...the lush organic vineyards of Ronchi di Cialla, a singular haven for the storied Schioppettino cultivar...
Most of you have never heard of Schioppettino, but it is a grape well worth knowing. Typically yielding a boldly aromatic and spicy red with significant aging potential, Schioppettino is a bit of a legend. Highly valued for centuries in the region around Prepotto in Friuli, Schioppettino made wines treasured by the locals, bottles that were reserved for weddings and feasts. By the early 1970s, however, Schioppettino was in danger of extinction. At this time Schioppettino was not recognized by the Italian government, and new plantings were technically illegal. Nobody was bottling a varietal Schioppettino, and old vines were few and far between, scattered around the Colli Orientali, as well as over the border in Slovenia. One man, Paolo Rapuzzi, flaunting the law, took it upon himself to collect dozens of distinct clones of Schioppettino and plant them at his home estate, Ronchi di Cialla. By the time he was allowed to legally grow and produce wine from Schioppettino, he had a few thousand of these special vines planted. After his first wines were released, the Italian wine bureaucracy quickly conceded, and Schioppettino was happily entered into the national grape registry.
Today Ronchi di Cialla's Schioppettino is one of Italy's finest red wines, though it still flies under the radar, perhaps because it is made and released in quite small quantities. In a good year about 1000 cases are produced, but Ronchi di Cialla also holds back a significant quantity of wine for late release. Every year they offer older wines from their "library" at very reasonable prices.
The pricing of the 1994 and 1996 is just irresistible, so we've already ordered a bit. Take a look below, and let us know if you want us to order anything else for you. I'm looking for an excuse to order some 1985, which is known as one of the greatest vintages of Schioppettino di Cialla. Please let us know by Friday, July 22, if you would like anything from this offer. The wines should arrive late fall or early winter.
Schioppettino di Cialla 1977 - $700
Schioppettino di Cialla 1978 - $663
Schioppettino di Cialla 1979 - $628
Schioppettino di Cialla 1980 - $263
Schioppettino di Cialla 1983 - $188
Schioppettino di Cialla 1984 - $175
Schioppettino di Cialla 1985 - $165
Schioppettino di Cialla 1992 - $73
Schioppettino di Cialla 1993 - $70
Schioppettino di Cialla 1994 - $62
Schioppettino di Cialla 1996 - $58
Schioppettino di Cialla 2011 375ml - $25
As usual, these wines will discount 10% in a mix of any 6 bottles, or 12% in a mix of 12.
We have some 2016 Schioppettino di Cialla in stock right now. It is quite young, but if you give it a few hours in a decanter, you will do very well. It is $53, which is a great deal for an iconic wine that will age for decades, but also really puts into perspective the incredible value of the library releases from the 90s. We feel very lucky to be able to offer them.
Please direct inquiries and orders to orders@craftandcru.com, and please let us know by Friday, July 22, if you want anything from the library offer.