Balsamina nera
| Variety Passport | |
| Country of origin: | Italy |
| Variety number VIVC: | 941 |
| Prime name: | Balsamina Nera |
| Principal Synonyms: | Balsamina, Marzamina, Vernaccina, Balsamina Nera, Balsamina Fina, Balsamina Legittima, Balsamina Vera, Balsamino, Balsamica, Balsemine, Balzamine, Bergamina |
| Species: | Vitis vinifera |
| Ripening period: | Early |
| Classification and Use: | Wine, Dry Table Wines, Dessert and Sweet Wines |
| Resistance group: | Susceptible |
| Data Sources: | Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC), Ampelografia Italiana (1879) |
| Agrobiology | |
| Vigor: | vigorous |
| Flower type: | hermaphrodite |
| Downy mildew susceptibility: | 4 points (highly susceptible) |
| Powdery mildew susceptibility: | 4 points (highly susceptible) |
| Botrytis susceptibility: | 4 points (highly susceptible) |
| Winter hardiness: | Non-hardy (-15...-17°C) |
| Clusters and berries | |
| Bunch shape: | cylindro-conical |
| Bunch density: | medium |
| Berry shape: | rounded |
| Berry skin color: | black |
| Seed development: | seeded |
| Flesh texture: | juicy |
| Berry skin thickness: | Thin |
| Berry skin texture: | tender |
| Sugar content: | 20,65% |
| Total acidity: | 7,4 g/l |
| Berry Flesh Color: | Weakly colored |
| Flavor type: | Varietal |
| Ampelographic overview |
Main Characteristics of the Balsamina nera Grape
The Balsamina nera grape variety has a long history of cultivation in the Marche region, where it was traditionally valued for producing high-quality wines. The variety demonstrates the best results when grown on gentle, sunny slopes with loose calcareous-siliceous-clay soils mixed with pebbles. In humid plains, such as in the lower Romagna, the clusters and berries become larger, but their color intensity and sugar concentration decrease. The yield of the variety is characterized by moderate indicators but remains regular over the years. The ripening period of the berries is early, with harvesting occurring before most other local varieties. Balsamina nera berries contain a high percentage of juice, with an average sugar accumulation of about 20.65% and a titratable acidity ranging from 3.7 to 12.9 g/l depending on growth conditions.
Morphological Description of the Balsamina nera Grape Variety
Morphological features of the vegetative and generative organs of the variety:
- Mature annual shoot (cane): Has a medium thickness, orange color, and firm structure, characterized by relatively short internodes and a small volume of pith. Nodes are small and rust-colored. Buds are elongated and slightly thickened.
- Young shoot (tip): Characterized by slight web-like pubescence. Leaves at the stage of medium development are glabrous, with a tendency to a reddish tint. Tendrils are formed in small numbers.
- Formed leaf: Medium or small in size, rounded shape, with a coriaceous texture. The blade is five-lobed, colored yellowish-green on the upper side, while the lower side is lighter with a light down along the veins. The central lobe is clearly distinct, and the lateral sinuses are deep (up to 2/3 of the diameter) and closed. The petiolar sinus is open. The leaf margin has irregular sharp teeth. The petiole is cylindrical with a longitudinal groove, vinous-red in color. Leaf fall occurs at the end of November, with the leaves turning an orange-red color before dropping.
- Cluster: Has a cylindrical or regular conical shape, with a length of 12 to 15 (sometimes up to 18) centimeters. The structure is of medium density — the berries are close to each other but not compressed. The peduncle is pale, with a vinous-red tint at the base.
- Berry: Has a regular spherical shape and medium size. The skin is thin, dark violet, and covered with a waxy bloom. When viewed against the sun, the pulp shows a ruby-red color, with a sweet taste, slight acidity, and a distinct fine aroma. Inside the berry, three seeds are usually contained, showing a greenish-spotted coloration with a brown oval chalaza. A tendency to flower shattering and the formation of small seedless rudimentary berries is observed.
Agrotechnical Features of the Balsamina nera Variety
The Balsamina nera variety develops most productively when trained on a high support with training to a field maple (these recommendations are relevant for 1879, when the book "Ampelografia Italiana" was published), although it can be successfully cultivated in low rows in exclusive vineyards without additional support. The budburst process occurs early, practically simultaneously with muscat varieties. Flowering coincides with the beginning of early varieties' vegetation, while Balsamina nera is prone to incomplete fertilization of flowers, leading to partial loss of berries and millerandage. Due to early ripening and thin skin, the berries are frequently damaged by wasps and birds, and they are susceptible to cracking during periods of high humidity and rain. During dry periods, vine growth is suppressed. The grape has low resistance to powdery mildew (oidium) and requires regular sulfur treatments.
Winemaking and Product Characteristics
The Balsamina nera grape variety yields wine of a beautiful red-violet color with a light varietal aroma. In its pure form, the grape is rarely used for producing dry table wines due to its specific aromatics, but it serves as a valuable component for blending and correcting the characteristics of the must of other varieties. When cultivated on dry plains, the berry aroma becomes less intense, allowing the production of varietal table wines. In traditional local winemaking, the variety was often used after preliminary drying of the berries on mats to produce sweet aromatic wines with a specific gravity of the finished product around 1.015 and an alcohol content ranging from 9.5% to 13.2% ABV.