywhere, it will never taste like back at home. Then I walk in some of the local bars of the town where I grew up, where the older fellows play cards. Those bars where every- body knows each other, until I walk in. They all speak the old Friulano language. I try to keep up with tradition, always finding a way to speak it with family and friends, but it is not like when I used to live there. It is always the same scene: some- one standing at the next to me would ask: "WHO are you from?" and after giving them a detailed explanation of my family tree, 3 or 4 of them would go: "Aaaaaah, you are the American!!!". I love it! It never gets old. I love America and I feel very fortunate to have a wonderful life and family here in the States, but I like to spend time in Friuli be- cause there is nothing like home.

At the north Friuli borders the beautiful Alps, so we get everything the mountains can offer. Photograph by Ulderica da Pozzo (POR FESR 2007 - 2013), Archivio Turismo FVG. 72 • 22

Daniele Cˇ OTAR Montasio cheese

a Friulian story

The transformation of milk into made. The herdsmen learnt how were then filled with the cheese Montasio cheese is closely tied to to prepare the rennet to enable curds and weighted down. Tthe history of the mountain pas- the cheese to form, and devel- In this way, the cheese which was tures, where animals were taken oped sophisticated techniques of to become known as Montasio to graze during the warm summer using fire to ensure that the first took shape, with forms some 30 months. Individual farmers put curds became drier and more cm in diameter and 8 cm high. their cattle together to form larg- solid, so as to form a cheese able These dimensions, which grew up er herds, and the long distances to tolerate an extended period of and became the standard purely from the hamlets and villages in ripening. through tradition, have become the valleys meant that right from The special device – the mussa one of the basic characteristics of the earliest days the alpine herds- (a nickname meaning jenny), still Montasio cheese, and by which men had to master the difficult used in the mountain pastures – it can be readily identified. The technique of cheese-making as was a simple yet ingenious way of quantity of cheese per form was the only way of preserving the bringing the cauldron nearer to or perfect for the rather modest valuable milk with its exception- farther from the heat. To give the daily production of milk from an ally short storage time. cheese its regular shape, expert average pasture and such a round Gradually, improvements in the hands were able to mould beech- could also be carried with relative cheese-making methods were wood into perfect hoops which ease down the mountain tracks to 22 • 73

These is Montasio grazing land. Cheese production on this mountain is documented since Middle Ages, and is still carried on, for hikers’ delight.

the valley below in the traditional massive outcrop of the mountain cos (i.e. pack basket). Montasio had already been named But the shape and volume of in 1259 as part of the feudal lands each cheese form took on further of Benedictine of Mog- significance. It regulated the gio, in the Fella valley. The valleys contact of the cheese with the air, of Friuli and Carnia and the wa- and thus the ripening process. tershed of the Isonzo all converge By happy chance the dimensions around the massif of Montasio. and surface area of each form led It was an area of dynamism and to relatively quick ripening and growth, of iron ore, woodland and facilitated long-term storage with- rich pastures. Some of the earliest out an excessive loss of weight. workshops for metal and wood- In this fresco (Villa Capellani, Fraelacco It was a cheese with a human working were established here, UD), three amorini can be seen: one dimension. largely to supply the herdsmen in milking (in the background), one The summer pastures were the alpine pastures with the tools pouring milk cream (on the right). In the widespread among the high Alps and equipment they needed to centre the third one is making butter with a churn, a typical “zangola”, of north-east Italy right from the prepare their cheese. The technol- used in Friuli until not so long ago. earliest records. Those below the ogy and tools developed rapidly. Photograph by Loris Pevere. 74 • 22

The whisk used to break up the initial curds was perfected from the original thin pine branch with carefully cut side-twigs. The curds were stirred with special wooden ladles, and later a thin wire “lyre” was used to cut the milk solids more precisely. The evening’s milk was kept cool in churns. In the alpine pastures, the cheese was a source of income and even wealth. The well-ordered and extensive pas- tures were the cause of many con- flicts between those who would exploit them. Throughout the 16th century repeated struggles between Tarvisio and the Counts of Prampero are recorded in the Montasio area. The spread of co-operative dairies in 1911. As can be seen, the maximum People recognised in cheese a concentration of these co-operatives for milk processing was in the mountains foodstuff of vital importance – (Carnia), in the morainic hills and in the High Plain. From the weekly L'amico del healthy, tasty and nutritious, and contadino (The ’s Friend), n. 6, 1911. many learnt to make it alone with what little equipment a peasant needed or could afford. certain advantages to the peasants, The move from these domestic, In an article of 1885 we can read: who soon welcomed the idea. The peripatetic “dairies” to what “It is called Montasio – after the milk producers in a local area put we can recognise as a true mountain of the same name where their milk together, so one member cheese-making dairy was not it was first made, although it is therefore had enough for cheese long in coming. The idea of a widespread in all the pastures making. In the following days, he purpose-built space for all the and even produced in some of the gave his milk to the others, until he milk producers of the area, with villages”. had returned everything that had equipment owned by the co-op- been lent to him, and so on. This erative and employing a specialist Dairies simple “shift” system still operates cheese-maker grew up towards The need to have cheese always in some Friulian dairies. the end of the 19th century. In readily available in the home did After a visit to the family dairies Carnia, in a small village at the not fit well with the limited pro- of , Prof. Giuseppe Sartori foot of Mt Coglians, Collina di duction capabilities of the time, so of the Scuola Agraria in , a co-operative towards the end of the 18th centu- wrote in a report in the Autumn of society for cheese production ry the so-called “Dairy Companies” 1897: “I was impressed to see the was founded on 15th April 1880. were formed in the Osoppo area care taken of the houses, and the The first dairy in Friuli began to by the captain of the militia of the great regard they have for milk. It operate in 1881, with immediate Counts Savorgnan. This was a type is stored in the very best parts of success. In 1882, the idea was of basic association able to offer their homes”. copied in the villages of Fanna and 22 • 75

The pride of those who know that they have done a good job fpr their own community can be seen of the faces of the founders of the social dairy of . The cow that peeks out on the right hand side is deservedly captured in the picture: it should take the credit too. Photograph by Sante Gerussi.

Forni Avoltri, and in the following That of the evening was taken put into the cauldron where the year five more were established, immediately to the dairy, where morning’s fresh milk was added including the first in the foothills the cheese-maker weighed it and gradually, as each family brought and on the plain. The spread of made a note in the member’s their contribution to the dairy. the co-operative dairies ("latterie book. The milk was then poured The fire, built from wood supplied sociali") was little short of mirac- into shallow dishes standing on a by each member in turn, was lit ulous, and before the end of the long stone counter in the store- and the milk heated. A trolley century there were already 200 room. During warmer periods, enabled the cauldron to be moved throughout Friuli. water was allowed to flow along nearer to or away from the fire to Such dairies were built at great the counter throughout the night regulate the heating process. expense to the members, but al- in order to keep the milk cool. On It was now that the transforma- ways with the correct equipment the plains, however, cheese-mak- tion began. The cheese-maker and suitable space to carry out all ers preferred taller, narrower brought the milk to a temperature the difference stages of produc- basins placed next to each other of 33° C, stirring it constantly. tion involved in the storage and in a stream of flowing water. The He prepared the rennet, mixed it transformation of the milk, and milk matured slightly overnight, with water, added it to the warm then the salting and storage of the and the cream began to form. milk and then stopped stirring. cheese itself. The dairy was often Through cooling and slight skim- Rennet is an enzyme extracted the most beautiful building in the ming it was possible to bring the from animals and used to solidify village, and a source of pride to milk to the correct chemical and the milk curds. Once it has been all. microbiological balance for cheese added, the process cannot be The milk to be made into cheese making. halted and leads inexorably to the was a blend of two milkings. Early in the morning, the milk was creation of Montasio cheese. 76 • 22

In a small dairy the newly-formed Under the effect of the rennet, time to a temperature of 45° C. cheese is scooped out with a linen casein, the most important pro- This temperature was perfect cloth (Brazzacco). tein in milk, builds up a delicate to encourage the development net and binds together all the of milk enzymes, and when it ingredients of the milk. Slowly, had been reached, the heat was over 20-30 minutes, the milk again removed. The solids hard- changes from a liquid into a ened, and the cheese became shiny elastic gelatine. drier. The optimum condition of spherical “holes” within the As the curds slowly coalesced, and balance of these grains, the cheese, giving Montasio its the cheese-maker was careful to curds and the whey, was judged traditional appearance with the ensure it was not disturbed in by the experienced hands and so-called “partridge eyes” inside any way and the great cauldron eye of the cheese-maker, who the cheese itself. Salting and was covered with a wooden lid. ceased stirring at this point to appropriate maturing completed When it had reached the right allow the pieces of soon-to-be the process. consistency and texture, the Montasio cheese to settle. Up The cheese-making dairy was mixture was carefully broken up to this point, the whole process full of noise from the machines, using the lyre. After first making since the addition of the rennet so you had to shout to be heard. the sign of the cross in the cen- had taken about two hours. A pump extracted the whey from tre as a symbol of good portent, After being allowed to rest, and the cauldron and took it to the the cheese-maker methodically so absorbing more of the milk’s centrifuge to be skimmed. This passed the lyre through the microflora the now-larger pieces was a way of saving some of the curds and then gently stirred of newly-formed cheese were milk-fat left in the whey, and with a large flat spatula. Finally, scooped out with a linen cloth, was added to the cream from the the lyre was used again to fur- brought to the marble work-top surface of the evening’s milking ther break up the milk solids, and pressed into the traditional to be churned into butter. this whole process taking some round forms. During this initial All the machinery was driven by ten minutes. The whey separated stage of storage, the cheese was a series of pulleys coming from a from the curds, and ever-larger regularly turned over to guaran- central axle which supplied the milk solids were formed. It was tee the uniformity of the rind. power. Towards mid-day, most important to continue stirring And, since the cheese was still of the work was finished, and all so the solids – initially only the warm, valuable micro-organisms that was left to do was clean the size of grains of rice – did not continued to form, some of dairy and turn the cheeses one sink to the bottom. Everything which created small quantities final time for the day. The dairy was then heated again, this of gas which led to the creation was closed, and silence reigned. 22 • 77

All the machinery was driven by a series of pulleys coming from a central axle which supplied the power.

Further growth and development The production of Montasio cheese spread to every corner of Friuli, and even to some areas of the Veneto Alps. The production unit was still the co-operative dairy at the local level, and in the 1950s there were more than 600 of them. But the 1970s brought rapid change to the Italian agri- cultural system and the tradition- al ways began to disappear. Fields of hybrid maize replaced pastures and meadows, fewer cattle were bred, but for higher milk yields. Even the characteristics of the milk itself changed with tech- niques to alter the balance of the microflora, and the dairies had to adapt to the new conditions. New equipment replaced some of the more laborious of the traditional ways, such as laying the dishes of milk along the cool counter, or filling the cauldron. In the modern dairy, milk was weighed more quickly and au- The cheese-making dairy was full of noise from the machines. Photograph tomatically sent to the churns, by Tarcisio Baldassi, 1945. from which specially designed 78 • 22

The first silage was fed to cattle. rennet and fire. The double-bot- Production demands became tomed boilers fed by a steam more and more urgent. That generator have replaced direct same countryside was still rela- heat. This method ensures that tively unsettled, and who knows heating is more easily controlled what kind of unwelcome bacteria and that there are more hygien- could have found their way into ic operating conditions. Some the milk. cheese-makers still use a special It was at this point that “lat- gauge to check exactly when to toinnesto” (lactic leaven) was halt the fermentation process in introduced as a primer. A natural the boiler. Nowadays, pneumatic technique, its use slowly spread presses weigh down the forms, from dairy to dairy, and it is still and a stronger metal hoop has used today, especially in the replaced the traditional muslin smaller ones. The cheese-maker cloth. selects and sets aside a small With these moulds, the Montasio quantity of milk from several takes on its regular 8cm x 30 different farms which could prob- or 35cm shape. All around the ably guarantee a high production circumference of the cheese, the The pride for the “latteria turnaria” (rotating dairy) can be seen both in quality. The guarantee is not mould etches the name “Mon- the cow and in the well structured girl 100%, but it is well known that tasio” into the side, along with (due to the nutritional improvement the most precious things in life the other information required achieved thanks to the diffusion of are only won by taking risks. The by law: the dairy’s code number, cheese in daily diet). In the beginning of 20th century a was common: milk is heated because the live the provincial code, and the date “Every bell tower, a dairy”. And, to be bacilli love warmth. When the of production. Forms of freshly sincere, in the Fifties of last century, primer is ready, the cheese-mak- made Montasio cheese contain such dairies amounted to more than 600. This is a vignette of Friulian life by er halts the fermentation by millions of microscopic creatures Emilio Caucigh. cooling the liquid and storing it competing with one another to until needed. The initial reaction give its unique flavour and aroma. produces some 200-300 million The following morning when pumps transferred the evening’s live bacilli per gram of primer. the forms are taken out of the milk into raised steel tanks. They are mightily virile, and moulds, the cheese is then Cooling water flowed through when introduced into the caul- immersed in brine to halt the the double base of these tanks dron, stimulate the fermentation fermentation process. The brine and the cream drained off. In the process. The microflora produced is of a controlled concentration morning, the milk was syphoned by the primer are unique to the and kept in great vats under cool away – milk now containing spon- environment they come from. conditions in a special room, taneously developing microflora. It works like the finest scion the "salatoio". Nowadays, these But who was to guarantee that grafted onto a wild stock. The salting rooms are cooled and those useful for making quality leads to the growth of temperature-controlled, so the Montasio cheese would develop quality fruit – the collaboration process takes place under ideal in greater numbers than the with the basest root gives rise to conditions. Osmosis forces the others? That the less important a high-quality product. salt deep into the cheese so the (for cheese making) would not The work then proceeds in the fermentation process slows. As displace the vital ones? traditional manner, using only well as regulating the bacterial 22 • 79

Features an expert consumer should recognize

Taking into consideration its production techniques, Montasio is a cheese that highlights the features of the production which is delicate and respects the bacteriological and microbiological factors of the milk. The flavour and the The warehouse of Vivaro dairy in the 1930s. quality are that of a soft and delicate tasting cheese, that isn’t extreme or shocking in taste and smell. The three classic ageing stages of activity, the salt forces out any tinued to live within the cheese Montasio help appreciate the cha- superfluous whey from the curd, and have been working hard. The racteristics that gradually evolve: – the fresh Montasio (from 60 days sets the rind and gives flavour changes are so profound that the to 5 months of ageing) embodies the to the cheese. After a day under taste of the milk has completely taste of the great alpine cheeses with the brine, the salting procedure disappeared. particularly soft and delicate flavours. is completed in the dry salting Once the ripening process is com- Upon close examination, we find an elastic structure and regular holes room. The cheese forms are laid plete, the Montasio cheese is put throughout, a not too excessive, but on benches and sprinkled with on sale. Nowadays, many dairies pleasant and a harmonious salt. Two days later they are offer their produce to customers flavour. turned and the salting is repeated through their own well-appointed – the Montasio "mezzano" (aged 5 to 12 months) has a particular full taste on the other side. The process outlets. Here we can find young characterized by a unique strong fla- is repeated a couple of times to Montasio that is only 60 days old vour, typical of natural products. The ensure the correct salt-balance and still full of those live bacilli structure becomes more crumbly, but and flavour. which are so beneficial to man. maintains a good consistency. The colour of the cheese tends towards Now the cheese passes to the rip- With cheese ripened for several straw-yellow and the rind gets thicker. ening room where it is kept under months and cheese matured for The aroma becomes significant and carefully controlled conditions to over a year, the flavour becomes marked by the purity of the product. allow it to ripen and mature natu- increasingly rich, the number – the "aged" Montasio (aged more than 12 months) version has characteristics rally. Maturing is an essential pro- of live bacilli decreases and the that are generally not found in other cess for hard cheese. These are Montasio develops other virtues. cheeses. The structure becomes more cheeses containing low levels of New organic substances, new crumbly and the holes less important. humidity, and the complex trans- proteins, new vitamins and new The colour of the cheese becomes yellowish and the rind takes on a light- formations taking place within flavours are created within the brown colour. The flavour becomes the cheese do so very slowly. cheese. Everything is concen- pleasantly sharp without ever becoming The flavour of cheese only begins trated into a smaller volume with irritating or awkward to the palate. to develop after two or three greater nutritional value. Excellent eaten grated on pasta or vegetable soups. Eaten directly in months of storage. The various There are the noble proteins with slices, it becomes an excellent pairing groups of microbes have con- all the indispensable amino acids, for polenta and with superior meat. 80 • 22

A pleasant display of dairy products from Friulian mountains. Photograph by Ulderica Da Pozzo (POR FESR 2007 - 2013), Archivio Turismo FVG.

