Following the thoughts of journalist Carlo Cambi, it is certainly unusual that a winery, known and multi-awarded for its white wines, should rely instead on a red to celebrate its 90th anniversary! And that's not all: Venica&Venica, going to the roots of its viticulture, has chosen an identifiable but niche red: Ribolla Nera.

Not familiar? Then follow us to discover together the origins of this novelty that will arrive in 2020, in the year Venica & Venica celebrates its 90th anniversary.

A VISIONARY RED TO CELEBRATE A LIFETIME OF WHITES

By Carlo Cambi in 'La Verità', June 2020

"It could only begin with a coup de theatre this palindrome and bisesto 2020 for the Venicas. Gianni is used to amazement, Giorgio is not, he as a former pilot values every trifle, but he let himself be drawn by his brother into an oenological oxymoron.

The Venicas owe their ample and well-deserved fame, also built up by Ornella with patient word and deed work and now flanked by Serena, to the whites: the great Ronco Cime Friulano and Ronco Mele, perhaps the most distinctive of the Sauvignons produced in Italy. Can you expect that to celebrate a historic year, 90 vintages since the founder Daniele Venica started the company, they would rely on a red? That's not enough: they have chosen, going to the roots of their viticulture, an identity red, but a niche one: Ribolla Nera."

Gianni and Giorgio Venica with their latest creation: Schioppettino.

Pictured is a moment from the 2020 vintage with freshly harvested grapes.

Schioppettino: the identity of the Judrio valley

"Not familiar? Then let's call it Schioppettino: a grape variety that is the identity of the Judrio valley, the former Austro-Hungarian and now Slovenian border. It was such a neglected vine that in the mid-twentieth century they removed it from the Friuli Venezia Giulia wine registers. There was a half revolt by the vine growers of Prepotto and finally Schioppettino came back to life. In the sunshine of a valley plunging from the Julian Pre-Alps.

It was, like Ribolla Gialla, the wine of the countryside, and today it has returned to excellence, complex and unmistakable as it is. The Venicas have invested ten years in this rebirth. Five to have the first good harvest, another six to age the Schioppettino, first in wood fifteen months, then in glass five years. The 2012 vintage is now on the market, and the bottle, a borgognotta - and this too is unique for the Venicas - bears on the label an extract from the 1930 deed of purchase of the winery's main body.

The colour is an intense, brilliant ruby, the nose explosive with wild blackberry, raspberry with accentuated pepper and musky undertones, the palate is, as in the style of the house, caressing, ample. It is a Venica and so the return is eternal on sweetly spiced notes. A wine for red meats, for savoury pastas, for hard cheeses. For me with polenta with mushrooms, Montasio and D'Osvaldo ham."