Remembering Paolo Rapuzzi of Ronchi di Cialla

Pouring some Ribolla out for the lost.  

I Enjoyed a bottle of 2012 Ribolla Gialla from Ronchi di Cialla on a New York City beach earlier this week in memory of Paolo Rapuzzi,  the legendary producer of indigenous varieties of Friuli who passed away on August 13th.  This wine was showing a blazing minerality that day which I have watched open up over the past year since it's release.

Its amazing to watch the improvement of a wine over a period of time.  Something you can only really experience by working in a restaurant and tasting the same wine every single day.  Even a very simple pure Ribolla Gialla.

Thank you Paolo for letting the COF2011 crew into your family's home and opening some very memorable wines with us.  

ribolla CIALLA for a light brooklyn lunch

Visited some 2010 Ribolla Gialla from Ronchi di Cialla (located in Prepotto of the Friuli region) over a light lunch here in Brooklyn this week.  One of the more mineral expressions of Ribolla Gialla I have tasted but balanced with its generous acidity very well.  Not super expressive on the nose although containing just enough fruit to seal the deal.  Ribolla Gialla is one of my favorite wines to have with fish, but this can go with a number of lighter dishes.  When we visited Paolo Rapuzzi and the Ronchi di Cialla house hold with the COF2011 in February we tasted a vertical of some awesome Schioppettino, but this was the first run in with their Ribolla Gialla.
Bello fresco, e veramente buono!

above, a view of the vineyards that surround the house of the  Rapuzzi family.  

2004 Pico, e cena con mia zia calabrese di 92 anni!

My Aunt Ceil made an appearance this week in The Berkshires, coming from Florida for the wedding of my brother.  We dined with family at The Church St. Cafe in Lenox, my friend Stefan's place.  What a night, enjoying Quail and '09 Langhe Nebbiolo from Produttori del Barbaresco with my 92 year old aunt.
Salute!

Earlier on...

After my first and very memorable experience of 2009 Angiolino Maule Pico with the COF 2011 crew, I found a 2004 vintage in The Wine Bottega in the north end of Boston two weeks ago.  I was slightly skeptical at first wondering how this Garganega would hold up after 7 years, but by the beard of Zeus this bitch was shining like a rock star.  Orange peel, grapefruit, hibiscus, bangin' acidity and a touch of tannin, best at room temperature.
Not a bad way to spend $20....

a ripping Refosco, and some Good Wood (not talkin' 'bout barrique either!)

This Ermacora 2008 Refosco (from K&L wine merchants) was a much needed treat last week.  Ermacora was one of the standout producers from the Tocai tasting on the COF2011 trip, so I gave their Refosco a try here in the states.  This was such a food friendly red, and can really go swell with a number of dishes.  Both bright and dark fruits, very balanced in it's alcohol and a beautiful acidity.  The tannins were not overwhelming and it went fine with pasta and a tomato eggplant sauce.

In Other News.....

Today we will start the Transworld Snowboarding 2012 Good Wood session where we (a group of snowboarders) will test next seasons 2012 snowboards here at Mammoth Mountain.  Some arduous 8 to 4pm snowbording sessions ahead of us....

Jeremy and Wayne COF 2011 Blogging Interview

Colli Orientali Del Friuli, 8 days a week!

I recently came across all of the random videos I took in Friuli last month, and put together a montage of some of our discoveries.   

Revisiting Ribolla Gialla in Rome....

Popped into this Il Roncal Ribolla Gialla 2009 that I copped from their Agriturismo where we were staying during the COF2011 trip.  I really enjoyed all of the Il Roncal wines, they were overall really consistant.  We didnt get a chance to taste their ribolla so I brought a bottle to Rome.  This wine had beautiful fruit and a really nice acidity with a full body mouth feel.

The above Spigole (Branzini in northern Italy) or European Seabass were a perfect match for the very fish friendly ribolla gialla.

Waking up during sunrise at Il Roncal.  (I was staying in the Ribolla Gialla room by the way....)

