Masùt da Rive: pioneers of Pinot Noir in Friuli for thirty years.
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The history of Masùt da Rive’s Pinot Noir began in the mid-1980s, after a trip by Silvano, the patriarch, to the land of France.
Silvano then took a decision that today we could define as groundbreaking and visionary: against all the commonplaces and widespread prejudices that considered Friuli unsuitable for the cultivation of Pinot Noir, he decided to take a risk and planted the first vines.
Soon, Silvano understood why the attempts made up to that point by the area’s winegrowers had been unsuccessful: Pinot Noir had always been treated like Merlot or Cabernet, the classic generous red varieties that nestled perfectly in Friuli.
“Pinot Noir is a white “in disguise”, a white dressed as a red: it is tannic and complex, but extremely elegant and rich in nuances”
After a period of trial-and-error approach, Silvano – like a truly successful experimenter – radically changed his attitude, taking care of Pinot Noir, in the vineyard as well as in the cellar, as if it were destined to become a great, great white wine
And why not, Silvano thought to himself… After all, that red variety came from an area, Burgundy, which is the mother of phenomenal whites. Basically, Pinot Noir is the father (by gem mutation, as the technicians would say) of two whites that in Friuli turn out very well: Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio. Pinot Noir, in short, is a white “in disguise”, a white dressed as a red: it is tannic and complex, but extremely elegant and rich in nuances…
Left: the first Pinot Noir label, 1990 vintageRight: the 2020 vintage Pinot Noir label
(design: Atelier Design Udine)
It was certainly not easy to arrive at a Pinot Noir that is today one of Masùt da Rive’s flagship wines: perseverance, determination, the desire to experiment and to do well are not qualities that the Gallo of Masùt da Rive lack, no doubt. Now, thirty years after the first Pinot Noir harvest, these qualities are here to prove it.
Pinot Noir of Masùt da Rive: How it is originated and how it expresses itself
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Hand-picked, destemmed and selected, the grapes undergo a cold pre-fermentation maceration followed by alcoholic fermentation. The frequent pumping over-favour the extraction of tannins and anthocyanins from the skins.
At the end of the process in the cellar, Masùt da Rive’s Pinot Noir is aged in French oak barrels
for 12 months. The result is a red wine with a fine, fruity nose, with notes of cherry, blackberry, raspberry and delicate hints of medicinal herbs, which fades into light oak tones on the finish. The fresh and slightly tannic sip completes the taste experience with a pleasant and tonic bitter feeling.
Masùt da Rive | The wines
Masùt da Rive | The wines