Albarossa wine
History of Albarossa, a native Piedmontese wine
Albarossa is a Piedmontese native grape variety, obtained by Professor Giovanni Dalmasso who held the chair of Viticulture at the Agricultural Department of Turin’s University back in 1938. It’s the result of a cross between a Barbera and the Nebbiolo di Dronero grape, known as Chatus, a variety commonly grown both in the Cuneo Province on the Italian side of the lower Alpine slopes and – to a lesser extent – on the French side. Although at first the cross was believed to be composed of a Barbera and an ordinary Nebbiolo, further studies made clear that it originates instead from this specific Alpine Nebbiolo di Dronero.
Interest in Albarossa is fairly recent and dates back to the eighties when at the “Cannona” Estate, property of the CNR Experimental Center, studies were carried out on the variety, revealing its unique qualities and potential.
The Grape variety
This native variety is characterized by medium-sized compact clusters formed by small grapes. The skins are thick and extremely sweet with balanced acidity. The thickness of the skins reveals the presence of an amazing quantity of anthocyanins. This explains the colour of the wines, plus the sweet and fine tannins which give the final product a stunning expressiveness and potential, not to mention its quite extraordinary longevity.
Most suitable soils
Albarossa is found above all in the Provinces of Asti, Alessandria and Cuneo – where the dry and calcareous soils offer a favourable habitat for the making of high-quality wines.
Of no less importance is the fact that its small, thick-skinned grapes represent a natural barrier against the most common diseases such as peronospora and botritis, contributing to the creation of a healthier and more ecologically sustainable wine.