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The
fine wines of the Langhe > Vines > Albarossa vine
This
is a vine which was obtained, in 1938, by Prof. G. Dalmasso by crossing
Nebbiolo and Barbera vines. Studies about ampelographic, productive, and
oenological characteristics were deepened only in the Sixties and
Seventies (Curzel, 1965; Eynard 1964 and 1966). The CNR-Grapevine
biology and genetic improvement centre (CVT) in Turin in 1977 signed up
this vine for the Grapevine Variety national Catalogue. Further studies
carried out in the Nineties by CVT, in collaboration with the Tenuta
Cannona Regional Experimental Company, allowed, in 2000, to post a
request to the related State Department for the insertion of Albarossa
vine in the list of the wines which were recommended for the provinces
of Alessandria, Asti, and Cuneo.
Morphological
characters
Bud:
greenish white, with carmine red edges, cottoned apex. Greenish white,
with carmine edges, inferiorly cottoned, apex leaves (1-3). Green-golden
yellow, with slightly copper shades, inferiorly very much lanuginose,
basal leaves (4-5). Its herbal shoot has sometimes abundant violet-red
hues on its dorsal side.
Adult leaf: large, between pentagonal and orbicular, five-lobed or
seven-lobed; its central womb is lyre-shaped, closed or with slightly
superimposed edges; its superior lateral wombs are lyre-shaped,
sometimes with a tooth; its inferior lateral wombs are U- or
lyre-shaped. Its border is often dark green coloured, with green or rosy
nervations at the base, and it has a bubbly surface, a little bristled
along its main nervations and a cup-like profile, with tormented
margins. Its teeth are very much protruding, with rectilinear margins
or, concave on one side, convex on the other side. Its inferior page is
lanuginose.
Ripened grape: of medium size, cylindrical or pyramidal, with one or
two developed wings (frequently a peduncled wing), medially compact in
some clones or environments; its peduncle is of medium length and of
green colour.
Acinus: medium-large or large (3,0 g), spherical or short
ellipsoidal (d.e./d.l.=0,96), its peel is medially pruinose, of greenish
yellow colour, which becomes golden or amber yellow when it is
well-exposed to the sun.
Phenology
Germination:
medium or medium-late (second-third decade of April).
Flowering: medium-precocious (first decade of June).
Turning to dark colour: medium (second decade of August).
Grape maturation: medium (end of September-beginning of October).
Cultural
attitudes and utilization Vigour:
high; its buds have an erect carriage.
Fertility and production: high and constant, abundant also for
femminelle.
Plant-culture and pruning: for this vine is normally adopted
counter-espalier with Guyot pruning, generally with one capo fruiting
10-12 gems, but not infrequently two (or even three) capos fruiting per
plant (this system is less suitable); it is also suitable for a short
pruning.
Multiplication behaviour: optimum with the most common grafts.
Susceptibility to adversities and phytopathy: rather tolerant to
oidium, more susceptible to peronospora; grape grey mould or acid rot
may occur in some environments; it is particularly susceptible to
excoriation.
Oenological attitudes: its grapes are utilized for the production of
dry white wines, fresh and harmonic, provided with personality, or light
sparkling or champagne-like wines.
DOC
Langa wines which are produced from this vine:
Arneis Langhe wine
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