Horizontal Tasting: Schiopetto 2016s

Schiopetto is not only one of the oldest estates in the best subregion of Friuli, Collio, but also a true standard-bearer for the appellation at large. Situated on the rolling hills of Capriva del Friuli, the winery owes its fame to the late Mario Schiopetto, the pioneering winemaker who ushered in a new era in Italian wine in the late 1960s. By modernizing production methods and introducing new technology such as temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, he arguably changed the face of white wine in Italy.

James still remembers meeting the late Schiopetto for the first time in the 1980s, marveling at the clarity and brightness of his whites. This style of white wine continues today at the estate but is clearly on its way to a new level since the property’s change of ownership to Emilio Rotolo. The Rotolo family, which also owns the Friuli winery Volpe Pasini, now runs Schiopetto while remaining true to the late winemaker’s philosophy.

The vintage 2016 was an exciting one for producers in the northeast corner of Italy such as Schiopetto in Friuli. Although there might have been a soggy early spring in 2016, the growing season was blessed with relatively good to perfect weather. And the wines of Schiopetto in 2016 are conclusive proof as they were all awarded 91 points or higher — a huge achievement!

More often than not, friulano is best served when blended with other indigenous or international varieties. The likes of pinot grigio, pinot bianco, sauvignon blanc and ribolla gialla tend to work better as single-varietal bottlings.

That’s why “M”, made exclusively from a friulano plot planted in the 1950s, is a new benchmark for the variety. A 98-pointer, it’s a white that underlines the superb and unique character of the grape in the region.  Try one — or any of the 2016s listed below — and see for yourself!