Grignolino
| Variety Passport | |
| Country of origin: | Italy |
| Variety number VIVC: | 5019 |
| Prime name: | Grignolino |
| Principal Synonyms: | Barbesino, Barbesinone, Verbesino, Balestra, Arlandino, Girodino, Rossetto, Nebbiolo Rosato |
| Year of obtaining / registration: | admitted to the Italian National Register on May 25, 1970 (decree published in the Official Gazette on June 17, 1970) |
| Species: | Vitis vinifera |
| Ripening period: | Late |
| Classification and Use: | Wine, Dry Table Wines |
| Resistance group: | Moderately resistant |
| Data Sources: | Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC), Ampelografia Italiana (1879) |
| Agrobiology | |
| Vigor: | vigorous |
| Lateral shoot formation: | weak |
| Flower type: | hermaphrodite |
| Downy mildew susceptibility: | 3 points (low resistance) |
| Powdery mildew susceptibility: | 4 points (highly susceptible) |
| Winter hardiness: | Medium frost resistante (-21...-23°C) |
| Rooting ability: | high |
| Коэффициент плодоносности: | 2 |
| Pruning length: | mixed / Guyot |
| Recommended rootstocks: | Kober 5BB |
| Clusters and berries | |
| Bunch shape: | cylindro-conical, winged |
| Bunch density: | dense |
| Berry shape: | oval |
| Berry skin color: | black |
| Seed development: | seeded |
| Flesh texture: | juicy |
| Berry skin thickness: | Thin |
| Berry skin texture: | medium |
| Berry Flesh Color: | Non-colored |
| Flavor type: | Varietal |
| Ampelographic overview |
Main Characteristics
The Grignolino variety is an ancient technical red grape of Italian origin, officially registered in the national catalogue in 1970 under code 100. Piedmont is historically recognized as its primary cultivation zone, with Portacomaro in the province of Asti and Rosignano Monferrato considered its classic terroirs. The name of the grape is derived from the local dialect word "grignole", referring to the numerous grape seeds found inside its fruits. The ripening period of the harvest belongs to the third epoch, occurring in the first decade of October. The Grignolino grape is recommended for cultivation throughout Piedmont and is included in the regulations of controlled designations of origin, such as Grignolino d'Asti and Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese.
Recorded morphological features of the Grignolino variety:
- Mature wood: shoots are of medium length, robust, smooth, with an elliptical or round cross-section. The surface has a uniform hazel color with a slight reddish tint. Internodes are of medium length (11–13 cm). Buds are large and rounded.
- Young shoot (growing tip): the tip is expanded, covered with a white cottony pubescence with a delicate carmine-red tint. Apical leaves are slightly trough-shaped, cottony underneath, bronzed with a carmine margin. Basal leaves are unfolded, green with reddish edges. The herbaceous shoot is circular, smooth, green with reddish stripes. Tendrils are intermittent, bifid or trifid, long, thin, and striped with red.
- Leaf: formed leaves are of medium or larger size, pentagonal, predominantly three-lobed (less frequently five-lobed with poorly marked lower lobes). The upper surface is glabrous and rugose, dark green; the lower side has a light greyish-white arachnoid pubescence. The leaf blade margins are slightly folded like a cup. The main veins are partially colored red. Teeth are highly pronounced, acute, and convex. The petiole is medium or long, reddish. The autumn coloration of the Grignolino leaves is characterized by the appearance of yellow spots on a green background.
- Bunch: larger than medium in size, compact. The shape is predominantly cylindrical or pyramidal, often with distinct wings. The inflorescences are robust, conical, and erect.
- Berry: less than medium in size, almost oval (subovoid) in shape. The skin is rather thin, covered with an abundant waxy bloom. The coloration of the berries is uneven, reddish-violet with an ashy tint. The pulp is juicy, with a distinctly vinous taste. Detachment of the berry from the short or medium red pedicel is rather difficult. Inside the fruit, there are predominantly 3 large, pear-shaped seeds.
Agricultural Characteristics
The Grignolino variety forms vigorous vines and demonstrates good growth in favorable conditions, particularly on hilly sandy soils. Yield indicators are fairly regular within its traditional habitat, but outside of Piedmont, fruiting can become highly irregular due to a tendency to produce a limited number of bunches. The first fruitful shoot usually appears at the third node, and the average number of inflorescences per shoot is two. The fertility of lateral shoots (canes from secondary buds) is considered insignificant. For vine pruning, a low-standing trellis system with a Guyot-type method is traditionally used. The variety possesses excellent resistance to downy mildew (peronospora), exceeding the Barbera variety in this regard, but demonstrates high susceptibility to powdery mildew (oidium) and requires timely protective treatments. During propagation, cuttings show a high grafting success rate and compatibility with vigorous rootstocks such as Rupestris du Lot, Kober 5 BB, and Golia.
Winemaking and Product Characteristics
In winemaking, the variety is used exclusively for the production of dry still wines. Thanks to good sugar accumulation and optimal must conditions, the Grignolino grape allows for obtaining distinctive wines with a vivid varietal character. The finished product features a characteristic light garnet or pinkish-red color, high alcohol content, and a savory tartness caused by the abundance of seeds in the berries. The variety is approved for the production of several DOC wines, including Colli Tortonesi, Gabiano, Monferrato, Piemonte, and Rubino di Cantavenna. The total vineyard area of the variety in Italy, according to ISTAT censuses, has stabilized at around 915 hectares, and modern nurseries provide an annual output of certified planting material exceeding 120 thousand vines.