If elegant and chiseled Italian Nebbiolo is your trusted companion, then it’s time to take a thrilling detour to Friuli and meet its spicy, age-worthy counterpart: the 2018 Schioppettino di Cialla from Ronchi di Cialla.
This rare bottling is the product of a heroic revival—an ancient grape nearly lost to history, now reborn in the marl and sandstone soils of Cialla. With cracked pepper, wild berries, and forest floor aromas wrapped in a mid-weight frame, this wine delivers the kind of savory complexity and lifted structure that Nebbiolo lovers crave. And thanks to a limited allocation secured directly from the regional importer, SommSelect VIPs have a rare chance to experience this cult icon before it disappears into the cellars of top Italian restaurants.
As Ian D’Agata wrote in his landmark Vinous article from June 13, 2017, the story of Schioppettino’s resurrection begins with Paolo and Dina Rapuzzi, who defied Italian wine law to plant outlawed vines in the 1970s. With support from the Nonino family and wine journalist Luigi Veronelli, they risked jail time to preserve this noble grape. Their first commercial vintage in 1977 sparked a quiet revolution, and today Ronchi di Cialla remains the undisputed benchmark. The estate’s wines are traditionally made, aged with restraint in French oak, and held back until they’re ready to reveal their full character.
The 2018 vintage is a vivid expression of this legacy. Sustainably farmed and aged for 16–18 months in French oak, it opens with a burst of cracked pepper and blackcurrant, followed by layers of violet, tobacco, and turned earth. The tannins are fine and polished, the acidity bright, and the wine’s energy unmistakable. It’s medium-bodied but deep, with a savory edge that evokes old-school Côte-Rôtie and a whisper of Cabernet-like cassis. Serve it in Burgundy stems at 55–60°F after a brief decant, and pair it with duck confit or a pan-seared steak to unlock its full potential.
This is not just a bottle—it’s a piece of Italian wine history. With fewer than 60 bottles available in our warehouse, the 2018 Schioppettino di Cialla is a treasure for those who seek the road less traveled. For Nebbiolo lovers ready to expand their repertoire, this wine offers a new kind of thrill: spicy, structured, and steeped in story. Don’t miss your chance to taste the revival.
Press Accolades:
95 Points, Vinous Media
“The 2018 Schioppettino di Cialla is impossible to ignore. It's profoundly floral and herbal with rose petals, wilted violets, wet stone and ginger-tinged blackberry aromas. It opens with a pleasant inner sweetness and richer than expected, yet perfectly balanced, with depths of ripe wild berry fruits contrasted by spiced blood orange. For all of its depth and concentration, fresh acidity lifts the experience through the finish, leaving a candied citrus and white pepper tinge while tapering off classically dry. What a beauty. The 2018 is the child of a cool vintage, yet there's so much power and density here. Bury your bottles deep.” - Eric Guido, Dec. 2023
