Wines of the Giro Stage 11: Ronchi di Cialla Rosso & Navardauskas

Tarvisio to Vajont 182 km

From the Garibaldi:
From the stage start at Cave del Predil as far as Tolmezzo, the race route descends slightly but consistently, then starts a shallow climb as far as Ovaro. Long but not especially demanding climb to Sella Ciampigotto (gradients mostly around 4%). Fast and sometimes technical descent as far as the Piave valley. Intermediate sprints at Lozzo di Cadore and Pieve di Cadore. A descent leads to Longarone where the final climb begins up to Passo Sant’Osvaldo, leading to the stage finish.
Final 7 km are uphill. First part has hairpins and gradients of about 6% on a wide road. After 3 km, three well-lit tunnels, partially open at the side. Final kilometre climbs slightly, with the section from 500 to 100 m descending slightly. Finish line at the end of a 200 m straight. Road width 6 m, surfaced with asphalt.

Perhaps a day for the breakaway? It seems likely, but given how well both Vincenzo Nibali and Cadel Evans have been riding, it is hard to pick against them in almost any stage. If their rivals attack to make up time, will they follow?
From the Guardian:
It's also a poignant day for the race as the stage passes through the villages of Longarone and Codissago, both of which were destroyed in the Vajont Dam disaster 50 years ago this year. Around 2,000 people were killed in the tragedy.  
 
The day starts with the first doping results of the Giro. Sigh:
dwuori 5:39am via Twitter for iPhone

UCI announces adverse analytical finding at Giro for AG2R's Sylvain Georges (presence of the stimulant Heptaminol)

Also, this:
nealrogers 6:38am via TweetDeck

Venezuelan rider Miguel Ubeto (Lampre-Merida ) positive for GW1516 sulfone (metabolic modulator) in April 16 urine sample

Meanwhile, on the road, there was an early and large break consisting of: Ramanus Navardauskus (Garmin), Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R), Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli), Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani Valvole), Paul Martens (Blanco), Daniel Oss (BMC), Cayetano Sarmiento (Cannondale), Leonardo Duque (Colombia), Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel), Johan Le Bon (FDJ), Gusev (Katyusha), Juan Jose Cobo (Movistar), Serge Pauwels, Jens Keukeleire (Orica), Yaroslav Popovych (Radioshack), Salvatore Puccio (Team Sky), Patrick Gretsch (Argos), Evgueni Petrov (Saxo), Frederik Veuchelen (Vacansoleil) and Danilo Di Luca (Vini Fantini). 
All teams except Lampre, Lotto and Astana are represented. The highest placed of those was Evgueni Petrov who was over thirteen minutes down on Nibali at the start of the day. It seemed likely that they would be given a rather long leash.

 
giroditalia 5:29am via Web

Breakaway (20 riders), gap: 4'30'', 94 km to go / Fuga (20 ciclisti), distacco di 4'30'', 94 km all'arrivo. #giro

20 kilometers on and nothing much has changed: 74km to go, and the breakaway had a lead of just over five minutes. 57 kilometers to go and the gap remained around five minutes. Ahead, Gretsch jumped from the break and with 42 kilometers remaining he had about one minute over his breakaway compatriots. 

opqscyclingteam 6:58am via TweetDeck

Gretsch is currently solo, 1'18" on chasers including Pauwels of #OPQS, and 5'25" on the maglia rosa group. 40.9km to go. #Giro

A relatively quiet stage at that point. With 35 km to go for Gretsch, he was 1:29 ahead of the chase group and 5:50 over the main peloton. 

opqscyclingteam 7:20am via TweetDeck

26.9km to go, Gretsch has a gap of 1'19" to the Pauwels (#OPQS) group, 6 minutes to the maglia rosa group. #Giro

It was very much looking like a stage win for Gretsch, as the peloton seemed unmotivated to chase. Behind, DiLuca attacked his fellow breakaway riders. 

Would attacks help them to speed up and catch Gretsch? Sure enough, there went Oss and Navardauskus and they seemingly easily caught Gretsch with 17 km to go. The chase was 1:25 behind the leading trio, with the field at 5:50. Very quickly though, Gretsch was dropped. They rode together until 4 km remaining when Navardauskuss surged ahead.

