THE BUNCH

The cluster is medium-sized, pyramid-shaped and of average compactness with limited wings. When ripe, its stalk is a deep wine-red color, especially between the vine branch and the cluster, turning gradually to a green shade within the cluster itself.
The berry is medium-sized with a thin, intensely-blue glaucus skin.

BRIEF HISTORY

It is an interesting and characteristic native varietal of Friuli-Venezia Giulia or, to be more precise, those lands belonging to the Patriarch of Aquilea whose authority extended to Istria and, crossing the Livenza River, into the area around Treviso.
The origin of the varietal is very old with its early home being in the hills between the Karst region and Istria, from which it spread throughout Friuli, including between the Tagliamento and Livenza Rivers, into areas that are now part of the province of Venice and, finally, into some areas of the province of Treviso.
Mention of Refosco wine appears as early as 1390 in the Friuli annals of F. Da Manzano. But more reliable information dates from the 1700s.
The Refoschi varietal family is a large one which includes the refosconi and Terrano del Carso, but the most commonly-cultivated member is Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso.
Refosco is especially present in the north-east of the Veneta region, in the district of Portogruaro, where it is the pride and joy of local wine-growers and where it is proudly offered as one of the Lison-Pramaggiore DOC wines.
Its presence in this north-east corner of the province of Venice is the result of the influence of the Friuli region and its historic presence in this area can be traced to the control the Patriarch of Aquileia had over the entire Portogruaro area until 1420. 

APPROFONDIMENTI