Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
from Canaiolo Nero and those
Malvasia
s, Per-
ricone's high polyphenol content also helps
increase Nero d'Avola's textural presence. In
general, wines made in southeastern Sicily to
me seem less intensely colored and less astrin-
gent, even though this grape's high polyphenol
content ensures a very tactile, and at times
coarse, mouthfeel. Producers outside Perri-
cone's classic production zone in western Sicily
believe theirs is a different biotype, accounting
for the different characteristics of their wines. I
believe Perricone is underrated and deserves to
be followed with interest.
ond-degree relationships (grandfather-grand-
son, uncle-nephew, or half brothers) with most
of the other red grapes of the Valle d'Aosta,
especially Cornalin, Roussin, and Neyret de
Saint-Vincent. Due to the intricate ramifi ca-
tions of this family tree, some have postulated
that the
Oriou
s are best viewed as members of
a variety-population rather than as wholly dis-
tinct varieties, but the concept of variety-popu-
lations is not accepted by most modern
ampelologists.
Petit Rouge, then called Picciourouzo, was
fi rst mentioned by Gatta in 1838, but Vouil-
lamoz and Moriondo (2011) recently located
what they estimated to be a two-hundred- to
three-hundred-year-old vine of Petit Rouge near
Chambave. Actually, Gatta described two very
different-looking Petit Rouge vines, which he
differentiated by the numbers 12 and 21-25 (of
these, the real Petit Rouge was number 21-25).
Nevertheless, Petit Rouge is still fourth in line
in order of historical citation among the Valle
d'Aosta natives, after Prié (1691), Fumin (1785),
and Mayolet (1787). Today, there are roughly
thirty hectares of Petit Rouge, mainly planted
in the middle valley, from Saint-Vincent to
Arvier, especially around Aymaville, Saint-
Pierre, and Villeneuve, where it is a very impor-
tant red variety.
wines to try:
Tamburello** (Pietragavina; the
family deserves credit for rescuing a native
grape at risk of being forgotten; their fi rst vin-
tage was 2003 and met with enough success to
inspire other producers), Barraco*, Castellucci
Miano* (Maravita), Caruso & Minini* (in their
I Sicani lineup of wines, the Sachia, a non-
oaked Perricone), and Feotto dello Jatto* (Vigna
Curria).
Petit Rouge
where it's found:
Valle d'Aosta.
national
registry code number:
186.
color:
red.
Petit Rouge is one of the oldest and most
important cultivars of the Valle d'Aosta: while
other native red grapes risked extinction only
twenty years ago, this was never true of Petit
Rouge. Characterized by great intravarietal
variability, refl ected in a large number of bio-
types, it is the senior member of the ancient
Oriou
family of grapes, named after a hamlet
near Saint-Vincent, which included such
Oriou
biotypes as Oriou Curaré, Oriou Voirard, Oriou
Gris, Oriou Lombard, Oriou Gros, and more.
Recent DNA analysis by Vouillamoz and Mori-
ondo (2011) demonstrated Petit Rouge to be,
with Mayolet, one of the two parents of Rouge
du Pays (also known as Rouge du Valais, typical
of Switzerland's Valais region), and likely of
Vien de Nus as well (but the other parent is
unknown). Furthermore, its family tree shows
that it's a brother of Fumin and that it has sec-
Which Wines to Choose and Why
There are some wonderful monovarietal Petit
Rouge wines made today, which can be particu-
larly fruity midweight wines. However, the
most famous wine is a blend, the DOC Torrette,
where Petit Rouge is the main variety (70 per-
cent at least), with small percentages of May-
olet, Fumin, Vuillermin, and other local varie-
ties (none can exceed 10 percent of the total).
Tor re t te is a
cru
where Petit Rouge seems to
produce wines of particular fi nesse and depth.
Though an important and high-quality variety,
I am not sure that Petit Rouge is one of the
region's most exciting grapes: my preferences
go to Mayolet and Vuillermin. But Petit Rouge
has a versatility and dependability that explains
its great success. Its name may mean, when