Cycleboredom 7:48am via HootSuite

Pretty much in love with how the RAI commentators are saying Navardauskas. #giro

And he held on for the stage win. Oss was second and Stefano Pirazzi third.

Vaughters 8:00am via Twitter for iPhone

They don't make people any tougher than Ramunas. Chuck Norris would cry before him. Congrats.

Vaughters 8:02am via Twitter for iPhone

That was plan B, for Badger. Honey Badger.

Stage:

1		R. Navardauskas	Garmin	4:23:14
2		D. Oss	BMC Racing	+1:08
3		S. Pirazzi	Bardiani Valvole	+2:59
4		S. Puccio	Team Sky	+3:07
5		P. Martens	Blanco	+3:07
6		D. Di Luca	Vini Fantini	+3:07
7		E. Martínez	Euskaltel	+3:07
8		S. Pauwels	Omega Ph.-Q-Step	+3:10
9		E. Petrov	Saxo - Tinkoff	+3:11
10		Jac. Rodríguez	Androni Giocatt.	+3:25

GC:

1		V. Nibali	Astana	43:26:27
2		C. Evans	BMC Racing	+41
3		R. Urán	Team Sky	+2:04
4		B. Wiggins	Team Sky	+2:05
5		R. Gesink	Blanco	+2:12
6		M. Scarponi	Lampre	+2:13
7		M. Santambrogio	Vini Fantini	+2:55
8		P. Niemiec	Lampre	+3:35
9		B. Intxausti	Movistar	+4:05
10		F. Pozzato	Lampre	+4:17

2007 Ronchi di Cialla Rosso
 
From the producer: 

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: Cialla, Prepotto (Udine) Friuli – North-east of Italy.
VINEYARD: Cjastenet; 3.00 hectares facing SSW at an altitude of 150-200 m.; owned. Roncjs; 2.56 hectares facing SSE at an altitude of 165-180 m.; owned.
VINES: 50% Schioppettino of Cialla, 50% Refosco dal peduncolo rosso of Cialla.
VINES: 50% Schioppettino di Cialla,50% Refosco dal peduncolo rosso di Cialla.
WINE MAKING: Fermentation in stainless steel containers at a controlled temperature, maceration with no skin squashing, static natural decantation until malolactic fermentation is over, 15-20% maturation in barrels for 12-18 months.
Suitable for ageing. Further ageing in bottles for one year.

• Colour: ruby with red reflections.
• Nose: elegant and moderately spicy bouquet. Fragrances of green pepper and small fruit.
• Taste: dry, slightly tannic, rich and composite elegant fruity flavour.

Some information on Schioppettino, also from the producer:
The earliest written mentions of Schioppettino go back to 1282 on manuscripts now kept in the Albana Castle, in the Prepotto province. Historically, this grape has different names in different regions, according to the language of the land: Sclopetin (Friuli), Pocalza (Slovenia) and Ribolla Nera (Italy).
Since its origins, Schioppettino has always been grown in a very small area on the southern hills of the Prepotto county. Traditionally, two “cru” stand out for quality: Cialla e Albana.
There were approximately a hundred or more local vineyards in Friuli and Schioppettino was quite well known and liked outside the region, its reputation reaching as far as central Europe. Unluckily, most of those vineyards were destroyed between 1800 and 1900 with the spread of terrible grape diseases like “oidio” and “fillossera”. Eventually, the cultivation was completely abandoned after World War I and II, as Cialla was close to the front line and workers were recruited in the army. After the war, traditional grapes were replaced with foreign types (Cabernet, Merlot, Blaufrankisch ecc.), which were easier to grow and more marketable, resulting in the loss of a range of indigenous kinds that was unique in the world!
In 1970, the Rapuzzi family bought a property in Cialla for the purpose of growing only local grapes. At that time, the only traces of Schiopettino were in ancient manuscripts and in the memory of the elders. Paolo and Dina Rapuzzi managed to find about 70 surviving vines in the valley and nearby, which enabled them to create a whole new vineyard and resuscitate Schioppettino.

I say: Green pepper, herbs, cherries and plums.  

You can read more about the producer and the grape from  Jeremy Parzen and Hawk Wakawaka. Speaking of Hawk Wakawaka, you can also read her write-up of a great tasting that I went to yesterday at Shake Ridge Vineyard in Amador County.