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Rossola nera is a red
Italian wine Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy. Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, with an area of under vineyard cultivation, and contributing a 2013–2017 annual average of 48.3 million hl of wine. In 2018 Italy accounted for ...
grape variety This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried ( raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see V ...
that has been growing in the
Valtellina Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; rm, Vuclina (); lmo, Valtelina or ; german: Veltlin; it, Valtellina) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Tod ...
region of
Lombardy (man), (woman) lmo, lumbard, links=no (man), (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , ...
since at least the 17th century. In 2004
DNA profiling DNA profiling (also called DNA fingerprinting) is the process of determining an individual's DNA characteristics. DNA analysis intended to identify a species, rather than an individual, is called DNA barcoding. DNA profiling is a forensic tec ...
determined that the grape has a parent-offspring relationship with the Piedmont wine grape
Nebbiolo Nebbiolo (, ; pms, nebieul ) is an Italian red wine grape variety predominantly associated with its native Piedmont region, where it makes the '' Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'' (DOCG) wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Roer ...
though which variety is the parent and which is the offspring is not yet clear. However, most
ampelographers Ampelography ( ἄμπελος, "vine" + γράφος, "writing") is the field of botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines, ''Vitis'' spp. Traditionally this has been done by comparing the shape and colour of the ...
believe that Nebbiolo is likely the parent variety since written records in Piedmont have noted Nebbiolo being grown since at least the 13th century.J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz ''Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours'' pgs 701-702, 915 Allen Lane 2012


History and relationship to other grapes

An early 17th century
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
text list Rossola nera, under the synonym ''Rossoladure'', as one of the grape varieties growing in Valtellina. The grape's name ''Rossola'' derives from the
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional It ...
word ''rosso'' and refers to the reddish-pink color that the grape berries become after ''
veraison In viticulture, veraison (french: véraison, ) is the onset of the ripening of the grapes. The official definition of ''veraison'' is "change of color of the grape berries". Veraison represents the transition from berry growth to berry ripening, ...
''. Several grape varieties have ''rosso'' in their primary names or synonyms and over the years Rossola nera has been confused for Rossara Trentina,
Rossignola Rossignola is a red Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Veneto wine region of northeast Italy. The variety was first mentioned growing in the province of Verona in the early 19th century and today is a permitted blending variety in se ...
and Rossolino nero. In 2001, DNA analysis would show that Rossola nera was a likely parent variety for Rossolino nero. In 2004, DNA evidence suggested that Rossola nera and Nebbiolo, the grape behind the notable Italian wines
Barolo Barolo ( , , ; pms, bareul ) is a red (DOCG) wine produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. It is made from the nebbiolo grape and is often described as one of Italy's greatest wines. The zone of production extends into the com ...
and
Barbaresco Barbaresco is an Italian wine made with the Nebbiolo grape. Barbaresco is produced in the Piedmont region in an area of the Langhe immediately to the east of Alba and specifically in the ''comune''s of Barbaresco, Treiso and Neive plus that ...
, have a parent-offspring relationship. With Nebbiolo's long recorded history of being cultivated in the Piedmont region since at least the 12th century, wine historians and ampelographers largely believe that Rossola nera is likely the offspring in that relationship. Through its parent-offspring relationship with Nebbiolo, Rossola nera is a half-sibling of several Piemontese wine grape varieties including:
Vespolina Vespolina is a red Italian wine grape variety that is planted in Piedmont around Gattinara and Ghemme. Ampelographer believe that the grape is most likely indigenous to this area of Piedmont and recent DNA profiling identified a parent-offspr ...
, Brugnola, Bubbierasco,
Nebbiolo rosé Nebbiolo (, ; pms, nebieul ) is an Italian red wine grape variety predominantly associated with its native Piedmont region, where it makes the ''Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'' (DOCG) wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, ...
,
Negretta Nielluccio is a red wine grape variety that is widely planted on Corsica. It is the principal grape variety used in the production of the '' Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' AOC red wine Patrimonio, where it must by law make up 95% of the blen ...
, Neretto di Bairo and
Freisa Freisa is a red Italian wine grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, primarily in Monferrato and in the Langhe, but also further north in the provinces of Turin and Biella. Freisa is a vigorous and productive vine whose r ...
.Ian D'Agata ''Native Wine Grapes of Italy'', pg 476 University of California Press 2014 Despite this new evidence of Rossola nera's likely heritage, there is still some confusion about the grape's relationship with similarly named vines grown elsewhere. This includes the dark-berried color
mutation In biology, a mutation is an alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA. Viral genomes contain either DNA or RNA. Mutations result from errors during DNA or viral replication, mitos ...
of
Trebbiano Trebbiano is an Italian wine grape, one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world. It gives good yields, but tends to yield undistinguished wine. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Also known as ugni blanc, it h ...
(Rossola bianca) that is grown in northern Italy as well as the ''Rossolo'' vine from the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol wine region that is often blended with Schiava (Trollinger). Wine expert
Oz Clarke Robert Owen Clarke (born 1949), known as Oz Clarke, is a British wine writer, actor, television presenter and broadcaster. Early life Clarke's parents were a chest physician and a nursing sister. He is of Irish descent and was brought up Roman ...
notes that there is long standing questions as to whether the ''Rossola nera'' vines grown in
Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast o ...
are the same vines, or closely related, to the Lombardy Rossola nera.Oz Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 203 Harcourt Books 2001


