what the heck is Schioppettino and who grows it? you are always on the cutting edge : )
It was recommended to Saul from his team of $500 an hour marketing consultants from McKinsey. He’ll be at all of the hipster wine bars in Brooklyn this Winter trying to get people to buy it… 
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It tends to make a very peppery wine. John Holdredge used to make one from Russian River Valley.
-Al
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It’s like a northern-italian beaujolais, a little peppery, native to Friuli. It makes a lovely light wine. Vignai da Duline makes my favorite; Kermit Lynch imports them.
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As many have said, it’s a grape native to Friuli and beloved by the consultant-class in NYC ;).
In all seriousness, it’s a grape that’s quite ancient–records of it date back to at least the 13th century–but it nearly went extinct until the 70s, when Ronchi di Cialla saved it and proved that it was worth growing. Now it’s one of the signature red grapes of the area. The wines in Friuli tend to be lighter in body, but with sneaky structure, and a peppery streak. They age really well (Ronchi di Cialla sells lots of library wine, if you ever go, and the 93 is in a beautiful place right now, fwiw).
In terms of growing it, it seems to be a variety that likes a long growing season but not a ton of heat–it’s often picked in October in Friuli, and the two years I’ve worked with it we’ve picked it/will pick it in the first week of October. I know a few ppl in California that have worked with it, but in Napa (Matthiasson) it tends to be harvested in early September. I get the fruit from Old Wagon Road Vineyard (Chris James Cellars) way up in the Yamhill-Carlton/coast range foothills, but he got the budwood from Ilahe, so I suppose they must have a bit planted as well.
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It does rain here all the time!
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I’m intrigued by the idea of an Oregon Schioppettino - are you thinking of bottling it on its own?
I was fortunate enough to blind barrel taste it with Saul this summer. Delicious
Who wants to blind taste a barrel sample and take a stab at the varietal? Yes please! Wine color looked like a concentrated Napa Cabernet with a purple hue. Palate was definitely not Cab… Seemed Italian which would make sense but which if the 3,000 grapes? Corvina? Refosco? Who has that planted in Oregon? I ultimately took a flyer with Alicante Bouschet which is French but what the heck. Nope, all incorrect. It’s Schioppettino and very good and it’s still in barrel. Somehow Saul got someone to graft over to Schioppettino in Oregon and it works beautifully. Steve Matthiasson would be proud. I told you they’re “cray cray”
Full trip report
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Riesling still hanging through this week with thoughts to harvest on Thursday - looks like an amazing set up this year.
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Is this the Oregon Chanterelle Harvest thread?
Saul and I went out to our “secret” spot and brought in a good haul of mostly whites and some goldens. And one small lobster.
Not bad for an 80F golden fall day - much cooler in the woods - with not much to do in the cellar.
Pressing a lot this week but today was all about the mushroom.
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I mean…. It’s the “Oregon Harvest 2026” thread….. all harvests in state apply.
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Sweet! That looks like an afternoon well spent!
I mostly photograph the ones I don’t think I can eat. It’s fun to look them up later and see what the “outcome“ would be.
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An admission: I have not read this thread.
But reading Marcus’s comment about temps in the 2018 Chambolle thread made me wonder to ask: how much of the wine grape crop is at yet unpicked?
Depends on if you are asking about “yet to be picked” or “not getting picked at all”. I cannot imagine what Pinot Noir would be left that some place would still want that is still on the vine. Maybe. Doubtful. There is still oodles of Pinot Noir hanging. We are picking our Tempranillo Thursday. That’s obviously an oddball for the Valley. There’s definitely still niche stuff like Riesling, Pinot Blanc and some other whites that take awhile but the vast majority of of grapes in the valley are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and, unfortunately, Pinot Gris and those are largely picked out unless they have no home to begin with.
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Right on cue:
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We harvested our remaining X Omni block of Chardonnay yesterday. Our last section of X Omni Pinot Noir was harvested 9/24. Jim summarized nicely.
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Hey! My daughter and our Brewery got a mention as well!
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Winemakers,
From my perspective, 2026 appears to be an outstanding vintage with a relatively mild Spring and Summer with few heat spikes and a long, warm mostly dry Fall. Which prior vintage(s) does 2026 most remind you of?
Thank you for taking the time to reply as you are in the midst of harvest.
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@Rick_Allen in the news. Well, not exactly Rick but the better half
At the Heater Allen brewery in McMinnville, staff have organized craft nights, live music, and board game, trivia and speed puzzling events, all to attract customers who aren’t necessarily there for the alcohol.
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Plus 1 to this, though with the weather we have had, what is hanging could still be good enough to make good wine. But I think even the later picking wineries have everything in for PN and probably Chardonnay as well.