Princic Jakot 2021

Dario Princic works in the village of Oslavia in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, a hillside zone whose ponca soils of marl and sandstone drain freely and warm quickly, ripening Friulano fully while the cooler nights hold acidity. The vineyards are farmed biodynamically, and the wine carries no appellation beyond Vino da Tavola, a deliberate step outside the regional rulebook. Princic is one of the founders of the modern orange wine movement, and Jakot is made by fermenting the white grapes on their skins for an extended period. That maceration pulls tannin, colour and phenolic compounds from the skins, so the wine drinks with the grip and savoury weight of a red while keeping white-grape aromatics. It then ages in barrel, where slow oxygen exchange softens the tannin and builds nutty, oxidative complexity. The colour is deep amber. The nose shows dried apricot, orange peel, honey and dried herbs, with a walnut and earthy undertone. The palate is dry and textured, the skin tannin giving structure and a long, briny finish. Serve at 14 to 16 degrees in a wide glass, ideally decanted. It suits roast pork, herb-roasted chicken and hard mountain cheeses.