 After our Branzini and Ribolla dinner, we went down a block to the neighborhoods local enoteca.  Ombralonga Vinerie - Via Oderisi da Gubbio, 41.  I noticed they had a bottle of Zorzettig Ribolla Gialla 2009.  We stayed with the theme and downed a bottle over a game of scopa. 

During the Friuli trip the ''magnificent six'' dined in the home of Annalisa of the Zorzettig estate.  Annalisa served the 2009 Ribolla Gialla with the local bean and barley soup in this case served inside a bread bowl.  They went together swell and a drizzle of the rich zorzettig olive oil over the soup was brilliant.

above, Mcduff snaps a photo of Annalisa and I at the end of the meal enjoying a much needed grappa.

We made many visits to different producers houses for dinner throughout the trip.  I noticed many had corn hanging outside of their entrance, which apparently dates back a few hundred years and has become a tradition here..

5 years later...pizza con sfilacci!! (with a sick flight of natural wines)

 

The first time I was introduced to horse meat in general was in 2006, when I was living in Firenze but visiting my friends Filippo and Giacomo Kratter in the northern most part of the Veneto, in Sappada. It was in the form of sfilacci (a dried and shredded horse meat, as seen above) and happened to be on a pizza... it was brilliant, but afterwards I didnt think about it.  Until the day when I was craving sfilacci and kinda freaked out when I realized you cant find it anywhere in Italy except the Veneto and maybe a few other select places.

The three famous American bloggers strutting through Padova.

After the COF2011 came to an end Friday, part of the magnificent six took a cruise to Padova.  Alfonso, Jeremy, Mcduff and I all relaxed, then got a tour of Padova from Jar himself and after visited with Italian Guitar legends, Ruggero Robin & Gabriele Inglesi.  5 years after my last pizza con sfilacci Do Bianchi made my dreams come true when he hooked up a pizzeria reservation that specialized in it.  His good friend Marissa suggested Pizzeria bar Piave, and she also brought an incredible flight of some natural wine.

My natural wine experience is pretty limited but man these wines were all bitchin'!  Jeremy had been carrying around the Angiolino Maule all week telling us how we had to taste this stuff.  We finally opened it in Padova and I'm damned glad we did.
Angiolino Maule - Pico Garganega del Veneto IGT 2009.  This 100% Garganega was just gorgeous, some skin contact, beautiful friut, thick with nice acidity.  Just straight up fun and interesting to drink.  It was nice shlugging these back in a shitty trattoria glass (as seen below), after spitting wines all week.
Zidarich - Vitovska Doc Carso 2008.  100% Vitovska, unfiltered. This was my second favorite, and my first time tasting the vitovska grape.  Just plain scrumptious.

Prato della valle, Padova.

What a fabulous week, thanks to Jeremy, my newly discovered zio Alfonso and all the COF2011!  Ci vediamo tutti quanti a Texas!

last supper for the magnificent six

''i magnifici sei'' grappa tasting. (from left) Cof2011 driver Francesco, Mcduff, Papa Ace, Dr. J, The Shredder, Samantha & Wayne

tasting a few different grappa at the distilleria domenis.

As I woke up this morning, I had a bit of sadness knowing this would be our last day exploring Friuli.  We will be going to a Ramandolo dinner and a visit to Bastianich as well which will be very exciting....  I must run out the door now, so i dont leave the cof group hanging like I did last night as I passed out on my bed from wine exhaustion...

Friday day 5, Breakfast at Il Roncal.

Beautiful view of Cividale.

Jeremy being interviewed yesterday...

lessons on making a proper Schioppettino

Gatto di Cialla, sotto l'albero.

Wednesday, 9th of February Day 3, after una degustazione ganzissima with felluga we traveled close by our Agriturismo Il Roncal, and stopped at the ever so mythical lands of Ronchi di Cialla.  We could all see the excitement on Jeremy's face as this was one of the most anticipated tasting of the trip for him.  Meeting with Paolo was a real Italian wine experience... no bullshit glamor, just straight up true wine, as natural as can be expressing the land where only the Rapuzzi family makes the DOC Schioppettino di Cialla.  The sun was shining and stepping out of the COF van, walking onto the lawn of the family house, you just got that feeling... Wow this is going to be fucking awsome! Soon we were greeted by Paolo, family, bambini, cats and dogs whatever you can imagine....

