BORGO SAN DANIELE
Cormons GO, Italy (Friuli)
“Santòn” Vermouth Bianco
Isonzo Rive Alte
34% Malvasia Istriana, 33% Pinot Bianco, and 33% Friulano
At the base of all vermouths there is always Artemisia, a complex genius of plants that includes wormwood. In Santòn, there are three species from this genius, but the one that makes it unique is Artemisia Caerulescens (Marine wormwood), which grows in the Grado lagoon and in the local dialect it is called Santonego or Santonico from which this Vermouth takes its name.
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The Santòn recipe uses 30 different species of spontaneous medicinal herbs and aromatic spices to achieve a delicate but expressive infusion that is sourced strictly from local organic gardens or foraged from the wild. The combination and infusion of herbs are a kind of magic that has taken over a decade to perfect. A very subtle balance of flavors support each other to create a compelling result, equally representing fruit, spice, and herbal notes.
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Malvasia
Isonzo del Friuli DOC
Malvasia Istriana
Malvasia Istriana is a very expressive grape that grows in the Istrian peninsula shared by Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. The aromatics of this local grape explode out of the glass with flowers, exotic fruits, apricot, and quince, combining on the palate with lime leaf and ginger, and finishing with good salinity and minerality. This wine is perfect with the local seafood but also pairs well with Japanese and Thai cuisines.
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Meticulous organic and biodynamic farming and a fine-tuned approach in the winery, make this example of Friulano distinct. There are two harvests to produce this wine. The first is aged in steel and the second harvest is aged in large neutral barrels and allowed to go through Malo. Native yeast fermentation and long lees aging create a complex wine that is food friendly and a joy to drink.
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"Arbis Ros"
Isonzo del Friuli DOC
Pignolo
Comprised of 100% Pignolo, this low-yielding, rare, native grape is making a comeback. With intense tannins, it takes a masterful approach and a lot of patience to tame this grape. Mauro and Alessandra have done so with this wine, crafting a wine that is both elegant and powerful. The aromatics are of pepper, red fruit skins, dried flowers, and hints of forest and fir. The palate is strong with noticeable tannins that are both pleasant and intense through the finish.
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Pignolo is a rare grape that almost went extinct in the 20th century because farmers preferred planting higher-yielding grapes like Merlot. It is also a highly tannic grape that needs patience and skill to craft. This wine spends up to 2 years in French Tonneau barrels before further aging in large Slavonian oak. Fermented with native yeast from biodynamically farmed vineyards, the grapes are harvested on a fruit day according to the biodynamic calendar.
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