Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Livornese Bianca
berries midsized with a pale blue hue due to
plenty of bloom. Lambrusca di Vittona is curi-
ous in that its leaves have different shapes even
on the same plant, and walking through the
vineyards it's easy to see and recognize. Resis-
tant and fertile, it is however not that produc-
tive, due to the small bunches.
where it's found:
Tu sc a ny.
national regis-
try code number:
122.
color:
white.
Usually used as a blending agent in the
DOC Colli di Luni, not much is known about
this cultivar except that it actually grows more
in the area of Massa Carrara than it does near
Livorno. It seems to be resistant to both dis-
eases and climatic adversities.
Lambruschetta
where it's found:
Piedmont.
national reg-
istry code number:
not registered.
color:
red.
Described already in the 1800s and known
already then to be distinct from Lambrusca di
Alessandria, Lambruschetta was highly valued,
though locals erroneously believed that it was
related to the
Lambrusco
s of Emilia-Romagna.
Today it grows only near Castelnuovo Bormida,
in the province of Alessandria, but I have yet to
see it in vineyards there. It has a medium-sized
and pyramidal bunch, with small, round ber-
ries, and is fairly resistant. It is currently being
studied for its wine potential.
Maiolica
where it's found:
Abruzzo.
national regis-
try code number:
126.
color:
red.
Maiolica's origins are unknown, though it
seems to have lived in Umbria, Marche, and
Abruzzo for centuries; it has been documented
in Abruzzo since 1892. Today it is most com-
mon in the Abruzzo provinces of Pescara and
Chieti, while it is scarce in the Marche. An
abundant producer, it is sensitive to cold tem-
peratures. Usually it is blended with Montepul-
ciano; prior to blending, the wine is ruby-violet,
with aromas of spices and violets, medium
body and structure, and low acidity.
Lecinara
where it's found:
Lazio.
national registry
code number:
442.
color:
red.
In the 1881 Ampelographic Bulletin of the
Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Com-
merce, Lecinara, also named Lecinaro, was con-
sidered a synonym of Zinna di Vacca, Lecina,
and Cicirana. Today its diffusion is limited to a
very small area in southeastern Lazio, between
the Valle del Comino and the Valle del Liri,
near Frosinone. The bunch is medium-sized,
conical, usually winged, and fairly compact
with medium-sized, elliptical, blue-purple ber-
ries. Microvinifi cations reveal a red-purple
color, and a delicate nose of rose and violet, with
red-berry nuances. On the palate there is high
acidity and a very light structure, so this is a
grape probably best suited to make light reds.
Biochemical analysis has revealed signifi cant
concentrations of phenylethanol in the wine,
which smells of roses.
Maligia
where it's found:
Emilia-Romagna.
national
registry code number:
not registered.
color:
white.
A white grape variety already known in the
Middle Ages according to Pier de' Crescenzi
(1305), Maligia has always found its home
around the Emilia-Romagna towns between
Modena and Forlì, especially around Imola and
Faenza. It was once one of the most common
varieties planted on the hills of Imola, especially
near Dozza (where it was called Malis), but today
it also grows in Romagna and Emilia, around
Bologna, where they call it Maligia, Malise, or
Malisia. It is also referred to as Maligia Omalise,
though some believe this may be a biotype;
Tanara (1644) believed that it was related to the
Malvasia
family, but we know this not to be
the case. Agazzotti (1867) was not a fan at all,
