Motivations

On the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the Prize, the Nonino Risit d’Aur wants to draw attention to the reasons for its birth and to the precious native Friulian vine varieties that in the 1970s were on the verge of extinction because their names were not included among the authorized vine varieties of the region. Giannola and Benito Nonino in 1975 establish the prize for vine growers and ampelographic studies, and begin the bureaucratic process to obtain the community authorization for the cultivation of Pignolo, Schioppettino and Tazzelenghe, joined by Ribolla gialla in purity. Authorization 486/78 which they obtain in 1978. For the 2025 edition, the Nonino Rist d’Aur prize is awarded to Ben Little and the Pignolo vine variety. Irish by birth and Friulian by adoption, Ben falls in love with the ancient Friulian black vine variety and devotes years of study and research to it, studies that he collects in the self-published book ‘Pignolo – Cultivating the Invisible’. In 2023, he founds the Association of Pignolo of Friuli Venezia Giulia, which, having more than 34 active members, is the largest association of winemakers in the region to unite the energies of winemakers, researchers and enthusiasts of the legendary Pignolo, to promote it, enhance it and make it known all the way to the heart of the Cité du
Vin in Bordeaux and Napa Valley.

Biography

Irish (Dubliner) by birth, Friulian by adoption, with a background in Economics and Commerce, Ben Little has long since transformed himself into a writer, sommelier, blogger and poet by chance.
His deep devotion to the native vine varieties of Friuli Venezia Giulia launched him, in 2016, into the unexpectedly creative field of viticulture, when with a handful of “visionaries”, he began researching and talking about Pignolo, a native Friulian vine variety, neglected but documented since the Fourteenth century.
He falls in love with it and delves into the history of this black grape, in its homeland and among its custodians and understands that growing Pignolo is not a financial choice, but a choice of the heart.
His studies and research become the basis for his 2021 literary debut with the volume ‘Pignolo – Cultivating the Invisible’ 432 pages, self-published only in English; a field study conducted for five years in Friuli Venezia Giulia, from 1,000 BC to a distant future, passing through today, through a journey of more than 40,000 km along the path of the Pignolo, its custodians and its land. A story of continuous perseverance that leads him to make the Pignolo known right into the heart of the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux and the Napa Valley in California.
In May 2023 he establishes, and is elected the first president of the Pignolo Association of Friuli Venezia Giulia (www.pignolofvg.it), today he holds the position of Honorary President, an association that Ben establishes to unite the energies of winemakers, researchers and enthusiasts of the legendary Pignolo – with the aim of preserving, telling, promoting and enhancing it. With over 34 active members, the group is now the largest association of winemakers in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
In 2024, having reached the fourth ‘Word Pignolo Day ‘, he organizes the Symposium in the Parliament Hall of the Castle of Udine, where there is a discussion about wine, territory, culture and art with the largest presentation and tasting of Pignolo ever held to date, 51 labels with the aim of spreading knowledge of working with everyone for the benefit of the entire world of wine in Friuli Venezia Giulia. English-speaking critics and wine-opinion-leaders are in fact discovering Pignolo and are gradually becoming interested in it, thanks to this work and the constant communication and networking work started and carried out by Ben Little, who is already working for the fifth edition of the event which will take place on March 20, 2025.
For more information it is possible to consult his website www.thenativegrapes.com and his Instagram account dedicated to Pignolo, called Planet Pignolo @planetpignolo and also the website of the Association of Pignolo del Friuli Venezia Giulia www.pignolofvg.it and on Instagram @associazione.pignolofvg.
Pignolo is an ancient native black vine variety from Friuli Venezia Giulia. In the 1970s it was disappearing because its name was not included among the authorized vine varieties of the region. In 1975 Giannola and Benito Nonino established the Nonino Prize to save this vine variety together with Tazzelenghe and Schioppettino, later joined by Ribolla gialla, and they began the bureaucratic process to obtain community authorization no. 486/78 for cultivation which they obtained on March 8, 1978.