Nowadays, only a few of the six hundred co-operative dairies running in the 50s still exist. Their premises serve a different purpose, and the former one is at times indicated by a plaque or, such as in this case, a tile. Locals do not forget that, for longer than a century, co-operative dairies set the path of the economy, the food habits and the daily life of all villages in Friuli.

the important vitamins A and D, Some numbers about dairy sector in Friuli calcium and phosphorus, and the Venezia Giulia whole is easily digestible – these are the characteristics which In our region there are some 45,000 dairy cows, whose milk pro- make Montasio such a healthy duction is in the region of 270,000 tonnes per year. Most of that and complete foodstuff. (210,000 tons) is transformed into cheese. 32,200 tonnes of milk are Through these complex biological transformed into Montasio cheese, with an annual production of 3,550 changes, we can say that the basic tonnes (480,000 wheels). Among other cheese products, “Latteria” material is reborn as a completely cheese, whose production is similar to Montasio one, prevails with new foodstuff. Changes so very 9,500 tonnes, followed by soft cheeses and pulled curd cheeses, delicate that man has been learn- totalling 7,000 tonnes. ing to control them since olden The biggest dairy plants, processing more than 30 tonnes of milk per times. He has done so with simple day, are 4. They receive the 55% of milk intended to cheese making, means, with salt, fire, water, and and are accountable for 30% of Montasio production. air. These technologies demand Other dairies, that could be called “average”, deal with 3 to 30 tonnes/ and enhance man’s capabilities, day, and receive the 38% of milk intended to cheese making, and and the results are the highest produce 55% of Montasio. expression of the culinary art. Small dairies, working less than 3 tonnes/day, are 20, and give only 10% of overall Montasio production. But they still play a social role, and their cheese has, more often than not, superior distinctive features. This article is excerpted from the book Finally, we have to take into account 20 micro dairies, usually related Montasio, una storia da raccontare (Eurocomunication, 2002). Tiere to a single farm and family run, that deal with less than 1 tonne/day furlane thanks the editor Guido De and produce the remaining 5% of Montasio cheese. Zorzi. (Thanks to Nevio Toneatto, Consorzio per la tutela del formaggio Montasio) 22 • 81

A preciuos leg

A bit of history In tracing this map, it will be duction can usually be traced Just as the frequently-cited "ol- discovered that ham is a factor of to the growth of rural cultures Aive-oil watershed" (marking the cultural, historical and economic located in the areas near Europe's geographical extent of Mediterra- unity right across continental Eu- great mountain ranges. Air-cured nean culture characterized by the rope. Ham is made in the Iberian ham production – like pig farming cultivation and use of olive oil) peninsula, in Italy, in France and itself and other related economic actually exists, so too a similar an- in all the countries of Central and activities – is one of the most thropological and economic "map" Eastern Europe. genuinely European food related can be drawn for air-cured ham. The historical roots of ham pro- activities.

San Daniele del Friuli. A vital element is the good air that prevails here, where the breezes that descend from the Alps meet those rising from the Adriatic, creating a microclimate where humidity and temperature are regulated by the morainic land and the waters of the Tagliamento, one of the last European rivers to preserve its original course. 82 • 22

In Italy, more or less renowned varieties of ham are to be found all around the country and above all in the lowlands flanking the river Po. "Padania" the macro-region lying between the Alps and the Apennines, is the true home of this economic phenomenon which brings together local fodder pro- duction, animal husbandry and production, linking them inextri- cably to pig farming and pig-relat- ed food products. Padania's unique local features have been combined in a highly characteristic process. In all the major areas of pork-based food production, superb-quality Denominazione di origine protetta (Protected Designation of Origin)-label products are available, thanks to the area's centuries-old tradition of pig breeding and related com- mercial, cultural and economic activities. That is why we find mature air- cured hams in Piedmont, in Emilia at Parma and , in the Beri- ci and Euganean Hills (Veneto) and at San Daniele del Friuli (as well as in the Marche, and Tuscany). While lowland economies devel- oped the skill of pig farming, the hillsides were proving ideal for the air-dried curing of hams. If we concentrate on San Daniele, after taking a panoramic sweep across Italy and the rest of Eu- rope, we shall see at once why it proved to be the perfect place for air-curing ham. Maturation of Prosciutto di San Daniele must continue up until the end The hill of San Daniele is of of the thirteenth month after the start of processing, under optimal morainic origin. It is located at a temperature, humidity and ventilation conditions. 22 • 83

short distance from the first Pre- important phase in San Daniele's alpine slopes and overlooks the history. river Tagliamento. The Romans themselves were Cold winds blow down on San connoisseurs of ham. On the fu- Daniele from the North. On clear neral stone of a butcher found at days, from the top of the hill you Portogruaro, we can make out the can see the Canal del Ferro, the distinctive shape of a genuine San valley which leads to Austria along Daniele prosciutto, complete with the ancient Roman road. Warm trotter. breezes arrive from the Adriatic In short, the ancient inhabitants Sea, only 35 km away as the crow of San Daniele had discovered flies and also visible from the hill that the low humidity, excellent in good weather. Warm and cool ventilation and Prealpine hillside airs are mix together as they trav- climate were ideal for curing meat el along the course of the river, and indeed enhancing its flavour. which acts as a conduit and natu- They invented air-curing, a much ral "air conditioner". more complex – and in some The gravel soil which, being respects miraculous – procedure morainic, has excellent drainage than simple preservation. Every properties and the gentle, but stage of air-curing makes use of constant ventilation, are the ideal only absolutely natural processes, conditions for air-curing. with the single (partial) exception The Celts were well aware of this. of rubbing the ham with salt as a It was the Celts who first made first step. use of salt to conserve pork, which That is the reason why San they consumed in large quantities Daniele, its hill rising out of the and there is ample evidence of Friulian plain to form the last nat- their presence in Friuli in pre-Ro- ural barrier before the Alps them- man times. selves, became famous for its ham. The culture of those same Celts This is a legacy left by the magical has left its mark all over Padania. wisdom of those early salters, They were a relatively sedentary the first people to appreciate San people, unwarlike and "agricul- Daniele's microclimate. tural" in outlook, who laid the foundations of the remarkable From Myth to Market "rural" culture that the Romans Centuries passed before San were later not to interfere with, Daniele prosciutto production and indeed encourage, shaping it developed into a fully-fledged judiciously to their own ends with economic system. great success. Ham underwent a process of The most ancient settlement at evolution from its original rural San Daniele dates from the first context to modern economic century AD. It is a Roman "villa" production. built at the very top of this hill Ham production began to reach that has been crucial to every economically significant pro- 84 • 22

portions in the 1920s, with the appearance of the firstprosciut - tifici, or ham factories. These were specially designed spaces obtained by transforming the cellar of a domestic outhouse into an independent production unit. This was also the time at which non-locally bred pigs were first used. Previously, the native black Friulian farmyard animals had been used, but now fresh hams began to arrive from Lombardy. By the end of the 1940s, the ham-making establishments had turned into full-scale business enterprises. Ham-making was an "". And industry brought capital from outside the region with the Prosciutto di San Daniele is recognisable at first sight, thanks to the distinguishing pioneers of the current economic signs shown on each ham. In particular, the unmistakable Consortium system. branded onto the rind and the presence of the trotter. The intermediate stages in the development of what was now destined to become a "produc- 1960s. Indeed, it is fair to say The Route to Quality tion district" were reached at the that some of the manufacturers The "historic" quality of Prosciutto end of the 1960s and the end of in San Daniele helped to create a di San Daniele is attested in surviv- the 1980s, each stage marked by market for air-cured ham outside ing records and has no need of any a doubling in the production ca- the area where the product was further explanation. It is nonethe- pacity of San Daniele prosciutto. traditionally consumed. less remarkable that such a limited It was at the end of the 1960s Currently, the economic system quantity of ham as was available that the companies which were based on Prosciutto di San Dan- until recently should have given to become household names all iele has the following parame- rise to such a widespread and firm- over Italy began their activities. ters: ly-established reputation. During the 1980s, many larger, – there are 31 producers; The quality of the product today more sophisticated companies – Prosciutto di San Daniele is characterized by a number of came onto the scene. generates sales of about 330 features that deserve individual Most were established million EUR (2014); consideration. pork-product manufacturers, – Prosciutto di San Daniele First of all, Prosciutto di San but there were also well-known accounts for 23% of Italy's Daniele is by definition a superi- multinational groups among the consumption of air-dried cured or-quality food product, like all newcomers. ham (2014); Italian Denominazione di origine San Daniele prosciutto began – Exports account for 13% of ("designation of origin")-label to be marketed seriously in the production (2014). hams. 22 • 85

In 1960s ham underwent a process of evolution from its Delivery of pork legs at the prosciuttificio (ham making original rural context to modern economic production. factory), 1960s. Courtesy of Prosciuttificio DOK Dall'Ava. Courtesy Prosciuttificio Rino Bagatto.

In a sense, this takes us back to – Prosciutto di San Daniele is a National Pedigree Register for the subject of "historic" quality. "traditional" product because "Italian heavy pigs". It should also be noted that: its taste and organoleptic A number of breeds are listed as – Prosciutto di San Daniele is still properties are safeguarded and unsuitable and the use of thighs made today in the traditional guaranteed by a traditional pro- from boars and sows is explicitly manner. Ham making is a "his- duction process and the source forbidden. toric" process rather than a of its raw material. The pigs are reared in the tradi- "craft" skill. The term "craft" is tional way (while providing all relevant only if it refers to the Pigs the essential requirements dictat- scale of production and organi- The pigs used for the preparation ed by modern science to ensure zation. of San Daniele air-cured ham functionality and the animal's – words like "technology" and come from ten Italian regions, well-being) and must be fed on "" are frequently where they are born, bred and the basis of a rigorously defined used by Prosciutto di San Dan- slaughtered (Friuli, Veneto, Lom- "diet" involving the specification iele producers, but they refer bardy, Emilia-Romagna, Pied- of a series of permitted (or for- exclusively to company organi- mont, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, bidden) feeds. zation, goods handling and the Lazio, ). To ensure that the "production other mechanical aspects of Pigs must belong to traditional regulations" are observed, breed- industrial life. The production genotypes (Large White and ers must: "technique" itself is unchanged. Landrace breeds) and may be – brand piglets immediately after Progress serves only to render cross-bred with the Duroc breed birth with a tattoo on both hind the working environment and or hybridized in other ways which thighs identifying the breeder the tools of production more must nevertheless comply with and the month of the animal's rational and more functional. the requisites laid down in the birth; 86 • 22

temptation to resubmit them for processing and the pig thighs that pass inspection are branded with a mark that, together with the DOT symbol (at last!), bears the date on which ham-making operations started (day, month and year). And so begins the process of making San Daniele prosciutto, from salting through eight other separate stages to the end of maturing (which takes at least 13 months, depending on the size of the ham). After the ham-making process has been completed, the hams are assessed for quality. In addi- tion to the traditional methods of inspection (needle-probe for aroma, "beating" for texture and a critical expert eye for an overall assessment), since 1993 analytical inspection parameters have been in force. An analytical profile of the ham (batch by batch and During maturation periodic checks are performed by means of ‘puntatura’, or piercing. This consists in inserting a horse-bone needle at five specific points, in month by month) is drawn up for order to check the progress of maturation and the quality of the prosciutto by ratios of water, salt and proteins means of the aroma in a grid of minimum and maxi- mum that constitute the optimum levels required to achieve a tech- – certify the adult pig before Prosciutto di San Daniele nologically perfect result with the slaughter (by adding another Fresh pig thighs arrive at the ham required organoleptic properties. identification mark if the ani- maker's with all the relevant doc- Since recent developments in mal was fattened at a different uments stamped by the breeder consumer demand require that stock breeder's from where it and by the abattoir. the product should be presented was born). A series of checks is carried out in a wider range of formats, the The above measures came into at the ham maker's premises to new law permits Prosciutto di San effect in August 1994. The first ensure that the pig thighs are Daniele to be sold ready-sliced pigs slaughtered under the new suitable for ham making. Selection in special modified-atmosphere procedure became available in is severe (in 2012 8,2 % of the pig packs. May 1995 and the first hams with thighs supplied were rejected as For pre-packed ham, the distinc- their own individual "identity unsuitable). tive San Daniele "brand" is printed card" were put on the market by The abattoir mark is removed on the pack and the compulsory the ham makers in June and July from fresh pig thighs rejected as checks carried out include the 1996. unsuitable, so that there is no inspection of individual packs (in 22 • 87

practice, each pack is "signed" by which tends towards the values development of our product's the quality controller) and the typical of vegetable oils or fish. raw material has characterized presence of inspectors at every Another important element is the a remarkable improvement in stage of the packing process, so presence of Omega-6: 50 g San pork's – and therefore ham's – nu- that there is an absolute guaran- Daniele ham will contain 13% of tritional qualities. Ham's average tee that every single pack contains the daily requirement of an adult. food value may be summed up as genuine Prosciutto di San Daniele. follows:

Notes of Nutrition The nutritional value of Prosciutto di San Daniele can probably best be summed up by the discriminat- ing consumer's instinctive conclu- sion – and the traditional wisdom – that Prosciutto di San Daniele "is good and does you good". Although quite true, the above statement deals with the question of nutrition rather too superficial- ly. In the light of recent research, it may now be said that Prosciutto Prosciutto di San Daniele is an excellent source of high-quality complete proteins, vitamins and minerals. di San Daniele "is good and does you even more good than you Avarage nutritional values thought it did". This time, all the credit must go per portion (50 g) The studies perfected in 2011 by to the pig. Purpose-reared and Kcal 136 Energy value the Italian National Institute of appropriately fed, today's pig has KJ 568 Nutrition (INRAN, Istituto Nazion- a larger quantity of lean meat with Proteins g 12,9 ale di Ricerca per gli Alimenti e la a thinner (but not too thin) layer Fats g 9,3

Nutrizione) demonstrate that pork of subcutaneous fat. Above all, it saturated g 3,3 from Italian pig used for produc- has a substantial content of noble monounsaturated g 4,3 ing hams and traditional Italian proteins. polyunsaturated g 1,4 sausages has made important We can almost count these steps forward in terms of nutri- proteins as we examine the nu- Carbohydrates g 0,1 tion, giving rise to a raw material tritional characteristics set out Cholesterol mg 41,5 characterized by high concentra- in the regulation on San Daniele Sodium g 0,89 tions of minerals and vitamins, prosciutto. The biological food val- Phosphorus mg 92 13,1 % RDA* as well as a balanced content of ue is exceptionally high, thanks to saturated and unsaturated fats. the production in ham of free ami- Potassium mg 291 14,5 % RDA* Consequently, the reduction no acids which facilitate digestion Zinc mg 1,19 11,9 % RDA* of saturated fats and increased and the absorption of proteins. Vitamin B1 mg 0,34 30,9 % RDA* unsaturated fats, which can have In addition, ham offers other Vitamin B2 mg 0,10 7,1 % RDA* positive effects on the heart and bio-available components such as Vitamin B6 mg 0,52 37,1 % RDA* blood circulation, there was a re- iron, zinc and B-complex vitamins. duction in the ratio between satu- Thanks to the INRAN studies, Vitamin PP mg 2,57 16,0 % RDA* rated and unsaturated fatty acids, we now know that the recent (*RDA = Recommended daily allowance) 88 • 22

How to recognize Prosciutto di San Daniele In accordance with "designation of origin" regulations, Prosciutto di San Daniele is branded with an easily-recognized mark which is applied under strict supervision at the end of the production pro- cess. The mark indicates that all legally-required obligations and inspections have been carried out and therefore guarantees the quality of the ham and the ham-making procedures em- ployed. The brand is however only the final step in a lengthy process of certification that at each stage leaves on the ham the personal mark of the ham maker respon- San Daniele lies on Friulian Morainic Hills and, as can be seen from above in this photo, at a short distance from Julian Prealps, while westward Tagliamento River sible for applying the relevant laps at the area. All that makes the zone's climate characteristic and very fit for production standards. prosciutto maturing. Photograph by Stefano Zanini. It all begins at the pig farm, where the breeder puts a special tattoo on both of the piglet's We might also add that checks No additives are permitted in thighs. The tattoo bears the carried out so far to verify the Proscutto di San Daniele. breeder's own identifying code analytical parameters of San Dan- and a special mark indicating the iele prosciutto showed an average month in which the animal was salt content (sodium chloride, born. or sea salt) of 4.5%. All in all, At the abattoir, every fresh San Daniele prosciutto has a trimmed pig thigh is inspected nutritional profile that is quite and branded with an indelible exceptional. identification code. It is an open secret that the Then we find the DOT mark, feeding regimes of the so- together with the date on which called "abattoir pigs" (maxi- ham making began, written out mum weight of 120-140 kg) that in full. Thanks to this symbol, it make up the bulk of foreign pig is always possible to calculate farm production are profound- the maturing period the ham has ly different. They do not, for undergone. example, allow for the specific The San Daniele label. The words Finally, there is the mark bear- accumulation of outer fat which in PROSCIUTTO DI SAN DANIELE are ing the identifying code of the arranged in a circle with the stylized DOP-label pigs prevents an exces- representation of a ham bearing the ham-making establishment at sive build-up of fat in the meat. letters SD in the central portion. which the ham was processed. 22 • 89

Dawn in the neighbourhood of San Daniele. Photograph by Florence Zumello.

