Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
and dependable producer, it does best in well-
ventilated sites and on marly-clay, fresh soils
(due to their clay content, which allows for
water retention). The ventilation aspect is obvi-
ously key with Pinella, in view of its supertight
bunches, and it won't surprise anyone to know
that botrytis bunch rot can be a big problem.
world. The vines hug the slopes, planted on lit-
tle terraces stolen from the cliffs and trained
with a low canopy, so that you often need to get
on all fours and look up to see the beautiful pale
green, almost white grapes. In a truly enchanted
landscape, fi rst described by Horace Bénédict
de Saussure in the eighteenth century, Prié
usually thrives on ungrafted vines since phyl-
loxera doesn't survive cold mountain environ-
ments, at altitudes (from eight hundred to
twelve hundred meters above sea level) that are
anathema to most other grape varieties. In fact,
Prié grows in the highest vineyards of Europe,
though there's a Swiss
vigneron
or two who'll
argue that.
Prié is the oldest documented variety of
Valle d'Aosta. The earliest mention of the name
Prié is found in a manuscript dated January 22,
1691, detailing the sale of specific goods,
excluding a parcel of vines of Priés situated in
the Clos Morant near Saint-Pierre. Another
interesting manuscript contains the 1786-93
cellar records of Louis-Joseph Cunéaz from
Gressan, who recorded
vin blanc
and
vin prié,
most likely because these were made with dif-
ferent varieties (the former wine was most
likely made from Blanc Comun). Due to its old
age, Prié has been shown to be one of the two
parents of a slew of other Valle d'Aosta grapes,
including Roussin de Morgex, Primetta, May-
olet, and Blanc Comun. Surprisingly, genetic
profi ling has revealed that it is most likely an
offspring of Lugliatica Bianca (known as Lig-
nan Blanc in France), a now rare variety diffuse
all over Europe in the sixteenth century. Prié's
name probably refers to the wine's use in Sun-
day Mass by priests (
prier,
in French, or pray);
other records show that the church discouraged
using red wines for Holy Mass because they
were too liable to stain the priest's white garb.
Prié is actually better known as Prié Blanc, a
more recent name created to differentiate the
variety from Prié Rouge (Prëmetta or Primetta).
Other synonyms include Blanc de Valdigne
(the Valdigne is the northernmost part of the
Valle d'Aosta and Prié's natural home) and
Agostenga, which is best not used because it
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Today you're likely to fi nd very few vines of
Pinella, as it only grows in sporadic rows in
Veneto around Padova, where it's used as a
blending grape for DOCs Colli Euganei Pinella,
Colli Euganei Bianco, and Bagnoli di Sopra
Bianco wines. However, interest in its fi ne
winemaking potential is considerable and
monovarietal wines can be found. There is also
a Pinela (or Pinjela) variety in Slovenia, where
they also make monovarietal wines with it, but
in the absence of accurate ampelographic
description or genetic profi ling, it is unclear if
these two similarly named varieties are identi-
cal or distinct. I have never tasted wines made
with the non-Italian variety so I can't add any-
thing to that discussion. Pinella wine has a
delicately aromatic nose of sweet spices and
fl owers (jasmine), and it is bright and fresh on
the palate with hints of pineapple and apple.
The variety's acidity is such that sparkling
wines can also be made from it.
wines to try:
Francesca Callegaro** (Antichi
Reassi), Le Coste** (Rime Disperse, aged in
oak barrels), Cantine dei Colli Tramonte*
(Pinello di Pinello Spumante), and Dotto
Lidio* (Pinello, a sparkling wine).
Prié
where it's found:
Valle d'Aosta.
national
registry code number:
311.
color:
white.
I'm scared of heights, and getting into a jeep
to drive up alpine paths more suited to moun-
tain goats and mules always proves a daunting
experience. Unfortunately for my coronaries,
Prié only grows in mountaintop vineyards that
are, arguably, among the most beautiful in the
