Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Nera grown in this remote and small corner of
the Marche can produce some of Italy's greatest
wines, but sadly, also some of the least known.
Besides Serrapetrona, Vernaccia Nera also
grows well in the countryside of the nearby
towns of Belforte del Chienti, Caldarola, and
San Severino Marche, the last of which has a
promising new DOC Terreni di San Severino
Marche. Wines such as Colli Maceratesi Rosso
can have as much as 50 percent Vernaccia Nera,
but that's too small a percentage for one to truly
understand what the variety is all about.
the latter (though he erroneously used the word
“clone”). It is characterized by large pentagonal
leaves with fi ve lobes; the bunch is medium-
large (it averages 330 grams), with medium-
sized, round, thin-skinned, blue-black berries.
Though not a particularly vigorous variety, it is
a decent and regular yielder that ripens by mid-
October and that shows good resistance to
grapevine pests and diseases. Currently, there
are no offi cially certifi ed clones.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
The wines tend to be saline, refreshing, and
bright but only medium-dark red due to low
anthocyanin concentrations. They are also usu-
ally quite refreshing and vibrant, due to high
levels of malic acid. The aromas and fl avors are
of fl owers, strawberry, and raspberry.
wines to try:
For vernaccia di Serrapetrona,
try: Alberto Quaquarini*** (both the Secca and
the Dolce), Colli di Serrapetrona** (especially
their
passito,
Sommo Rosso), Cantine Claudi**,
Fabrini**, and Lanfranco Quacquarini**. For
Serrapetrona Rosso, try: Colli di Serrapet-
rona** (Robbione).
wines to try:
There are no monovarietal wines
that I am aware of, though I am sure some local
grower makes some for home consumption. I
just haven't found him—yet.
Vernaccia Nera Grossa
where it's found:
Marche.
national regis-
try code number:
415.
color:
red.
The existence of Vernaccia Nera Grossa,
also called Vernaccia Nera Cerretana (as it grew
mainly around Cerreto d'Esi in the Marche),
was fi rst documented in 1877 by Carlo Mor-
belli, a professor of industrial chemistry who
wrote about it in the
Ampelographic Bulletin
briefl y published by the Ministry of Agricul-
ture, Industry, and Commerce (1876-81). Ver-
naccia Nera Grossa was moderately common at
that time in the area around Fabriano, and
today it is mostly grown in the higher reaches
of the Esino River basin. Though you will fi nd
the name Vernaccia Nera Grossa often used as
a synonym of Vernaccia Nera, the two are not
identical (this has been confi rmed by ampelo-
graphic and microsatellite studies) and the for-
mer variety was given its own National Registry
code number. In fact, morphologic differences
between the two varieties were apparent long
before DNA testing became the norm in ampel-
ologic circles, and in 1962 Bruni had already
hypothesized that the former was a biotype of
Vernaccina
where it's found:
Emilia-Romagna.
national
registry code number:
437.
color:
white.
Also known as Ribolla Piccola and typical of
the area around Rimini, Vernaccina was fi rst
described and studied accurately by De Bosis in
1879. Isoenzymatic analysis has shown it to be
different from all known
Vernaccia
grapes in
Italy, and genetic microsatellite studies are
under way. In the early part of the past century,
the variety fell out of favor because it gave poor
quality wine, but this was probably the result of
poor viticultural techniques: Vernaccina is a
very early ripener, but in times past farmers
used to harvest all the grapes together, thereby
condemning Vernaccina, picked much too late,
to give must that would invariably be oxidized
and fl at. It is characterized by medium-small,
triangular leaves with seven lobes, while the
bunch is medium-small to small, compact,
cylindrical, with a big wing; the berries are
