Unforgettable Jakot 2016 Friulano Franco Terpin: A Must-Try Orange Wine for Natural Wine Enthusiasts
The 2016 Jakot is a wild amber wine, an orange wine based on Tocai Friulano: it’s sapid, but also rich and structured; in a nutshell, it’s a mini-masterpiece in a bottle. Franco Terpin manages to distill in a bottle the unique terroir of this unique and incredible border area, San Friulano del Collio, on the border between Italy and Slovenia.
But he does it with great sensitivity, giving us a whispering and eloquent wine, broad and detailed in its development, defined by very light tannins and an exhilarating sapidity.
And let’s get straight to the point: it is possible to produce Friulani that can be three-dimensional, volumetric, deep, but not heavy or flattened by maceration: the answer is yes.
A ringing yes, indeed we are not afraid to define the Jakot 2016 as one of the most successful Friulani of recent years, both for the incisiveness of the stroke and for the ease with which all this complex mass of suggestions merges and moves. For the rest there isn’t much to say, Franco Terpin has been producing charismatic wines full of sea and hills since the 1970s, and he is a brilliantly talented interpreter, we certainly don’t have to say it now.
How Jakot 2016 is produced
Just read the specifications of this wine to understand that we are dealing with a declaration of love for one’s land. Around the cellar, the vineyards are on the hills, where the soil is a mix of clay, marl, and limestone that is full of marine fossils.
Human and clean management of the vineyards without the use of pesticides or herbicides. Spontaneous fermentation on the skins, then another two weeks of maceration to impart color, texture, and flavor. Aging for one year in large barrels and then one more year in the bottle. Obviously no sulphites are added and the wine is neither clarified nor filtered as is
Organoleptic characteristics of Franco Terpin’s Jakot 2016 Friulano
Light amber color, reminiscent of a flamingo wing at sunrise. As soon as you smell the glass, you will be hit by a wave of sea and oysters, all seasoned with ripe and syrupy fruit, honey, and nuts. But don’t think of a pumped and muscular wine: everything is declined with subtlety, the stroke is fine and the final fresco is rich, but full of small precious details and creates a sense of peaceful amazement.
On the palate we find this saline look, depth, spices and resins, the pine that gives a balsamic touch. The structure is good, the rhythm exhilarating, acidity and sapidity duet to create an arabesque of great solidity, which over the years can evolve and become even more evocative and decadent. At the moment it is roaring, but already very enjoyable, if you want more evolution you can let it rest for 5-6 years without any problems.
Price
36 euros: a price that might seem high, but the texture, fiber and quality of this wine are exceptional, so don’t hesitate and buy it, also because the edition is very limited.
Food Pairings
This splendid natural orange wine deserves elaborate dishes of fish, white meats, chicken cacciatore, large cured meats or pasta with bottarga. It has structure and acidity to spare, so, apart from red meats, give it a go.