‘Roi Sombre’ is Carlo’s project, a chance to strike out on his own a bit more, made in collaboration with his sisters and their cousins. A Friulian native grape par excellence, this Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso (literally, ‘of the red stem’) comes from 20-year-old vineyards and sees whole bunch maceration and spontaneous fermentation in wooden vats for 24 days, followed by aging in steel, and no SO2 added at a any point. Violet, black cherry, and plum meet aromatic tobacco, cardamom, licorice, and cocoa on the nose. Explosive on the palate – the whole cluster maceration really amps up Refosco’s inherent qualities – with layers of concentrated red and black fruit, rich, umami-balsamic tang, plenty of prickly acidity, and dry, perky tannins made supple but very much still holding everything together. With only 733 bottles produced, this is bold, fresh, and very Friuli. A word to the wise: Refoscso’s naturally zippy acidity and Carlo’s hands-off treatment makes for a bit of a spritzy sensation on first sip (no, it’s not carbonated!) but give it a swirl in a decanter and watch it integrate and mellow out. A chill would also go a long way here, especially when pairing with summer BBQ fare.