Schioppettino

 

Synonym: Ribolla Nera, Schiopetino, Scoppiettino, Pocalza, Scopp.

 

Commonly mistaken for: None.

 

Origin: Schioppettino is a red wine grape typical variety of the Friuli region (northern-east Italy), native to the zone of Prepotto; cited for the first time in 1282, during the wedding between Rieppi-Caucig and cultivated in the Udine province with the name Sciopp (Pietro di Maniaco, 1823). The original name of this variety was Ribolla Nera, while Schioppettino referred to the wine it produced. In fact the name Schioppettino describes the sound (almost onomatopoeic) "Pop", produced by opening this wine.  It was bottled young and therefore it completes the malolactic fermentation in the bottle, becoming slightly fizzy. The variety lost importance after the phylloxera period and only in 1978 (decree EEC ’78) it began to be used again in the new vineyards. Today the wine made from the grapes of this variety is an interesting dry red wine.

 

Agronomic and environmental aspects: This variety is a late-season ripener; therefore, it needs higher exposures—especially in cooler climates. It has a preference for soils with a good percentage of clay, rich in calcium carbonate and in rock fragments.  In Italy traditional systems are used with medium or wide training systems. The vine is not suitable for training systems designed for complete mechanisation; in fact, it prefers cane pruning. Good, but inconsistent yield.

 

Diseases, pests and disorders: Shows a low resistance to most common diseases, very susceptible to downy mildew. Medium resistance to botrytis. Extreme weather conditions before or during the time of flowering can cause alternation of production and “dropping off”.

 

Description:

Growing Tip: half-open, cottony, of whitish yellow colour with reddish edges.   

Leaf: medium or large size of blade, 3-lobed or 5-lobed. Has a semi-open V-shaped petiolar sinus, sometimes it can show a small inside tooth; rarely lyre shaped; the lateral superior sinuses are deep and like a close V-shaped, while the inferior (if there are any) are like an open V. The profile is flat or revolute, with strong blistering.

Bunch: large size; long, of cylindrical form, with densely distributed berries and rarely winged.   

Berry: of medium dimensions, not homogeneous size, of narrow elliptic form; thick and strong skin, of a blue-black colour, covered by a lot of bloom.

 

Vegetation growth habit:

erect or semi-erect

Vigour:

medium-high

Average bunch size:

medium-large (150-280 g.)

Average bunches per shoot:

1

 

Growth Stages:

Time of budburst:

medium

Time of flowering:

medium

Time of veraison:

medium

Time of harvest:

medium-late or late

 

Available Clones:

-          PR:Click here to see growth stage photos Clone selected by Matura Group, Italy. The vine has high vigour, with an erect vegetation growth habit. The bunch has large size [360 g, vintage 2005] and long cylindrical form, with round and big berries [2.23 g, vintage 2005]. Good resistance to botrytis.

-          FRA:The clone is still in experimentation stages.

 

Maturity results:

Vintage 2005

PR

30/01/05

9/02/05

15/02/05

23/02/05

2/03/05

9/03/05

15/03/05

Baumè

9.80

7.00

9.50

9.80

10.30

11.05

12.20

pH

2.94

3.05

3.33

3.48

3.48

3.52

3.79

T.A.

13.88

11.18

7.13

5.70

5.33

4.65

4.28

 

Wine characteristics:

Wines made from Schioppettino are typically intense dark purplish colour, acidic, quite tannic and with good alcohol. A good wine is traditionally aged in oak to develop intense floral and fruity flavours especially violets, raspberry and blueberry. It is often blended with Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso (another Friulian native variety); Schioppettino is also important for DOC Colli Orientali del Friuli and Isonzo.