What kind of wine is Ramato?

Are you a wine lover who loves Pinot Grigio, but wants to take it to the next level and get more out of it?

Welcome to the wonderful world of ramato wine! A style that is still made in its historic heartland of Friuli and is also getting growing attention from winemakers all over the world, like right here in Fair Play. Pinot Grigio is one of the most popular Italian wine styles but hasn’t always been made in the dry, white wine fashion that we know today. That’s where ramato comes in, but this isn’t just another rosé or orange wine.

How is ramato different from rosé or orange wines?

As it is with much of the discussion in wine, it starts with the grapes. What’s unique about ramato is that it is a product of a winemaking style from Friuli, Italy, made with Pinot Grigio grapes.

It’s important to remember here that Pinot Grigio is not a white-skinned grape at all; the skin has a rosey-grey tone, hence the name grigio, meaning grey in Italian. That grey is a color mutation of Pinot Noir, which is why is has a slight touch of pink in it. Pinot Grigio is usually a lovely contemporary conventional white wine, and ramato is the copper-hued Italian farmhouse style of it.

When Pinot Grigio grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to spend some time with the juice, a lovely texture and coppery color results in a distinct wine style called ramato. The word ramato means ‘copper’ in Italian. This also adds unique flavors, aromas, structural complexity, and tannins to the wine. The color also comes from the natural pigments of the grapes that seep into the juice while they are still on the vine.

With the added textural component that the skin contact gives the wine, it is tremendously food-friendly and provides an excellent match to a diverse array of dishes.

History Notes

Pinot Grigio has a distinctively Italian style, the grape is actually from France, where it is called Pinot Gris. It is thought to have been introduced to Italy in the mid-19th century.

Eventually, the wine found success in the northeastern regions spanning Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige. Ramato is a historical style of producing Pinot Grigio in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region of Italy, where Pinot Grigio has been grown for hundreds of years.