Viticulture

Rossola nera is a late-ripening grapevine that can be very vigorous and high yielding if not kept in check by winter
pruning Pruning is a horticultural, arboricultural, and silvicultural practice involving the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. The practice entails the ''targeted'' removal of diseased, damaged, dead, ...
or green harvesting. While the vine has good resistance to spring time
frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above- freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a ga ...
damage, it is susceptible to the
viticultural hazards This is a list of diseases of grapes (''Vitis'' spp.). Bacterial diseases Fungal diseases Miscellaneous diseases and disorders Nematodes, parasitic Phytoplasma, virus and viruslike diseases See also *'' Ampeloglypter ater'' *'' Am ...
of botrytis bunch rot and
powdery mildew Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants. Powdery mildew diseases are caused by many different species of ascomycete fungi in the order Erysiphales. Powdery mildew is one of the easier plant diseases to identify, as ...
.


Wine regions

In 2000 there were 115
hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ...
s (284 acres) of Rossola nera planted in Italy, the vast majority of it in the Valtellina region of Lombardy and extending all the way to the Swiss border. Here the grape is a minor blending component permitted to account for between 5-25% of the various ''
Denominazione di origine controllata The following four classifications of wine constitute the Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine: * ''Denominazione di origine'' (DO, rarely used; ; English: “designation of origin”), * ''Indicazione geografica ti ...
'' (DOC) red wines of Lombardy. In the Valtellina DOC, up to 20% of Rossola nera can be blended into the Nebbiolo-based wine (known locally as ''Chiavennasca'') provided the grapes are limited to a
harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...
yield of 12
tonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton (United States c ...
s/ha. The finished wine must be
aged Ageing ( BE) or aging ( AE) is the process of becoming older. The term refers mainly to humans, many other animals, and fungi, whereas for example, bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentially biologically immortal. In ...
for at least 2 years prior to release (3 years if a ''
Riserva Reserve wine is wine of a higher quality than usual, a wine that has been aged before sale, or both. Traditionally, winemakers would reserve some of their best wine rather than sell it immediately, coining the term. In some countries the use of t ...
'' bottling) with a minimum
alcohol level Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a volume percent). It is defined as the number of millilitres (mL) o ...
of at least 11%. Rossola nera is similarly permitted in the ''Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'' (DOCG) wines of Valtellina Superiore but only up to 10% of the blend. Yields for the DOCG wines are further restricted to a maximum of 8 tonnes/ha. While the aging requirements are the same the minimum alcohol level for the DOCG wine is 12%.P. Saunders ''Wine Label Language'' pg 143 Firefly Books 2004


Styles

According to
Master of Wine Master of Wine (MW) is a qualification (not an academic degree) issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom. The MW qualification is generally regarded in the wine industry as one of the highest standards of professional knowl ...
Jancis Robinson Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, ComMA, MW (born 22 April 1950) is a British wine critic, journalist and wine writer. She currently writes a weekly column for the ''Financial Times'', and writes for her website JancisRobinson.com, updated daily. She ...
, Rossola nera is most often used as a blending grape (frequently with Nebbiolo) where it contributes
acidity In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a sequ ...
to the blend.


Synonyms

Over the years Rossola nera has been known under a variety of synonyms including: Rossoladure, Rossera, Rossola and Rossolo. However,
Vitis International Variety Catalogue The Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) is a database of various species and varieties/cultivars of grapevine, the genus ''Vitis''. VIVC is administered by the Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding (''Institut für Rebenzüchtung Ge ...
(VIVC) managed by the Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding in Germany currently does not recognize any synonyms for the grape variety.
Vitis International Variety Catalogue The Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) is a database of various species and varieties/cultivars of grapevine, the genus ''Vitis''. VIVC is administered by the Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding (''Institut für Rebenzüchtung Ge ...
(VIVC)
Rossola Nera
' Accessed: April 23rd, 2013
The VIVC does list ''Rossola nera'' as a recognized synonym of
Mourvèdre Mourvèdre (also known as Mataro or Monastrell) is a red wine grape variety grown in many regions around the world including the Rhône and Provence regions of France, the Valencia and Jumilla and Yecla '' denominaciones de origen'' (DOs) of ...
.
Vitis International Variety Catalogue The Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) is a database of various species and varieties/cultivars of grapevine, the genus ''Vitis''. VIVC is administered by the Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding (''Institut für Rebenzüchtung Ge ...
(VIVC)
Mourvèdre
'' Accessed: April 23rd, 2013


References

{{reflist Red wine grape varieties