Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
accumulate much sugar (hence low alcohol lev-
els) and has low acidity, it is not ideal for mon-
ovarietal bottling.
and red-berry notes, plus black cherry fl avors
on a midweight frame.
Uva della Cascina
Turchet ta
where it's found:
Lombardy, Piedmont.
na -
tional registry code number:
not registered.
color:
red.
Uva della Cascina was recently rediscovered:
four estates in Lombardy replanted this variety
in the early 1990s, though it also grows spo-
radically in Piedmont, where it is called Uva
della Cassina. The bunch is pyramidal, loosely
packed, and medium-large; the berry is
medium-large too. Vigorous and disease resis-
tant, it buds early, so spring frosts are a risk.
Winemaker Mauro Maffi is working closely
with this variety but has yet to produce a mon-
ovarietal wine; thus far he blends in about 30
percent of Freisa and Barbera. The wine is
lightly aromatic and fresh, and resembles Pied-
mont's ruché somewhat. I think this variety
has real potential.
where it's found:
Veneto.
national regis-
try code number:
410.
color:
red.
In an ampelographic bulletin from 1884-
87, there are both a Turchetta and a Calma Tur-
chetta described, the former the more com-
monly grown of the two. It's hard however to be
sure of just how common Turchetta was in the
past, as experts often wrote of a grape called
Turca, and it's not clear whether they were
referring to Turchetta or really to Turca, a dis-
tinct variety. The grape bunch is medium-
small (average of 250 grams), pyramidal, and
winged; the berry is medium-sized, round,
very thick skinned, and blue-black. The Tede-
schi estate in Valpolicella has planted a few
rows of Turchetta vines in a portion of a vine-
yard devoted to rare native varieties (where they
also have Marzemina Nera, Corbina, and
Recantina) and Riccardo Tedeschi is very happy
about this cultivar's winemaking potential.
The microvinifi cations I have tried are indeed
impressive, with wines showing very intense
raspberry and blackberry aromas, good acidity,
supple tannins, and a saline nuance on the fi n-
ish. It is a bigger, fuller-bodied wine than the
one made with Turca.
wines to try:
In Lombardy, Fortesi** is mak-
ing experimental batches, on sale at the estate.
If you're in the area, don't miss it.
Uva Tosca
where it's found:
Emilia-Romagna.
national
registry code number:
249.
color:
red.
Uva Tosca was fi rst described by Tanara in
1644. Very little is known about this variety,
though it seems to have been popular with local
growers, as it survives well at seven hundred to
nine hundred meters above sea level, where the
various
Lambrusco
varieties do not. Today it is
found mainly around the hamlets of Zocca,
Ploinago, Ligonchio, and Carpiteti, and espe-
cially in the high Valle del Secchia where it is
the only variety that will grow. The bunch is
large, pyramidal, and sparse, with two wings
and large, thick-skinned, grey-red berries; the
variety is prone to berry shot. It is usually ripe
by mid-September. Recent genetic work with
Uva del Fantini
where it's found:
Emilia-Romagna.
national
registry code number:
435.
color:
red.
Uva del Fantini is a recently rediscovered
variety, as a century-old vine was found by
Luigi Fantini, and the variety is named after
him. The vine is very vigorous and accumulates
lots of sugar, but very little is known about it,
save that it does not share genetic profi les with
any other known varieties (Fontana, Filippetti,
Pastore, and Intrieri 2007). Microvinifi cations
have revealed a ruby-purple wine, with fl oral
