| Grape variety |
Riesling Italico |
| Synonyms |
aminea gemella, rismi, risli, riesli, walschriesling. |
| Grape colour |
White grape |
| Variety |
Allochthonous |
| Vigour |
Medium-Good |
| Ripening |
Second half of September. |
| Productivity |
Discretely abundant and overall good quality. |
| Areas of cultivation |
It is widespread in different areas, but it gives the best results in the Oltrepò Pavese, in Veneto and only in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It is still very popular along the eastern Danube. |
| History |
The Riesling Italico grape, despite the name, is said to be of French origin, and henceforth landed in Germany and in many other countries in the center of Europe. His name in German is Welschriesling, where the prefix "Welsch-", literally "of Latin origin", can be extensively interpreted as "Italian" (from which Riesling Italico) but also "French", and was underlining the difference with The original Riesling, that is Renano. Its spread in Italy is far behind, probably in the post-phylloxeric period, but not before the beginning of the 1900s, since no evidence of the presence of this vine in the peninsula was found before this period. It is said to have been imported in the regions of the northeast of Italy during the Austro-Hungarian rule coming from the area of the present Czech Republic. The differences between the Riesling Rhineland and Riesling Italic are notable, both from the ampelographic point of view (bunch and leaf ) As regards the wine obtained, which in the case of Italic Riesling is more drinkable, compared with the most aristocratic tones of Riesling renan. |
| Ampelographic features |
Leaf: medium size, long or broad, almost whole or trilobata (rarely 5 lobes); V-U (or lira) petiole breast with edges that do not always approach; More or less hinted lateral breasts, the most prominent superiors; Slightly pronounced, wavy lobes; Corner at the top of the upper right lobes, tending to the acute; Slightly wavy flap. Top light green, smooth, almost metallic gloss, glabra; Gray-gray bottom page for spider-web toment on the entire page; Often the leaves assume towards the end of summer a yellowish color on the margins. The ribs on the top are just protruding at the base and greenish-yellowish; On the bottom page are fairly buckled and green. Regular dentition, pronounced with sharp teeth, convex and convex.
Bunch: small, squat, cylindrical, often with a wing, compact; Short, thin, half-legged; Short pedicels, thin, green; Average, clear, smooth, greenish look; Small and green brush.
Acino: medium and minus, of spheroidal shape, with transversal, regular section, of greenish yellowish yellow color; Pruinous, thin, consistent skin; Persistent and evident navel in the shape of a black-tailed macchiolina; Melted pulp, colorless juice, simple and sweet flavor. |
| Characteristics of the wine obtained from this grape variety |
The wine obtained from the Italian riesling vine is of straw yellow color with greenish reflections. On the palate it is fruity, mineral, fresh. |
| Notes |
Resistance to diseases: normal (in the plain it is a bit subject to rotting). |