Ronchi di Cialla Cialla Rosso Prepotto Italy 2020

The Friuli in northeast Italy is undoubtedly a white wine region first; however, the red Schioppettino and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso grapes are on the rise in popularity thanks to the advocacy and hard work of the Rapuzzi family of Ronchi di Cialla.  They devoted themselves to the rehabilitation of the Schioppettino grape along with other ancient Friulian varietals when they founded their vineyard in 1970.  Despite an uphill battle that involved bureaucracy and technical difficulties, the Rapuzzis stayed the course and less than a decade later received a Golden Vine award for successfully reintroducing Schioppettino and, in doing so, made the production of such wines legal once more.  Dina & Paolo Rapuzzi’s sons carry on the Cialla traditions at the winery today, where they have crafted this outstanding blend of remarkable Friulian red indigenous varietals, the 2020 Cialla Rosso.

Schioppettino means “to explode,” referring either to the grape berries crackling in the mouth or the historical use of the grape for sparkling wines.  Historians believe the grape originated between the commune of Prepotto and the Slovenian border, as records from 1282 note its existence.  After the phylloxera epidemic in the late 19th century and World War II, Schioppettino was near extinction.  There were a mere 70 plants in Friuli, and local regulations discouraged any more planting under the penalty of a fine.  Years later, Dina and Paolo Rapuzzi found and restored the few remaining vines, planting the first modern vineyard of Schioppettino at Ronchi di Cialla in 1971.  This vineyard is the only source material for Schioppettino vines available in Italian nurseries today.  In 1977, Italy lifted the ban on planting Schioppettino and established the geographical boundaries of the original Schioppettino’s valley of Cialla in 1983.  In 1989, Italy granted official DOC status to the region.

Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso earned its unusual name from the red-colored stalk (the peduncle) that attaches the grape bunches to the vine.  Texts by Pliny the Elder, dating back to the first century, call out the exceptional quality of wine this varietal produces.    The grape belongs to a larger group named the “Refoscos” and is the most well-known and arguably the highest quality.  It is notoriously late to ripen and retains high acidity levels at harvest.  Despite the high acid, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso produces tannic and deeply colored wines due to the darker, thicker skins.  For these reasons, it is often blended with other red varietals to enhance the hues and structure of the final blend.  

Ronchi di Cialla is the only winery permitted to make Cialla Rosso, as the blend is designated within the DOC Friuli Colli Orientali-Cialla and may only be produced in the Cialla Valley.  For this exclusive blend, the Rapuzzi Sons harvested in early October, and the grapes underwent a native yeast fermentation on the skins for two weeks.  Aging took place in small oak barrels with an additional year of bottle-aging in the Ronchi di Cialla cellar.  Aromas are an enticing blend of spiced cranberries, green pepper, and black plums with slight undertones of earth.  The tart acidity lifts the full-bodied, tannic structure and highlights delicate herbaceous notes and savory hints of balsamic.  This wine benefits from a short decant to drink now and will age gracefully over the next five to seven years.