Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Something grapes have been described over the
centuries. For example, the 1868 Bollettino
Ampelografi co of the Vicenza area listed seven
Marzemina s: Marzemina, Marzemina Bas-
tarda, Marzemina Gentile, Marzeminone, Mar-
zemina Rossa, Marzemina Groppella, and Mar-
zemina Oseleta. One wonders if some of those
Marzemina s really weren't other varieties alto-
gether, such as Oseleta or one of the Groppello s.
Not long thereafter it was determined that Mar-
zeminone was synonymous with Marzemina
Grossa, though Marzotto in 1925 distinguished
between the former and a Marzemina Grossa
that grew only around Brogliano near Vicenza.
According to him it had even bigger berries and
bunches. He also pointed out that there was a
Marzemina Gentile that was identical to the
grape called Balsamina di Forlì in Emilia-
Romagna. Though most of these grapes were
described as early ripening (some were picked
as early as mid-August) and productive, not all
were so: Marzemina Gentile was described by
Marzotto as ripening in late September and
even October. Clearly, besides confusing the
various Marzemina s between themselves and
other grapes too, many also confused the Mar-
zemina s with Marzemino, though looking at
the underside of the leaves helped (hairy in
Marzemino, smooth in the Marzemina s). In
more modern times, some light has fi nally been
shed on this subject, as genetic studies by Sal-
maso, Dalla Valle, and Lucchin (2008) showed
that Marzemina Nera and Marzemina
Cenerenta were identical at thirty SSR loci, but
different from Marzemina Bianca and Marze-
mina Nera Bastarda (commonly also called
Marzemina Grossa Bastarda). Others have told
me there is also a Marzemina Friulana, which
appears to be distinct from these Marzemina s of
Veneto.
Marzemina Nera is the most abundant of
the Marzemina s that still exist today, but it's
still not very common. Once abundant, espe-
cially in the area around Padova, Marzemina
Nera is present today in sporadic plantings
there and in the vineyards around Verona.
Though it is no longer common, I have seen it
during my vineyard walks, and can guarantee
that it is immediately recognizable, with an
extremely large, long bunch almost cascading
from the vine. It also has very indented leaves,
and between its massive look and the indented,
jagged leaves, it's like no other red variety com-
monly found in Valpolicella. The grape cluster
is indeed huge (875 grams on average), pyra-
midal, winged, with reportedly black-blue,
round berries. Though I was told the grape-
vines I visited were Marzemina Nera, I now
think it is most likely that what I observed was
Marzemina Grossa. The Tedeschi estate in Val-
policella is growing Marzemina Nera (Grossa,
most likely) in one of its vineyards: anyone
interested in taking a gander can count on Ric-
cardo Tedeschi gladly showing you the vine-
yard (though I caution the well-fed among us
grape watchers and wine lovers that the walk is
all uphill!).
Maturano
where it's found: Lazio. national registry
code number: 424. color: white.
In the 1881 Ampelographic Bulletin from
the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, and
Commerce, there were two Maturano varieties
described. Maturano Nero di Alvito, a red
grape, and Maturano (or Motulano), a white
grape. We do not yet know if the two varieties
are in fact related or just called by similar
names. The latter appears to have been used to
make a well-regarded wine, a favorite of writer
D. H. Lawrence when he visited Italy. Only this
Maturano is found in any signifi cant quantities
today, but its diffusion is limited to a very small
area in southeastern Lazio, between the Valle
del Comino and the Valle del Liri. The bunch is
medium-sized, conical, winged, and fairly com-
pact with medium-sized berries characterized
by a terminal depression or umbilicus. The
wine is yellow-green and not aromatic, with
striking green tinges, fl oral and citrus aromas,
and good structure. There are producers in
Lazio planning to release a monovarietal bot-
tling soon.
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