Trebbiano is an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
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 has many other names reflecting a family of local subtypes, particularly in Italy and France.
[Robinson, Jancis ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'' Mitchell Beazley 1986 ] Its high acidity makes it important in
Cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the Communes of France, commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the Departments of France, departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cogn ...
and
Armagnac
Armagnac (, ) is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in the Armagnac (region), Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend of grapes including Baco 22A, Colombard, Folle blanche and Ugni ...
productions.
History
Trebbiano may have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, and was known in Italy in Roman times. A subtype was recognized in Bologna in the thirteenth century, and as Ugni blanc made its way to France, possibly during the Papal retreat to Avignon in the fourteenth century.
An Italian study published in 2008 using
DNA typing
Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
showed a close genetic relationship between
Garganega
Garganega (, ; meaning "from Gargano") is a variety of white Italian wine grape widely grown in the Veneto region of North East Italy, particularly in the provinces of Verona and Vicenza. It is Italy's 6th most widely planted white grape. ...
on the one hand and Trebbiano and several other grape varieties on the other hand. It is therefore possible that Garganega is one of the parents of Trebbiano; however, since the parents of Garganega have not been identified, the exact nature of the relationship could not be conclusively established. Also, in the early 21st century, DNA analysis has suggested that there may be a close genetic relationship between Trebbiano and the Emilia-Romagna wine grape
Alionza
Alionza is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Emilia-Romagna region of north central Italy, where it has a long history of being used since the 14th century as both a table grape and blending grape for wine production. While s ...
.
During a series of trials between 1924 and 1930, Trebbiano was
crossed with
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer () is an aromatic wine grape variety, used in white wines, and which performs best in cooler climates. In English, it is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz ( ; although this is never the case in German, because mean ...
to create the pink-skinned Italian wine grape variety
Manzoni rosa.
Distribution and wines
Argentina
Like many Italian grapes, Trebbiano came to Argentina with Italian immigrants.
Australia
"White Hermitage" came to Australia with James Busby in 1832.
The major plantings are in New South Wales and South Australia, where it is mostly used for brandy and for blending with other grapes in table wine.
Bulgaria
It is known as 'Thalia' in both Bulgaria and Portugal.
France
'Ugni blanc' is the most widely planted white grape of France, being found particularly along the Provençal coast, in the Gironde and Charente. It is also known as 'Clairette Ronde', 'Clairette de Vence', 'Queue de Renard', and in
Corsica
Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
as 'Rossola'.
Under the name 'St. Émilion,' Trebbiano is important in
brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...
production, being the most common grape variety in
Cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the Communes of France, commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the Departments of France, departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cogn ...
and
Armagnac
Armagnac (, ) is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in the Armagnac (region), Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend of grapes including Baco 22A, Colombard, Folle blanche and Ugni ...
.
In the
Armagnac
Armagnac (, ) is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in the Armagnac (region), Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend of grapes including Baco 22A, Colombard, Folle blanche and Ugni ...
/
Côtes de Gascogne
Côtes de Gascogne is a wine-growing district in Gascony producing principally white wine. It is mainly located in the Departments of France, département of the Gers in the former Midi-Pyrénées region (now part of the Occitanie region), and i ...
area it is also used in the white
Floc de Gascogne
The Floc de Gascogne is a regional apéritif from the Côtes de Gascogne and Armagnac (province), Armagnac regions of South West France (wine region), Sud-Ouest wine region of France. It is a ''vin de liqueur'' Fortified wine, fortified with Arm ...
.
Italy

The Trebbiano family account for around a third of all white wine in Italy. It is mentioned in more than 80 of Italy's
DOC
DOC, Doc, doc or DoC may refer to:
People and characters
* Doc, an abbreviation of doctor
* Doc (nickname)
* Doc (mascot), the Towson University mascot
Persons
* The D.O.C., American rapper (born 1968)
* Doc Gallows (born 1983), ring nam ...
s ("Controlled origin denominations"), although it has just seven of its own :
Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC
Abruzzo (Abruzzi e Molise#History, historically : Abruzzi) is an Italian wine region located in the mountainous central Italian region of Abruzzo, along the Adriatic Sea. It is bordered by the Molise wine region to the south, Marche to the north a ...
, Trebbiano di Aprilia, Trebbiano di Arborea, Trebbiano di Capriano del Colle, Trebbiano di Romagna and Trebbiano Val Trebbia dei Colli Piacentini and Trebbiano di Soave.
Perhaps the most successful Trebbiano-based blend are the Orvieto whites of Umbria, which use a local clone called Procanico.
Trebbiano is also used to produce
balsamic vinegar
Balsamic vinegar () is a dark, concentrated, intensely flavoured vinegar made wholly or partially from Must, grape must: freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds, and stems.
Etymology
The Italian language, Italian word (from Lat ...
.
Trebbiano is one of the most commonly cultivated vines in
Atri
Atri or Attri is a Vedic sage, who is credited with composing numerous shlokas to Agni, Indra, and other Vedic deities of Hinduism. Atri is one of the Saptarishi (seven great Vedic sages) in the Hindu tradition, and the one most mentioned in ...
, modern name of
Hatria.
Portugal
As in Bulgaria, the variety is known as 'Thalia' in Portugal.
United States
Italian immigrants brought Trebbiano to California, but is seldom seen as a single variety table wine.
Vine and viticulture
The vine is vigorous and high-yielding, with long cylindrical bunches of tough-skinned berries that yield acidic yellow juice.
Synonyms
Albano, Albana secco, Biancone, Blanc Auba, Blanc De Cadillac, Blancoun, Bobiano, Bonebeou, Branquinha, Brocanico, Bubbiano, Buriano, Buzzetto, Cadillac, Cadillate, Castelli, Castelli Romani, Castillone, Chator, Clairette D'Afrique, Clairette De Vence, Clairette Ronde, Engana Rapazes, Espadeiro branco, Falanchina, Greco, Gredelin, Hermitage White, Juni Blan, Lugana, Malvasia Fina, Muscadet Aigre, Padeiro branco, Perugino, Procanico, Procanico Dell Isola D Elba, Procanico Portoferraio, Queue De Renard, Romani, Rossan De Nice, Rossetto, Rossola, Rossula, Roussan, Roussea, Rusciola, Saint Emilion, Saint Emilion Des Charentes, Santoro, Shiraz White, Spoletino, Talia, Trebbianello, Trebbiano, Trebbiano Della Fiamma, Trebbiano Di Cesena, Trebbiano Di Empoli, Trebbiano Di Lucca, Trebbiano Di Tortona, Trebbiano Fiorentino, Trebbiano Toscano, Trebbianone, Tribbiano, Tribbiano Forte, Turbiano, Ugni blanc,
Bouan, Beau, Thalia,
Trebbiano Romagnolo, Trebbiano Gallo and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.
Trebbiano shares at least three synonyms with the
Spanish wine
Spanish wine ( or ) includes red wine, red, white wine, white, and sparkling wine, sparkling wines produced throughout the country. Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has over planted in wine grapes, making it the most widely planted wine- ...
grape
Viura
Macabeo, also called Viura or Macabeu (, ), is a white variety of wine grape.
It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Spanis ...
including Queue de Renard, Rossan, Ugni blanc and the similarly spelled Gredelín/Gredelin.
See also
*
List of Italian grape varieties
References
Supplemental references used for chart
*J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz ''Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours'' pgs XXVIII-XXX Allen Lane 2012. .
{{DEFAULTSORT:It ...
References
{{Wines
White wine grape varieties
Wine grapes of Italy