The Prosciutto di San and ensures that they are applied pig, the ID of the slaughterhouse, Daniele Consortium correctly. It protects and safe- the date on which processing The Consortium was established guards the trademark in order to was started and the ID of the in 1961 by a mixed group of ensure that there is no misuse ham factory. The Consortium citizens made up of producers or illegitimate use of the trade- promotes and implements activ- of ham, entrepreneurs and mark or of the “Prosciutto di San ities for improving the quality of various other people from San Daniele” Protected Designation production. It provides assistance Daniele, with the purpose of of Origin (PDO), assigned by the and technical advisory services protecting and publicizing the Italian Ministry for Agricultural, for its member manufacturers. It name and trademark of the San Food and Policies (MI- safeguards the typical features Daniele ham and defining rules PAAF) issued on 22 April 2002, and characteristics of the prod- for processing the product. Its in accordance with Article 14, uct, regulates issues of common members now include 31 ham sub-section 15, Act of Law no. interest to all the parties involved factories (producers), all based 526/99. in the production chain (farmers, within the boundaries of the The Specifications ensure tracea- slaughterhouses, ham factories) municipality of San Daniele del bility of each single ham, since it and carries out technical and pro- Friuli. The Consortium maintains requires stamps be affixed to the duction standardization activities the Production Specifications rind indicating the origin of the in every area of interest. 90 • 22

Gian Paolo GRI

Massimo Poldelmengo (Pordenone, The numbers and the rust, the 1964), a well-known sculptor, as well as a painter and a photographer, was domesticated and the wild commissioned to create an artwork to be placed in the Ronco Pitotti The landscape changes as you feeling of contrast diminishes. vineyard, a beautiful estate in the hills to the north of Manzano. The land is travel through Manzano and on to There are also clear signs that tended by Vignai da Duline, who take Ronco Pitotti. I am struck by the these two words permeate: the great pride in their sixteen rows of sharp contrast between the strict domesticated and the wild are . The beauty of the place geometry of the rows of vines on not totally separated, they over- and the 50 years spent working on the hills and the looming thick lap. The rows of vines are also this land, with the utmost respect for nature, inspired the artist to create a wild wood. The contrast is more a feeding place for the flocks of secular altar. It has been placed on striking at the foot of the hills, birds living in the wood, and on a spur of land in a dominant position with the orderly lines of Pinot the paths along the vines there is on the hill. It offers the visitor a place noir. Two opposing worlds stand evidence of boar and tracks. in which to stop and enjoy the view before me (order, disorder: nature In the woods there are traces of of the landscape of vineyards while tasting the wine in the very place and culture?), alongside one an- past terracing and of the passage where it was born. The surface of other, seemingly irreconcilable. of hunters and people looking for the table is made of 16 metal plates, But looking more carefully, the wild herbs, mushrooms and snails. symbolizing the rows of Pinot Noir. 22 • 91

What I am seeing helps me to between this better understand why the re- world and the lationship between dumiésti other, were well and salvàdi (domesticated and known. So too wild) was so important in popular the herbère, and peasant culture. On the one herbalists who hand it was at the base of their were able to way of being and of their rela- visit unculti- tionship with the environment, vated lands characterized by the feeling of to extract (and need for) a clearly defined powerful med- separation between the human icines from the and that which threatens its sta- poisons found bility. On the other hand, there in nature. Do- was an awareness of this primary mesticated and wild component: the remnants wild, nature and culture, separa- the centuriation of the Romans. of nature and animal in mankind, tion and contamination: worlds This approach to land measure- which underlie any cultural con- and actions that did, and still ment was governed by the form struction. There was a profound should, live together. In peasant of the square, set in right-angled understanding that these should culture, the concept of Wildness grids and parallel lines. This was not -and could not- be radically was not understood only in terms replicated in a small scale in the removed from mankind or the of threatening foreignness, but countryside around the villages human soul without incurring dire also as a coessential factor for a when communal land was subdi- consequences. well balanced personal and com- vided into lots, called, sorti (i.e. It was considered a good thing munity life, and for the inner life chosen by sortition). to “let oneself go” in the liminal and the exterior life which is the Having to deal with the domesti- spaces of the rites of passage. The projection of it. How can this an- cation of landscape and of vines, annual invasion of the streets and cient wisdom, which was capable what could be better than the homes by the monstrous masks of simultaneous separation and square and the number four? In was a positive thing, as were the coexistence, be translated today? intercultural terms, four is the stories about water creatures, The orderly arrangement of the number of cosmic order (spatial, aganis (sing. agane) and wood vines is the perfect example of temporal, inner and community people, salvans (sing. salvan). dumiésti (domesticated), it is ge- order) that can be recognised These were borderline creatures, ometry imposed on the landscape. beneath the multiplicity and threatening and unsettling, but I am not surprised that Massimo complexity of reality. Reality is also masters of important skills Poldelmengo used Roman numer- conceived, measured and organ- like the curdling of the milk, the als to identify the orderly succes- ised on the basis of this number: use of lye and the fermenting of sion of rows of the challenging the four elements, the four points grape must. There was nothing Pinot noir vines. Not only do of the compass, the four humours so distant and “wild” as the dead, the bars making up the numeric and temperaments, the four sea- and yet tradition taught about the symbols (whether they were orig- sons, the four phases of the moon, times and places where the living inally notches or letters) contain a the four directions of the wind, and the dead could meet. The stronger geometrical essence than the Gospels, the stages of spiritual benandants (lit. "Good Walkers"), Arabic numerals, but they also di- elevation and so on, through to who were able to communicate rectly recall the order imposed by the four colours of the tarot and 92 • 22

made of squares. A kind of um- preventing diseases (the manual bilicus loci which, since we are sprays for Bordeaux mixture) talking about wine, could only and the traditional blades for har- take the form of a table emerging vesting, the metal barrel hoops, from the vineyard, for sharing buckets, barrels and presses. food and wine together. Rust attacks, it corrodes, spreads, Thus far we have considered degrades and makes wild. It is domestication, geometry, artifice nature that regains its vigour at and culture, but what about the the cost of culture. It is the exact intrusion of the salvàdi (wild), counterpart of the creeping, wild the place that must be kept for wood which menacingly surrounds nature, to safeguard balance? the vineyards of Ronco Pitotti. We all know that iron is needed By adding more iron to the mem- to build and maintain the vines. ory of the old iron in the vineyard, Because of my work, I am familiar Massimo Poldelmengo integrates with the old iron implements once range of aesthetic elements into used in the vineyards. They are an ordered system which charac- now no more than materialised terise the process of corrosion. memories, only to be found in There are a range of colouristic ethnographic museums. They correspondences between rust may well have been restored and progressively penetrating the iron the four suits of playing cards. treated, but rust is like woodworm plates left on the land, and the Four, and four by four: in both and it becomes a part of these rusty surface of the full and ripe Italian and Friulian the linguistic metal tools. There are those for Pinot grapes. The similarity is structure of the numbers changes breaking up the ground (shovels, remarkable. at the number sixteen. pickaxes, hoes, sledgehammers, By leaving the plates with their The Pinot noir vine is reconsid- crowbars, wedges and plough- sequence of numbers for several ered in the same way: a successful shares); there are the remains of months, letting these signs of do- symbolic structure which brings supporting wire, not yet galva- mestication drink in and become everything together. Sixteen nised; there are the metal tools for impregnated with the nature and rows of vines; a number carved pruning (blades, shears and saws memory of the land of the vine- on a square plate for each row; for vines, sickles) and those for yard, it is as if he were re-estab- the plates placed in the vineyard, ridging the rows and maintaining lishing the balance between the soaking up the specific nature the paths between them (spades, domestic and the wild. A balance of the land; all the numbers and two- and three-pronged forks, which the peasants of the past plates then reunited and brought ploughs, scythes and accessories); knew so well and which we, in our back to the whole, in a square there are the traditional tools for modern times, risk forgetting. 22 • 93

Carlo PETRINI

Friuli: a region where you always want to "come back soon"

When I hear Friuli mentioned, a went back to the area later with opportunity to discover new Wmultitude of memories at once representatives of Slow Food experiences of the most unusual come to mind, reinforced by and every time faces, words, and richest enogastronomy in sensory memory which is so friendships, and stories related Italy. Here, I have always been much more vibrant and inexo- to the initial development of my well-guided by those who live rable. In particular, the scents association come back to me, an and walk the land, animated by and flavours of the wines with association which, in Friuli, has a passion for those things that which I was acquainted for a always found fertile ground and go beyond a mere parochialism, long, long time come back to great momentum, especially in but speak with a true and genu- me; such pleasant and convivial the times when there was still so ine pride, in the knowledge that tastings on those hills before much to build. they have so much to share with the beginning of Arcigola. We Every journey in Friuli was an others. 94 • 22

A land of encounter between the regions with these human and cultures and traditions of three gastronomic characteristics goes civilisations, the Neo-Latin, the without saying, born at first sight Slavic and Germanic, the Friuli (or taste) and long-lasting, renew- region, even because of the trials ing itself at every meeting. and tribulations of modern history Today, Slow Food in Friuli Venezia which have limited its potential for Giulia has been renewed; it has decades, often expressed in the lowered the average age and the form of enogastronomy which no members of this extreme corner of In the Friulian lower plain the grape border has managed to block: the variety Pinot Grigio is called Orlenda eastern Italy are characterised by exchange of seed, vines, and dish- from its German name Ruländer. a strong enthusiasm which, I hope, es in a successful contamination Franco Dreossi's collection. will be contagious to other Italian which has enriched this world. It regions and those neighbouring is enough to think of the vines that the Tocai have become two wine across the border. This is demon- have been present in the region symbols of the Friuli region. In the strated by the work that is being for so many decades that they can diversity which has always distin- done: projects, Presidia, the Ark of be considered indigenous: Rhine guished regional viticulture, one Taste products, a sector of produc- Riesling, Italian Riesling, Traminer, can certainly not forget the grape tion (not only wine) that is always Blaufränkisch, Pinot Grigio which varieties which for the most part attentive and co-operative. From is called Orlenda here from its can be termed indigenous such as the Upper Adriatic to the Carnic German name Ruländer. They are the Picolit, Verduzzo, Refosco, the Mountains, our organisational the fruit of the Austro-Hungarian reborn Schioppettino and others of structure has been strengthened, government and its efficient agrar- lower circulation. and the “antennas” of Slow Food ian institutions. On the other side, In the Second World War, a major are ready to register novelties and we discover some bacari which contribution to the production of to rediscover important traces of instead also indicate the transfer of wine, intended as food, was pro- the history of food of this region. families from Puglia to this region, vided by a farming method of vines It is no coincidence that the image who built bridge-heads here to called Casarsa; this led to large- of a stamp issued in 1950 was used better market the wines and oils scale production per hectare and by the last regional congress of they produced from the second enabled many winegrowers to form the association, where each region half of the Nineteenth-century companies with solid economic was associated with a product until the Fifties of the last century. foundations which then evolved or a trade. Corn fell under Friuli Always in the second half of the toward the pursuit of quality. and today, Slow Food Regional Nineteenth-century, the Merlot Arcigola first and Slow Food later, together with ERSA, is attempting and Cabernet arrived here and be- have strongly launched the image to recover some cereal varieties came widespread well before they of Friulian winemaking, focusing which were the basis for a number did in other wine regions which, primarily on the excellence of the of food products, including bread together with the Sauvignonasse white wines. With the invention of and polenta. (called Tocai in Friuli), laid the the Superwhites, our association While I think and write of Friuli, foundations of modern viticulture has promoted, both in Italy and in I can almost taste the priceless in the region. Even the influences the world, the awareness of these sweetness of certain hams, the which arrived from the Atlantic great wines, in a fruitful exchange uniqueness of certain wines, the shores were accepted and put to and mutual satisfaction with the strong pride that accompanies good use in a commendable way, regional productive world. traditional dishes: I have an urge to so much so that the Merlot and Needless to say, my love for return soon, and I will. 22 • 95

Garlic from Resia The Slow The Resia Valley has long interested The Garlic from Resia, called scholars and is famed for its carnival, Food presidia strock by the inhabitants of Resia, singing, dances, characteristic music, is a kind of sweet garlic, without archaic language and... its garlic. The Resian garlic has a smallish rose the acrid aroma of the common in Friuli coloured bulb, of between six and varieties, and is particularly suit- ten cloves. What distinguishes this Venezia Giulia able for the production of cold vegetable, or "spice", if you prefere, meats. The are natural and from the garlic in the plains is its organoleptic qualities: its pungent The Slow Food presidia in Friuli the soil is fertilized with bovine smell and far more decisive taste. Venezia Giulia are nine: Garlic manure. The production area is For garlic it is superb, a perfect from Resia, Radìc di mont, Forma- the Resia Valley, in the Tarvisio match. di frant, Pan di sorc, Pestât from area. Fagagna, Pitina, Rosa di Gorizia, Onion from Cavasso and Val Cosa and Cheese from the rotating co-operative dairies.

The Radìc di mont (Alpine sow-thistle) Radìc di mont is a greenish brown plant that grows in The Radìc di mont, the mountains (1000 - 1800 m) in the Alpine sow-thistle, is woods. It grows in acidic soil, among pines and alders, in the little mountain a particular kind of violet valleys and along streams. It is a radicchio that can be found on protected plant, very rare, and can only Carnia's mountain pastures during be gathered in limited quantities. The the month of May. Its picking sprouts are used, wich have a slightly bitter taste. They are washed, cooked lasts only 15 days and each picker in oil, vinegar, white wine, herbs, salt entitled to bring downhill one and sugar, and pickled in their cooking kilogram of radicchio at the most. liquid. Sprouts may be used to make This tender wild radicchio can be frittate as well. Photograph by Ulderica Da Pozzo (POR FESR 2007 2013), eaten in salads and omelettes. Archivio Turismo FVG. 96 • 22

Formadi frant Originally Formadi frant was a means The Formadi frant is a fresh of rendering "failed" cheeses edible. cheese from Carnia born with These no longer exist, unless one the purpose of saving "defective" counts those industrially processed abominations. Today, frant is made cheeses that had swollen or whose with a mixture of crumbled cheeses rind had broken. For its produc- of varying ages, to wich salt, pepper, tion, which occurs in Carnia's milk, and cream are added, moulded mountain pasture areas, people into a kind of cheeses-like shape and then, thanks to some friendly bacteria, use raw milk cheeses only. The fermented for forty days. After wich, Formadi frant can be eaten after it is all yours for the tasting, with only 15 days of maturing or after a potatoes perhaps, or a nice drop of maturing period of two months at Carnic . the most.

Pitina The Pitina, of peasant origin, was born to meet the need to preserve meat in autumn and winter in the traditional poor areas of the valleys to the north of Pordenone, in the Tramontina Valley and in the Cellina Valley. In past times meat was chopped in the pestadora, a hollowed-out log, with salt, garlic and crushed black pepper. Some small meat balls were made, dipped into maize flour and smoked on thefoghèr (fire- place) mantelpiece. Nowadays, the Pitina is smoked with various aro- matic woods, mainly beech wood. The Pitina must be left to mature for at least 30 days and it can be eaten raw or cooked, also in its Peta and Petuccia versions, which are different from the Pitina due to the differ- ent herbs used and, in the case of the Peta, due to the larger size.

Pan di sorc Pestât from Fagagna It was rarely possible to consume a whole sheep, goat, or large piece of The Pan di sorc (sorc means The Pestât is a very peculiar game in the space of a day, and so maize in Friulian) is the latest seasoning created to preserve the to preserve these meats wich, in all product to be included in the Slow scents and flavours of autumn honesty, were far from prime, they Food presidia thanks to the Eco- vegetables and herbs in pork lard. needed to be cured. Two examples of these cured meats are peta and museum of Waters of the Gemona Its production, on a family level, pitina (diminutive of peta) whose Area, which has reproposed the occurs during the slaughter of names derive from an identical consumption and sale of this pigs, from November to March. Friulian word wich denotes a sort of flattened non fermented bread sweet and spicy bread, rich in The lard, coming from local pigs made from a mixture of cereals. The transalpine influences. The locally bred in a semi-wild manner with taste of these cured meats was best grown maize, called cinquanti- natural feeding, is minced and suited to men with strong stomachs, no, grow and ripe in a period of mixed with chopped vegetables although today there is a "ladies" version made with pork for those 50 days at the most, even then and spices, put into natural cas- with more delicate palates. managing to do a complete cycle ings and matured in damp and also in the chill and rainy Gemona cool cellars. area. 22 • 97

Rosa di Gorizia It is a local variety of red chicory (Cichorium intybus) similar to a just bloomed rose, and this is the reason why it takes the name of Rosa di Gorizia (Gorizia's rose). Known since the time of the Habsburgs, it has an intense taste, it is slightly bitter and crunchy. It is deep red in colour with pinkish or garnet red variegated shades. The Rosa di Gorizia is available on the market from December to February.

Onion from Cavasso and Val Cosa This vegetable is grown in the piedmont area of western Friuli, in particular in the corner comprised between the Meduna and Cosa streams. It is characterized by a typical red tunic with golden reflections that gets pinker in the Val Cosa area. Inside, a crunchy and sweet heart makes the onion excellent when eaten raw as well, and never spicy. The onion from Cavasso and Val Cosa is picked in August and is preserved in plaits all year round.

Cheese from the rotating co-operative dairies The tradition of the rotating dairies was once widespread all over Friuli. It was an eco- nomical and easy way of managing the milk, suitable for the small-scale dairy production of Friuli's territory, with many farmers in every village. The milk of many families was put and processed together. The cheese produced, simply called "latteria", i.e. dairy, is aged for up to one year. It is a cheese obtained with no use of industrial ferments from raw milk coming from small farms situated at a short distance from the dairy. At these farms the most widespread cattle breed is the local "Pezzata Rossa" (Dappled Red, Simmental like) that is not fed with maize silage. 98 • 22

Picturesque sunset in the lagoon of . Photograph by Florence Zumello.

