Verduzzo
Verduzzo | |
---|---|
Grape (Vitis) | |
Color of berry skin | Blanc |
Species | Vitis vinifera |
Also called |
|
Origin | Northeast Italy |
Friuli-Venezia Giulia | |
Notable wines | Ramandolo |
Formation of seeds | Complete |
Sex of flowers | Hermaphrodite |
VIVC number | 12976 |
Verduzzo (or Verduzzo Friulano) is a white
The grape is widely associated with the
According to wine writers
History
Verduzzo has a long history in northeast Italy with the first written record of the grape dating back to June 6, 1409, in a listing of wines served at a banquet in
Viticulture
The Verduzzo vine tends to thrive on hillside vineyard locations that have good exposure to the sun which gives this
Wine regions
While for most of the 20th century plantings of Verduzzo were on the decline, there were still 1658
Verduzzo is permitted in several of the Friuli DOCs-Colli Orientali del Friuli,
Also within the Veneto, Verduzzo is authorized for the Piave DOC. Within the Colli Orientali del Friuli, the grape is used to make sweet wines in the Ramandolo DOCG.[1][9] In Ramandolo, the grape is mostly commonly found on the steep hills that sit around 380 meters (1,250 feet) above sea level that circle the commune of Nimis.[6]
DOC requirements
Outside of Ramandolo, most of the DOC wine produced by Verduzzo are labeled under the Friuli Grave and Colli Orientali del Friuli designations.
In the Colli Orientali del Friuli, a varietal Verduzzo can be made with at least 90% of the variety and other local white grape varieties such as
Varietal Verduzzo in Friuli Annia, Friuli Aquileia and Friuli Isonzo must be made a 100% of the variety. In Annia, grapes must be harvested at no more than 12 tonnes/ha with a finished alcohol level of 10.5% while higher yields and lower alcohol levels are permitted in Aquileia and Isonzo (14 tonnes/ha with 10% APV and 13 tonnes with 10.5% APV respectively). In all three DOCs, Verduzzo can also be used in the DOC white blend with no limit on percentage under the same yield and alcohol level restrictions respectively. Aquileia does allow for a special Superiore bottling for its varietal Verduzzo with a higher minimum alcohol level of 11% while Isonzo also allows for a slightly
In Friuli Grave, the varietal requirement is at least 85% with yield restrictions of 13 tonnes/ha and minimum alcohol level of 11% or 12% for Superiore bottling. Verduzzo harvested at slightly higher yields (up to 14 tonnes/ha) and with a lower alcohol level of at least 10.5% is permitted for use in the general DOC white blend. Friuli Latisana has a similar 85% varietal requirement and yield restriction but a slightly lower minimum alcohol requirement of 10.5%. The Latisana DOC is also notable for its recent experimentation on many of its white wines, including Verduzzo, with barrel aging.[10]
While nearly all the Friuli DOCs specify the Friuliano variety as the only permitted Verduzzo, the DOC regulations for the Veneto DOCs Piave and Lison-Pramaggiore (which is partially in Friuli) either don't specify which Verduzzo variety or allow for the use of Verduzzo Trevigiano grape. In the Lison-Pramaggiore DOC both a still varietal and sparkling Spumante style Verduzzo can be produced if the grape accounts for at least 90% of the blend with a yield restriction of 13 tonnes/ha and minimum alcohol level of 11%. In Piave the varietal percentage is 95% with yields limited to 12 tonnes/ha and minimum alcohol level of 11%.[10]
Ramandolo
One of the most notable examples of Verduzzo is the 100% varietal wine made from this DOCG region located in the northern reaches of the Udine province in the hills above the town of Nimis. Here grapes are limited to a harvest yield no greater than 10 tonnes/ha with the grapes allowed to hang on the vine late in the season and may even receive extra drying after picking. This allows for a greater concentration of
Wine expert Peter Saunders describes well made examples of Ramandolo from favorable vintages as fragrant, full-bodied, slightly tannic and not too sweet.[10] Karen MacNeil describes Ramandolo as having a copper sheen to its deep yellow color with herbal notes.[4]
Outside of Italy
Outside of Italy there are small plantings of Verduzzo in neighboring
In
As of December 21, 2012, Verduzzo was not an approved grape variety name permitted for use on American wine labels by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).[12] This does not mean that a vineyard in the United States can not grow the variety but any winemaker wishing to make a varietal Verduzzo or put the variety in a blend with the grape listed on the label will need to first to demonstrate its use in the United States for wine production which no current American winery has yet done.[13]
Wine
Verduzzo has the potential to create a wide variety of wine styles with dry styles produced in larger quantities than the sweeter style. The sweeter styles tend to be more commercially successful, particularly the late harvest
According to wine expert
Oz Clarke describes the sweeter examples of Verduzzo as "runny honey" with floral notes and an "enlivening backbone of
Food and wine pairing
The wide variance in styles of Verduzzo opens it up to a wide variety of
Sub-varieties and relationship to other grapes
Throughout Italy are several sub-varieties of Verduzzo that seem to be of mostly inferior quality to the Verduzzo Friulano grape but may offer other
For many years
Synonyms
Over the years Verduzzo has been known under a variety of synonyms including: Ramandolo, Romandolo, Verdana Friulana, Verdicchio Friulano, Verduc, Verduz, Verduza, Verduzzo Friulano, Verduzzo giallo, Veduzz, Verduzo and Verduzzo verde.[16]
References
- ^ ISBN 0-19-860990-6
- ^ ISBN 0-316-72654-0
- ^ Consorzio Tutela Ramandolo Nimis "History" Accessed: December 27th, 2012
- ^ ISBN 1-56305-434-5
- ^ ISBN 1-4000-9774-6
- ^ ISBN 978-1-846-14446-2
- ^ Consorzio Tutela Ramandolo Nimis "The Wine" Accessed: December 27th, 2012
- ^ Wine Seasons "Ramandolo" Accessed: December 27th, 2012
- ^ Consorzio Tutela Ramandolo Nimis "Technical Card" Accessed: December 27th, 2012
- ^ ISBN 1-55297-720-X
- ISBN 0-7645-5355-0
- ^ Electronic Code of Federal Regulations "§ 4.91 List of approved names" Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, PART 4—LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF WINE, Subpart J—American Grape Variety Names. Accessed: December 27th, 2012
- ^ Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau "American Grape Variety Names". Accessed: December 27th, 2012
- ^ ISBN 0-394-50266-3
- ^ ISBN 0-15-100714-4
- ^ "VERDUZZO FRIULANO". Vitis International Variety Catalogue VIVC. Julius Kühn-Institut - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants (JKI), Institute for Grapevine Breeding - Geilweilerhof (ZR). May 8, 2017. Retrieved 2019-06-08.