Ferdinando Zanusso founded I Clivi in his hometown of Corno di Rosazzo, after spending forty years in Africa, including a stint in the United Nation’s World Food Program and his son Mario joined shortly thereafter. Their Schioppettino, an indigenous varietal that was nearly lost to extinction, comes from 60+ year old vines, planted on on steep terrain of calcareous clay are farmed organically with extremely low yields. Hand-harvested bunches are pressed very gently to squeeze only the purest must. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tank with 14 days of skin contact followed by eight months in the same tanks. The result is a light-to-medium bodied, expansive red that punches above it's weight class. Gorgeous wild berry and floral aromatics lead to a palate of ripe blackberry and cassis with moderate tannins and a hint of flinty, smokey minerality. A somewhat rustic but also polished red, it pairs wonderfully with vegetarian pasta dishes like fettuccine with tomatoes and mushrooms or butternut squash and ricotta ravioli.