Ronchi di Cialla 54 Items

Ronchi di Cialla, meaning “hills of Cialla”, is located in a small valley surrounded by chestnut, oak and wild cherry woods in the DOC Friuli Colli Orientali Its story begins in 1970 when Paolo and Dina Rapuzzi bought a property here for the purpose of growing local grape varieties. At the time, they were making their living selling Olivetti typewriters, but they found a property for sale near the border with Yugoslavia, abandoned since the Iron Curtain had fallen twenty-five years earlier. Paolo was attracted to its possibilities because it had olive trees growing on it, which suggested an unusually warm, mild climate this far north. The area’s unique climate characteristics are enshrined in the designation Friuli Colli Orientali DOC - Sottozona Cialla, which specifies, among other things, permitted farming practices as well as the maximum percentage of total surface that can be planted to vines. 

Ronchi di Cialla is certified as biodiversity friendly by the World Biodiversity Association, and they remain committed to using natural practices with minimal interference, having been one of the first winemakers to adopt integrated agriculture with low environmental impact. Today the winery is run by sons Pierpaolo and Ivan, who are also active entomologists with regular publications in Europe’s scientific journals. The estate produces approximately 115,000 bottles a year and offers library vintages extending back to the 1980s. The wines age exceptionally well--reds, dry whites, and of course the incomparable sweet wines--and the older bottles are highly sought after by knowledgeable collectors and fine restaurants alike!