From that point on Paolo continued dropping knowledge on all of us about the history and his vision of Schioppettino, all while bringing out bottle after bottle of old vintages, and offering a wonderful selection of local Montasio cheeses.

Paolo Rapuzzi owner of Ronchi di Cialla, with dog on his mythical property.

Here is the wines Paolo brought out for the COF six yesterday....
Ronchi di Cialla, Schioppettino di Cialla DOC 2005, 2001, 1995
Ronchi di Cialla, Schioppettino di Cialla Vino da Tavola 1985.
''We feel our biggest connection to Schioppettino, when we started making it 40 years ago it was almost a completely lost variety''  said Paolo.  ''We put ''Cialla'' on the bottle, the name of the zone and don't choose to use our family name.  We only use indigenous varieties, native yeasts''.... were a few of the facts Paolo was explaining.  What had the biggest effect on me was when Paolo simply stated, ''Whether you like these wines or not, they are true expressions of our land.''

I enjoyed the 2001, 1995 and 1985 more than I have any other red wine on this trip.  Mcduff and I were discussing a bit how you couldn't help but to be reminded of some great Nebbiolo in Piemonte.  Although very different wines, these older Schioppettini expressed the terroir in a very similar manner to say Barolo or Barbaresco.  One very differnet style of Schioppettino that is a bit hard for me to get used to is how the nose and bouquets are so unique and very different to the frutti di bosco notes you pick up on the palate (especially in the young 2005 vintage which I wasn't crazy about).  Piemonte wines for instance have a much more uniform togetherness that these wines don't.  But if your going to drink Schioppettino, you can't miss Ronchi di Cialla.  For me, these are by far the most harmonious we have tasted and an overall mythical experience.

Above, the sweet Picolit and the ''Frappe'' (Carneval cookies) was an amazing pairing.  The Frappe were the best I have ever had in Italy and I stuffed my face with at least 20 of those mo' fo's!
Off into the friulian hills again today, but looking forward to some grappa tasting and a little change of pace....
a huuuuuge, Grazie alla Famiglia Rapuzzi!

applausi for one hell of a tasting room

Above, Jeremy and Alfonso, settling in to the coolest tasting room we have been in yet at our tasting with Livio Felluga.  Although I wasn't such a big fan of the new releases we tasted at lunch this was one of the coolest experiences.  Matteo was really energetic and fun to taste with.  Knowing all of the recent releases we have been tasting he reached deep into his past and brought out some ''old white wine''.  First, two Terre Alte (30% Friulano, 30% Pinot Blanc, 40% Sauvignon Bianco) which he didnt tell us the vintage right away and wanted us to really think about the wines.  They happened to be a 1996 and 1997 and both showing so very different.  The 96 slightly oxidated and the 97 still so fresh in many ways.  In the 97 vintage they started using 20% new wood expecting the wine to age better, and going by these two wines I can agree with that.

You can see the color difference on these two wines.  The 96 being the dark golden on the left.

Next came out some reds.... The Sossò, which before 2000 was a 100% Merlot bottling.  When they started getting feedback that the wine tasted like a good Pomerol, they dropped everything and took a moment to reflect.  They wanted something indigenous that reflects the area in Friuli, not to imitate a french red wine.  After 2000, the wine is only 35% Merlot blending with the indigenous grapes 65% Refosco and 5% Pignolo.  We tasted 1994, 1996 and 1997.  Man the 1994 was so delicious with beautiful not overwhelming fruit, dirty, old, and great...and like nothing I have tasted in this region.