THE FISHING CULTURE The communities of Marano Lagunare and Grado, with their lagoons, represent "ethnographic laboratories" of great interest, where the cohabitation of unhomogeneous cultural traits is made possible by a "culture of the sea" profoundly interiorized in community terms: a specific perception of space and time (of the tides and of the "sea- sons", that aren't those of the peasant world but those, very different, of the fish); a strongly integrated organization capable of reconciling the exasperated rivalry of the fishing "companies" in the internal competition for resources with the greater community solidarity in defence of the collective patrimony represented by the lagoon; specific forms of religiousness, built around the sense of precariousness that braves life on the water for the purpose of obtaining a livelihood; even a specific internal division of labour between men and women, that historically has seen the women entrusted with the construction of the network of relationships with peasant Friuli, through the door to door sale of the catch. Gian Paolo Gri 22 • 99

Giuseppe CORDIOLI

Friuli Venezia Giulia’s sea

Biologically essential for man- of even fuller significance. To to be – a source of sustenance for kind, the sea has always thrilled decide to confront and compete all of those families who, through Band is also an inexhaustible with the sea is to experience a fishing, have been able to feed resource. It is at once a destina- legend. It means finding oneself in themselves and enjoy a more or tion and a challenge, a search for a new dimension with a different less dignified existence. adventure, a desire to explore, time and space, surrounded by Subsequently, in relatively recent a promise of escape, a need for the darkness of the unknown and times, tourism has become the peace, an exciting stimulus and at the presence of danger. Yet it is main source of wealth for Friuli the same time an opportunity to also a chance to savour a slower, Venezia Giulia’s entire coastal rediscover tranquility. gentler pace of life, rediscovering region. Life itself originated in the sea. what the true limits of existence From Trieste to the mouth of the And an encounter with the sea are, without fleeing from them, Tagliamento River, the coast is continues to represent an expe- coming face to face with nature home to a series of businesses rience of renovated exceptional and with oneself. However, the which revolve around “the sea- nature. Sailing is an experience sea has also been – and continues world”. 100 • 22

The Miramare castle seen from above. Photograph by Stefano Zanini.

An image of the "Barcolana" regatta/boat-race. Photograph by Stefano Zanini. offering spectacular views directly over the sea. The castle, commissioned by Trieste and the Barcolana into a historical international Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian regatta sailing regatta which takes place of Hapsburg as a residence for Thanks to its geographical posi- every year on the second Sunday himself and his wife, Charlotte tion, Trieste is the most important in October. It is one of the most of , was built around the maritime town of the region. crowded regattas in the world and middle of the nineteenth century. Trade and commerce in particular is characterized by a peculiar for- It is an example of a very well pre- have strengthened the ties the mula: a single starting line where served luxurious noble residence, local population has had with the professional sailing teams line with its original furnishings, and sea over the centuries. The port up against mere enthusiasts on is visited by thousands of tourists remains one of the main sources crafts of various sizes divided into every year. In the surrounding of employment and local econom- various classes. It is a big feast, waters, the Miramare Marine Re- ic activity. Yet there are also some not only for those taking part in serve (the first of its kind in Italy) more light-hearted reminders of it, but also for the hundreds of was established in 1986. 1,800 the importance of the sea for the thousands of people who flock metres long and 200 metres wide, town, such as the Barcolana, one to watch the competition from it covers an area of 36 hectares of largest regattas in Europe, with the shores and hills that overlook in which fishing is prohibited. It over two thousand participants Trieste. is surrounded by a buffer zone each year. The first Barcolana was Heading away from the region’s of around 90 hectares in which held in 1969, with 51 crafts taking capital and along the Barcola commercial fishing is banned. The part in the Coppa d’Autunno Riviera, where the inhabitants of maximum depth is 18 metres. (Autumn Cup) organised by a Trieste gather during the summer Guided free-diving or scuba-diving group of sailing enthusiasts from months to sunbathe and stroll, tours are available from a visitor the Barcola & Grignano Sailing one comes to Miramare Castle, centre located in a building known Club. Since then it has grown surrounded by lush parkland and as Il Castelletto. 22 • 101

Pink flamingoes start appearing along the seashores of Friuli. Photograph by Stefano Zanini. Mussels The Gulf of Trieste boasts an extremely old tradition, dating back to 1732: mussel farming. The optimal environment of the sea- bed produces mussels which are incredibly tasty and of the highest quality. Mussels, squids, , oysters and clams are part of this area’s natural heritage, these all make a stay here a wonderful op- portunity to taste the real authen- tic flavours of the sea.

The mysterious river and THE NATURE RESERVE the town of the shipyards "FOCE DELL'ISONZO" A few kilometres beyond Miram- are lies Duino, where the Timavo The source of the Isonzo River is in River – the river of the Karst Slovenia and, after passing into Italy – flows into the sea. It is a myste- of people every day, are assem- and crossing the city of Gorizia, it rious, fascinating river whose sub- bled. The best architects have moves placidly to the sea, where it terranean course is still not fully tried their hand at designing these flows into places of singular beauty known. The source of the Timavo white ships, with their jaw-drop- and naturalness. The Isola della river is in Croatia, at the foot of ping impressive size yet, at the Cona is a wet area which extends Monte Nevoso (Snežnik, Snowy same time, graceful. It was the over about 2400 hectares, in which Mountain), and after flowing for Cosulich family that started the flocks of different species of birds around forty kilometres it plunges industry here in the find a favourable environment. Be- into a huge chasm (in Slovenia) mid-nineteenth century with the sides the walks and the splendid where it begins its otherworldly purchase of various steamships panorama one may have access to journey under the hard limestone which connected Trieste to North the observation points equipped for before eventually resurfacing with and . bird watching and the Marinetta, three springs at San Giovanni di Cjos and Biancospino observatories. Duino, about two kilometres from Natural habitats – Also found on the Reserve are the visitors' centre and its Museum the point in which it flows into the preserved and enhanced that shows the environments and sea after a course of around eighty The mouth of the Isonzo River organisms typical of the context; kilometres. Moving away from the lies a few kilometres from Mon- the Museum of renewable energy picturesque mouth of the river we falcone, a place that enchants sources, where energetic sustaina- come to Monfalcone, the “capital” anyone who spends some time bility is presented with multi-medial of Italy’s shipbuilding industry there. To get to know the mouth supports; and the Museum of the and also the most northern town of the Isonzo means discovering duckling. The refreshment-room "Al on the Mediterranean. It is known hidden landscapes of rare beau- Pettirosso" is upstairs, where a large as the town of the shipyards. It ty: the Carnic and telescope allows one to explore the is here that the majestic cruise provide the backdrop as visitors outside. Everything to make even liners that sail the oceans around immerse themselves in the woods the gloomiest day a marvellous the world, transporting thousands surrounding the river. The Isola experience in the midst of nature. 102 • 22

della Cona Nature Reserve wel- ticular when many inhabitants of comes hundreds of visitors every the plain fled in the face of the in- year: here the natural habitats vaders who brought about the fall host a diverse wealth of flora of the . Following and fauna and many bird spe- the invasions of the Lombards, the cies (300, including 80 nesting Patriarch Paulinus transferred the species) that can be observed to Grado: at close quarters. A number of the thus took on a prime Camargue horses – which due political and religious role. Some to their physical characteristics centuries later the Patriarch of (they are not heavy and have Grado transferred his residence to Grado, in the 1970s. Giovanna wide hooves) – have been intro- Venice, which is why people from Marchesan collects razorfish Solen( vagina) walking in shallow water duced into the reserve. Most of Grado call their city the "Mother with the specific tool (photograph by them live in the wild, and so help of Venice". Thereby Grado went Witige Gaddi). keep the vegetation under con- back to being a poor fishing town, trol, while some are reared and and so it remained until the tour- used both by staff of the nature ism industry flourished during the dwellings (casoni) are still built reserve and for guided tours. final period under Austrian rule. today with thatched roofs and Bathing and the beneficial effects west-facing doors, as the terrible Grado of thalassotherapy have made it winter wind known as the bora Our journey along the coast con- one of the "Pearls of the Adriatic", blows from the east. A timeless tinues towards Grado, a tourist known the world over. Grado is place, an unspoilt kingdom of and spa resort of major impor- also famous for its lagoon, formed water, wind and silence, where na- tance over the centuries. What is by a series of channels and ponds ture manages to thrill visitors. commonly called the "Island of the in which a number of highly Now some of the inhabitants of Sun" because of its peculiar cli- prized fish are raised, in particular the islands of Grado’s lagoon have mate was once a Roman port serv- bass and bream. On the small repurposed their casoni to accom- ing the nearby town of Aquileia. islands where until a few decades modate guests. Thus an Albergo The castrum developed in par- ago several families lived, the diffuso (to the letter widespread

Olivo Trottolo rearranges the nets before going fishing Bepi fishing for 'guatti' with the specific tool hitting (Photograph from the 1960s by Witige Gaddi). them in the mud during low tide. Photograph from the 1960s by Witige Gaddi. 22 • 103

hotel), a way of accomodating people in various converted out historic buildings in a small community, has grown up on the island, where many tourists go to stay, immersed in silence and The Barbana picturesque natural scenery. In island seen from some of these casoni there is even above. One of the recurring hot water of geothermal origin, legends about the foundation of the Madonna di Barbana Sanctuary tells how at the enabling baths to be taken even in time of the patriarch of Grado, Elia, some sailors saw a the coldest months. sacred image floating on the water after a storm; it soon attracted In contrast, those who stay on the crowds of pilgrims, repaying their devotion with many miracles. The first Sunday in July, boats decked out with flags head off in a main island, which is now con- procession towards the island, a joyous and lively manifestation of the nected to the mainland by a bridge fervour that the people of Grado show towards their patron saint, Our built in 1936, will find plenty more Lady Mary. Photograph by Massimo Crivellari (POR FESR 2007 - 2013), opportunities for fun thanks to Archive of Turismo FVG. several kilometres of sandy - es with shallow water. Ideal places for families with small children who can paddle for as long as they like in complete safety. The highly peculiar characteristic of the sandy shore means that it has The island’s traditional dish is a tasty soup called boreto. Depending been possible – including in recent on the chef’s preferences, boreto can be prepared with one or several times – to use its sand for spa types of fish. Its origin can be traced back to the fishermen who once treatments. Even today, the spa inhabited the lagoon permanently, making a living from fishing. The resort offers inhalation treatments best of the catch was sold, while the lower quality fish was placed in with seawater as well as sand a cast-iron pan (which was never washed, so as not to eliminate the baths in special spaces during the flavour) with a drop of seed oil and garlic cloves and then sprinkled warmer months. with white wine vinegar and plenty of black pepper. Regarding wines Evenings can be spent strolling to go with this dish, although some still prefer the traditional white, through the old part of town, a nowadays the prevailing trend is to accompany it with characterful, maze of picturesque calli and strong-flavoured reds. campielli: the ancient heart of The main religious tradition of the community is the Perdòn de Grado, where it is still possible to Barbana, which for many hundreds of years has been celebrated make out the ancient architec- on the morning of the first Sunday in July. A statue of the Madonna ture of the fortress, the Roman is borne on an evocative procession of boats from the Basilica of castrum used as a refuge during Sant’Eufemia to the island of Barbana, where an ancient Marian invasions. The perimeter of the shrine stands. The origin of the pilgrimage dates back to 1237 when ancient castrum marks out the the people of Grado vowed to make their way to Barbana every year area where many traditional local in sign of gratitude for the end of a plague epidemic. The procession, restaurants have sprung up and which starts early in the morning and is preceded by a day of con- the finest gastronomic specialities templation and celebration (the Sabo grando), attracts tourists and are served, accompanied by Friuli pilgrims from all over as well as from nearby Slovenia Venezia Giulia’s renowned wines. and Austria. 104 • 22

Marano Lagunare: the walls of this 15th century tower are decorated with coats of arms and busts of the Venetian Provveditori (General Superintendents). Other busts can be found in the houses that surround the square thus creating an anthology of portraits. Photograph by Florence Zumello.

Marano Lagunare The rapid development of fishing town owed much of its good for- A town very similar to Grado in in this community owes its origin tune to the booming trade in fish: terms of its traditions is Marano to two factors: the motorisation a valuable, highly-sought-after Lagunare. In recent centuries of fishing vessels and the use of commodity. Marano’s fish market it was under Venetian rule, and synthetic materials to make fish- is renowned, not just for the many of its buildings are remind- ing nets. quality of its produce – placed on ers of this period. There is still Motorisation cut distances and sale daily – but also for the pres- a tower, called the Mille- multiplied fishing opportunities, ence of a number of highly active naria, which is 32 metres high whereas once fishermen were wholesalers. Specially equipped and once served as a watchtower. forced to live at sea for whole refrigerated vans and lorries link This tower was severely dam- weeks at a time. Now, thanks to the town to Italian and European aged, and subsequently rebuilt, powerful engines and the newest markets. after the earthquake that shook radar equipment, boats can put to This modern approach makes one Friuli Venezia Giulia in 1976. sea even when conditions are not a little nostalgic for the shouts Marano boasts a large fleet of optimal. Another equally critical of the women who once would fishing boats, although in the factor is the use of nylon to make arrive in the towns of the Friuli last few decades the numbers nets, which were once much less plain to sell their meagre catch conducting commercial fishing resistant to inclement conditions from baskets over their shoulders operations have steadily declined and therefore required continu- or exchange it for fruit and vege- as a result of a profound crisis. ous maintenance. As a result the tables. 22 • 105

Lignano, the "spiral" and century. In June 1953, work began flag of the municipality of Lignano Hemingway on the famous green “spiral” of Sabbiadoro. A few nautical miles away, an- Lignano Pineta, which came about The celebrated writer Ernest other kind of industry exploded: through the initiative of a group Hemingway, who often stayed in tourism. The capital of summer of Friuli entrepreneurs, who had the region, once called Lignano fun is Lignano, a long peninsula placed their faith in an innova- “the Florida of Italy”, which is situated between the lagoon and tive urban development project confirmed by the presence of the mouth of the River Tagliamen- conceived by architect Marcello thousands of tourists who liven up to River. D’Olivo. the in the summer. Lignano’s tourism industry started The project was covered by a Concluding our journey along to develop at the beginning of number of magazines due to its Friuli Venezia Giulia’s coast is the the twentieth century, with the originality and functionality, not Tagliamento, the region’s largest construction of the first hotels. only because it did not spoil the river, which thanks to its 178-kilo- At the time the peninsula was landscape or the pine forest, but metre course is considered to be covered by a pine forest, and the also because it came to symbolise the only river of its kind in Eu- few farms present were located the resort, so much so that the rope, due to the ecosystems which on the coast. Yet the true “explo- Pineta spiral has been placed on it hosts and its braided morpholo- sion” came in the middle of last the coat of arms, gonfalon and gy of interweaving channels.

The peninsula of Lignano in the topographic map of the Lombardo- Venetian Kingdom published in 1833. To be noted, at both extremities of the peninsula, the barracks of Finanza, the sharp-eyed fiscal police. 106 • 22

the Municipality of (UD)

This aerial of Clabuzzaro, a hamlet of Drenchia, depicts the difficulties of living in a hard environment. Photograph by Florence Zumello. 22 • 107

Enrico FILAFERRO and Araldicacivica.it Agriculture and civic heraldry in Friuli Venezia Giulia

At the turn of the first millenni- zens rallied in arms, symbols that of arms, or concessione (royal, um, many towns and cities in they kept even when time passed then presidential, grant) of a new ANorthern Italy started to govern and circumstances (and rulers) one. Municipalities that had no themselves autonomously, giving changed. historical coat of arms, which origin to small semi-democratic But these were only a handful, were the majority, were suggested republics, the Comuni (com- compared with the vast number to draw inspiration from some- munes). Those Municipalities, of humble, almost anonymous thing typical of the area to create which were at times disputing and Municipalities that originated dur- one, be it monuments, landscape fighting against their neighbours, ing the following centuries. features, history, or, and here we at other times joining forces with When Italy became a State, more get to the point, local products. them to fight the German Em- or less complete, at the end of the Due to the fact that Friuli’s econ- perors (just think of Frederick 19th century, it was required for omy was mainly based on agri- Barbarossa), had obviously their each Municipality to ask for the culture, crops, farming tools and distinctive symbols, flags and riconoscimento (acknowledge- animals started to appear on the coats of arms, under which citi- ment) of an already existing coat shields of local Municipalities. 108 • 22

Grapes of (UD). The Municipality Among these agricultural legacies, is located in a deep valley amidst wine, symbolized by vines and steep and rocky mountains, which grapes, is the first to appear on are also depicted on the shield: a coat of arms of our region. The Party per fesse and , Municipality of Ronchi dei Legionari in chief a mountain with two the Municipality of (GO), formerly simply named Ron- summits, vert; in base a [red] Ronchi dei Legionari (GO) chi and at that time belonging to grape, leaved of two, proper. On Austria-Hungary, displays Gules, a the partition a fesse azur. The mountain range with three peaks blue stripe recalls the Fella River, argent; on a base vert four vines on which banks Dogna sits. proper, whose use was authorized Three years later, Dolegna del Col- in 1912 by emperor Franz Joseph I lio (GO) changed its previous coat of Austria. The mountains appear- of arms and obtained the following: ing in the background can be identi- Party per fesse, azur and gules; fied with Julian Alps and Prealps. in chief a hill proper into which Much later (1942), (UD) a spade, per pale, or, the handle obtained the right to use Quar- wooden, is stuck, burdened with terly, first and fourth argent a two vines, proper, in , frui- the Municipality of Bertiolo (UD) [red] grape leaved of two, proper; ted or of four, accosted by six second and third , to remem- stars (three and three) of five ber its well known wines. White and horns, argent. In base, a writing black were the colours of the noble pen [feather] or, per sinister. Savorgnan family ruling the area. While the hill reminds of the local Even though located in a steep, landscape and the vines make ref- wooded and relatively cool area, the erence to the most remarkable crop Municipality of (UD) also (the territory is located in Collio wished to cite viticulture among DOC), the feather pen recalls Piet- its main features, bearing this coat ro Zorutti, Friulian poet born in of arms: Argent, a wavy bend Lonzano, a hamlet of the Municipal- ; in a hill of ity. the Municipality of Grimacco (UD) three mounds vert; on the One of the last Municipalities to ob- sinister, a grape proper. The use tain a coat of arms in Friuli Venezia of the colour blue is reminiscent of Giulia was San Floriano del Collio the Cosizza River, running through (GO), in 2004. Its shield comprises the valley splitting the Municipal- both a white grape, symbolising the ity’s territory into two parts. The renowned white wines produced in mounds, or hillocks, stand for the area, and the eponymous saint. higher mountains, and are a typical It can be so described: Per bend feature of Italian heraldry, often azur and or. On the first, a grape, described as monti all’italiana, argent, joined to its shoot, proper, “mounts Italian-style”. leaved of three, vert. On the se- Even stranger is the appearance cond, Saint Florian [...] pouring the Municipality of of a grape in the coat of arms water from a black bucket. San Floriano del Collio (GO) granted in 1980 to the Municipality 22 • 109

the Municipality of Dolegna del Collio (GO)

Ruttars is a picturesque hamlet in the municipality of Dolegna del Collio. The area has always had great renown for the wines produced there. Photograph by Stefano Zanini. 110 • 22

The rugged mountains of were especially suited to breeding sheep, but the cultivation of the vine was not neglected (from Topographisch-geometrische Kriegskarte von dem Herzogthum Venedig, 1798-1805, edited by Anton von Zach).

