Schioppettino di Cialla 2009

Ronchi di Chialla Schioppettino di Cialla 2009

Schioppettino is a deep-colored red grape from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy.

The variety was once on the verge of extinction.
It was a popular local grape until vineyards were hit by phylloxera louse then abandoned during the world wars. 
The grape was revived by the effort of Ronchi di Cialla winery in 1970s.


This wine has complex aromas of red rose, cedar, dried and fresh plum, cherry and cranberry.
Well integrated powdery tannin is balanced with dried fruit.
Finish is long and pleasant. 

The wine is good with food with strong saltiness or sourness.
We had this with grilled fish Japanese style. Good pairing.

Wrong about Bordeaux ?

When I started to drink wine more seriously, I didn't know where to start so followed the trend in the wine magazines.
The trend back then was big, rich, spicy red wine and Bordeaux wine was the most highly regarded wine at that time.

With these images paired with my lack of opportunity to taste Bordeaux wine, I had had the perception that red Bordeaux wine was big and masculine for long time.

Thankfully I have had opportunities to taste Bordeaux wine little by little, and found them not being something I had imagined. They were more elegant and feminine than big and masculine.

Maybe I had been wrong.

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting is the tasting event of Bordeaux 2017 vintage.
It was another opportunity for me to find what really Bordeaux wine would be like.

Chateau Citran Haut-Medoc 2017
Ripe red fruits balanced with freshness of tart fruit skin.
Coffee and incense give depth and exotic feel.
Tannin is high but easy to drink.
Haut-Medoc is the region which is lesser regarded comparing with other bigger names such as Pomerol or Margaux, but this wine was really good!

Château Gazin Pomerol 2017
Concentrated fresh rose, cherry and apricot are embraced by fine-grained tannin.
Beautiful aromas and texture.

Château Rouget Pomerol 2017
Lively aromas of fresh and ripe strawberry and red plum are supported by firm tannin. 

Bittersweet spice adds twist and dried flower gives elegant feel.

Château Gruaud Larose Saint-Julien 2017
Aromas of red fruits, dried orange peel, mint and spice. 

Tannin is beautifully integrated. Decent wine.

Château Léoville Barton Saint-Julien 2017
Concentrated red fruits, spice, coffee and meatiness which are balanced with fine-grained tannin. 

It is rich but so well balanced that it’s easy to drink.

Château Bastor-Lamontagne Sauternes 2017
Fresh citrus, citrus peel and apricot. 

It is a sweet wine but not too sweet. 

This wine can be good as an aperitif.



Most of wines we tasted this day were more elegant than powerful.
JC said that they were classic examples of Bordeaux. 

I guess I had been wrong indeed. 

First tasting of the year

I wonder why things seem different at the beginning of the year. 

I know it's just number ... 2019 became 2020 ... but, somehow, it always feels special to attend the first tasting of the new year: everything, wine, glasses, even the faces I usually see at these events, is ... luminous.

This year, it was Burgundy and Rhone wine tasting. 

These are the wines which are especially luminous to me at this event.

Domaine Marc Roy Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2018

Liveliness of cranberry, raspberry, rose and black pepper is balanced with firm structure.
The liveliness is like a pleasant explosion in my mouth!
Great wine and great with Camembert cheese.

Domaine Marc Roy Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice 2018
Flavors of high quality cranberry, red plums and raspberry which are embraced by subtle oak and fine grained tannin.
Its creamy texture is like velvet.

Laurent Fayolle Hermitage Les Diognieres 2017

Abundance of aromas and flavors of flower, red fruits, potpourri and black pepper are supported by fine-grained tannin.
Elegant wine.

Joseph Colin Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru 2018

Old vine Chardonnay grown on very steep slopes.
Complex aromas of almond, almond flower, marzipan, apple and orange zest.

Just enough amount of acidity, not overwhelming. 

Good food wine.

Joseph Colin Puligny Montrachet Le Trezin 2018
The vineyard is at the highest altitude in Puligny.
White flower, orange zest and lemon with high acidity.
There is tenderness which reminds me of natural wine. 

Charlene et Laurent Pinson Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2018
Freshness and bitterness of grapefruit is balanced with acidity.
Minerality of flint and stone adds depth.
Interesting wine with long finish.


When I think back all the wines after these tastings and choose the memorable ones, Chablis is usually not one of them.
I of course love Chablis but trying crisp Chablis with other wines, richer, more complex white wine is easier to pick. However, this day, this Chablis wine stood out.