Vitis vinifera Albarossa - Grapevine

The 'Albarossa' Vine is a relatively unknown red Italian grape variety, resulting from an unintentional cross-breeding between an Italian grape and an Ardèche grape in the 1930s. After a long period of experimentation, Albarossa was registered in 2001 among the grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the provinces of Asti, Alessandria, and Cuneo, in Piedmont, arousing the interest of many winemakers, including very famous names, due to its characteristics and ability to produce great wines with ageing potential. The Albarossa berry is small, egg-shaped and black, with a waxy, thick, red-violet skin. The cluster is medium-sized, pyramidal, moderately compact, and winged. The Albarossa vine is late-harvested, it requires dry soils, preferably hills with limestone soils, rich in micro-elements.

The wine grape vine (Vitis vinifera) grew wild more than 5000 years ago. Many hybrids were created to vary colours, flavours, and uses. The 'Albarossa' Vine is a grape variety obtained in 1938 by Giovanni Dalmasso by crossing Nebbiolo and Barbera, with the aim of creating a unique grape variety with the characteristics and qualities of the two main Piedmontese grape varieties. However, DNA research carried out a few years ago revealed that the true "father" of the Albarossa grape is not the famous and noble Nebbiolo, but the lesser-known Chatus (also called Nebbiolo di Dronero), an ancient variety of Ardèche origin in France. Despite this surprising discovery, the grape has retained many viticultural characteristics of Barbera, especially its ability to ripen late while maintaining good levels of acidity, especially when planted on poor limestone soils. Albarossa wines are intense ruby red wines, with a vinous nose, spicy notes, and red fruit flavours such as cherry. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied, lively, suitable for ageing, and can produce great wines.

The Albarossa vine is a vigorous rambling shrub and can reach up to 5m. Its final shape will depend on pruning. The vine clings to its support (trellis, espalier...) thanks to its tendrils and prefers sunny situations. It has a semi-erect to horizontal habit. It is advisable to train it on wire and trellis it well. It is indifferent to the nature of the soil and undemanding, but it still prefers clay-limestone soils. It will require careful pruning.
Its deeply cut foliage is dark green in summer and turns red around the edges in autumn.
Its flowering in clusters occurs in May, offering very small greenish flowers.

The 'Albarossa' grape is consumed as wine after vinification.