Magnum of Ronchi di Cialla Schioppettino | 1999 (1500ML)

A long time ago, Schioppettino was admired for its quirky personality, its wild herby aromatics and Syrah-like spices. Deadly phylloxera raged in the 19th century and destroyed almost all of the Schioppettino vines. Then, when it was time to replant farmers chose the easier-to-grow (and sell) Cabernet and Merlots. Schioppettino went poof!!! Bureaucrats considered it extinct, removing it from the list of approved Friulian varieties. At the same time (circa1970), Dona and Paolo Rapuzzi were tired of selling typewriters. They visited the town of Prepotto and admired its out-of-place olive trees, signaling prosperity and mild weather. Disinterested in planting international grapes, they hunted for local varieties and uncovered seventy vines of Schioppettino. After impulsively convincing authorities to renew the grape's status, they repropagated vines in the Cialla Valley, where a high percentage of limestone and decent rainfall make Cialla a unique terroir within the greater Collio Orientali del Friuli. Their first Schioppettino vintage was 1977, and today every vine in the world traces back to the Rapuzzi farm, which received its own zonal appellation "Cialla" in 1995. Schioppettino is Cialla. Cialla is Schioppettino. 

A huge perk for anyone seeking out wines with age, Ronchi di Cialla cellars a considerable amount of their inventory, releasing wines when the vintage speaks its worthiness. I've tasted several old vintages of Schioppettino, and every vintage is mind-bogglingly different, uncovering Schioppettino's multiple personalities. Bottled in rare magnum format, the 1999 is robust, showing masculine notes of cured meat, sweet leather, and dark fruit. The tannins are medium gritty and all the exotic purple, white, and pink spices unfurl on the palate. Party like it's 1999. Indeed. ~Allegra A