Bordano (UD) is a kind of trait on a base vert, a silver sheep, de union between this first part, statant, bearing in its mouth a dedicated to vines and grapes, and grape, or. Over all, a chief, party the second one, covering cattle. per fesse azur and argent. Grapes In 1980, this town was granted the were grown on terraces, while the use of a coat of arms showing two presence of sheep and not of cows, activities significant at the time: recalls the difficulties of grazing on viticulture and sheep husbandry. the steep sides of the mountains In fact, its description is: Gules, where this commune is located. the Municipality of Bordano (UD) 22 • 111

Cattle another source of income in the Due to the harsh winter climate of area, timber, while the wavy bend the region, pasture farming was, represents the Meduna River, and still is, limited to summer which runs at the bottom of the time in alpine wide prairies, if ex- valley. isting, above tree line. Moreover, A tree is also represented on the the fragmentation of the estates coat of arms received in 1942 by added further difficulties, because Drenchia (UD), but this time it it made practically impossible the is a cornelian cherry, dogwood free grazing of cattle even during (Cornus mas L.), due to the fact good weather. that the name of the Municipality The image of a cow on some is supposed to come from drién, the Municipality of Dogna (UD) municipal coats of arms does the local name for such a plant. not mean, therefore, that people The imagine of the animal recalls living in such area used to leave the hay brought home from far animals graze freely, but only that away with a gerla, a tool akin to they relied upon milk, butter and the pack basket of Maine, and, cheese for their subsistence. again, the cows, very often only The oldest (1921) use of such one per family, pasturing outdoors images is observed on the Raccol- under the care of a kid. This is the ana’s coat of arms. This small vil- description: Azur, a base vert, lage, now a hamlet of a dogwood issant, a black and (UD), until 1928 was an autono- white cow passant. mous Commune, whose jurisdic- It is worth pointing out that the tion included the Piani del Mon- sketches of the coat of arms tasio, where the name of Friuli’s presented for approval to Italian most famous cheese comes from. heraldic authorities by Friulian Its coat of arms is thus described: Municipalities, were drawn, em- the Municipality of (UD) Azur, a mountain with three blazoned, by specialized studios summits, proper, on the base, located hundreds of miles away, vert, a spruce of the same and that ignored almost everything the Office, of the coat of arms a cow or, collared and belled about our economy and lifestyle. required by the Municipalities. argent. The metal (i.e. colour) Therefore, the typical small Such reasons, together with the of the cow states the importance brownish cow ubiquitous in time elapsed from the granting of given to livestock in the economy Friuli during the past centuries the coat of arms to a Municipality of the area, while the mountains gave way, on Drenchia’s shield, to date, explain why many shields recall the geographical features of to a Holstein Friesians-like cow, look old-fashioned, dated, bearing the surroundings. which no peasant could afford to references to an economy and to The coat of arms of Tramonti di buy, nor feed properly with the practices that are no longer signif- Sopra (PN), despite probably an meagre hay they could provide. icant or representative. unofficial version, also conveys a Moreover, it took plenty of time, Stregna (UD) is another Munic- similar message: Argent, a wavy sometimes ten or twenty years, ipality whose shield shows some bend azur; on a base vert, a to obtain a coat of arms: wars, de- similarities with the two patterns cow statant before a spruce, lays in the payment of fees due to above: a tree, a bovine, and a both proper. The tree stands for the Heraldic Office, refusal, from wavy bend representing a stream, 112 • 22

in this case the Judrio River. A argent, grazing on a base, vert. slight difference can be found in Out of heraldic terms, the mitre, the type of elements represented: headgear of bishops, meant that an ox instead of a cow, and a Aquileia’s Patriarchy ruled over chestnut tree instead of a spruce the area, while the cow, depicted or a dogwood. The description in a bucolic setting, is intended to is the following: Argent, a wavy recall the fertility of the area. bend, azur; on a hillock, vert, Two more Municipalities, the Municipality of (UD) a chestnut, proper, fruited or (UD) and Manzano (UD), bear with seven pieces, per fesse 4, on their shields some bovine 3, with an ox statant addorsed features, but images, in these to the tree trunk. As in previous cases, are not connected with instances, the hillock and the tree the local economy. The 1929 coat represent the landscape and the of arms of the former shows the fruits respectively, the latter good following: Azur, an ox passant, both for food and as cash crop. proper, on three hills vert [...] Treppo Grande (UD), on the with reference both to the hilly morainic hills of Friuli, displays landscape of the area, and the on its coat of arms both ancient supposed etymology of the name, and recent features: Per bend, the Latin bos, ‘ox’. Manzano name the Municipality of (UD) gules and or. In the first, three is connected with Latin, but in a wheat ears, or. In the second, on late, vulgar Latin version, where a base vert a cow grazing. On *mandjus (hence Mandianus the partition, a Roman road, and then Manzano) meant ‘ox’ proper. The latter refers to the too. Roman road that, per compen- dium, joined the Via Annia, run- Wheat ning West-East from Patavium Not only cheese and wine repre- to Aquileia, with the Via Julia sented the backbone of the Fri- Augusta, leading, with its branch- ulian agriculture, but also cereals. es, from South to North, from Surprisingly though, while wheat Aquileia to the Noricum, today’s is often pictured in Friulian coats the Municipality of Val Raccolana (UD) Austria. The cow and the wheat of arms, in the form of a spike remind us about the main activity or a sheaf, no mention of maize, in the area back then, farming. the most important cereal in our While the previous four Munic- agriculture, is found in Friulian ipalities were located in moun- civic heraldry, and no corn cobs tainous or hilly areas, San Vito appear in our municipal coats of al Torre (UD) lies in the plain, arms. Wheat is depicted only in and displays an enigmatic and the coat of arms of Municipalities complex coat of arms, granted located in the Friulian plain. in 1987: Quarterly. On the first, The oldest of such coats of arms vert, a mitre or; the second, granted to a Friulian Municipality gules and or; the third, or and is the one of Cordenons (PN), the Municipality of Cordenons (PN) gules; on the fourth, a cow, dating 1911. This town is located 22 • 113

the Municipality of Tramonti di Sopra (UD)

Dryas octopetala (mountain avens) in Val Tramontina, municipality of Tramonti di Sopra. Photograph by Luciano Gaudenzio (POR FESR 2007 - 2013), Archivio Turismo FVG. 114 • 22

in a plain area rich of running wa- lowing coat of arms: Azur, on a ter, used to generate mechanical base, vert, a tree proper, and on power. It is therefore not surpris- the sinister a wheat spike or; ing that the town symbols bore a on the dexter chief point a star clear reference to the double face of six horns, argent. The wheat of the local economy: industry indicated the wealth coming (cotton and paper mills), recalled from the farming carried out on by a gearwheel, and agriculture, reclaimed soils. here symbolized by wheat. The Most of the above mentioned coat of arms can be described as Silva Lupanica lay below the such: Azur, an iron gearwheel, Linea delle risorgive (for the Municipality of Azzano Decimo (PN) proper, with three wheat spikes, more information, see above “A or, intertwined in the wheel Unique Region: Natural Envi- per bend, per pale, per bend ronments and Plant Endemics”), sinister. which many rivers spring from. Back then (before 1931) wheat Therefore (UD), whose was still harvested by means of territories are set in that area, a sickle, which Azzano Decimo was entitled in 1962 to display (PN) represents in its coat of the following coat of arms: Vert, arms: Azur, a sickle argent two abased, argent, each hafted sable, per bend sinister, charged with one fish, proper, collared to a wheat garb [or], the lower counter-naiant, sur- per bend, banded gules. mounted by three wheat spikes Wheat ears (spikes) are displayed fan shaped, or, in chief an es- in the 1942 coat of arms of Basi- croll with the motto PULCINEA liano (UD): Vert, seven wheat A.D. MCCLI, sable. The figures ears or, per fesse 2, 3 and 2, to recall fish breeding and farming, the Municipality of (UD) remember both the seven villages while the writing on the scroll forming the Municipality, and indicates the first appearance of farming, the main activity in the the toponym (1251). area. In the same year also Before Romans conquered Friuli, (UD) obtained its coat of arms: a vast plain forest, called Silva Gules, a fesse argent; in chief, Lupanica, span across the per fesse, three wheat ears or, Friulian lower plain, connected palewise; in base a mound, with Silva Phaetontea west of vert. While the meaning of wheat the Livenza River and with Silva is clear, as usual, the presence Diomedea east of the Isonzo Riv- of a symbol indicating something er. Of this large expanse of trees, that elevates from its surround- only small patches remain nowa- ings, in the shield of a Municipali- days, worth of careful conserva- ty whose territory is totally flat, is tion. Wishing to keep memory of ambiguous. the past features of its territory, Chiopris-Viscone (UD) displays the Municipality of (UD) since 1972 a complex but self-ex- the Municipality of Carlino (UD) asked for, and obtained, the fol- plaining coat of arms: Vert, a 22 • 115

tue and incorruptible firmness, fantasy, the mythological image, and reality, the wheat, meaning agriculture as usual, coexist. Simple and essential is the coat of arms of Pravisdomini (PN): Gules, three wheat spikes em- poignée. The latter term recalls the Municipality of Pocenia (UD) the Municipality of the wheat bundle grasped for Chiopris-Viscone (UD) cutting.

Other coats of arms scythe, a nine tooth rake, a Agriculture, is recalled in some spade, argent hafted sable, dis- way in other coats of arms. played per bend, per pale, per Frisanco (PN) and bend sinister; over all a wheat (UD), for example, display a sheaf, or, per pale, banded chestnut tree, whose fruits were gules, the ears upwards. The sold or eaten. meaning is clear: green, for the In other instances, communes ex- environment; tools, for the men’s hibit on their shields instruments the Municipality of work; wheat, for the crops. related with agricultural work Capriva del Friuli (GO) Ten years later, Capriva del Fri- or products: (UD) a uli (GO) obtained a very similar plough, Visco (UD) a vat with shield: Azur, a scythe, a nine farming tools, Mariano del Friuli tooth rake, a spade, argent (GO) scythes and . hafted sable, displayed per Others, like (UD), bend, per pale, per bend sinis- Moraro (GO) and San Vito di ter; over all a wheat sheaf, or, Fagagna (UD), show a white per fesse, banded three times mulberry tree, whose leaves were gules , the ears leftwards. The used to feed the silkworm, a meaning is obviously the same as source of cash for our farmers. In above, with the blue colour of the a hidden way, the same message shield standing for the sky. is carried by Farra d’Isonzo (GO), the Municipality of (UD) Popular etymology says that which has gold as one of its tinc- Pagnacco (UD) takes its name tures, to symbolize and to recall from Greek-Roman god Pan, the silkworm cocoon. protector of fields, groves, and wooded glens, but also connected to fertility and the spring season. Hence, the Municipality’s coat of Acknowledgements arms recites: Azur, the god Pan Due to Italian regulations, the images of proper; on the sinister chief Municipalities’ coat of arms are copyright, and their use is subject to different and corner, two wheat spikes, or, non-homogeneous rules. Therefore, in this per saltire. On the same field, article the images recreated by the artists of Araldicacivica.it have been instead used. whose colour means glory, vir- We thank them for their concession. the Municipality of Pravisdomini (PN) 116 • 22

the Municipality of Pradamano (UD)

Back to the Sixties: a photo of Lovaria, a hamlet of Pradamano, by Cartolnova.

A micro glossary of heraldic terms

Argent = silver (i.e. white) are described as seen by the Per bend = as a band or strap Azure = blue shield bearer) running from the upper dexter Banded = said of two or more ob- Escutcheon (in) = in the very corner of the shield to the low- jects (e.g. a garb or branches of centre of the shield er sinister corner a tree) that are bound together Fesse = in the same position of a Per bend sinister = opposite of with a band of a different tinc- waist belt the previous ture Fruited = bearing fruits Per fesse = horizontal, as a waist Base = the lowermost part of the Gules = red belt shield, that in Italian is usually Hafted = with a handle of differ- Per pale = vertical, standing as a named campagna or pianura, ent colour pole depending on its thickness Horn = so are called star’s points Proper = depicted in its natural Bend = a stripe, one third of the Issant = coming out from a par- colours shield, running from the upper tition Sable = black dexter corner of the shield to Or = gold (i.e. yellow) Saltire (in) = arranged as Saint the lower sinister corner Partition (on the) = of some- Andrew’s cross Canton = corner thing lying on a dividing line Sinister = left side (see dexter Chief = a belt, usually one third previously described for details) of the shield, located at its top Passant = walking through, from Statant = standing with all the Dexter = right side (keep in mind heraldic left to the right legs on the ground that in heraldry left and right Vert = green 22 • 117

Umberto ALBERINI and Angelo VIANELLO A Unique Region: Natural Environments and Plant Endemics

The geography fringes of the great Padan Plain. back to the Black Sea (the Sella The territory administered by To the North, the main Carnic di Camporosso, at 817 m above Tthe Autonomous Region of Friuli Chain divides it from the valley sea level); this area includes a Venezia Giulia covers 7,862 km², of the Gail River, a tributary of little portion of land mass, which which correspond roughly to a lit- the Drava River, which then flows geographically belongs to the tle more than 2.5% of the country. into the Danube, near Osijek in Istrian peninsula, a small outpost From an environmental perspec- Croatia. To the East, the Alps and of the Balkan peninsula. To the tive, it is one of the most sensitive the Julian Prealps, together with South, the Adriatic Sea embraces and complex geographical areas the Collio and the Karst, delimit the entire regional coast, from the of the European continent. In the the territory, after having crossed mouth of the Tagliamento River – West, the region borders with the the point of natural watershed be- the longest of this region of Italy Veneto and descends tween the waters that run toward (178 km) – up to the tip of San toward the sea with the outer the Adriatic and those that flow Bartolomeo (south of Muggia).

