An Italian Icon Tasting: Quintodecimo & Ronchi Di Cialla

The 2022 Ciallabianco is exotic, with a mix of tropical florals and citrus tones complicated by notes of incense and ginger. It envelops the palate with ripe apricot and nectarine, balanced by the onset of crunchy minerals toward the close. Tangerine hints mix with tart apple and spice as it finishes long and staining, yet still fresh. ERIC GUIDO, Vinous

With vineyards tucked into Friuli's cool, forest-framed hillsides, Ronchi di Cialla crafts a Ribolla Gialla of clarity and elegance. Aromas of fresh melon, orchard fruit, and white flowers give way to a palate that is taut and mineral driven. Crisp acidity highlights the purity of the fruit, while subtle almond and wet stone notes lend complexity. Finishing long and refreshing, it's a superbly honest expression of this historic, local variety. PWS

Perfumed and pretty, this Friulano opens with quince, peach, and wildflower aromas, complemented by a gentle herbaceous thread. On the palate, there's tension and energy, with its crisp acidity cutting through juicy white fruit. The finish is layered with minerality and a savory almond nuance. A vibrant, complex & refreshing expression of Friuli's signature variety. PWS

The 2021 Ciallarosso is a total pleasure, wafting up from the glass with a perfumed bouquet of lavender, roses, subtle hints of pepper and wild blueberries. It sweeps across the palate with lifted textures, energetic yet refined with crunchy mineral tones and floral-laced red berry fruits. This tapers off with medium length and lightly tannic, leaving the palate stained in youthful concentration as violet inner florals fade. ERIC GUIDO, Vinous

Friuli Venezia Giulia's Schioppettino is one of the world's most interesting and potentially great red grape varieties. Schioppettinos are especially characterized by an enticing green peppercorn note that is extremely typical and juicy, bright, mid-weight frames. Ronchi di Cialla's Schioppettino is an iconic and historic wine in the true sense of those words, and Italy's finest expression of the grape. IAN D'AGATA

The 2018 Schioppettino di Cialla is impossible to ignore. It's profoundly floral and herbal with rose petals, wilted violets, wet stone and ginger-tinged blackberry aromas. It opens with a pleasant inner sweetness and richer than expected, yet perfectly balanced, with depths of ripe wild berry fruits contrasted by spiced blood orange. For all of its depth and concentration, fresh acidity lifts the experience through the finish, leaving a candied citrus and white pepper tinge while tapering off classically dry. What a beauty. The 2018 is the child of a cool vintage, yet there's so much power and density here. Bury your bottles deep. ERIC GUIDO, Vinous

This is not just a historic winery, but also a historic family. The wines that they are producing today deserve serious consideration.

The 2022 Schioppettino RiNera wafts up with a gorgeous bouquet of dusty rose petals, violets, blackberries and a white pepper tinge. It is lifted and finessed with crisp wild berry fruits and mineral tones that come across as vividly pure, as juicy acidity enlivens the experience. A slight sour citrus twang forces the mouth to water as it finishes with excellent length, yet fresh. Lovely at room temperature but also at cellar temperature. ERIC GUIDO, Vinous

Ronchi di Cialla’s Schioppettino is an iconic and historic wine in the true sense of those words, and Italy’s finest expression of the grape. IAN D'AGATA

Much of the estate's fame stems from the revival of the grape schioppetino. A once revered grape native to the region but at the time almost completely extinct. Paolo (now deceased) is almost singglep-handedly responsible for its revival. The Rapuzzi’s vines are still considered the benchmark. Production levels are much lower than those defined by the Ministry of Agricultural Resources and there has been significant work in the vineyards and terraces to continually maintain the historic site.

Airy and fresh, the 2024 Giallo d'Arles wafts up with a whiff of white smoke and stone dust, giving way to lime zest, green melon and chlorophyll. Salty minerals contrast with candied citrus and tart Granny Smith apple over soothingly round textures. The 2024 finishes poised and crisp with a saline resonance and nuances of mint. ERIC GUIDO

The Quintodecimo 2024 Greco di Tufo Giallo d'Arles is partially oak-fermented (with 30% going into new barrique and the rest in stainless steel) and sources its fruit from a 12-hectare site with tuffaceous sand and clay soils that are typical of this important DOCG wine area in southern Italy. These environmental conditions impart unique mineral sharpness and focus to the wines. I love that hint of marine-like saltiness that frames crisp pear and unripe peach. This is a nuanced vintage that offers pretty aromas, tension and more structural firmness than you might expect. There is good runway for further bottle aging. MONICA LARNER

Playful in nature, the 2024 Falanghina Via del Campo wafts up with a pretty blend of chamomile, freshly sliced yellow apples, peach skins and sweet smoke. It is luxuriously round with a lovely inner sweetness offset by zesty acidity and a tinge of sour lime, all motivated by juicy acidity. Crisp and clean yet impactful, the 2024 finishes with medium length and a mineral crunchiness as nuances of mint fade. It is nearly impossible to stop at one glass. ERIC GUIDO

The Quintodecimo 2024 Irpinia Falanghina Via del Campo makes a big statement from the top, showing strong aromatic lift. Pink Lady apple, sweet lemon and fresh chamomile show immediate appeal. This is a beautifully fragrant and characterful white wine that offers mineral definition and glossy, latex-like sensations overt a medium-bodied finish. Like the other whites from this leading estate, this  release is fermented in a combination of stainless steel and oak. MONICA LARNER

The 2024 Fiano di Avellino Exultet evolves with a soothingly confectionary mix of sweet smoke, vanilla bean, stone dust and lemon sorbet. Silken textures are offset by a citrus twang as notes of mint-laced green apple settle on the senses. The 2024 leaves a crisp sensation, tapering off airy and perfumed with a hint of lime that fades slowly. This is a stimulating vintage of Exultet that should mellow with further cellaring. That said, there is no harm in enjoying it today. ERIC GUIDO

Opening to varietal tones with a combination of sweet apple and preserved lemon, the Quintodecimo 2024 Fiano di Avellino Exultet is partially oak-aged with 70% in stainless steel and 30% in new oak barrel. Unlike the Falanghina Via del Campo (from the same vintage) that is immediately fragrant and expressive, this wine takes a little longer to shows its full range of aromas. In fact, Exultet is best described as a textural wine that offers soothing creaminess with great dimension and depth. It is a pretty expression from a slightly cooler and wetter summer season. MONICA LARNER

 

The 2022 Aglianico Terra d'Eclano is impossible to ignore, with a seductive burst of black raspberries combining with cedar spice box and violet pastille. Silken and serene, it sweeps across the palate with ripe red and blue fruit complemented by nuances of sweet mint and lavender. Hints of blood orange mix with dried rosemary and a bitter cacao tinge as this tapers off long and gently tannic. The 2022 turns the pleasure dial to the max while maintaining remarkable balance. Bravo. ERIC GUIDO

The Quintodecimo 2022 Irpinia Aglianico Terra d'Eclano focuses on this important red grape but offers a more immediate and fruit-forward approach overall (with less evident oak). This is the direction many neighboring wineries are taking, and it makes the best sense overall, especially as we face climate change challenges. This is a deliciously ripe and full-bodied expression with dark fruit, plum and velvety intensity. It graciously does not show the dried-out or brittle tannins that you sometimes get today in Taurasi. This expression shows vitality and energy. MONICA LARNER