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Italy Vine Varieties Heritage

GIANFRANCO TEMPESTA

MONICA FIORILO

3. MINOR WINE GRAPE VARIETIES

They consist of a thousand-year-old legacy of mutations and natural crosses, a genetic heritage to safeguard and jealously preserve. Their low economic interest contrasts with this important page of history and exposes the whole sector to the risk of losing this significant reserve of biodiversity. We are presenting the current surface areas dedicated to these varieties, for information purposes.

It is easy to underline how non-ampelographer census officials make critical varietal errors, as shown in following tables.

In table 2.33 Minor wine grape varieties between 500 and 100 hectares reports 80 wine grape varieties.

Other censused varieties with insignificant surfaces for statistical purposes, though registered in the National Register of Wine Grape Varieties, are listed in table 2.34 “Local garden” wine grape varieties in Italy between 100 and 10 hectares and table 2.35 “Convention” wine grape Varieties under 10 hectares.

There are listed two hundred twenty-three (223) biotypes that are below 100 hectares; in plots lovingly cared-for by the growers, which is why we call them “local garden” wine grape varieties and others with limited sizes (fewer than 10 hectares) that attract the attention of conventions.

In table 2.36 Summary of vine varieties in Italy at the 2010 census.

 

Translation: JANE UPCHURCH & MATTEO MARENGHI

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