Verdea (grape)
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Verdea is a white Italian wine grape variety that originated in Tuscany but is today mainly grown in the
Lombardy wine Lombardia (Lombardy) wine is the Italian wine produced in the Lombardy region of north central Italy. The region is known particularly for its sparkling wines made in the Franciacorta and Oltrepò Pavese areas. Lombardy also produces still red, w ...
region of northern Italy. The grape is sometimes confused with the white
Verdeca Verdeca is a white Italian wine grape variety that is primarily grown in Apulia in southern Italy where ampelographers believe that the grape may have originated. In Apulia, it is one of the main grapes in the ''Denominazione di origine contro ...
grape of the
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
region and the French wine grape
Verdesse Verdesse is a white French wine French wine is produced all throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the largest wine producers in the world, alo ...
from
Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...
due to similarities in their names and synonyms. Verdea can be used to make a wide variety of wines, ranging from the late harvested '' Vin Santo'' to
dry Dry or dryness most often refers to: * Lack of rainfall, which may refer to ** Arid regions ** Drought * Dry or dry area, relating to legal prohibition of selling, serving, or imbibing alcoholic beverages * Dry humor, deadpan * Dryness (medica ...
sparkling wines. J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz, ''Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours'' (Allen Lane, 2012, ), pp. 1115-1116


History and relationship to other grapes

The earliest mentioning of Verdea was by Pietro de' Crescenzi in his 1303 account of grape varieties growing in Tuscany. The grape was later described by
Giovan Vettorio Soderini Giovan Vettorio Soderini (1526 in Florence – 3 March 1596 in Volterra) was an Italian agronomist. Biography Soderini studied philosophy and law at the University of Bologna. On his return to Tuscany, he spoke openly against the Medici, and even ...
in his posthumously published work ''Trattato della coltivazione delle viti, e del frutto che se ne puô cavare'' (1600) as one of the Tuscan grape varieties that was much admired in the region. In 2007,
DNA analysis 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 ...
suggested that the red wine grape Sangiovese Forte may, in fact, be a color mutation of Verdea. This contradicted earlier DNA profiling from 2005 that concluded that Sangiovese Forte was a
clone Clone or Clones or Cloning or Cloned or The Clone may refer to: Places * Clones, County Fermanagh * Clones, County Monaghan, a town in Ireland Biology * Clone (B-cell), a lymphocyte clone, the massive presence of which may indicate a pathologi ...
of the notable Tuscan wine grape Sangiovese.


Viticulture

Verdea is a mid-ripening grape variety that is often allowed to hang on the vine late into the
growing season A season is a division of the year marked by changes in weather, ecology, and the amount of daylight. The growing season is that portion of the year in which local conditions (i.e. rainfall, temperature, daylight) permit normal plant growth. Whil ...
when its concentrated sugars are desired for the production of dessert wines. The grape has good resistance to the
viticultural hazard 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 ''Botrytis cinerea'' is a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be wine grapes. In viticulture, it is commonly known as "botrytis bunch rot"; in horticulture, it is usually called "grey mould" or ...
which is a benefit for late-harvest and ''
passito Straw wine, or raisin wine, is a wine made from grapes that have been dried to concentrate their juice. The result is similar to that of the ice wine process, but is a much older process and suitable for warm climates. The technique dates back ...
'' wine production.


Wine regions

In 2000, there were of Verdea growing in Italy, the vast majority of it in the Lombardy region around the village of
San Colombano al Lambro San Colombano al Lambro ( Lodigiano: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southeast of Milan. San Colombano al Lambro borders the following municipalities: Borghetto Lo ...
in the province of Milan. Outside of Lombardy, the grape can also be found growing in the
province of Pisa The province of Pisa ( it, provincia di Pisa) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of central Italy. Its capital is the city of Pisa. With an area of and a total population of 421,642 (), it is the second most populous and fif ...
in Tuscany and in the province of Piacenza in the Emilia-Romagna region. Up until the mid-20th century, Verdea was widely grown in the Trebbia valley between the cities of Genoa in Liguria and Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna where it was often blended with
Malvasia bianca Malvasia (, also known as Malvazia) is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world ...
, Besgano bianco and Pizzutello in the production of ''Vin Santo''. In the
Val Nure The Val Nure is the valley of the Nure river, a tributary of the Po. The valley lies almost entirely in the Province of Piacenza, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. It forms part of the Comunità Montana Valli del Nure e dell'Arda. Geogr ...
region of Piacenza, the grape had a similar history of use for ''Vin Santo'' that gradually died out around the 1940s. Today the grape is a permitted blending variety in several '' Denominazione di Origine Controllata'' (DOC) and '' Indicazione geografica tipica'' (IGT) zones including the Colline del Milanese in Lombardy.


Styles

Verdea is a versatile wine grape that can be produced in a variety of styles ranging from sweet, late-harvest and passito style dessert wines (such as the notable ''Vin Santo'' wines) or as dry, sparkling wine. While often used as a blending variety (including with Riesling by at least one Italian producer in Lombardy), the grape can be made a varietal in both a sweet and dry style.


Synonyms

Over the years, Verdea has been known under a variety of synonyms including: Colombana, Colombana bianca (in Tuscany), Colombana del Picciolli, Colombana di Peccioli (in Tuscany), Colombano, Doree d'Italia, Doree d'Italie, Gambo rosso, Paradisa, Paradisa di Bologne, Paradssiotto, Paradizia, S. Colombano, San Colombano, San Colombano Paradiso d'Italia, Sancolombana, Vardea, Verdea di Montalto, Verdecana and Verdicchio Giallo. Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC)
Verdea
' Accessed: April 14th, 2014


References

{{reflist White wine grape varieties