Deliciously Different Ribolla Gialla

Ribolla Gialla is one of those varieties that most people have never heard of, never mind tasted.

It's been grown in the Friuli region of Italy since the 13th century, and experts believe that it is related to the red wine grape Schioppettino. Ribolla Gialla isn't grown in very many places in Europe, and it's grown in even fewer places here in the US.

You can count the US vineyards where Ribolla Gialla is planted on the index finger of one hand. Only one vineyard grows Ribolla Gialla and it's Vare Vineyards in the Napa Valley. George and Elsa Vare fell in love with Northern Italian and Slovenian grapes and wine and decided to dedicate their winemaking efforts to seeing how the varieties would fare over on this side of the world. In addition to Ribolla Gialla the Vares grow Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Tocai Friulano, and Sauvignon Blanc. They produce limited quantities of wine from small yields, and bottle it exclusively in 500ml and 1.5L bottles. And the wine is good--good enough that the famous French Laundry bought nearly all of their 2004 vintage for sale in the restaurant.

The 2005 Ribolla Gialla is sold out at the winery--but you can still get your hands on some of it if you are interested in trying it from Wine Q. (sample; $24.99/500ml, WineQ) This good QPR wine was deliciously different. When it was cold from the fridge I could have sworn it was very fresh Fino Sherry because of its dry nutty and citrus aromas and flavors. As it warmed up in the glass, however, the wine became heavier in the mouth, more acidic, and full of lemon oil aromas and flavors. There was a sensation of creaminess as well, which made it reminiscent of tangy lemon curd. This wine is made for shellfish and fish dishes, although it would also be a great match for appetizers or tapas.

Don't be afraid to try a new variety if you get the chance. You could be in for a deliciously different surprise.

A Red from Friuli: Schioppettino

Last week wine bloggers pulled the corks on a variety of white wines from the north-eastern Italian wine region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. This week, I turned to the red side of the wine spectrum, and opened a bottle of wine made with the Friuli indigenous grape variety Schioppettino.

Schioppettino gets its name, some say, from the fact that when it is bottled young, the wine completes its fermentation in the bottle and can get slightly fizzy. "Schioppettino" means "little crackle" in Italian, and probably refers to the sensation of snap, crackle, and pop that you get when you drink this wine. Some, however, say the same "little crackle" comes from the Syrah-like pepperiness that you can taste on your tongue. Schioppettino is also known as Ribolla Nera, and can be traced back in the records to at least the 13th century.

The 2005 Ermacora Colli Orientali de Friuli Schioppettino is made from this indigenous rarity. (K & L Wines, $14.99) When I opened it and poured the first glass, the characteristic fizz was there and I have to say I didn't quite know what to do with it in a dry, red wine. It wasn't as fizzy as lambrusco, but it was definitely there, prickling away at your tongue. When it first opened up it had a funny smell of bandaids, pine and cherry. The bandaid mercifully blew off, leaving pine and sour cherry. The cherry sweetened up in your mouth, and turned to a happy, Bing cherry note in the aftertaste. I drank this over two nights to see what would happen to the fizz, and it wasn't until the last dregs of the last glass on day #2 that the fizz disappeared.

This wine, for all its strange qualities, does fit the wine's varietal profile and at just under $15, represents very good QPR for those who are Schioppettino fans. For those who aren't, you may feel this wine is a tad overpriced for a simple, quaffable red. I'm glad I had it for my Wine Century, and that I will be able to recognize it if I ever see it on a wine list, but I'm not sure I'll be ordering a case any time soon! Schioppettino experts, I'm looking forward to your reactions to this post, along with any tips about aging the wine, decanting, etc., that you may have.