GG_N50_FR

ITALY
GRAPE
TREADING THE GRAPES AT THE TRADITIONAL GRAPE HARVEST FESTIVAL IN FONTANAFREDDA
In the Unesco heritage area of the Langhe, Roero and the Monferrato hills, the variety
is called Nebbiolo, but in other areas of Alto-Piemonte, Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina it
takes on different names including Spanna, Chiavennasca, Prunent, Picotendro, Melasca
and Martesana. The documented origins of Nebbiolo date back to the Middle Ages where
it was mentioned in 1272 as being given as a gift to the King of England and Duke of
Aquitaine Edward I. In 1800 it became a favourite of Thomas Jefferson who declared
he wanted to import it to the USA after tasting a ‘Gattinara’. Nebbiolo took its next step
forward in 1835 with Carlo Alberto in Pollenzo where, thanks to General Staglieno, the
winemaker/marketer Oudart and Camillo Benso Count of Cavour, the forerunner of
Barolo was born.
A SLOW RIPENER
Nebbiolo has significant genetic variability and as many as 90 clones have recently been
identified, grouped into seven genotypes according to SNV analyses (Gambino et al.,
2017). In the Langhe you can find Lampia, Michet, Rosé and Bolla. The latter two can no
longer be used for the production of Barolo. Nebbiolo is mostly prevalent in Piedmont
(4 500 ha), Valtellina (50 ha) and Valle d’Aosta (45 ha) but it is also grown outside Italy, in
Mexico, Australia, the USA, Uruguay, Chile and other areas (such as China) for a total
area of around 600 ha. Its growth cycle is long and because it ripens slowly, it can be used
to produce very aromatic wines with a robust structure. It has always been planted in
the best South and South-West aspects (in the ‘sorì’), and only on hilly terrain at between
200m and 450m above sea level. However, nowadays, due to climate change, some producers
are experimenting with less exposed and higher altitude plantings.
WINTER 2022 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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