Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
As there are many different-looking Ver-
dello grapevines, I'm afraid that DNA profi ling
of a very large number of accessions will be nec-
essary to establish defi nitive identities. Cer-
tainly there appear to be at the very least differ-
ent biotypes of Verdello: one particularly
high-quality biotype is found in the area hug-
ging the border between Umbria and Lazio,
and another good one grows in Tuscany's lower
Maremma region. Two clones are also available:
V 27 ICA-PG and VCR 1. Stefano Grilli, of the
esteemed La Palazzola estate in Umbria,
believes that the grape probably fi rst arrived
with some Hungarian monks in the mid-nine-
teenth century, who were moving to the Fran-
ciscan Sant' Urbano monastery near his estate.
Verdello's popularity then took off, as it is a
dependable and abundant producer and does
not succumb easily to disease, though in
Umbria it appears to be prone to grey rot. Over-
all, Verdello is a very late ripening variety
(October) and is always blessed with high natu-
ral acidity.
On the Tuscan coast, the problem for Ver-
dello is that it has had to fi ght Vermentino's
huge popularity, and so producers there all pre-
fer to make vermentino rather than verdello,
since the former will sell much better. Which is
not to say that this is as it should be, since a
well-made verdello has plenty to offer.
wines to try:
La Palazzola*** and Cantina di
Pitigliano** (Duropersico).
Verdicchio
where it's found:
Marche, Veneto, Lombardy,
Lazio.
national registry code number:
254.
color:
white.
Verdicchio is arguably Italy's greatest native
white grape variety. That statement may come
as a surprise to those who have tried only neu-
tral or watery Verdicchio wines, at times even
bottled in improbable amphora-shaped bottles.
Paradoxically, these latter wines vividly illus-
trate Verdicchio's potential, as wine bottled in
such a ludicrously shaped vessel has no busi-
ness being as good as it actually is. Verdicchio
is used to produce all kinds of wines, from dry
to sweet to sparkling, though the best are dry,
some of which can easily age ten or more years.
It is also most probably the one Italian native
white grape whose wines have the greatest
affi nity with oak aging; most wines made with
Italian native cultivars are overwhelmed by
overenthusiastic oak use. The only other white
varieties in Italy that can match Verdicchio's
versatility and potential for great wines are
Veneto's Garganega (with which Soave and
Recioto di Soave are made) and Campania's
Fiano.
Verdicchio is one of the many Italian varie-
ties named for its color, in this case the very
obviously green
(verde)
tinged berries. Other
less common synonyms for the variety all hark
back to the grape's hue : Verdone, Verzana, Ver-
detto, and Verzello. Verdicchio has been grown
in central Italy at least since the fi fteenth cen-
tury, though some have postulated its presence
between Jesi and Matelica in the Marche as
early as the eighth century. In Veneto, there is a
wealth of documentation detailing the presence
of a
Trebbiano
variety since at least the thir-
teenth century: unfortunately, there is no way
of knowing which of the many
Trebbiano
varie-
ties was being discussed. In any case, a locally
produced
Trebbiano
(Turbianum, Tribianum,
or Terbianum) was well known then, and
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Verdello grows in Umbria and Tuscany, along
the latter's coastline; it appears to grow particu-
larly well in clay-rich soils. Wines to look for are
DOC Orvieto, Bianco di Pitigliano, Colli
Amerini, Colli del Trasimeno, and Torgiano
Bianco; the variety is almost always used in
blends, and a pure verdello is rare. This is a
shame, for over the years I have tasted some
outstanding examples of Verdello wine, and the
grape has a lot to say. The wine is less saline
than vermentino, with riper, fruitier aromas
and fl avors (green apple, ripe pear, citrus, white
fl owers, and a hint of chlorophyll). It is always
simple and fresh, but with a lot more character
than you might think.
