Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
drought and because it's a very consistent, reli-
able producer and very adaptable to different
soils. While some producers claim that Ron-
dinella is an invaluable part of Valpolicella or
Amarone as it confers a lovely herbaceous note
to the wines, others insist that the variety's
greatest and perhaps only real virtue is its reli-
able and at times very neutral output. Noble rot
doesn't hit it as much as it does the other typical
grapes of the Valpolicella; according to Boscaini,
this is probably because its skin doesn't allow
the botrytis hyphae to penetrate through to the
fl esh.
Rondinella is harvested at the end of Sep-
tember. There are a slew of clones to choose
from: R 1, ISV-CV 73, ISV-CV 76, ISV-CV 23,
VCR 32, and VCR 38. Rondinella is considered
to be indispensable for Recioto, since it accu-
mulates sugars much better than the other
varieties used, while it is not appreciated much
as a monovarietal dry wine, giving neutral
wines that at best can have a pleasant herbal
touch. The best way to taste it is in Bardolino
and Valpolicella, where it can compose up to 30
percent of the blend. I know of no pure 100 per-
cent rondinella wines. Strange as it may seem,
Rondinella has been planted in Australia,
where it has met with some success. It is grown
in the Hilltops region by Freeman Vineyards,
where it is blended with Corvina in an Ama-
rone-style wine; this estate also makes a mono-
varietal rosato called Rondò. I am told that in
the Southern Highlands region, Centennial
Vineyards also made a limited-release Ron-
dinella wine in the past.
wine is also a dark pink or light red, with very
complex aromas of red berries, licorice, and
black pepper, and a graceful, high-acid,
medium-bodied mouthfeel. A grape that
grows at relatively high altitudes (six hundred
meters), Rosciola might be very interesting to
work with, as the wines, at least at this early
stage, seem impressive.
Rossetta di Montagna
where it's found: Veneto. national regis-
try code number: not registered. color: red.
Rossetta di Montagna was fi rst described
by Moroni in 1775 (according to Calò,
Paronetto, and Rorato 1996) and later by Sor-
mani-Moretti, who documented its presence
around the shores of Lake Garda as well as in
Valpantena and Valpolicella. It has a medium-
small, short grape bunch with medium-large,
irregularly oval berries of a pretty pinkish-red
hue. Biting into a ripe berry will reveal a very
tannic skin. This is one variety I have not been
able to taste the microvinifi cation of, so I am at
a loss to pass judgment on its winemaking
potential: researchers in Verona tell me they
were completely unimpressed by what they
tried.
Rossignola
where it's found: Veneto. national regis-
try code number: 214. color: red.
Not the darkest or most complex red wine
you'll ever taste, Rossignola's tendency to give
light, uncomplicated red wines has turned it
into essentially a blending grape, used to sup-
ply freshness. First described by Moroni in
1775 (according to Calò, Paronetto, and Rorato
1996), then by Pollini in 1824 and Acerbi in
1825, it is most typically found around Verona
and on the shores of Lake Garda. It is a
dependable producer and adds a nice saline
touch (much like Molinara) to wines it is
added to. You are most likely to fi nd it in DOCs
Bardolino, Breganze Rosso, Garda, Valdadige,
Rosciola
where it's found: Lazio. national registry
code number: 429. color: red.
In the 1881 Ampelographic Bulletin of the
Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, and Com-
merce, Rosciola is also named Pentellino or
Rosaiola. The bunch is medium-sized, cylin-
drical, and not too compact, with medium-
sized, pink-red, round berries characterized
by a terminal depression or umbilicus. The
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