Stroppolatini Pignolo 2009, 2010 and 2011 Friuli, Italy

Stroppolatini's court yard reflects Italian sense of beauty.

Stroppolatini produces 100% Pignolo

While Pignolo is the most glorious of Friulian local black grapes, it is also the toughest one to handle. It produces very low yields (only 50% of the yields of Merlot), is messy to work with due to its staining pigments, and demands extensive maturation to show its potential. It is no surprise that producers tend to be slightly apprehensive about planting Pignolo, and it is not widely produced in its home area. On top of that, drinking and selling young wines have always dominated the Friulian wine culture. Hence, Pignolo has been either drank too young, while astringent and still hiding its aromatic potential, or it has been ”cut” with other grapes to soften it, but also loosing its varietal beauty in the process.

Fortunately, there are exceptions to these rules: Stroppolatini produces 100% Pignolo. At the moment they sell out the 2010 vintage, and still, Federico Stroppolatini considers the wine to be very young - it is only starting to show its potential.  We were privileged to be able to vertically taste three consecutive vintages of Stroppolatini Pignolo, and to experience in practise the evolution of this exceptional wine.

 

Stroppolatini Pignolo 2011

This wine being still in the process of maturation, Federico kindly offers us tasting samples straight from the barrel. The intensely deep ruby red colour and the finesse of the aromatics on the nose immediately communicate how very big this wine is. The aromas are different from anything I have smelled before: there are wild forest berries, mostly red berries such as wild raspberries and cranberries, and an elegant and very feminine perfume aroma. This aroma of face powder or talcum powder is extraordinary, and in my experience completely unique to Pignolo. The red berry and powdery nuances are supported by deeper red, almost black fruit character of plums, and black pepper spice.

What about the palate then? Well, as expected, this young Pignolo wine is definitely aggressive on the palate. Drying and mouth pinching tannin combined with bold acidity promises aging potential for years and decades to come. Also the concentrated fruit and well-integrated alcohol promise a glorious future for this wine. However, drinking it now would be utter waste of a beautiful product, because its structure is only starting to develop and its flavour potential is still mostly hidden. Nevertheless, this young wine has an intense and long finish that lingers for minutes.

Stroppolatini Pignolo 2010.

Stroppolatini Pignolo 2010

Although vintage 2010 can drink now, Federico thinks it would benefit from many more years of aging to show its best qualities. I absolutely agree. Compared to the 2011 vintage, this wine shows more raspberry fruit as well as more development. Tertiary aromas of cedar and tobacco are intertwined with the delightful powdery, floral pignoloish perfume. What a bouquet! While the tannin still dominates on the palate, there is now more roundness to its quality. But make no mistake; there is still definite muscle and aggression to the structure! And the finish, oh, the finish. A complex aromatic sequence keeps opening up for ages. 

Stroppolatini Pignolo 2009.

Stroppolatini Pignolo 2009

This wine is where the potential of this grape is truly revealed. It is an outstanding wine. The intense colour is now already turning towards garnet, and the nose has more fruity, raspberry intensity, nevertheless remaining still very floral, powdery and elegantly feminine. Federico brings up the peculiar way Pignolo typically ages: while wines usually become less and less fruity with age, Pignolo appears to reveal its fruit more and more! Somehow its berry aromas are liberated while the tannin becomes softer. 

This is absolutely true. I find 2009 vintage to be even more abundant in raspberry and cranberry flavours compared to the previous wines. Notably, the palate is now showing a beautiful balance. The plentiful tannin has become integrated and remarkably rounder, only slightly pinching the tongue. I can only imagine where this wine would go in ten years of time: it would probably become powdered raspberry velvet supported by a cascade of developed aromas. Already now, the aftertaste is exceptional. I greatly enjoy the paradox this wine offers: on one hand it is feminine and elegant in its flavours, on the other hand it is shamelessly powerful and tannic. Pignolo is an iron princess!