Grape Variety: Schioppettino

Colour: Red

Schioppettino is a red wine grape typical variety of the Friuli region (northern-east Italy), native to the zone of Prepotto; cited for the first time in 1282, during the wedding between Rieppi-Caucig and cultivated in the Udine province with the name Sciopp (Pietro di Maniaco, 1823). The original name of this variety was Ribolla Nera, while Schioppettino referred to the wine it produced.

This variety is a late-season ripener; therefore, it needs higher exposures—especially in cooler climates. It has a preference for soils with a good percentage of clay, rich in calcium carbonate and in rock fragments.  In Italy traditional systems are used with medium or wide training systems. The vine is not suitable for training systems designed for complete mechanisation; in fact, it prefers cane pruning.

Wines made from Schioppettino are typically intense dark purplish colour, acidic, quite tannic and with good alcohol. A good wine is traditionally aged in oak to develop intense floral and fruity flavours especially violets, raspberry and blueberry. It is often blended with Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso (another Friulian native variety); Schioppettino is also important for DOC Colli Orientali del Friuli and Isonzo.

Intense in its warm velvety colour and flavour, Bressan’s ruby red Schioppettino presents a full fruity flavour of wild blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries and that typical Friulian rasp. At Le Due Terre in Prepotto Silvana Forte and Flavio Basilicata blend from barrel is made entirely from regional grapes – 60% Schioppettino and the rest Refosco fermented together. Dark ruby in colour, it’s a bit sappy and herbaceous, but pleasantly so, full and ripe with a high-aromatic ripe-cherry flavour.

Schioppettino can be drunk with Friulian classics such as gulasch or gùlas (peppery beef stew), cevàpici (grilled patties of minced pork and beef), rambasici (meat filled cabbage rolls) or bòbici (soup with ham, beans, potatoes, corn kernels.