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THE BUNCH
The bunch is of average size, reasonably long, with two fairly compact branches. It is cylindrical, tapering to a pyramid shape.
The berries are round, yellow-green, with a thin waxy skin, which is sometimes speckled.
BRIEF HISTORY
This grape has been present in the Veneto-Friuli area for over two-and-a-half centuries and can be considered a truly local variety since it has lost – if it ever had – any resemblance to any other variety, whether Hungarian, French, etc.
The first, documented ampelographic citation for vines called Tokai and cultivated in Italy dates from 1825. Research in the years that followed led to the discovery of other vines that were similar but not identical and, fortunately, without the decision being taken to change the name of a vine which, throughout the 1900s, was held to be an original one. A vine of major importance grown widely in the eastern area of the Veneto region, especially around Portogruaro (province of Venice), with the center of the growing area in Lison in the province of Udine, especially in the eastern hillsides. As a result, there grew the need to not confuse its name with the "other Tocai" and, although it was unanimously recognized that the area of Lison was the center of production, the name of the vine was embellished with the adjective "friulano", thus sealing its definition as a separate vine, not to be confused with others.
In 1969, the "Tocai friulano" vine was officially registered in the national roster of vines as no. 235.
There is, however, a further epilogue to the vine's history. Research done under the direction of Dr. Calò at the Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura in Conegliano, utilizing modern methods such as biochemical analysis and molecular DNA analysis, established in 1986 that the Tocai fiulano vine is the old French Sauvignonasse vine that today has virtually disappeared in that country.
But the historical events have been complicated due to the fact that Italian Tocai, Friuli-Venetian origin, has a name similar to that of a Hungarian wine, Tokaj - although very different from it – and following a decades-long battle, starting on April 1, 2007, Hungary has won the right to be the only country that may use the name "Tocai", the result of the decision of the European Court in Luxembourg on May 12, 2005 on the basis of the 1993 agreement between the European Union and Hungary. From that moment the name of the winer from Tocai friulano grapes, in the Italian Veneto region has changed its name Tocai to Tai.
However, the fact remains that from these grapes a “historic” wine of the eastern Veneto region is produced with the preferred area being in the oldest established production zone in the Lison-Pramaggiore DOC area that includes the following districts: Lison, Pradipozzo and Summaga in the town of Portogruaro; Belfiore, Blessaglia and Salvarolo in the town of Pramaggiore; Carline and Loncon in the town of Annone Veneto and part of the territory of the towns of San Stino di Livenza and Cinto Caomaggiore.
Crowning the historical and unique nature of this wine was the granting of the "Lison" controlled and guaranteed designation of origin in the Italian Ministerial Decree dated December 22, 2010.
APPROFONDIMENTI
