Picolit

Picolit, Cantine Bernarda, bottle of 50 cl., 60 euro price, 13.5 degrees. It‘s probably the most expensive wine in Italy: the vine plant is stingy, producing only 1 or 2 bunches that are good for harvest, all in a limited area on the eastern hills of Friuli on the border of Slovenia. Since 1700, it has been the dessert wine of Venetian and Austrian nobles, a not very sweet (fo rtunate ly) fortifie d win e with an unm ista ka bIe and indescribable aroma. A true nectar of the gods to drink alone or with Italian Christmas sweets, panettone and pandoro but not filled with chocolate that does not suit the light and refined aroma of Picolit. The mentioned company also makes a Picolit grappa which costs € 86.00 for a 0.375 cl bottle: the 2009 production was 370 numbered bottles, just over 120 litres since, as we said, the vine is very stingy. It is a grappa to be drunk drop by drop, slowly, 46 degrees of power in a silk and velvet glove. I was lucky enough to have 2 of the 370 bottles mentioned above, drinking them was an unforgettable experience.