The River near Gradiscutta. Photograph by Stefano Zanini. 118 • 22

This quick list of cardinal points already leads us to understand that we are in a small region, but extremely diversified, where the mountain ranges have numer- ous accessible passes without great difficulty. Therefore, the roads have always been open to the traffic of people and goods between the Central European regions of the Danube basin (to which, geographically, belongs also the basin of the Slizza Tor- rent, in the Tarvisio area) and the . In the same manner, the contiguity between the Padan Plain and the Friulian Plain has never hindered trade in that direction. Friuli Venezia Giulia is primarily characterised, at its most north- ern part, to the West by the pres- ence of the , which The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. The region covers 7,862 km2. To the North it run along the border with the Re- borders with Austria, with Slovenia to the East, and with the Veneto region to the public of Austria; these mountains West, while to the South it is bordered by the Adriatic Sea. This region, therefore, are crossed by the upper course lies at the confluence of the three most important geographical/cultural areas of Europe: Germanic, Slavic and Latin-Mediterranean. It is crossed by two major of the Tagliamento – the main rivers: the Tagliamento and the Isonzo. Friulian river – as well as by the Degano and But Torrents. Finally, the Fella Torrent divides the Ju- a part of the High Plain. East- coarse to the North and silty-loam lian Alps from the Carnic Alps. ward instead, the course of the and clayey to the South. This Another area, which distinguishes Torre, Natisone and Judrio Rivers division creates an imaginary but the regional geography, is repre- traverse the areas of the eastern real line, named the line of the sented by the Prealps, Carnic to hills and Collio, the latter also Risorgive. the West and Julian to the East, lapped by the Isonzo River, that Further South, the extensive la- separated by the course of the originates in Slovenia as the Socˇa goons of Marano and Grado cover Tagliamento. but at its southernmost point over 160 km² and are a relic of the The regional territory also has an traverses the eastern plains of the only lagoon that once stretched extensive range of hills which, Friuli Venezia Giulia to flow into from Ravenna to Aquileia. The located where the great river the Adriatic Sea. lagoon is embraced by the mouths emerges from the mountains into The Friulian Plain, the extreme of the Tagliamento River to the the plain, is constituted by the eastern offshoot of the Padan West and the Isonzo to the East, residual moraines of the exten- Plain, is divided into Upper and as well as the geological cause of sive Tilaventino glacier, which Lower, on the basis of the com- silting produced by their liquid covered, during the Würm period, position of its soil, gravelly and flow. 22 • 119

1 Orography of the region. The region is composed of three orographic systems: the Carnic (Paleo-) range, the 1 2 Southern Alps and Outer Dinarides. The Carnic (Paleo-) range dates back to 350 million years ago and is composed of ancient sedimentary 3 4 limestone and terrigenous (clay, marl and sandstone) rocks (Paleozoic). The Southern Alps include Julian Alps, as well as the Carnic and Julian Prealps. They originated 77-55 million 5 4 years ago (Neo-Alpine phase) and are 6 composed of limestone and dolomite rocks. The Outer Dinarides date back to the Alpine orogeny which occurred 35 million years ago. They include the Karst. They are formed by recent rocks 7 (Eocene). The plain is divided by a line (belt) of Risorgive, which allows the identification of two parts: the Upper Plain in the North and the Lower Plain in the South. 8 9

defined as the Carnic (Paleo-) range, was formed during the Her- cynian orogeny, which occurred Orographic system Carnic Alps Morainic Amphitheatre around 350 million years ago. This Southern Alps Julian Alps Friulian Upper Plain range extends West-East from (Paleo) Carnic Alps Friulian Lower Plain Mt Elmo/Helm to Caravanche for Outer Dinarids Julian Prealps Marano and Grado lagoon Karst around 180 km and North-South depth of only 15 km, where the Pesarina, Calda, Pontaiba and Pon- The Adriatic Sea, which at this be solubilised by the rainwater, tebba Valleys are aligned. These point is the northernmost point abundant in this area. The un- mountains are characterised by of the whole , derlying and fissured strata ease ancient (Paleozoic) sedimentary bathes, besides the Gulf of Pan- the penetration of water into the rocks, calcareous and terrigenous zano, the high and rocky coast ground giving life to many and fas- (clay, marl and sandstone) rocks further East, which is one of the cinating natural phenomena, from which, in the westernmost zones, most picturesque landscapes of furrowed ground to sinkholes, to have partially modified (meta- the entire Italian peninsula. real abysses. morphosed). The highest peaks The geographic Karst Region, are located in the western region behind the city of Trieste, is The geological history (towards Veneto) and include the “unique” on a planetary level. For The orographic system of Friuli mountains Volaia, Coglians (2,780 this reasons, in 19th Century it Venezia Giulia is formed by three m above sea level, which is the was given the name of Carsismo mountain ranges, which can be highest peak) and Creta di Collina. to describe this natural phenom- distinguished on the basis of their The second Alpine range corre- enon; the composition of the soil origin, evolution and rocks (lithol- sponds to the easternmost part of is basically limestone that can ogy) that compose them. The first, the Southeastern Alps, extending 120 • 22

of particular importance. At the time of its maximum expansion, the glacier – called Tilaventino – arrived to the area of the current outskirts of Udine, reaching 1,000 m in height in the innermost zone. After the phase of advancement, there began a slow but steady retreat (between 14,000 and 12,000 years ago), which had important repercus- sions on the morphology of the Simplified geo-morphological profile (North-South) of the Friulian Plain. The Upper Plain is formed by a gravelly and permeable subsoil which collects rainwater and current territory, on the nature water coming from the Prealps. This water penetrates into the ground where it of the soil and subsoil, as well as reaches impermeable strata underneath to be conveyed toward the south where on the hydrography. The waters it emerges on the surface at the line of the Risorgive. The Lower Plain has an from the melting ice carried an impermeable soil consisting mainly of silt and clay. The water that emerges from the ground (olle, pools, streams) then flows into waterways (the Stella River, for immense amount of debris down- example) which flows out into the Adriatic Sea. stream, which were deposited south of the mountain range, causing the accumulation of ma- from the southern boundary of the logical configuration, below the terial with an increasingly finer Carnic range up to the Morainic Alps and the Prealps, is the result granulometry as it approached hills, which demarcate the Friulian of the more recent geological the sea. This phenomenon is the Plain. It includes the Julian Alps, history of Europe. A history that result of the combined action of as well as the Carnic and Julian began around 1.8 million years ago fluvioglacial sedimentation and Prealps with Mesozoic rocks, that (Quaternary Period, Pleistocene erosion, carried by the river so are generally limestone-dolomite. Epoch), when our continent was that it became a “footprint” of the These mountains were formed af- interested by five major glacial pe- ancient glacier. ter the Paleocarnic range, during riods called Donau, Günz, Mindel, The Morainic amphitheatre of the Neoalpine phase of orogeny. Riss and Würm, from the names of the Tagliamento consists of three The main peaks are located in the the main rivers of Bavaria. main circles of modest height, Julian Alps (Jôf di Montasio, Jôf These cold periods, of different which were formed with the Fuart, Mangart, and Canin). duration, were followed by as transport and subsequent deposit Finally, Collio and Karst are lo- many more interglacial (hot) of debris from the Tilaventino cated in the north-western part phases, which had a great impact glacier. of the Outer Dinarides. Formed throughout Europe. The last two The Friulian Plain ideally forms at the beginning of the Alpine glaciations (Riss and Würm) par- a polygon (with five sides). One orogeny phase (35 million years ticularly affected the Alpine area, can draw a hypothetical diagonal, ago), this area does not have high where they caused the formation which has the locality of Polcenigo mountains. They consist of more of glaciers, which extended up to as the starting point and the Valle recent rocks (Eocene) of two a good part of the current Padan Cavanata as the end point, passing types: terrigenous sedimentary Plain. This phenomenon also cov- through the settlements of Porde- rocks beds (Flysch) in the Collio; ers this region, where the influ- none, San Vito al Tagliamento, and limestone rocks in Karst. ence of the latter (Würm), which , Bertiolo, Palmanova, The current regional geomorpho- ended around 10,000 years ago, is and Aquileia. This plain can be 22 • 121

divided into two parts: the Upper The Upper Plain, in fact, turns formed around 5,500 years ago, Plain to the North, and the Lower into a large basin of rainwater although they reached their pres- Plain to the South of this hypo- that easily penetrates the grav- ent form only in the late Roman thetical line. These two plains, elly subsoil, where it reaches era (approximately 1,400 years in light of the above, have com- the impermeable strata, before ago). pletely different soil and subsoil being conveyed to an area further Behind the high rocky coastline, characteristics: the Upper Plain South where the Lower Plain which leads to the city of Trieste, is formed by a substratum of begins. Thus, this brings about lies the Karst; here the phenom- gravel or sandy gravel, easily per- a line – coincidental with the ena of fissuring of the surface meable to water, which appears, diagonal of the polyhedron – de- limestone strata are spectacularly however, to be interrupted by fined by theRisorgive , as already extended and the strong perme- impermeable clay strata; on the mentioned above. At this level, in ability of the soil causes the bi- contrary, the Lower Plain, prev- fact, there is surface runoff water zarre shapes of the sinkholes and alently consists of silt and clay, which generates springs, pools, foibe (funnel-shaped chasms), and is not very permeable, so olle, brooks, canals, which then while in the subsoil, the corro- that the water is forced to flow flow into the rivers, of which the sion has created a vast and not on the surface. This hydro-geo- best known is the River Stella. completely explored cave system, logical structure is the basis of The coastline includes the la- where courses of underground the phenomenon of resurgence goons of Marano and Grado, water flow (River Timavo). characterising the Lower Plain.

The Tagliamento River. This river flows from the Mauria Pass (spring) to the Adriatic Sea. It represents the “footprint” of the Tilaventino glacier which, around 10,000 years ago, stretched as far as the Friulian Plain. 122 • 22

To the Tagliamento

O Tagliamento, who through Friuli go as though to pasture on your gravelly bed, now that you roar, with swollen waters fed, do you recall the leaping of the roe?

Up there where like a brook you humbly flow, the girls would ford you with an easy tread, and round their feet upon your way you sped with nimble waters babbling light and low.

But on your journey down, you draw your due from many little streams, and swoll'n with these, you take possession of Friuli there.

Beyond your bed, half-hidden to the view, a bell-tower peeps from out the poplar-trees, and through the darkness calls to evening- prayer.

Bindo Chiurlo (1886 - 1943), Friulian poet and professor of Italian. 22 • 123

The Tagliamento is the most natu- ral river in Europe: it flows for 170 km from the Mauria Pass down to the Adriatic Sea and has remained miraculously intact from works of canalization or hydraulic regimen- tation. It conserves therefore its course of interlaced branches, its extensive flood plains, the vege- tation that adapts itself to the dy- namics of the river and the fauna that uses it as a great ecological corridor between the sea and the Alps. Once it echoed with the voices of rafters, that floated wood down to the shipyards of Venice, and fishermen. Now, immersed in the silence, one can walk for hours in the great stony river bed scattered with wooded islands, lit- tle sandy beaches and unexpected rapids. Don't think that going back would be a repetition: at every rain, the river changes its aspect shifting sand banks and gravel and creating ever new courses. Photo- graph by Florence Zumello. 124 • 22

Julian Alps (left) and Carnic Alps (right). One of the most important mountains of the Julian Alps is the Jôf di Montasio (2,753 m above sea level). Formed by limestone rocks, at high altitudes it hosts modest vegetation on rocks and scree (Photograph by Stefano Zanini). In the Carnic Alps, as in the Giramondo Pass, siliceous substrata are present which generate enough soil to allow the development of meadows and pastures.

The climate The Bora wind is another “legend” ature to fall below -5 °C and the Even considering the climate, which of the regional climate, a phenom- maximum to rise above 33 °C. characterises the geographical enon that has inspired pages of The mountain area – with typically region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, it can literature and cinema. It is a dry Alpine character and severe win- be spoken of particular specificity in and cold continental wind, which ter temperatures, especially in the this extreme north-eastern corner descends violently, especially in Julian Alps – shelter the region of Italy, due to superimposition of winter, from the Karst Plateau from the stiff winds of northern the influences of the Mediterrane- on the city of Trieste and its sur- Europe, while the physical conti- an, Central European and Balkan roundings. This occurs because of guity with the Padan Plain favours Areas. the climatic influence of the warm the general circulation of air mass- This territory, albeit limited, offers sea, which creeps within the Eu- es from the West to the East. a surprising variety of climatic ropean continent and clashes with The hundred and fifty kilometres conditions, being inserted between the cold currents coming from the of coastline pose a strong influ- the Alps and the Mediterranean Sava Valley, a tributary of the Dan- ence on climate of the region, Sea within a few dozen kilometres. ube (Slovenia) to cross through thanks to the Southern sector of As a result, there is a continental the Selva di Tarnova and Monte the winds (the Scirocco), accentu- micro-climate but together with a Nevoso and then to descend on ated by the evaporation of the sea. Mediterranean, Alpine and sub-Al- the Gulf of Trieste. In the city, the pine climate. gusts of the Bora can even reach Biodiversity Overall, the climate is moderately 170 km/hour. The great geomorphological, cli- continental characterised by high Temperatures during the year are matic and soil variability, results humidity, due to rather abundant generally mild, because the region in an extraordinary variety of rainfall in the Plain, especially at the is placed, due to its geographical natural environments – 250 have foothills of the Alps on the Southern position, in a been described – which seems to slope of the Musi Mountains, where zone. In the Plain, for example, it be associated with an exceptional it is even held the European record. is rare for the minimum temper- bio-diversity – understood as 22 • 125

Endemics and rare species of the Alps. In these mountains significant species of rare beauty can be found: Wulfenia carinthiaca, native of ; Gentiana froelichii subsp. zenari and Papaver julicum, endemic species of screes.

being the collective whole of or- Ice Age. The fauna includes ap- tain area and the foothills of ganisms which interact with each proximately 180 endemics, while the region, sees the presence other and with the environment in for flora approximately 50 species of consolidated and sometimes which they live. and sub-species have been de- sporadic rare or very rare species If Italy holds the record in Europe scribed. for the Italian peninsula, such for its rich bio-diversity, this re- This amazing wealth of life forms as the brown bear, the wolf, the gion is, in turn, one of the richest. is, as has been mentioned, un- jackal and the lynx among mam- It includes 3,094 species of phan- doubtedly linked at the great mals, while some birds have been erogams (flowering plants) and variety of the regional territory, recently reintroduced: the griffon ferns (plants that reproduce by but also to its unique geographical vulture and the stork. spores), 675 bryophytes (mosses position, located in the intersec- and liverworts) and 1,094 lichens. tion among the Germanic, Slavic The natural environment Mushrooms include 2,145 species, and Latin-Mediterranean areas. and the endemic plants while land and fresh water fauna This has undoubtedly favoured As can be seen, this region has an is formed by 19,648 species of ver- the arrival of species to this region incredible variety of environments. tebrates and invertebrates. through natural phenomena, or as In a rather limited area, through The importance of the regional a consequence of the movement a route of approximately 100 km bio-diversity is evident. On an area of man in the course of his migra- from North to South, from the Al- of just over 2.5 % of Italian soil, tion. Particularly important was pine range to the Adriatic Sea, one lives around half of the flora and the influence of species from the can describe Alpine environments, a third of the fauna of the coun- Illyrian-Balkan area, which is one mountains, hills, plains, until one try. This region is distinguished, of the richest in bio-diversity on reaches the lagoons of Grado and therefore, for a high number of the European continent. Marano, Karst, and the rocky coast endemics – species which are ex- The wildlife offers particularly of Trieste. clusive to a given territory, some interesting examples of these In the mountain environment, of which originated during the last dynamics which, in the moun- the Carnic and Julian Alps offer 126 • 22

Dwarf Mountain Pine (left) and Spruce (right). The Dwarf Mountain Pine (Pinus mugo, Dolomiti Pesarine) is a woody species in a prostrate form which marks the edge of the treeline. At lower altitudes, woods of Picea abies (Fir) are widespread, which form important forests such as that of Val Meluzzo (Val Cimoliana). Even further down, one finds beech, very widespread mesophilic woods, which are dominated by Fagus sylvatica (e.g. Val Dogna, Chiusaforte, Val d'Arzino).

impressive high-altitude environ- high meadows, in the grass of the Green Alder (Alnus viridis) can ments from which it is possible to Nassfeld Pass, one can find a spe- be noted. Going further down look at wonderful views. Some of cies that is rather rare, the Wulfe- toward the valley, the first wood- these mountains have an altitude nia carinthiaca. This is an Illyrian lands come into view: the peccete around 2,700 m. species, which represents a classic (Spruce forests), formed by Red At these altitudes vegetation is example of a plant with separated Spruce / Fir (Picea abies); the la- sporadic. Only in the screes it can punctiform areal (diffusion zone riceti (Larch forests), whose domi- be found herbaceous communities of a species), that is widespread in nant species is the European Larch of great aesthetic impact linked to the Carnic Alps, although its area (Larix decidua); and the im- the vibrant colours of the flowers. of main diffusion is distant (Monte- pressive faggete, forests of Beech At lower altitudes and on siliceous negro). (Fagus sylvatica), a combination substrata, soils have been able Below this environment one of great naturalistic and economic to allow the establishment of a encounters formations of Pinus value. Beech may also form mixed relatively rich vegetation: the Al- mugo (Mugo Pine), which form forests with the Silver Fir (Abies pine meadow pastures. Gentiana the edge of the treeline (bear in alba) in the wettest areas, or with froelichii subsp. zenari, with blue mind that in the region the altitu- the Red Spruce / Fir if the soil is corollas, Papaver julicum, with dinal limit of forest vegetation is shallow. its brilliant white petals, and Ra- lower than in the rest of the Alpine In the foothills of the Alps, the wide nunculus traunfelneri with white range). On the North facing slopes diffusion of limestone and dolomitic corollas grow on the screes. On the and on acidic soil, formations of substrata has formed ground that 22 • 127

Carnic Prealps (left, view from Tomba di Mereto) and Julian Prealps (right, view from Tarcento). The Prealps form a range that extends to the South of the Carnic and Julian Alps, giving rise to a mountain range clearly visible from the Plain and the Castle of Udine, the symbol of Friuli.

is little developed, especially on species dedicated to the Friulian woodlands of Manna Ash (Fraxi- the slopes facing South, where the naturalist Giulio Andrea Piro- nus ornus) and Hop Hornbeam influence of the oceanic climate is na – while in the discontinuous (Ostrya carpinifolia), with the strongest felt. Here, the abundant Alpine meadows one can see the ever-present Black Locust (Robi- presence of Black Pine (Pinus beautiful Gentiana froelichii and nia pseudoacacia). nigra) is characteristic. This spe- in the meadows with tall grasses, The transition zone from the cies mainly grows spontaneously Aconitum angustifolium. mountain to the plain in the area in Friuli Venezia Giulia, while it The mountains which circle occupied by the Valli del Torre is possibly absent in the rest of the upper Friulian Plain on the and Natisone is very different, Northern Italy. The presence of the orographic right-hand side of densely wooded, with “historical” Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) should the Tagliamento River often de- forest growth of Oak and Chest- be noted; a plant typical of the scend directly onto the plain. On nut trees. However, in recent Mediterranean area which, in the the orographic left instead, the decades, the extended presence Gemonese area, has its northern- slow retreat of the Tilaventino of flysch soil in an area charac- most presence in Europe. glacier resulted in the release terised by abundant rainfall has We can note the presence of of moraines which today form a meant that Ash-Sycamore woods several endemics even in the hilly “” around the mouth have asserted themselves, being Prealpine zone. Spiraea decum- of the river itself from the circle formed by Sycamore (Acer pseu- bens and Medicago pironae of mountains. Here, the charming doplatanus) and Ash (Fraxinus grow among the rocks – the latter landscape is typically adorned by excelsior). 128 • 22

Morainic hills in Tricesimo (black and white photograph) and the Eocenic hills in Spessa di Cividale (below). The morainic hills form an amphitheatre created by the withdrawal of the Tilaventino glacier (on the backgronud the Julian Prealps). The Eocenic hills stem from the orographic phenomena which occurred during the Eocene period.

