Albarossa is red wine grape variety grown in the Piedmont (‘Piemonte’) region of Italy. It is considered one of the few truly successful crossings in its case a 1938 Barbera x Nebbiolo di Dronero [or Chatus] crossing created by Giovanni Dalmasso, although at the time he thought his Nebbiolo was true Nebbiolo. The error was only discovered in the mid-1960s by Eynard and Curzel, and it was Eynard who renamed this crossing Albarossa: its original name was Incrocio 13.26 (D’Agata 2014, p.540). Government permission to plant it only arrived in 2001 (D’Agata 2014, p.540).

National registry code number: 267.

Where grown: In Piedmont it is grown in the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, and Cuneo. It is most abundant around Acqui and in the northern part of the Asti area. Michele Chiarlo and Tenuta di Vallarino, Prunotto (Antinori) and Vigne Regali (Banfi) sponsored a more complete study of the variety (D’Agata 2014, p.540). In the Acqui area the first winery to work with it was Zunino in 2002,’ (D’Agata 2014, p.540).

Wine style: ‘Deep ruby red with purple tinges. Nose of blackberry, strawberry, plum. Also tobacco,’ (D’Agata 2014, p.540). Also intense botanical herbs. Ageworthy.

Wines: Colline del Genovesato IGP. | Colline Savonesi IGT. | Liguria de Levante IGT. I Piemonte DOC Albarossa. 

Key producers: Michele Chiarlo (‘Montald’). | Tenuta di Vallarino. | Prunotto ‘Bricco Colma’. | Castello di Nieve. | Cascina Sant’Ubaldo. | Viotti Vini. | Poggio Ridente.

Bibliography

Dr Ian d’Agata, Native Wine Grapes of Italy (University of California Press, 2014), p.540.