I’m strongly drawn to lesser-known grape varieties like Schioppettino, both for the wines they produce, and also for the fact that they tend to be restricted to certain localities. This is a delicious wine from a variety that very nearly became extinct in the 1960s – apparently it was down to just a few hundred vines.
La Viarte Schioppettino 2007 Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy
13.5% alcohol. Beautifully aromatic. Fresh, sweet red cherry and raspberry fruit with elegant sappiness and subtle green leafy notes. The palate is fresh and bright with sweet cherry fruit and a meaty savouriness, as well as nice acidity. Bright and distinctive with some pepperiness and lovely freshness. 92/100
UK agent: Richards Walford
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3 Comments on Schioppettino!
Sounds interesting…pretty sure I would never be able to find a Schioppettino here.
Thanks for the note Jamie. La Viarte is a nice winery making elegant, balanced wines – I particularly like their whites.
You mention green leafy notes – in fact the reason why Schioppettino was being abandoned is it’s notoriously difficult to ripe, even with low yields. There are almost always green notes. I know you like some greenness in context (I do too), so it’s interesting how others would react to this sort of wine.
Good review, love Schioppettino, La Viarte are one of the best!!