Italy-Friuli-Venezia Guilia & the Colli Orientali

History of Friuli-Venezia Guilia & the Colli Orientali

But let’s take a moment to get our bearings.

We find ourselves in the northeast corner of Italy, in the region of Friuli-Venezia Guilia (free-OO-lee Ven-NET-see-uh JOO-lee-uh), often now just referred to as Friuli.  Bordered to the North by Austria, east by Slovenia, south to the Adriatic Sea, and West to the Veneto, this region is a cultural mash-up with influences from the neighboring countries as well as Croatia, which is less than 30 km as the crow flies, over the border in Slovenia.

This region is comprised of 4 Provinces:

• Pordenone sits to the west bordering the Veneto,
• Trieste, which tucks around the Adriatic, keeping Slovenia from the sea for some 40 kilometers of coastline,
• Gorizia, which picks up from Trieste, covers a bit of the Adriatic coast and creeps up the border to Slovenia, and the
• Udine, which covers the most significant portion of the region.

The Celts settled the area and planted vines.  It is believed they came from the east, perhaps from Turkey, and occupied the area for several centuries.

In his history of Rome, Titus Livius first documents vines in the region with the colony near Aquileia in 180 BC.  Around 49-53 BC, the Forum Julii was founded here, possibly by Julius Caesar.  The name later became Cividale del Friuli.  The Legionnaires settled the area and developed vineyards on the eastern hills, the “Colli Orientali.”

Viticulture spread in the region.  In the middle ages, under Lombard rule, the Pactum Donationis of 762 shows “free farmers” promising 100 amphorae of wine yearly to the nuns at Salt di Poveletto.  By the end of the middle ages, these wines were barreled and sent to northern Europe.

The region fell under the Serenissima Republic of Venice, then the Napoleonic Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire before being reunited with the Kingdom of Italy in 1870.

The city of Cividale del Friuli is a UNESCO World Heritage Medieval town.

Schioppettino

The word “Schioppettino” means “crackle.” I remember learning that the word meant “gunshot” or “Little crack” again from the popping corks.  Perhaps this is because  it was thick-skinned and would crackle and pop in your mouth, or because its high acid caused malolactic fermentation in the bottle, making it “pop” its cork.

This variety almost disappeared.  After Phylloxera, the variety appeared to have been wiped out.  When Paolo Rapuzzi established his winery in the region in 1970, he began hearing village elders speak of “Pacalaza” or “Schioppettino.” He searched for this mystery grape and found some growing in the Mayor’s Garden.

Collecting some vine material, he secretly had 100 vines grafted in 1972.  Why in secret?  At that time, Schioppettino was not an authorized variety.  They thought it was wiped out, right?  Fines could be imposed for working with unauthorized grapes.  Paolo took the risk and planted these vines.  They soon spread throughout the small region.

The Mayor went to bat for Schioppettino, campaigning to have the grape authorized, and it was approved in 1981.  By 2000 there were 96 hectares in Italy.

In 1997 Schioppettino di Prepotto became a DOC as a sub-zone in Friuli Colli Orientali.

Hilde now creates 4 styles of Schioppettino di Prepotto

Schioppettino Rinera, is vinified in Stainless Steel. This style takes the rich Schioppettino and makes it lighter and easier to drink.  The Rinera is a wine that can be served in the summer, slightly chilled.

Schioppettino Prepotto is aged 24 months in large wooden barrels with indigenous yeast.

Schioppettino Prepotto Riserva spends 36 months in Tonneau.  Made only in exceptional years, this wine has a more elegant structure.

Perla Nera – The Black Pearl.  Made in the sweet style of Schioppettino that Francesca’s grandfather made, the grapes are hand harvested in small wood baskets and dry for one to one and a half months, in the appassimento style, with natural ventilation.  These were the wines her grandfather was drinking and gave as gifts.  It was the sweet at the end of a meal.  Hilde recreated this wine to honor her father.