Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
FIVE
Little-Known Native and
Traditional Grape Varieties
In many topics and articles (both schol-
arly and not) devoted to the subject of native
cultivars, and even in everyday wine tastings
and discussions, Italy's “other native grapes”
are often referred to as “minor grape varieties.”
I think this is a shame, but “rare grape varie-
ties” isn't much better. I prefer to refer to these
grapes as “little-known” cultivars, in an effort
not to stress their scarcity and thereby put them
at a disadvantage with respect to better-known
varieties. As long as we continue to view culti-
vars that are not widely grown as “minor,” we
will inadvertently continue to damage them, by
implying that they are children of a lesser
grape-god.
In all honesty, given the many lackluster
Italian wines made with Chardonnay, I think a
good argument can be made that there are few
grape varieties in Italy more “minor” than that
very famous cultivar. Chardonnay is unques-
tionably a truly great grape variety in Burgundy
and in parts of Sonoma, Napa, Australia, and
other countries. But with perhaps two or three
exceptions, it is never a truly great grape variety
in Italy (before Italian producers start waiting
for me outside my home with less than friendly
intentions, let me add that I think Italy makes
world-class sauvignon blancs and pinot
grigios).
At present, grapes and wines made from the
likes of Veneto's Spigamonte or Sardinia's
Granazza are little known, but this may not be
true for long. In fact, among the hundreds of
little-known grape varieties already identifi ed,
and the many hundreds more that await redis-
covery, there are—are bound to be—true gems.
This is because the reasons that led to some
native grape varieties being abandoned, even
risking extinction, are no longer valid today.
Modern wine drinkers value wines in different
ways than did our wine drinking ancestors.
With better characterization of each of these
little-known cultivars, it may be that a large
number will show unexpected enological
potential, and lead in turn to new and interest-
ing monovarietal wines in the bottle. Then
again, maybe not—but the trick is to undertake
a voyage of discovery.
Over the years, my tastings of essentially
unknown varieties such as Ucelut and Vuiller-
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