Above, Matteo pouring for the group

Above, Me and Wayne Young pulling the wise maneuver.  Matteo offered to give us our left over magnums, and you didnt see a moment of hesitation in Wayne and I as we pounced on that opportunity.  If Wayne ever gets into beer he will create a blog titled ''Wayne alla Spina''. 
 We will be tasting typical Friulian foods today and hope to pair some of these old Felluga wines with them.  Before the tasting we had lunch in a really cool setting, and I had the best Caffè and Gelato I have had in a long time.  The Refosco 2007 was my favorite wine with lunch.

Refosco and Cock.

Soupy, vanilla gelato to die for...

Best damn Caffè yet, super ''ristretto'' and damn rejuvenating..

I Magnifici Sei

Messaggero di Udine, Lunedi 7 Febbraio 2011

8:30 slaughter.... midnight grappa

Tuesday, day 2  Alfonso, Mcduff and I woke up a bit early for a chance to visit the uncle of Filippo Butussi in his family's Macelleria.  They were slaughtering two pigs and Filippo picked us up himself to go witness the still very small slaughterhouse in action.  It happens to be one of the last surviving spots around that is completely family operated and still using traditional methods.  In one day they will slaughter three pigs and prepare all of the meat (salame, sausages, headcheese and sanguinaccio, a typical blood sausage prepared with bread) not wasting any part of the pig.  It takes only 4 men and afterwards they will eat pannini and sip some local Tocai together.  Filippo reminisced about years ago when the slaughter would take place and end in a celebration.  ''It was much more normal to witness a pig slaughtering in that time, then it is nowadays''.  The whole family would show up, drink wine and they would cook the freshly butchered meat on the spot and eat together.  Half jokingly he said ''I bambini non andavano a scuola quel giorno!'' (the kids wouldn't go to school on that day!)

The beautiful salame of Butussi Eugenio.

Filippo sliced us some of the homemade salame that was delicious and surprisingly moist

Above, Filippo Butussi explains the sparkling Friulano which he poured right before we sat down at Monday's lunch.  The small vertical of Tocai was amazing and the 1999 Valentino Butussi Tocai Friulano, was a huge hit among ''the magnificent six''.  Mcduff posted on the visit here: ''Learning and lunching at Villa Butussi in Corno di Rosazzo''

 The Picolit wines were by the far the most interesting in the sweet department on this trip so far.  The 2003, 1999 and 1988 all being made with different styles, the 2003 the most concentrated and big...It reminded me of certain Sauternes I have tasted in the past.  The lunch on Day 1 was a very memorable one at Butussi, amazing and traditional Cucina Friulana with incredible older vintage wines that we werent expecting...
thanks Filippo and Butussi family!


The rest of Day 2 went smoothly and less jam packed and rushed as Day 1.  I am still amazed everytime Jeremy is translating for the group, he is one of the most talented guys (especially in the wine world) that I have met. Wayne is not too shabby either and is a super cool guy to taste with, I love his descriptions and tasting notes.  I can't believe how much our group is on the same level for never meeting each other before this trip... But after all we are the magnificent six, or ''i magnifici sei'' as written up in the local newspaper....

Our dinner led us into the home of Zorzettig, probably the most stunning home I have had the pleasure to eat dinner in.  Annalisa was really sweet and gave us our first tasting of a tank sample 2010 Tocai Friulano, which she was excited to hear our thoughts on the not so well received vintage.  We drank all white wine with our hearty dinner which was absolutely delicious unexpected and well taken by Do Bianchi.  We even tasted another version of the classic barley and bean dish that everyone seems to have their own spin on in this area...  I tasted the first locally made friulian olive oil of the trip, which since I'm an olive oil fanatic really stoked me.  Lastly, we were finally offered some grappa which really soothed the soul in a much needed way.  This led to the ''magnificent five''  returning for some private relaxing social grappa drinking at Il Roncal which was just fucking fabulous.  Sgnape and Smokes, a much needed session by all of us....

We drank the Grappa di Schoppettino by Nonino gifted to Alfonso and Jeremy was one of the best grappa I have ever tasted, really light and prancing on the palate, before we realized it, we killed this bottle and as Samantha put it, ''Yes, and if we had another one, we would finish that as well!''