In the woods of these valleys, glabrescens, on the left-hand side The wide Friulian Plain is crossed there is another significant en- of the Magredi (Pordenone); diagonally by the Risorgive line: demic species, the Leontodon Matthiola fruticulosa subsp. to the South, the artesian phe- hispidus subsp. brumatii. valesiaca, a pretty mustard flow- nomena of the emergence of wa- In the upper Friulian Plain, the er; Polygala nicaeensis subsp. ter to the surface are frequent. area of Magredi is very inter- forojuliensis; Euphorbia triflora, The entire lower Friuli is char- esting, with rough pastures or subsp. kerneri; Knautia resman- acterized by a landscape deter- steppes and settled on alluvial, nii; and Centaurea dichroantha, mined by land reclamation and gravelly soil. These meadows are a species characteristic of the re-organisation which, over the rich in species of considerable primitive Magredi, which also decades, has simplified the use of value with important endemics, hosts some orchids of rare beau- land. This area still shows a signif- or characteristic species in ty, amongst which are the Orchis icant presence of wet meadows, limited areas, such as: Brassica and the Ophrys. olle (round springs in the ground 22 • 129

Magredi (above) and Risorgive (below). The Magredi extend north of the Risorgive line and rest on gravelly and permeable substrata. They host vegetation that is rich in endemic and rare species (Photograph by Stefano Fabian). The Risorgive mark the beginning of the Lower Plain. The abundance of water has favoured the development of a lush herbaceous and arboreous vegetation which can still be seen in some protected areas.

named after a Roman clay pot), Then, there are also some “glacial tares due to human pressure, that lowland alkaline fens, and water relicts” exemplified by thePin - are today preserved, with their courses which host numerous guicula alpina and the Primula woodlands of Hornbeam and Oak species of great importance. farinosa. These species survived trees, dominated by the common Among them, two endemics the last deglaciation precisely be- European Hornbeam (Carpinus are very apparent: Erucastrum cause the surface water through- betulus) and the Pedunculate Oak palustre, similar to the common out the year guarantees constant (Quercus robur). rapeseed, and Armeria helodes humidity and temperature condi- Particularly striking is the land- with its pretty pink inflorescenc- tions (around 14 °C) of the soil. scape of the great expanse of the es, which grow in the peat bogs. True environmental “jewels” of lagoon which, from the mouth They are two exclusive species the lower Friulian plain are the of the Tagliamento River to the of this environment, to which the lowland woods, now reduced to mouth of the Isonzo, frames the Centurea forojuliensis is added. little more than five hundred hec- views of the sea of Lower Friuli. 130 • 22

Endemics and rare species of the Magredi. The low- yielding pastures are home to important species among which: Matthiola fruticulosa subsp. valesiaca, a pretty mustard flower; Polygala nicaeensis subsp. forojuliensis; Centaurea dichroantha, a characteristic species in the primitive Magredi.

Endemics and rare species of the Risorgive belt. This area is home to lush arboreous, scrub and herbaceous vegetation. The most significant species are the Erucastrum palustre and Armeria helodes, two endemics which are exclusive to this area and which grow in bogs. There are many orchids and some species known as “glacial relicts” because they survived the last Ice Age, among which is the Pinguicula alpina.

The Grado and Marano Lagoon. It is a unique environment formed by small sand bars, separated by mouths and sandbanks (small islands) that separate the open sea from the rear zone which is rich in valleys of brackish water fed by freshwater from the rivers of Risorgive. It includes some naturalistic areas of great value. 22 • 131

The suspended load of rivers, behind which stands the vegeta- the sun and the sea, one can see re-distributed by the action of the tion of the Karst region. the presence of the northernmost sea, have led to the formation of The dominant plant formation Mediterranean scrubland in Eu- small sandbars, separated from is the Karst Illyrian brushwood, rope, with the Holm Oak, as well each other only through “mouths” which is characterised by the as the Terebinth (Pistacia tere- or “ports”, which separate the presence of Downy Oak (Quercus binthus), Phillyrea (Phillyrea open sea from the widespread pubescens), European Hornbeam latifolia-angustifolia) and the surfaces of brackish water of the and Manna Ash (Fraxinus or- Oriental Hornbeam (Carpinus lagoon, shallow and rich in fresh nus); the presence of Black Pine orientalis), but especially the water from the Risorgive rivers. is actually due to the intervention endemic Centaurea kartschiana, On the sandbanks (small islands) of the Austro-Hungarian forestry typical of the sunny cliffs over- and along the shoreline, endemic authorities who happily recog- looking the sea. species grow, such as Salicornia nised the potential of pioneering veneta and Centaurea tomassi- this plant in such a poor environ- nii. ment. Between the thickets, there Acknowledgements Following the development of the are also some moorlands which We would like to thank Francesco Boscutti sandy coast toward the east, one host the Biscutella laevigata sub- and Valentino Casolo for the help provided. can appreciate the massive lime- sp. hispidissima. On the rocky Photographs by F. Boscutti, V. Casolo, M. De Luca, E. Petrussa, S. Podrecca, G. stone cliffs of the Trieste coast, cliffs, which are more exposed to Simonetti, A. Vianello and M. Zancani.

Karst (right) and the rocky coast of Trieste (left). Karst is characterised by extensive phenomena of subterranean water flow which has given rise to caves, dolines, sinkholes and various cavities, making it an environment which is unique in its kind (Photograph by Stefano Zanini). This area extends up to the high and rocky coast of the Gulf of Trieste, rich in cliffs placed on the edge of the sea. 132 • 22

Gabriella BUCCO Wine & Art

The Art of Wine in Friuli, this is how a Winery becomes an Art Gallery

Vines and vineyards have been painted by famous artists such as Caravaggio and many exhibitions Vand books have been organized and written on the subject, but in recent years many wine makers have enriched their wineries with works of art in order to improve their business and display artistic culture. With Enos Costantini we have travelled from win- ery to winery interviewing wine producers and vineyard owners. We have discovered some examples in Friuli of wine tourism that is developing more and more. This is ‘work in progress’ that is to be completed and that I couldn’t avoid mentioning – please for- give me.

A detail of an embossement by Darko Bevilacqua in the cellar of Cantina Produttori Cormons. 22 • 133

THE BULFON WINERY: river, brick, coal. He cut them into a strong connection small pieces and arranged them in between old native vines circular shapes, called soli or ro- and art heritage soni, because they recall the rose Emilio Bulfon's vineyards spread windows in the façades of Gothic A stone sculpture by Nane Zavagno, over the hills between Castelnovo inspired by Minimal Art. The geometric churches. The traditional mosaic del Friuli and Pinzano al Taglia- modules are strictly connected with changed from painting with stones mento, overlooking the banks of the landscape. to something quite new, abstract the Tagliamento River. This is an art, suitable to modern times ancient land, rich in history and and architecture. In the 1960s art. Zavagno met Getulio Alviani, a The Bulfon winery is located in well-known optical art artist, and Valeriano, a small village whose his sculptures became geometri- three churches were painted by cal, with standard elements fitted Pordenone, probably the most together. important Renaissance painter in On the way in, below the coat of Friuli. arms, there is a big Zavagno stone The Bulfon winery also respects sculpture, named Simbionte: two the local art and the historical architectural shapes leaning on heritage, 9 of the 16 hectares each on the other since, in Min- are grown with old native vine imal Art, sculptures are strictly varieties, recovered by Emilio connected with the landscape. Bulfon in recent years. Vines have Inside the winery you can admire ancient names: Ucelùt, Piculìt a mosaic by Zavagno, a gorgeous Neri, Sciaglìn, Forgiarìn, Cjanorie, white rose, made with stones of Cividin, Cordenossa. different sizes broken in half. There is a connection between Outside there are some objects good wine, art and beautiful land- collected from old buildings, scapes. So, along the road to the ruined by the earthquake in Giovanni Pastorutti’s mosaic (1999) farm, a coat of arms shows the representing The last Supper, which 1976: an old stone sink and a way to the winery. It represents, became the winery’s logo also used tabernacle with an old symbol, obviously, a grape, made with on the bottle labels. The iconography named king Salomon’s rose, a glass mosaic, a complimentary is drawn from a popular fresco in the good luck symbol in the Friulian church of Santa Maria dei Battuti in artistic tribute to mosaic art, car- Valeriano, dating back to the end of tradition. A mosaic was made in ried on with increasing success in the 14th century. 1999 by Rino Pastorutti (Palmano- the nearby town of Spilimbergo. va, 1942), teacher and director Proud of its artistic heritage, the (1975-1994) of the famous Mosaic Bulfon art collection includes Mario De Luigi, one of the best School in Spilimbergo), where many works of art by Nane Zavag- known modern painters in Venice, he portrayed The Last Supper, no, a well-known artist who lives an abstract art enthusiast. Zav- which became the winery’s logo. in an old village nearby, Borgo agno changed the way of making The iconography is drawn from a Ampiano. Nane Zavagno (San mosaic. Instead of glass coloured popular fresco (1350 ca.) in the Giorgio della Richinvelda, 1932) tessere (little square glass pieces), church of Santa Maria dei Battuti attended the Mosaic School in Zavagno used new materials: the in Valeriano: three apostles in Spilimbergo and his teacher was stones found in the Tagliamento the foreground, one of them is 134 • 22

landscapes of the Tagliamento countryside. On the walls other paintings are linked to the : etchings and oil paintings by Giorgio Gomirato, Federica Pagnucco, Tonino Cragnolini, Vir- gilio Tramontin, an ancient wood engraving printed by Stamperia Remondini, floral air brushed Cividin is one of native vine varieties, recovered by Emilio patterns decorate ceramic plates, Bulfon in recent years. It is painted made by the famous Galvani facto- on a wall inside the cellar together ry in Pordenone in the 1930s and with all the vine’s shoots and 1940s. grapes of the varieties grown in the farm. Hundreds of taste-vin from France are collected in the winery, not only the usual silver cups, but also earthenware and pewter A painting by Plinio Missana (Pinzano, 1946) shows the harvest and the work ones. in the cellar. In the middle, on the top The Bulfon collection reveals the of the hill you can see can see the artistic tastes of Alberta Maria, the castle of Savorgnan. daughter of Emilio, a well- known historian, but also the family’s pouring wine into a glass, they throw away so he collects old iron strong ties with the territory. surround Jesus who is breaking tools transforming them into new bread, in front, there is a table shapes. An old tube therefore be- LIS FADIS: set with glasses, jugs and loaves comes a tree trunk on which you how a winery becomes an of bread. Pastorutti used stones can see an owl, made of discarded art gallery found in the Tagliamento River iron and a lot of imagination. The farm owners have always and only the green ones are made Inside, on the walls of the cellar been passionate about Carnia of glass. The same image was cho- there are decorative paintings of and its legends, expecially about sen by Emilio Bulfon as a logo for vine shoots, grapes and flowers sprites. Vanilla Plozner’s family his farm and to decorate the labels grown in the farm. Emilio Bulfon comes from Carnia and in 1953 of the bottles of wine produced in painted them with an educational her father Lisio invented the the winery since 1990. Emilio Bul- purpose: in actual fact, the winery piezolectric lighter and his in- fon designed them, all highlighting is an educational farm ("fattoria dustries developed electronic a strong tie between wine, art and didattica") approved by ERSA devices. Vanilla and her husband art heritage. (Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo realized their dream: to own a In the garden there is another dell'Agricoltura - Regional Insti- small wine business among the sculpture, a readymade one tution for Agricultural Develop- hills around Cividale. The name invented by Emanuele Bertossi, ment) and it is a member of the Lis Fadis means The Fairies in a graphic artist as well as a land Wine Tourism Movement. Friulian language. A fairy is the artist, who lives near Maniago, in A painting by Plinio Missana winery logo, made by a venetian Poffabro, one of the most beau- shows the work in the vineyard craftsman in stained glass, on a tiful villages in Italy. He wants to and in the cellar. The artist design by Alfonse Mucha (1860 give new life to the objects people (Pinzano, 1946) painted several - 1939), a Czech Art Nouveau 22 • 135

Urban was Archibishop of Langres in th the 4 century, he struggled against On a sacristy cupboard of the 18th century the sculpture of Saint Urban, patron of innkeepers in order to claim a right on winegrowers rules the cellar, on the shelf there are some glasses cut with grapes a church. He is always depicted with a and vine leaves, some ancient glass lamps and, in the middle, some glass tools bunch of grapes in his hands. used for tasting wine from the barrel.

painter and decorative artist. wooden machine with soft grind- A blonde lady in profile, with ing wheels used to pulp grapes. ribbons and flowers in her hair is The first room of the cellar is the framed by vine leaves and bunch- wine-fermentation room, which es: she is the winery logo. houses wooden and cement casks The small house, dating back to and an old holy water stoup. the end of the eighteenth centu- The wine-fermentation room also ry, has been restored using tradi- gives access to the wilting room, tional materials as old stones and through a gate made by using timber beams. Near the house, an eighteen-century iron grille. the cellar has been built with the Downstairs is the wine cellar. stones pulled up from the nearby Where visitors are immediately A hand operated sulphurator (still hill, terraced for the establishing containing sulphur) of a old factory in struck by the two wooden-framed of a vineyard. The old and new Clauzetto. glass cases dating back to the buildings, perfectly suited to the eighteenth century and the be- landscapes, are surrounded by ing the owner’s culture tastes: ginning of the nineteenth centu- more than 200 old fruit trees, col- Alessandro Marcorin, a former ry, which contain a splendid col- lected from farmers and deserted pharmaceutical manager, was an lection of bottles, glasses . They are grown in an antiquary and so now his whole and snuff boxes dating back to organic way. You can sit under collection is shown inside the the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. them on old cast iron benches, buildings, a kind of living anti- The bottles were collected in Alto coming from an estate of Queen quarian shop. Adige and German countries, Elisabeth II. Wine machinerie and old tools are some are moulded in cast, other The wine farm is unique respect- set in the cellar, among them a are painted. 136 • 22

bling people looking for wood and strawberries, gives its name to a red wine; Guriut is a thief, lives in the caves and eats plenty of cream and cheese; Sbilfs are everywhere and nowhere in the wood, you can hear them because they wear caps with small bells; Gian is a strong elve, he helps wood cutters and loves cheese and Merlot wine, Mazzarot lives near the mountain brooks togeth- The painting shows the Flemish allegory of wealth: a young woman er with Pesarul and Braulin. at the window between grapes and a monkey.

wooden statue of Saint Urban, the saint patron of winegrowers, rules over the whole cellar. The vaulted ceiling is made with 19th century pink bricks carefully laid The sculpture represents Saint Urban, the patron of winegrowers and by skilled artisans. As it was done coopers. The wooden statue dates in the Middle Ages, a cloth rope back to the 16th century that recalls was laid in-between the vaults to Gothic art. prevent mortar from being affect- ed by gravity. Art in wine cellars was started in 1980. Visitors can see two mid-Euro- The first barrels were more rounded On the walls you can admire two pean wine presses dating back to than the later ones. In 1983 Gastone paintings connected with wine: two-three hundred years ago, a Marizza painted this barrel in a naïve on wood, the Italian allegory of hand-operated sulphurator (still style and he dedicated it to the Friulian winegrowers. wealth, a woman with cornu- containing sulphur!) of a legend- copia; on the opposite another ary factory of Clauzetto, two don- painting, bought in , shows key vats, two handmade corking CANTINA PRODUTTORI the same subject in a Flemish machines produced in a Friulian CORMONS: interpretation: a young woman house about a century ago. Wine a Territory and a Cellar at the window between grapes tasting takes place around a where Art meets Wine and a monkey. Another collec- round table, which is an oil grind- Since 1980 in the Cantina tion includes cut glasses from stone from Puglia dating back to Produttori Cormons (Cormons a sacristy cupboard of the 18th the 19th century. On the walls are Winegrowers’ Winery) wine goes century representing grapes painted, as if they were frescoes, side by side with art. and vine leaves, which have a the oval pictures of the mis- The winery was founded in the religious meaning; near there chievous elves which have lent late 1960s by 150 winegrowers in are some transparent ancient their name to the wine: Bergul, a territory crossed by the Isonzo glass lamps, while a 16th century hidden by leaves, makes stum- river, not far from Gorizia. 22 • 137

