By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
Through the centuries, invaders of Italy often left their vines to prosper in this land of wine. Italian grape growers and winemakers took advantage of these foreign vines and continued to develop them, making quality wines through the years from them and their own varieties.
Foreign vines became part of the local viticultural family and their names became synonymous with Italian wines. Their heritage is interesting and worth exploring, so we will share some with you.
Aglianico – This red grape is found in Basilicata, Campania and in Apulia. It is also known as gnanico, agliatica, ellenico, ellanica and uva nera. The variety was probably introduced into Italy by the Greeks (thus the names ellenico and ellenica, as in “Hellenic”). It produces a DOC wine called Aglianicodel Vulture in Basilicata and is the informing grape in Taurasi, DOCG of Campania. We are seeing more and more of this variety in the US.
Aleatico – This red grape is in the muscat family that may have been introduced from Greece in ancient times. The vine’s origins are uncertain. Some say it is a native of Tuscany, while still others insist that it is a red mutation of muscat, which may have been brought to Italy by the Greeks. It produces wine in Apulia, Lazio, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Campania, Sicily and in very limited quantity in some of Italy’s 20 other regions.
Alicante – This red varietal is of Spanish origin and found in Marches, Sicily and other regions. Other names for this grape are granacha, grenache, guarnaccia or gannoneau. It is Europe’s grenache.
Aligote – This is an ancient vine which originated in Burgundy and has been widely diffused throughout Europe (it can also be found in Russia and Switzerland). This white grape produces a fine table wine and is also used in the production of spumante.
Brachetto – This red grape is found in Piedmont, and most importantly in and around the town of Anqui Terme, where it produces a bright, delicious sparkling red wine. It is possibly a native of Bellet near Nice in Provence, France where it is called Braquet.
Cabernet – This red varietal is widely diffused throughout the Italian peninsula, known to the ancient Romans as biturcia, named after a tribe in France’s Gironde. Some documents have been unearthed by the Italians which seem to indicate that this biturcia was once widely planted in Italy during the days of the early Romans. It is believed that this grape was diffused throughout the empire by the legionnaires, then fell from favor in Italy and was not returned to the Italian Peninsula until the late1800s. In the 18tli century, the varietal known as uva francesca was probably a cabernet.
Cannonau – This red varietal is found in Sandinia Cannonau and is said to have been brought to Sardinia from Spain in the 14th century. It likely is a relative of the canonazo of Seville and the granaxa of Aragon. This grape is known as grenache or alicante in other parts of the world.
Carignano – This red varietal probably originated in Aragon in Spain, though it is widely planted in France. It is grown in Sardinia, Lazio and the Marches.
Chardonnay – This white grape variety was possibly first introduced to northern Italy in the 1800s. Now it is widely diffused throughout the peninsula. It was probably brought from the Champagne region for use in making sparkling wines. For many years, growers considered this another pinot. Today, there are various clones in production throughout Italy. Those from Burgundy tend to produce fuller-bodied wines; many Tuscan producers use these clones.
Cinsaut – This is another name for the ottavianello of Apulia.
Clairette – This is an aromatic white vine planted in Sardinia and Tuscany. It is native to southeastern France.
Dolcetto – This is a red grape grown in Piedmont, Liguria, Umbria and the Valle d’Aosta. Dolcetto is sometimes called ormeasco or ormeasca. This grape may have ancient Piedmont origin, but it is thought to be the dosset of France. The variety may have first appeared in the Monferrato area around the year 1000, and its systematic cultivation began in the late Middle Ages. This varietal was cited in a document in the 16th century and later in the 17th century by Count Francesco Nuvolone. The count discussed, in detail, a favored wine of the Piedmont called “dosset” as well as its production area. Dolcetto is well-known throughout the Piedmont. According to legend, Janus, the Roman god who was lord of the sky and of sunlight, stopped off in Piedmont and was detained by the excellence of the local wine. Janus later assumed special powers as protector of the beginning and end of all things (thus the reason for naming the beginning month of the year January).
Falanghina – This is a white wine possibly of Greek origin found primarily in Campania. It may have been the vine of the Romans’ prized Falernian wine.
Franconia – This is probably a native of Croatia. It is a red grape of northern Italy, especially of Lombardy and Ftiuli Venezia Giulia. It is also known as blaufrankisch or lemberger (blue French).
Gamay – This is a red varietal imported from France and found in the Valle d’Aosta and Umbria and in very limited production in other zones.
Gewurztran1iner or Traminer – This is a white varietal which produces an intense, full-tasting wine. One clone is known as gewurztraminer in the Alto Adige (“gewurz” means spicy, although this Italian wine does not assume as spicy a character as that from Alsace) and another, lighter-styled sub-varietal is called the traminer aromatico. Some believe traminer takes its name from Tramin, a village in Alto Adige.
So please try some of these wonderful Italian wine varietals that you may have not been aware of. Most of all, enjoy.
Ray Spaziani is the chapter director of the New Haven chapter of the American Wine Society. He is on the tasting panels of Winemaker Magazine and Amate del Vino and is a certified wine educator and award-winning home winemaker. Email Ray with your wine questions or activities at realestatepro1000@gmail.com.