IN BREVE
- 2025 marks a new attempt to relaunch Schioppettino di Prepotto, the flagship grape variety of the Judrio valley.
- The Producers’ Association is renewing itself, aiming to strengthen the wine’s identity on both national and international markets.
- The new Board of Directors, led by new president Riccardo Caliari, shares the common goal of promoting Schioppettino as the primary wine of Prepotto.
- Despite growing qualitative consistency, production remains limited and international visibility remains fragile.
- The relaunch is based on two pillars: improving oenological consistency and strengthening brand communication.
For Schioppettino di Prepotto, the native red wine that symbolizes the Judrio valley and the Doc Friuli Colli Orientali sub-zone, 2025 marks a new (yet another) attempt at a relaunch. The Producers’ Association, founded in 2002 to protect and promote the quality of the variety, is renewing itself with new leadership and an ambitious project: to strengthen the wine’s identity and recognition on national and international markets. Will this truly be the one?
SCHIOPPETTINO DI PREPOTTO: NEW LEADERSHIP, OLD CHALLENGES
The new Board of Directors, elected in recent days, is led by Riccardo Caliari (Spolert Winery), supported by Riccardo Polegato (La Viarte) as vice-president, Daniele Lenuzza (Vigna Lenuzza) as secretary, and board members Stefano Traverso (Vigna Traverso) and Michela Marinig (Marinig di Marinig Valerio).
“Now we have a dream,” Caliari explains, “to see Schioppettino di Prepotto as the primary wine produced by Prepotto’s wineries, which today—as has historically happened in Friuli—produce various wines from native varieties without a common focus.”
“To achieve this goal,” the new president continues, “we will work in parallel on product quality, focusing on the elegant style that represents the wine and the territory, and on the strength of the brand in Italy and abroad. It will be a journey lasting between five and ten years that will require human and financial resources, but all the conditions for success are there.”
AN ANCIENT WINE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Schioppettino is a grape variety with ancient, likely medieval, origins. The name comes from the Friulian term “Scopp,” referring to the crunchy sound of the berries. Also known as Ribolla Nera, Schioppettino risked extinction in the 1970s due to powdery mildew and phylloxera.
Its rebirth began right here in Prepotto, in the Judrio valley, where the microclimate and “ponca” soils provide ideal conditions for cultivation. Here, the variety has found its most authentic expression, producing wines with an elegant profile, notes of black pepper, and good aging potential.
In 2008, the official recognition of the “Schioppettino di Prepotto” sub-zone within the Doc Friuli Colli Orientali arrived, sealing the close bond between the variety and the territory.
BETWEEN ENTHUSIASM AND REALITY
Today, the market shows a renewed interest in native wines. And Schioppettino di Prepotto has everything it takes to establish itself as one of Friuli’s signature reds. However, production remains limited and international visibility is still fragile.
Tastings in recent years have shown growing qualitative consistency, but also some stylistic uncertainty. Some producers have found a convincing balance. Others still struggle to define a common language for the variety.
For this reason, the relaunch announced by the Association follows two clear paths: improving oenological consistency and strengthening brand communication. In short, quality and image are the essential duo for building a lasting identity.
