Aleatico
Encyclopedia
Aleatico is a red wine
grape
. Ampelographers suspect that Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
may be a mutation
of the Aleatico cultivar. Aleatico is notable for being the primary grape in the cult wine Aleatico di Portoferraio made in Elba
. It is grown most commonly in the Puglia and Lazio region of Italy. In Chile is known as Red Moscatel. The grape has also been cultivated at Mudgee in New South Wales and in California.
Ampelographers suspect that Aleatico may be a dark skin variant of the French wine grape Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
which is part of the extensive Muscat family of grapes, believed to be the oldest family of Vitis Vinifera
in the world. DNA profiling conducted at Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige
suggest that the relationship between Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Aleatico maybe that of a parent-offspring rather than just a mutation. Other alternative theories has the grape being descended from Muscat noir. Historians also disagree on the wine's exact origins with competing theories of the grape being brought to Italy by the ancient Greeks or being native to then southern Italian region of Pulgia.
During the 14th century, the Italian wine writer Pietro Crescenzi
wrote of wine being produced in central and southern Italy from the Livatica grape which is today believed to be Aleatico. In Elba, there is a long history of producing dessert wine
s from Aleatico. During his exile on Elba, the Aleatico wines of the island became a favorite drink of Napoleon. Napoleon was reported to have said that Aleatico wines were his only consolation during this time.
Aleatico is most commonly found in Italy, primarily in Elba, Apulia, Lazio, and southern Tuscany. Smaller plantings of Italian Aleatico can be found in the regions of Marche
, Abruzzo
and Sicily
. Outside of Italy the grape can be found in Australia, California, Chile, Corsica (though it is not permitted in any AOC authorized wines), Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
.
For most of the 20th century, Italian plantings of the grape had been in decline but recent years have seen a spike of interest in the variety. In Elba there is a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, the Aleatico dell’Elba Passito DOCG dedicated to the production of passito style wines made from Aleatico. Under Italy's appellation
system, very few dessert wine receive the highest designation of DOCG level making the Aleatico dell’Elba Passito a rarity in Italian.
In Apulia, Aleatico is widely around the city of Bari
and in the southern Salento Peninsula. The style of Aleatico wines from Apulia tend to be sweeter and richer in flavor than the wines typically from Elba due to the warmer climate of southern Italy and the potential for higher levels of sugars in the grapes. In Lazio, Aleatico is found around Lake Bolsena
where it has its own Denominazione di Origine Controllata region of the Aleatico di Gradoli DOC. This dessert style wine is produced from grapes grown on the northwestern hillsides of the lake which partially overlaps into the Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC. In Apulia, there is the Aleatico di Puglia DOC.
Aleatico is often used to produce dessert style wines. The grapes may be dried
or the wines could be produced fortified in a Liquoroso style. The wines are typically aged at least 6 months prior to release with Italian wines labeled as Liquoroso Riserva requiring three years of aging, with at least 2 of those years in wood barrels.
Aleatico wines are characterized by their sweet aromas of rose
s (a trait they shares with Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains). Other aroma notes common to Aleatico include various berry fruits and lychees. Aleatico wines tend to have high alcohol content that is balanced by the grape's acidity.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
. Ampelographers suspect that Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. Its name comes from its characteristic small berry size and tight clusters...
may be a mutation
Mutation
In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...
of the Aleatico cultivar. Aleatico is notable for being the primary grape in the cult wine Aleatico di Portoferraio made in Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
. It is grown most commonly in the Puglia and Lazio region of Italy. In Chile is known as Red Moscatel. The grape has also been cultivated at Mudgee in New South Wales and in California.
History
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. Its name comes from its characteristic small berry size and tight clusters...
which is part of the extensive Muscat family of grapes, believed to be the oldest family of Vitis Vinifera
Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
in the world. DNA profiling conducted at Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige
Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige
The Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige , now „Fondazione Edmund Mach“, is an agrarian institution and wine academy located in Trentino in north-east Italy. It was founded in 1874, when the Tyrolean Diet at Innsbruck decided to open an agrarian school and research station at San Michele...
suggest that the relationship between Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Aleatico maybe that of a parent-offspring rather than just a mutation. Other alternative theories has the grape being descended from Muscat noir. Historians also disagree on the wine's exact origins with competing theories of the grape being brought to Italy by the ancient Greeks or being native to then southern Italian region of Pulgia.
During the 14th century, the Italian wine writer Pietro Crescenzi
Pietro Crescenzi
Pietro de' Crescenzi was an Italian jurist from Bologna, now known as a writer on agriculture. Educated at the University of Bologna in logic, medicine, the natural sciences and law, Crescenzi practiced as a lawyer and judge from about 1269 until 1299...
wrote of wine being produced in central and southern Italy from the Livatica grape which is today believed to be Aleatico. In Elba, there is a long history of producing dessert wine
Dessert wine
Dessert wines are sweet wines typically served with dessert.There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal, as opposed to the white fortified wines drunk before the meal, and the red fortified wines drunk after it...
s from Aleatico. During his exile on Elba, the Aleatico wines of the island became a favorite drink of Napoleon. Napoleon was reported to have said that Aleatico wines were his only consolation during this time.
Wine regions
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
, Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Outside of Italy the grape can be found in Australia, California, Chile, Corsica (though it is not permitted in any AOC authorized wines), Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
.
For most of the 20th century, Italian plantings of the grape had been in decline but recent years have seen a spike of interest in the variety. In Elba there is a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, the Aleatico dell’Elba Passito DOCG dedicated to the production of passito style wines made from Aleatico. Under Italy's appellation
Appellation
An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown; other types of food often have appellations as well...
system, very few dessert wine receive the highest designation of DOCG level making the Aleatico dell’Elba Passito a rarity in Italian.
In Apulia, Aleatico is widely around the city of Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
and in the southern Salento Peninsula. The style of Aleatico wines from Apulia tend to be sweeter and richer in flavor than the wines typically from Elba due to the warmer climate of southern Italy and the potential for higher levels of sugars in the grapes. In Lazio, Aleatico is found around Lake Bolsena
Lake Bolsena
Lake Bolsena is a crater lake of central Italy, of volcanic origin, which was formed starting 370,000 years ago following the collapse of a caldera of the Vulsini volcanic complex into a deep aquifer. Roman historic records indicate activity of the Vulsini volcano occurred as recently as 104 BC,...
where it has its own Denominazione di Origine Controllata region of the Aleatico di Gradoli DOC. This dessert style wine is produced from grapes grown on the northwestern hillsides of the lake which partially overlaps into the Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC. In Apulia, there is the Aleatico di Puglia DOC.
Wine styles
Straw wine
Straw wine, or raisin wine, is a wine made from grapes that have been dried to concentrate their juice. The result is similar to that of the ice wine process, but suitable for warmer climates. The classic method dries clusters of grapes on mats of straw in the sun, but some regions dry them under...
or the wines could be produced fortified in a Liquoroso style. The wines are typically aged at least 6 months prior to release with Italian wines labeled as Liquoroso Riserva requiring three years of aging, with at least 2 of those years in wood barrels.
Aleatico wines are characterized by their sweet aromas of rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
s (a trait they shares with Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains). Other aroma notes common to Aleatico include various berry fruits and lychees. Aleatico wines tend to have high alcohol content that is balanced by the grape's acidity.