Artists for the Wine of Peace Always in the 1980s, right in the area where two wars broke out, the idea of a Wine of Peace took shape. In 1983 the Cantina Pro- duttori Cormons planted a two hectare-wide Peace Vineyard, 6500 barbatelle (this is how Cesare Mocchiutti ( Villanova Judrio 1916 - Mossa 2006) was the young grafted vines are an important artist in Gorizia. He called) collected from universi- exhibited in Rome, Padova and ties, private owners, botanical liked to depict the peasant world, and nurseries. In the poachers, hunters and animals like the owls painted on this barrel. vineyard there are 700 different varieties of grapes, from 3 to 5 specimens for each variety. Every plant has been catalogued and In 1980 Art in wine cellars was in 1985 more than 500 people, invented: several artists, mainly among them students from the working in Friuli, painted the United World College of the Adri- gigantic barrels in their personal atic in Duino, celebrated the first The barrel, painted in 2006 by style, each one different from Giovanni Cavazzon, has an oval vintage. Since 1985 the Cantina the other. Every painter deco- shape like his last ones. Female nude Produttori Cormons produces the rated the bottom of the barrels, wooden cut-outs are embossements Wine of Peace, an off-the-skins on a painted in the freely expressing his aptitude. fermentation blend, from both background. Some expressed themselves in red and white grapes. The Wine the abstract expressionist style, of Peace comes in packs of three like Giorgio Celiberti and Mario Gianna Marini, Giorgio Benedetti, bottles and each item is sent to Baldan who used white brush Paolo Menon, Mario Ceroli, Rob- the leaders of all the countries strokes, Martens used a neon erto Joos painted other barrels. recognized by the Italian Repub- in a Conceptual style, Luciano Some artists painted more than lic. The first batch was sent on Ceschia painted his typical one barrel, like Giovanni Cavaz- 16th April 1986 and the Wine of cubistic sculptures. Enrico Bay zon who in the 1980s painted Peace is still produced and sent. created an ironic sculpture put- a charming female nude sur- The bottles are decorated with ting together pieces of wood and rounded by grapes and flowers, labels drawn by famous artists, ropes. a contemporary goddess that is known all over the world, in order Other painters preferred a reminiscent of Titian’s Baccanali to advertise the wine in the most figurative style: Agostino de Ro- and in 2006 applied two wood- effective way. manis; Gastone Marizza painted carved female nudes to a back- Every year, three well-known a naïve snowy landscape; Cesare ground with a painted Bacchus. artists draw the labels, thereby Mocchiutti gave shape to lively The big barrels, painted between setting up one of the largest label owls; Fred Pittino painted his the 1980s and the year 2006, are collections in the world. In 1986 traditional figures; Tony Zanussi, stored in the wine cellar thus Enrico Bay, Zoran Music and Gio Giancarlo Caneva, Ivan Crico, making it look like an unusual Pomodoro were chosen and to Arrigo Buttazzoni, Giulio Paolini, gallery of modern art. this day, more than 90 artists have 138 • 22

drawn the Peace Wine labels. Since 1990, famous poems and songs, that suitably match the design, have been printed on the labels. Cormons’s artistic IDs are a way of communicating wine cul- ture all over the world. Some artists who painted barrels also have also drawn some labels, such as, Arrigo Buttazzoni, an accomplished colourist as well as a graphic artist. In 1995 he was awarded the First Prize in the “Premio nazionale Etichetta d’oro” (Gold Label National Prize). Giorgio Celiberti (Udine, 1929) also painted two barrels, one with hearts and a second one with a goat eating grapes, as well as la- bels. In 1976 Celiberti gave a per- formance near Rocca Bernarda, overlaying vines and the ground with painted sheets. Modern art history is displayed on Wine of Peace labels: the French Nouveaux Réalistes (Arman, Spoerri), Pop Art (Ugo Nespolo, Joe Tilson, Mimmo Rotella, Robert Rauschenberg); performers like Yoko Ono; Abstract Expressionism (Giuseppe Santomaso, Sebastian Matta, Emilio Vedova, Aligi Sassu, Ernesto Treccani); Video Art (Nam June Paik, Fabrizio Plessi); Surrealism with Leonor Fini who grew up in Trieste and is one of the few women in the collection, Conceptual Art (Michelangelo Pis- toletto, Gilberto Zorio), contem- porary sculptors (Luciano Min- guzzi, Giacomo Manzù), Forma group ( Pietro Consagra, Pietro Dorazio, Achille Perilli), graphic designers (Walter Valentini, Lucio Del Pezzo, Michel Folon), Realism The high-relief represents ploughing. Darko moulded it in a sequence including pig slaughtering, grape harvesting, grape-crushing, wheat harvesting. 22 • 139

This is a detail of the embossement representing harvesting. A harvesting detail: a cart carries a vat, inside a man and a In the upper right corner a man is sharpening the scythe woman are pressing grapes holding grapes and a cup of with the hammer. Usually farmers used the “”, a stone wine. They express a joyful life. made to run on the blade, but sometimes you had to knock a portable anvil into the ground, to put the blade on it and then hammer it.

(Franco Dugo, Fernando Botero) Eastern Europe. He was a sculptor which go back to the classical rela- Transavanguardia (Mimmo Pala- - who used both clay and bronze tionship between man and nature. dino). Even Dario Fo (Sangiano - an engraver and a draftsman. From 1978 to 1979 his art turned 1926), winner of the Nobel Prize Darko attended the Art School into storytelling, and Darko be- in Literature, in the year 2000 in Gorizia and his teachers, Tino came more and more interested in drew his label on which he wrote: Piazza for sculpture and Cesare popular art, religion, legends and “Peace must be drunk in great Mocchiutti for painting, influenced myths. From the 1980s onwards friendship”. his craftsmanship. He graduated Darko moulds many imagines and Recently, Toni Spessot painted a in 1967 and from 1969 to 1979 statues of saints. large oil canvass for the office area worked with Giorgio Celiberti, and Darko’s works of art, owned by the and some props in front of the in Paris met avant garde artists. Cantina Produttori Cormons, Winery. In the same years, he travelled can be dated to his latest period extensively in Greece and in the and are unique because the sculp- Darko Bevilacqua’s works Region of Lazio discovering and tures are connected to graphic of art studying Minoan and Etruscan art, prints. He carved a barrel with In the Cantina Produttori whose influence can be found in a Bacchus myth: a young joyful Cormons, Darko (Biglie 1948 - his essential shapes and narrative Bacchus with a glass of wine in his Cividale 1991) left many works figurative embossements. hand is sitting on a male goat, a of art. He was a shy artist, con- He moved to Cividale in 1975 and personification of the god himself. stantly moving between Italy and opened a workshop where he pro- Darko painted another barrel, Slovenia, the Mediterranean and duced clay and bronze sculptures probably dating back to 1991, with 140 • 22

two big angels holding up a bottle vintages, treading and pressing of wine. Connected with the barrel grapes with a wine press, and the is an aquatint etching, where distillation that produces grappa. Darko represented many angels Some plaster embossements can playing musical instruments. be dated to this period, when In 1983 - 1984 Darko moulded Darko moulded a narrative sculp- a big clay embossement repre- ture, tied to popular and country senting saint Urban, the patron art, where details are as important saint of winegrowers, sitting on a as the entire work. The high re- male goat sitting on a vine shoot, liefs, represent country life: pork a detail similar to the one carved slaughtering, vintages, harvesting, on the first barrel. Urban, a stick treading grapes with feet in the figure in the foreground, is raising vat, pressing grapes with a wine a goblet in one hand and holding press, distilling grappa. a crosier in the other hand, with Shapes are basic and Darko want- grapes winding round it. The clay ed to portray traditional country embossement is a mould for a life typical of the various seasons, bronze casting still in the Cormons such as the man sharpening the collection, where one can still, to sickle with the hammer, foodstuffs, this day, find several prints on the alambic pots on the fire, wine same topic designed in different presses. shapes and details. To this day still not much well- Strictly connected to these works known, Darko’s barrels, etchings, is the label of the Wine of Peace, labels, embossments that can be that Darko drew in 1991, the found in the Cantina Produttori Ermacora’s totems are sculptures that same year of his death. In a front Cormons are probably one of the call to mind the poles supporting the view and on the inside of a barrel, most important collections of the vines. In the background the ancient saint Urban rises up from a vat, artist and this collection is unique Abbey of Rosazzo. with grapes and shoots winding for having put together various up his crosier. The design is different art forms. and Saint Peter’s church was built strictly linked to David Turoldo’s between the years 1068 - 1078. poem, printed on the same label ZAMÒ WINERY: Later, in 1100, it became rich and “Friends, I feel like a vat/ of sim- vineyard totems powerful. mering pressed grapes/ after a In 1924, Luigi Zamò opened a tav- Just in front of Zamò’s farmhouse, fruitful harvest/ waiting to be emp- ern in Manzano, but the wine farm the sculptor Giancarlo Ermacora tied/ the vines are already pruned/ started when his son Tullio bought (1942 - 2003) created his five and ready/ for a new spring”. The a five hectare vineyard on the Steli, vertical structures made with original drawing, an aquatint slopes of Rocca Bernarda. interlocking oak logs. The sculp- etching, is still kept in Cormons. In the 1990s Zamò restored an old tures remind us of the stakes that In this last period Darko moulded farmhouse, where the offices and support vines which actually serve and engraved some narrative the new hospitality centre were as props for some of the vines that embossements and etchings de- located, in a superb location on the surround the house. The Steli or scribing rural life and farm work. hills of Rosazzo opposite the an- totems, as you prefer, shoot out In an aquatint etching Darko por- cient abbey. The Abbey was found- of the four metres high and trayed the history of wine making: ed in 800 by the hermit Alemanno their tops are moulded with logs, 22 • 141

reflect the light, that changes representing Venice, where Silvano during the day and in different Zamò studied, farmhouses and seasons; the cuts in the wood, even a sort of family portrait. Inte- which allow you to look through rior furniture shows Silvano Zamò’s it, changing ‘points of view’ as you interest in design, he designed the walk along the slopes. new bottle labels with joyful col- On the hill, just behind the ours and modern lettering. farmhouse, two long and slender wooden Fairies stand face to face THE PERUSINI WINERY: against the light of the setting sun, art and wine, a family’s their hair swaying in the air. Gior- passion gio Benedetti carved them from a The Perusini family and its vine- tall cypress that had been struck yards have a long history. Giacomo by lightning. Giorgio Benedetti Perusini (grandfather of the pres- (Cividale, 1949) has a workshop in ent owner) preserved Picolit, the Cividale, his favourite subjects are most famous traditional Friulian swans and fairies with long sinuous grape variety. He was a wise and necks, dream-girls between the enthusiastic vine-grower until his abstract and the figurative. early death in 1915. His brother Inside the farmhouse, in the gar- Gaetano (Udine, 1879 -Cormons, den from where – if one stands un- 1915) was a doctor and studied der a mulberry tree, which is highly Alzheimer’s neuropathology in symbolical for Friuli – one can ad- Germany. Giacomo’s widow Gi- mire the wonderful view stretching useppina Antonini Perusini (Udine, from the mountains to the sea; on 1874 - Ipplis di Premariacco, 1975) Two long and slender wooden fairies, carved by Giorgio Benedetti from a tall the outside wall there is a sun dial. was a painter and wrote an impor- cypress struck by lighting. In the large wine-tasting hall you tant book on the art of cooking in can admire works by Sergio Altieri, Friuli. She had two sons: Gaetano one of the most important painters (Codognè, 1910 - Trieste, 1977) iron, stainless steel and ceramics, of the Neorealism art movement. was a professor of Popular Arts joined together to symbolize the Altieri (Capriva, 1930) is a figura- and Traditions at the University Sun and the Moon, reminding us tive artist and has painted land- of Trieste, whereas his brother of the hard work the land requires, scapes crowded with people and Giampaolo (Udine, 1906 - Cividale strictly connected with seasons, animals. In 1998 Altieri painted the del Friuli, 1985) managed the while the blades, the Lombards big round fireplace hood in his par- estate on the hills of Gramogliano. and the Patriarchs are linked to the ticular poetical style. Under a blue His twin daughters became art his- history of the ancient abbey. night sky crossed in the middle by torians and restorers: Giuseppina Giancarlo Ermacora worked a long a bright comet, between the farm- teaches at the University of Udine, time with Ceschia, one of the best house and a grove, the vineyards Teresa divides her time between known sculptors in Friuli, author of on the hills are portrayed during studies and the family estate in totems that differ from Ermacora’s. vintage: a cart, drawn by an ox, Gramogliano with her husband and Ceschia used metals, while Erma- carries a vat full of grapes and is three sons. cora preferred natural materials followed by a farmer with a hoe. After this introduction, art can be such as stone or wood. The steel Altieri was a friend of Tullio Zamò’s considered to be important in the plates on the top of his sculptures and painted for him other canvases Perusini winery. The main house is 142 • 22

to optical illusion. Inside this coni- cal opening a pendulum swings on an astrological clock drawn on the floor like the one Romano Burelli drew in the Holy Trinity Church in Potsdam. The pendulum’s massive bob is a sculpture cast by Gianpie- tro Carlesso, a kind of armillary sphere consisting of three bronzi rotating inside one another. The walls are inclined recalling old ramparts and they form a cham- bre, covered with large slabs, made by mixing resins with cotto earth- enware. The tower is covered with a pavilion roof and the top floor is The winery tower is designed by architect Romano Burelli with new materials that suit the Mediterranean area. It is influenced by the Iranian towers in Yazd. On the a kind of observation point from inside, a Foucault pendulum swings on an astrological clock. which one can enjoy the scenery characterized by vineyard-covered hills. an old 17th century mansion and its to ventilation - without air condi- The tower’s interior walls were long hall is decorated with a large tioning - ensuring a difference of painted by Leon Tarasewicz church ornament, representing 5 degrees (Celsius) between the (Waliły, 1957), one of the leading grapes and vine leaves, restored by inside and the outside. contemporary Polish painters. Teresa Perusini. The tower rises up out of an un- Influenced by U.S.A. Hard Edge derlying foundation, covered by Painting as well as by Anselm Kief- The winery-tower an internal dome, leaning against er, the structure of his paintings, The passion for art is highlighted four tapered columns that recall inspired by nature and landscapes, by the winery-tower. Built in 2000- Mycenaean architecture. The dome gradually changed from vertical 2003, designed by the architect is built with glulam beams which stripes of intensive colours to par- Romano Burelli and based on a act like ashlars of medieval stone allel ones. From 1985 Tarasewicz research on new materials suita- vaults; the inside surface is laid began to paint directly on the walls ble for Mediterranean areas. The with tadelakt (lime plaster and and floors as he did in the 2001 project was was carried out by the soap). The four laminated wooden Polish pavilion in the Venice Bien- Ministry for Scientific Research, floors decrease in size the higher nale and inside the Perusini's tow- the Faculty of Architecture of the up one goes, as one can read in the er, that Leon Tarasewicz painted in University of Venice and a pool of treatise on architecture, written 2004, after meeting Teresa Perusini private sponsors. by Jean Baptiste Rondelet (Lyon, at the Biennale in Venice. The winery-tower shows the influ- 1743 - Paris, 1829). The floors of In 1996 Leon Tarasewicz made ence of the Iranian wind towers in the tower are drilled from the top a mural painting in Gabriella Yazd that cool down the desert air to the base and holes widen in Cardazzo’s villa in Gorizzo near thanks to water evaporation. The proportion to the height, so that Camino. Then, in 2000 – 2001, he Perusini tower, instead, maintains if someone is looking from the painted the ceiling and did interior a temperature that is lower than barriquerie towards the top, the paintings in Guido Spano’s “Tre the external temperature thanks tower seems higher than it is due gelsi” villa in the same village. In 22 • 143

The colours are pure and sumptuous, their apparent simplicity is born from pictorial syntax and severe selection The inside walls of the tower are painted by Leon Tarasewicz. Here you can admire like the colours of the birds’ plumage the interaction between the painting and the landscape and the relationship that the painter has been studying all between painting and architecture. his life.

Gramogliano the colour stripes are tries to bind links between agricul- with an abstract style, but in the painted in the same order on the ture, art and nature. 1980s he discovered painting and four walls, but colours are different The first of these works was Ales- figuration. In 2014 Venuto designed owing to a very thin wash of colour: sandra Bonoli’s Menhir, which was labels for the Perusini magnum yellow towards the east, red ma- placed on a hummock overlooking bottles. The calla lily on the label is genta towards the west and blu on the little church of San Leonardo. a homage to Tina Modotti, a world the north wall.As Teresa Perusini The iron sculpture, 5.96 metres famous Friulian photographer, who writes «The interaction between high, recalls the big vertical stones, lived in the USA and loved to take the painting and the landscape wedged into the earth by ancient photos of these sensuous flowers. brings to a sort of reciprocal disclo- peoples, but is also connected to In 2010 summer Sonia Squillaci sure... what also strikes me in the Mirko and Dino Basaldella’s totems exhibited her giant aubergines that tower is the unexpected relation- or Celiberti’s steles. evoke organic sensual shapes and ship that has developed between Art exhibitions are organised every maternity: paper pulp modelled the painting and the architecture. year in the tower cellar along with sculptures, charcoal drawings and The tower is like a byzantine or concerts and meetings. The Eng- aquatint engravings. In 2012 Ilaria orthodox church: the outside is lish painter Nicholas Herdon was Rotter (, 1976) worked in simple but inside, it is full of colour, the first artist in 2006, then in 2008 the Perusini estate: her iron sheets like a precious jewel case... Leon’s Sergio Scabar (Ronchi dei Legion- covered with rust, thin laminated painting had created an original, ari, 1946) exhibited his photos, woods, paper, fixed the marching of surprising unity with the architec- each a one-off, developed like in an time with burns, oxidations, cuts. ture». alchemical, mysterious process. There were also collective exhibi- The Perusini estate developed the In 2010 Gian Carlo Venuto tions such as the one performed Xeno Project: putting sculptures (Codroipo, 1951) exhibited a series in 2012 by Gian Carlo Venuto with in places that cannot be cultivated, of his Skies above Berlin where students from the Fine Art Acade- with the aim of improving tourism he shows his interest for colours mies of Venice, Turin and Milan. and cycling in the eastern hills of displayed on clouds. Venuto taught Connecting art and winery is a fam- Friuli. The Xeno Project (from a at the Fine Art Academies in Turin ily passion for the Perusinis in their Greek word meaning 'stranger') and Milan; he began his career line of succession. In the Xeno project sculptures are set in places that cannot be cultivated. The iron sculpture by Alessandra Bonoli connects sky and earth, like a celtic menhir.