In the northeastern corner of Italy, a stone’s throw from the Slovenian border and quite close to Croatia, you will find the province of Friuli. There in Friuli, a very special producer by the name of Ronchi di Ciallahas been quietly making gorgeous wine for two generations. Friuli is an interesting zone within Italy. In terms of tourism, it’s very much off the radar. While there are certainly gems in Friuli (do not get us started on the antiquing scene in Trieste or the sublime seafood in Ristorante AllaDama Bianca), most travelers would sooner visit nearby Venice or Verona before they would think to explore Friuli. Amidst the postcard perfect vistas of Tuscany, Piedmont and Sicily, the somewhat nondescript, at times industrial, landscapes of Friuli could be overlooked. Regarding wine production, the region is better known for its volume production of inexpensive Pinot Grigio and Merlot. Azienda Ronchi di Cialla stands out in stark contrast from the latter characterization. Ronchi di Cialla.

Gonzalo and I first visited Ronchi di Cialla in April of 2018, after many years of having enjoyed the wines with gusto from afar. Over a home cooked meal of regional Friulian dishes, we tried a beautiful and diverse line up of Ronchi wines, ranging from the delicate Rosé di Ciallain the palest of pinks, to historic vintages of the regal Schioppettino, and finished with the beguiling, sweet Picolit,paired with a gorgeous, unctuous gorgonzola. We were like kids in a candy store when our post-lunch constitutional through the vineyards led us to the cantina. We feasted our eyes upon a spectacular wine library filled with decades of historic vintages that the family presciently safeguarded. This wise decision made decades ago allows for the purchase today of pristinely aged wines directly from the estate, something very unique and extremely exciting for us wine geeks and lovers of old wines.

Ronchi di Cialla, meaning "hills of Cialla," is first and foremost a family business. However, to call it such does not do justice to the extraordinary story and accomplishments of the Rapuzzi family. In 1970, wife and husband Dina and Paolo Rapuzzi founded Azienda Ronchi di Cialla with the intent to grow only grapes indigenous to Friuli that would produce wines capable of aging. At that time, the grape Schioppettino was classified as extinct by the Italian government. A herculean effort was needed to recover Schioppettino vines (painstaking work undertaken by Dina and Paolo that involved traversing the valley and nearby areas to discover 70 surviving vines), and later to combat Italian bureaucracy to restore the right to legally plant Schioppettino vines. In 1976, Dina and Paolo were awarded the prestigious RisitD'Aur award for their work in preserving the Schioppettinovarietal, and are credited with bringing it back from the brink of extinction. Today, sons Pierpaolo and Ivan Rapuzzi continue to work in their parents' tradition under the watchful eye of Dina, who remains closely involved in the business.

Ronchi di Cialla is certified as a "Biodiversity Friend" by the World Biodiversity Association for their commitment to maintaining a highly biodiverse environment while pursuing other facets of sustainability and preservation through their agricultural practices. The Rapuzzi family is committed to using natural practices with minimal interference and environmental impact. Pruning and fungicide treatments are tightly controlled and administered judiciously and thoughtfully. The care and thoughtfulness exercised in the vineyards are carried through in the winemaking and aging processes. The result of this unwavering commitment to history and quality are truly beautiful wines that have an undeniable sense of place.

Después de la bellísima comida que nos preparó Dina, cruzamos los viñedos para conocer la bodega donde se hace el vino. Al entrar en la meticulosamente organizada, impecablemente mantenida vinícola, nos acabó de quedar claro, contundentemente, que la familia Rapuzzi hace las cosas con un estándar de calidad altísimo. El momento culminante de la visita vino cuando bajamos a la cava. Los Rapuzzi llevan décadas guardando anualmente una gran cantidad de los vinos de Ronchi Di Cialla, una práctica muy poco común fuera de las grandes regiones de Europa. Esta sabia decisión nos permite a todos los que probamos sus viejos vinos a entender la rica historia de esta bodega a través no sólo de relatos sino vivencialmente, catando su legado con cada trago de una botella vieja. La corta relación que hemos tenido con Ronchi di Cialla ha sido increíblemente enriquecedora. Proyectos como el suyo nos inspiran a buscar esos niveles de dedicación y calidad no sólo en el vino que compramos pero todos nuestros proyectos de vida. Específicamente ahorita estamos muy contentos porque acaba de llegar a Mexico el más reciente pedido que les hicimos que incluye añadas viejas de Ciallabianco y Schioppettino. Encuentralas en vinosenteros.mx.  Es un verdadero placer y orgullo compartir sus vinos con ustedes.