Pighin's story begins in 1963, when brothers Luigi, Ercole and Fernando purchased a 200 hectare estate in Risano, in the Friuli Grave D.O.C. area, which belonged to a noble friulan family. After a radical reworking of the estate and the creation of vast vineyards and orchards, in 1997 the new company centre was built including offices and modern cellars.1968 saw the acquisition of the company in Spessa di Capriva, in the Collio D.O.C. area, comprising 30 hectares of vineyards and a vinification cellar, which was completely revamped and properly equipped. This acquisition guaranteed the company a production range which covers two of the most renowned production areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia and of Italy.The company vinifies only grapes coming from its own estates. The cellars of Risano and Spessa are equipped with the most modern and advanced technologies presently available.
Large areas are dedicated to stainless steel temperature controlled tanks, to pneumatic presses and piston winemakers for the most adequate vinification of red wines before the great evolution represented by their refinement into barrels and barriques of French and Slavonian durmast. The company policy is strictly aimed at the valorisation of the quality of its wines under all conditions. Among the luxuriant vineyards of the company of Risano, in the Grave area, is located a sixteenth century "Venetian" villa. This gem is currently used as Pighin's guest house for public relations.
Our estates of Risano, situated in the Friuli Grave D.O.C. area, comprises 150 hectares of luxuriant vineyards, which were planted after carrying out a severe selection of single vines in order to find out the most suitable ones for the soil nature. The implantation system Guyot, with a density of 4200 vines/ha, is the important basis for the achievement of highest quality grapes. The alluvial soils give the wines aroma complexity, great balance and agreeable freshness.
The Grave del Friuli production zone is situated at the center of the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia at the foot of the Alps. Powerful streams fed by water from melting glaciers during the Quaternary Period created this relatively flat area. The water swept along rocky debris that setteled in the lowlands with larger pieces being deposited above and finer fragments below.
That factor has endowed the terrain with multiple gravelly and clayey densities and rendered it especially suited to the cultivation of vines. In fact, the world's largest nursery producing vine shoots is located in this important zone. About 100 million vinies are turned out each year in the Grave del Friuli zone.
The average annual temperature in the zone is 12-13°C. (53.6-55.4° F.). Summers are hot and breezy and winters are particularly cold with temperatures of around zero (Celsius). Rainfall is excellent on average but the level of humidity in the area is generally low. Those favorable climatic conditions, combined with the excellent character of the terrain, underlie this D.O.C. zone's outstanding viticultural capacity.