1998 Ronchi di Cialla "Ciallabianco" (1.5L)

Staff Reviews

OC

Orazio Campoli

Orazio Campoli

K&L Buyer

Review Date: 07/2025

This is not your typical Friulian white. The Cialla Bianco represents a masterful combination of Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo and Picolit grapes which produces a complex wine with textural elements and savory characteristics that require aging. The wine presents itself as a structured wine with mineral notes that will evolve over time. The wine reveals dried apple and chamomile and beeswax notes and a strong salty core which develops complexity and depth as it ages.

Notes

A rare opportunity to experience one of Italy’s most iconic and age-worthy white wines with perfect maturity, this 1998 Ronchi di Cialla “Ciallabianco” is a monumental bottle. A blend of Ribolla Gialla, Verduzzo, and Picolit from the family's monopole vineyard, this wine has had 27 years to develop profound complexity, with the magnum format preserving incredible freshness. The nose is deep, savory, and complex, with aromas of dried apricot, beeswax, and toasted hazelnut, layered with notes of chamomile and a distinct flinty minerality. On the palate, it’s richly textured and bone-dry, with a vibrant acidic spine that provides remarkable energy and length. The finish is exceptionally long, echoing with saline and nutty nuances. A truly contemplative and magnificent Italian white at its peak.