Red grape variety
Refosco
A Friulian variety producing dark, high-acid reds with a distinctive bitter-plum edge.
What is Refosco?
Refosco combines dark colour with unusually high acidity and a bitter finish that makes it a strong food wine.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 9987 under the prime name REFOSCO DAL PEDUNCOLO ROSSO, with berry skin colour noir and country of origin italy. Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Refosco, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | high | Some variation | |
| Tannin | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Consistent | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | medium | Some variation | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Where it grows
- Friuli Colli Orientali — Italy
- Collio — Italy
- Istria — Croatia
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia — Italy
If you like Refosco, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Bobal
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be softer and rounder.
Rosso di Montalcino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more herbal and green, and more oaky.
Nero di Troia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be spicier, and softer and rounder.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Colorino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more restrained in fruit.
Dolcetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more oaky.
Valpolicella
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Mondeuse Noire
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be spicier, and lighter.
Valpolicella
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and less tannic and softer.
Molinara
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and less tannic and softer.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Super Tuscan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more herbal and green.
Washington Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Uruguayan Tannat
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Roast chicken
Works because the protein and fat in the dish soften the tannin and let the fruit show.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Pork
Works because the protein and fat in the dish soften the tannin and let the fruit show.
Chicken with lemon
Works because the dish is acidic, and a lower-acid wine would taste flat beside it.
Goat cheese
Works because the dish is acidic, and a lower-acid wine would taste flat beside it.
Hummus
Works because the dish is acidic, and a lower-acid wine would taste flat beside it.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
How to serve it
Temperature
15–17°C
59–63°F · Cellar cool
Most modern rooms are warmer than this. Twenty to thirty minutes in the fridge before serving usually gets a red into range.
Decanting
Worth decanting
Young, firmly tannic wine often softens noticeably with an hour of air — the most reliable case for decanting.
Glass
Bordeaux glass
A taller, narrower bowl directs a tannic wine past the front of the palate. The effect is real but modest.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
Friulian Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso carries high acidity and noticeable tannin, and serious examples soften usefully over several years. Lighter commercial versions are made to be drunk young and do not develop.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof