Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
no one can be sure. Initial studies performed at
the University of Perugia did rule out any simi-
larity with other major and local Italian varie-
ties. Unfortunately, provincial funds allocated
in 2009 for the study of the Cornetta grape
were diverted to another project before reach-
ing their destination and so we curious folks
were left in the lurch.
Over at the Di Filippo estate, which has kept
up production of vernaccia di Cannara, a his-
toric wine of the Cannara area near Perugia,
they believe the two varieties are different.
Emma and Roberto di Filippo have told me over
the years that in their area, vernaccia was the
name used for this variety, not because of a
relationship to other
Vernaccia
cultivars, but
because the grapes were air-dried through the
winter to make a sweet wine (hence, at least in
this specifi c case,
vernaccia
from the Latin
ver-
num
)
.
Furthermore, as local producers wished
to call their wine vernaccia di Cannara, the only
way to do so was to rename the Cornetta grape
Vernaccia Nera, otherwise the “Vernaccia”
name would have been legally off limits. In the
words of Emma di Filippo, “What we did, incor-
rectly I know, was to use a technical paradox to
resolve a bureaucratic paradox. The latter was a
real impediment to any commercial success the
wine might have: it's one thing to sell a famous
wine such as Vernaccia di Cannara, and quite
another to try and sell a Cornetta wine nobody
has ever heard of.” You know, Italy wouldn't
really be Italy without this sort of clever initia-
tive and ingenuity.
Cornetta is characterized by a conical-
pyramidal bunch, with crescent or oval berries.
It is very susceptible to oidium, less so to botry-
tis, and is very vigorous; therefore, both deleaf-
ing and green harvests in the spring and sum-
mer are necessary to ensure proper ripening of
the grapes. There are no offi cial clones availa-
ble and quality-minded producers opt for old
massal selections when they need to replant
their vineyards. Cornetta grows only near Can-
nara in the province of Perugia (between Tor-
giano and Montefalco, two very well-known
wine towns).
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Vernaccia di Cannara has to be made with at
least 85 percent Cornetta, with the other 15 per-
cent made up of red varieties authorized for
cultivation in the province, but most examples
are monovarietal or close to it.
The wine is always made from air-dried
grapes, and is bright deep red, redolent of sweet
red- and black-cherry aromas and fl avors, com-
plicated by notes of blackberry jam and cinna-
mon and other sweet aromatic spices. It fi n-
ishes long and fresh, and is usually blessed
with high acidity (roughly 6-6.5 grams per
liter) and residual sugars of about 120 grams
per liter. It is not unlike a less massive, less
sweet Recioto della Valpolicella or a more tan-
nic, richer California black muscat wine. For
what it's worth, I don't think it tastes at all like
a sweet wine made with Vernaccia Nera, as
these are usually more aromatic and fl oral.
Wines from different producers can differ
greatly: since Vernaccia di Cannara is the prod-
uct of air-dried grapes, left on straw mats (or
more hygienic, EU-approved plastic shelves) for
three to four months, the individual length of
air-drying greatly affects wine taste profi les.
wines to try:
Di Filippo*** (really lovely, and
the only monovarietal Cornetta wine I know—
don't miss it).
Cortese
where it's found:
Piedmont.
national reg-
istry code number:
69.
color:
white.
Cortese is a grape variety that has seen the
ups and downs of life. Back in the 1960s and
1970s, it was desired by all, invited everywhere,
admired, and imitated. This was because Gavi,
then Italy's most famous white wine, is made
with Cortese. Then the 1980s arrived, and so
did the fi rst few wrinkles on Cortese's image:
too many wines made with Cortese, Gavi
included, were neutral, tart, and meager, and
wine lovers turned their fi ckle attention to
other varieties and other wines. Today, Cortese
is back, a little like an older lady or gentleman
