Winter is the time of the year when we share our wines in events and contests, and gather food for thought.

In 2023 our Arconi Bianco has been awarded as one of the most representative Italian PIWI wines, showing that Sauvignon finds his home in Friuli.

The Kretos varietal is not exactly a typical grape of Friuli, matching its progenitor for as much as 10%, and has been developed thanks a research program at the University of Udine. Sauvignon Kretos, together with Sauvignon Rythos and Nepis represents Sauvignon resistant grape varieties.

Our Arconi is harvested at the Villacriccola vineyard in Pasiano (Pordenone). The training system is the traditional “Cappuccina” of Friuli, with a double arched guyot. This was one of our very first vineyards with resistant grape varieties back in 2018 when we first received official permission to start growing these grapes. Our main goal at the time was to mix the typical local wine production with these new sustainable varieties, showing that it is possible to make good and healthy wines following traditional agriculture with te addition of new grape vine shoots. Arconi Bianco is a wine of great structure thanks a six-month ageing in the lees, it is characterized by tropical fruit and grapefruit flavour with an almond aftertaste.

Arconi Bianco pairs perfectly with fish and white meat recipes, but is also pleasant as an aperitif. (cit. La Cantina di Fausto).

Grapevine pruning is the most ‘engaging’ phase in the grapevine’s life cycle, when both past experience and creativity are combined together. 

The selection of vine shoots and spurs for the coming year, the training system, the amount of production and the expected grape quality…. this is the time of the year when the most important decisions must be taken.

These are cold and short days, but very busy days indeed. Life is starting again from here, after a few months of rest during which the vineyard has restored itself. This process is known as “agostamento”, a perpetual and constant becoming: spurs lignify and become shoots, shoots will give birth to new buds which in turn will become fruitful sprouts and so on.

Grapevine-pruning ends right before the so called weeping of the vine. It is as if grapevines are urging time now. That is why pruning represents the most important and evocative time of the year. 

Each grapevine variety and each wineyard have their own distinctive traits. In our farm, the most used training system is Guyot (the double Guyot, typical in the Friuli area). The most vigorous grapevines are trained after the Sylvoz system, the classical permanent cordon with renewed arches.

Our discovering of PIWI wines through Chef Ivana Frank’s recipes brings us to the Arconi Bianco. The great Sauvignon Kretos aroma and the structure of Soreli, a Friuli variety by its own nature, are mixed together. The Arconi is sapiently coupled to this new recipe that brings us fantasy and creativity both in the plate and in the wine glass.

Thanks to Bora Cooking System’s chef Ivana Frank, we have paired Arconi to a recipe that is able to exalt the wine’s characteristics. 

Aubergine Towers With Goat’s Cheese, Pistachios, Mint And Dried Figs

INGREDIENTS
For two people

• 1 aubergine
• 150 g soft goat’s cheese
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• 30 g chopped pistachios
• 4 – 5 dried figs
• 3 sprigs of mint
• ½ organic lemon – zest and juice
• Olive oil, cooking oil (e.g. cooking olive oil), salt and pepper

PREPARATION

Preheat the Tepan to 220 degrees then smear with cooking oil using the spatula. Cut the aubergine into approx. ½ cm thick slices and place on the Tepan. Season with plenty of salt. Fry the slices of aubergine on both sides until soft and golden brown. Meanwhile, grate the zest of half a lemon and coarsely chop the mint leaves and figs. Add to a small bowl with the pistachios and goat’s cheese and stir well with yogurt, a dash of lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Construct the towers as follows: start with a slice of aubergine, then add 1 tbsp of creamy cheese and yogurt mixture followed by another slice of aubergine. Repeat until each tower has three layers of aubergine and three layers of creamy mixture. Garnish the mixture on top with additional mint leaves and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Discover Ivana Frank’s recipes on BORA.com.
Discover more about our Arconi Bianco, visit our website.