Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
di Lugana, and Verdicchio have a high propor-
tion of bands sharing similarity, which is not
surprising, as the fi rst two are synonyms of
Verdicchio, rather than true
Trebbiano
s.
The origin of the name
Trebbiano
itself is
unclear. Pliny writes of a
Vinum tribulanum
produced in the Agro Tribulanis near Capua in
his
Naturalis Historia,
but
tribulanum
wines
from Umbria and Tuscany were also known
then. Others have hypothesized the name
derives from the locality of the same name
near Luni, while still others have suggested the
Trebbia River in Emilia-Romagna, where a
Trebbiano
grows. Hohnerlein-Buchinger
(1996) has noted a phonetic similarity with the
Frankish term
drajbo
(meaning vigorous shoots
or inner strength), and the Franks and Longo-
bards did play an important role in rebuilding
medieval Italy's vineyards. Interestingly, in the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries,
Trebbiano
wines were considered luxury items, which
may help explain why the name became so
common and attributed to so many diverse
cultivars.
In 1925, Marzotto differentiated and classi-
fi ed fi fteen different
Trebbiano
varieties in Italy,
some of which (such as Trebbiano Romagnolo
and Trebbiano Toscano) are still grown today.
early appeal though admittedly they are hard to
fi nd outside the immediate production area.
Trebbiano di Spagna is characterized by
medium-sized leaves that are roughly triangu-
lar or cuneiform in shape, very long cylindrical-
conical winged bunches, and medium-sized,
round to oval berries. It is resistant to patho-
gens like all
Trebbiano
s but ripens a little earlier
in the fall than most other members of this
group. There are no offi cial clones of this
variety.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Trebbiano di Spagna is mainly grown around
Modena in Emilia-Romagna, and is part of four
IGT wine blends in Italy: Emilia, Forlì,
Ravenna, and Rubicone. It is not included in
the guidelines of any DOCG or DOC wine. And
yet, there are some truly delicious monovarietal
examples for wine lovers to try, for example
Claudio Plessi's Tarbianen, with only nine hun-
dred bottles made . . . for the world! Tarbianen
is a unique wine, one taste of which will have
you thinking of curry, cinnamon, green tea,
and ripe citrus fruits. Admittedly, it is hard to
fi nd, though you might look for it near Castel-
nuovo Rangone; in the past, the brilliant Beppe
Palmieri, chief sommelier of the Michelin
three star Osteria Francescana in Modena,
arguably Italy's best restaurant, had a few bot-
tles to offer the lucky gastronomic traveler.
Made from organic grapes, the wine tastes as
much of the way it is made as of the grape vari-
ety. Restaurants prove a good source for Treb-
biano di Spagna wines: at the Osteria di Rub-
biara restaurant, owned by the Pedron family,
you'll be able to taste another sparkling, deli-
ciously fruity wine made with Trebbiano di
Spagna ser ved directly at the restaurant, though
it's on sale elsewhere.
Trebbianina
where it's found:
Emilia-Romagna, Marche.
national registry code number:
434.
color:
white.
In Italy, Trebbianina is also known as Treb-
biano di Spagna, a correct synonym; calling it
Trebbiano Giallo is a mistake, as the two are
distinct varieties. Trebbianina is mainly associ-
ated with Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale pro-
duction, rather than wines, but this is not
entirely correct. The Trebbiano di Spagna
grapes associated with balsamic vinegar pro-
duction grow on heavy yielding fl atland vine-
yards around Modena; by contrast, small arti-
sanal producers who work higher-quality
hillside vineyards near Modena are able to turn
out delicious, fruit-forward wines with plenty of
wines to try:
Venturelli** (Spumante Metodo
Classico, a sparkling wine made by refermenta-
tion in the bottle just like Champagne; I tasted
the excellent 2006 recently, and it was still hold-
ing up beautifully), Pedroni* (Bianca Pedroni
Spumante di Spagna), Cantina Formigine
