Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG

Picolit is a fragile native grape with a flowering disorder that leaves bunches with a few scattered berries, which explains both the price and the eighteenth-century aristocratic reputation. The wine is a golden dessert white, usually made from dried grapes: acacia honey, dried apricot, candied orange, chamomile and almond, with moderate sweetness and enough acidity to keep it from cloying. It's lighter and more floral than Sauternes and ages gracefully. Bottles are typically 375 or 500 ml.