AUTOCHTHONOUS
Following the tragic frost in 1709 which destroyed most of the vineyards in northern Italy, winegrowing in the Veneto Region recomposed itself with varieties that probably already existed, but weren’t widespread. So the winegrowers started by enriching the consistency of the scene by introducing some white berry varieties, among which: long Glera, Verdiso, Bianchetta, Boschera and Perera. Some of these varieties became fundamentally important; just think that in 1874, in the province of Treviso, 23,500 quintals of Verdiso were produced, 14,500 of Bianchetta and only 3,700 of Prosecco (at the time, the Glera variety was called Prosecco).
These varieties would often be mixed to obtain a wine which was more complex, and this went on for decades, during which Prosecco slowly took over, but always mixed with other varieties that were similar. Today, winegrowing has become more specialized and these varieties have become a minority also because of certain characteristics which don’t go well with modern winegrowing (for example, Verdiso easily rotting, Perera easily subject to Golden Flavescence disease, etc.). These varieties, however, should be jealously preserved in that they are custodians of stories and traditions as well as organoleptic values which identify them and make them unique.
BIANCHETTA
Once, this variety was widely grown from the Euganei hills to the Berici hills up to the area of Belluno. Agostinetto da Cimadolmo mentions it in his text in 1679 refering to it as gentile Bianchetta. Recent genetic studies have assigned it a close descendency (like father-son) to the Durella variety in the Lessini mountains. This variety has been planted less and less in the past years mainly because it is extremely susceptible to oidium which often makes production and ripening precarious despite the grapes having a very thick skin. From Bianchetta a rather simple wine is obtained, but it has Mediterranean hints of thyme and peach and is slightly bitter and this also complements Glera well.
BOSCHERA
This variety owes its name to the vigorous and messy aspect of its vegetation. It is an ancient vine from the hills of the Treviso province which found its preferred spot in the area of Fregona where still today it is used to cut with other varieties (Glera, Verdiso, Bianchetta) in order to obtain a “passito” wine called “Torchiato di Fregona”. The aromatic structure of the Boschera variety in the Torchiato di Fregona is slightly bitter.
GLERA ROUND
Until 2009 it was called Prosecco; then, in order to protect the name of the wine, it was identified with the name Glera (round), its synonym before, this way leaving the name Prosecco exclusively to the wine. Glera (round) is genetically different from long Glera in its morphological and qualitative character. In the mid-1800s, on the hills of Solighetto, Count Balbi Valier selected a biotype with a very loose grape bunch, with grapes of different sizes and more aromatic than others; he called it the Balbi biotype and it is still today the most widely used for all three the denominations. Prosecco wine is almost exclusively produced in the sparkling wine version with the Martinotti method and is light, pleasant, delicately scented where hints of apple, florals and ripe fruit stand out. Prosecco wine, from the Glera variety, is currently the most well-known wine in the world.
GLERA LONG
This variety was destined to disappear until it was recuperated and re-acknowledged around 1980 from the then Experimental School for Winegrowing (now CREA-VE). This variety was once widely grown in the Veneto Region, but also in Friuli and so far as the Slovenian Kras region. Today we have established once and for all that it is autonomous in regards to the round Glera from which Prosecco is made. Its distinct genetic difference intertwines with the long Glera and with a grape which is richer in sugar content and acidity and this confers more structure, body and freshness to the wine; its aromatic composition is richer in hints of ripe fruit and Mediterranean spice, but compared to round Glera it is weaker as far as the floral and fruity scents are concerned. Today it is still used exclusively to cut with round Glera.
VERDISO
After genetically verifying it, we can affirm with certainty that it corresponds to Pedevenda which used to be grown in Breganze (VI) and already spoken of by Aureliano Acanti in 1754. Today, Verdiso is grown in the area of Combai, where the meagre soils, the dry and ventilated climate, ensure full and healthy ripening. Indeed, in these areas you can still find winegrowers who produce it in total purity. The characteristics of this wine are its evident acid freshness which highlights the hints of sour fruit (green apple, lemon, citron), ripe fruit (pear and ripe apples), floral hints (rose and wisteria), fresh vegetation (peppers and fig leaves) and Mediterranean spice (thyme, aniseed, dry hay). Indeed, because of its acidic structure it lends itself particularly well to enriching Prosecco wine.
PERERA
Its name makes you think of the shape of a grape bunch, but also the aroma of pear that you perceive as you taste the grapes and even more so the wine. It is a weak variety, easily attacked by disease and seasonal changes and this has made it less interesting and limited in presence in vineyards, so much so that few hectares can be counted. When the grape bunch is ripe, it takes on a beautiful golden yellow colour and it smells like Williams pear and delicate flowers.
