Some would say you need to be a trained ampelographer to keep track of Italy’s mass of hyper-local native grape varieties. And while you’d be forgiven if you looked at the label of today’s wine with complete bewilderment, hang in there: This wine is well-worth the extra effort of learning just what the heck it is.
Grown in the northeastern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the grape historically known as Ribolla Nera or Schioppettino had all but disappeared from the region’s vineyards until it was resuscitated, almost single-handedly, by the Rapuzzi family of Ronchi di Cialla. As with many native Italian grapes, Ribolla Nera/Schioppettino cultivation was confined to a very small, very specific geographic area—a few hamlets around the Friulian city of Cividale—and in the mid-1970s, the local government was content to let it go extinct. Fast-forward 30 years and, thanks largely to the Rapuzzis, the grape is among the most prized reds of Friuli and represented in a critical mass of well-received bottlings. In my experience, I’ve always found it strongly reminiscent of northern Rhône Syrah, with aromas of violets and black fruits and a healthy grinding of pepper on the palate. Ronchi di Cialla bottles two wines from the grape, one labeled “Schioppettino di Cialla” (which we’ve offered previously) and today’s wine, from younger estate vines and aged only partly in barrel, carrying the historic Ribolla Nera moniker. This is an exceptionally pure expression of a distinctive native grape, at once sleek and soulful and, at $25, a tremendous amount of genuine terroir for the dollar.
“Ronchi” is the plural of a Friulian dialect word meaning “hillside,” and it is seen on more than a few Friulian wine labels (sometimes in its singular form,
ronco). Cialla is the name of the small hamlet where this historic property is located, not far from Udine within the Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC appellation. Schioppettino has been the signature achievement of the Rapuzzi family, who first purchased the estate in 1970 with the mission of showcasing indigenous grapes (an extremely deep dive on the topic available
here). Back then, Schioppettino vines were so scarce that the variety wasn’t even recognized by law as an “authorized” grape, but Dina and Paolo Rapuzzi sought out plant material wherever they could find it and eventually grafted more and more vineyards over to the variety. Their first ‘commercial’ vintage of a varietal red from Schioppettino was 1977, and its success inspired others in the region to work with it. Nevertheless, it’s hardly a grape you see in wide circulation: Beyond Ronchi di Cialla, I can think of only a handful of Schioppettinos in any kind of significant distribution in the US market—although new and interesting examples are popping up with each passing vintage.
Dina and Paolo Rapuzzi’s sons, Pierpaolo and Ivan, have since joined the operation, which spans nearly 30 hectares of vineyards and includes not just Schioppettino but a museum-quality assortment of other indigenous Friulian varieties such as Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo, and Picolit. Grown in the marl and sandstone soils typical of Friuli’s Slovenia-adjacent appellations, today’s wine comes from “younger” vines (8-25 years) and is produced in extremely small quantities (about 600 bottles per year only). It is designed to be the younger-drinking, unadorned complement to their Schioppettino di Cialla (we offered the 2011), which is aged 14-18 months in barrel and then spends close to three years in bottle before release. Conversely, only a small percentage of the Ribolla Nera ages in wood (less than a third) and it spends just six months in bottle before release.
Today’s 2015 shows off the exuberance of the vintage, with nice fruit concentration and velvety tannins, but the floral/spice component is what really distinguishes the wine. In the glass, it’s a deep, reflective ruby moving to magenta at the rim (a similar purplish tint to that found in the typical Rhône Syrah), with perfumed aromas blackcurrant, mulberry, lavender, violet, tar, baking spices, and a cracked pepper note that is a Schioppettino/Ribolla Nera hallmark. It is medium-bodied, silky smooth, and exceptionally well-balanced—a truly effortless wine to drink that nevertheless persists beautifully on the finish. Even at this young age it is really complete and elegant—no rawness and of course no perceptible oak influence, just pure fruit and deep minerality. It is ready to drink now: Decant it about 30 minutes before service at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems, and pair it with the kinds of dishes you might otherwise cook for a Crozes-Hermitage or Saint-Joseph. It’s a uniquely delicious wine and a must-try for all wine adventurers. Enjoy!
