La Viarte Colli Orientali del Friuli Schioppettino 2007
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From a young age Giuseppe Ceschin had a great passion for wine, studying enology as soon as he was old enough and traveling around Italy gaining experience working for wineries in various regions. With the support of his wife, Carla, he followed his dream to Friuli, where the couple worked for thirteen long years before seizing an opportunity to purchase 35 hectares in Prepotto, near the border of Slovenia. The land was a long way from ready, but the Ceschins saw their future in it and dedicated the next decade to the hard labor of building terraces and planting new vineyards. In 1984 the family finally celebrated their first harvest and the realization of their dream. They chose the Friulian word for springtime as the name of the estate since it was the beginning of a new era in their lives.
Giuseppe and Carla’s son, Giulio, says that he “grew up with their dream, breathing their passion, which helped me discover the fascinating world of wine.” Giulio and his wife Federica expanded La Viarte to 41 hectares, including 17 hectares of forest that they conserved to maintain the area’s ecological balance. After several decades managing La Viarte, Giulio decided to sell the estate to Alberto Piovan, bringing in outside management to ensure the long-term financial health of the property. Alberto has continued the focus on local heirloom varieties, such as Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Schioppettino, and has embraced the passion, perfectionism, and technical capabilities of the Ceschin family. He has shown both his talent and his creative side in bringing exceptional new wines to market recently, such as a lightly sparkling, gently sweet Verduzzo, and deep, complex, incredibly age-worthy Pignolo Riserva. He is also producing some of the best Refosco, Cabernet, and Merlot in Friuli. With the investments Alberto has made in the vineyards and in the talent of his team, this estate is going to continue to be a lot of fun to follow in coming years.
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
The source of some of Italy’s best and most distinctive white wines, Friuli-Venezia Giulia is where Italian, Germanic and Slavic cultures converge. The styles of wines produced in this region of Italy's far north-east reflect this merging of cultures. Often shortened to just “Friuli,” the area is divided into many distinct subzones, including Friuli Grave, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Collio Goriziano and Carso. The flat valley of Friuli Grave is responsible for a large proportion of the region’s wine production, particularly the approachable Pinot grigio and the popular Prosecco. The best vineyard locations are often on hillsides, as in Colli Orientali del Friuli or Collio. In general, Friuli boasts an ideal climate for viticulture, with warm sunny days and chilly nights, which allow grapes to ripen slowly and evenly.
In Colli Orientali, the specialty is crisp, flavorful white wine made from indigenous varieities like Friulano (formerly known as Tocai Friulano), Ribolla gialla and Malvasia Istriana.
Red wines, though far less common here, can be quite good, especially when made from the deeply colored, rustic Refosco variety. In Collio Goriziano, which abutts Slovenia, many of the same varieties are planted. International varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc are also common, but they tend to be Loire-like in style with herbaceous character and mellow tannins. Carso’s star grape is the red Teranno, notable for being rich in iron content and historically consumed for health purposes. It has an earthy, meaty profile and is often confused with the distinct variety Refosco.