Wine in Prepotto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Ronchi di Cialla ★ 4.7

Paolo and Dina Rapuzzi bought the abandoned Cialla parcels in 1970 and replanted Schioppettino from heritage cuttings, working with the Prepotto growers' association to add the variety back to the permitted Friulian list. The cellar is the historical anchor of the Schioppettino-revival narrative and the namesake of the Schioppettino di Prepotto sub-denomination formalised in 2008. Sons Pierpaolo and Ivan Rapuzzi now run the operation.

Tasting: Cellar visit at Cialla by appointment with a vineyard walk through the Schioppettino parcels in the Prepotto valley and a flight of the Schioppettino di Cialla, Refosco, Verduzzo and Picolit. The cellar holds back-vintage library bottles for special visits.

Signature wines: ronchi-di-cialla-schioppettino, ronchi-di-cialla-refosco, ronchi-di-cialla-verduzzo, ronchi-di-cialla-picolit

Tip: Ask for a Schioppettino di Cialla vertical; the cellar holds library stock and the variety ages 10 to 20 years.

Schioppettino di Prepotto Revival Tour ★ 4.6

Cellar visit and seated tasting at the Prepotto Schioppettino di Prepotto revival cellars, walking Paolo and Dina Rapuzzi's 1970s replanting at Ronchi di Cialla and the 2008 sub-denomination formalisation.

Ronchi di Cialla ★ 4.6

Prepotto cellar that rescued Schioppettino from near-extinction in 1976 and 1977; the canonical Schioppettino di Prepotto reference and DOCG Picolit producer.

Why locals love it: Prepotto is a hilltop commune on the Slovenian border off the standard Cividale-Cormons tour map, and the Schioppettino-only focus keeps the cellar a specialist destination rather than a general Friuli stop.

Tip: The cellar's Schioppettino bottlings benefit from 10 to 20 years of cellar age; ask the family for a vertical to read the variety's evolution.