Verdicchio bianco

Main Characteristics of the Verdicchio bianco Grape

The Verdicchio bianco grape variety is considered the oldest authochthonous vine of the Italian Marche region, where it is recognized as the finest and most valuable among white varieties. The variety demonstrates high adaptability to different soil types and exposures, successfully thriving from the seashore and river valleys to the tops of sub-Apennine hills. The highest quality yield with a high sugar level is formed on loose siliceous-calcareous soils with a southern exposure, whereas compact clay soils provide a higher yield, but the must parameters are inferior in terms of taste qualities. The ripening period of the variety belongs to the medium category: harvesting begins in the third decade of September and reaches its peak in the first half of October. The average sugar accumulation is about 20% (with a recorded maximum of up to 26.7%), and the average titratable acidity of the berry juice stands at 8.86 g/l.

Morphological Description of the Verdicchio bianco Grape Variety

Morphological features of the vegetative and generative organs of the variety:

• Mature annual shoot (cane): Has a medium thickness, ribbed surface, and distinct roughness. The bark coloration is hazel (walnut), and the pith is thin. The nodes are moderately close and medium-sized. Buds do not have pubescence, being rather large and slightly protruding.
• Young shoot (tip): Characterized by intensive flake-like pubescence and has a uniform color. Open young leaves are glabrous, colored light green. Tendrils are formed in small numbers.
• Formed leaf: Medium in size, with a flat blade and dense coriaceous texture. The leaf shape is five-lobed with an elongated heart-shaped central lobe and weakly marked basal lobes. The upper lateral sinuses are deep, elliptical, and closed; the lower ones are open. The petiolar sinus is rounded and slightly open. The upper side of the leaf is glabrous, moderately rough, and dark green; the lower side is covered with thin pubescence that intensifies along the prominent veins, which have a reddish tint at the base. The leaf margin has shallow teeth tending toward sharp shapes. The petiole is cylindrical, greenish with light rose nuances, and usually longer than the central vein. The leaves stand out for their high durability, remaining long on the vines and turning yellowish in late October or early November.
• Cluster: Has a distinctly elongated conical shape with wings (lobes), colored yellowish-green. The cluster density is predominantly high because the berries sit on short greenish pedicels whose length is less than the longitudinal diameter of the berry. The shape of individual berries within a tight cluster can be deformed, while the overall volume of the cluster remains uniform. The peduncle is short and greenish-yellow.
• Berry: Has a medium size and a shape close to spherical (rounded). The skin is dense, firm, and covered with a waxy bloom that gives the berries a characteristic opalescent tint. The pulp is crisp, firm, and fleshy, with a simple sweet taste. Inside the berry, two small seeds are contained. The berries are firmly attached to the pedicels, do not crack from dampness, and are not damaged by insects due to the toughness of the skin.

Agrotechnical Features of the Verdicchio bianco Variety

The Verdicchio bianco grape variety is characterized by moderate growth vigor and a stable but not always regular yield over the years, demonstrating a periodicity of fruiting. In the spring period, budburst and flowering occur in medium terms. To achieve high quality parameters, vine growers prefer managing the crop on low trellises with training to stakes or reeds, whereas to obtain a larger volume of production, training vines on high trunks with training to a field maple was historically applied (these recommendations are relevant for 1879, when the book "Ampelografia Italiana" was published). The Verdicchio bianco variety demonstrates high resistance to drought and autumn moisture; clusters can be preserved on the vines for a long time without losing their qualities. However, the grape has an increased susceptibility to fungal diseases (powdery mildew / oidium) and requires timely protective measures.

Winemaking and Product Characteristics

The Verdicchio bianco grape variety is a versatile raw material for winemaking, ensuring the production of fine, high-quality white table wines with a characteristic light varietal aroma and a pleasant bitterish aftertaste. Depending on the harvesting region, the alcohol content in dry wines varies from 10.4% to 13.6% ABV. Due to the dense skin of the berries, the variety is ideal for long-term storage in a fresh state as a table grape for the winter period, as well as for drying on straw mats to produce traditional dessert wines of the Vin Santo category. In blends, the must of the Verdicchio bianco variety is frequently used as a natural corrector for overly watery and highly productive white varieties, increasing the density, sugar level, and overall acidity of the blend.