Italian wine and grape guide : Albarola

The Albarola grape is particularly widespread in Liguria, from the Italian Riviera di Ponente to Tuscany. It has remarkable similarities with the Bianchetta genovese and many believe that it is its synonym. It makes part of the wine composition “Cinque terre Sciacchetrà DOC”, a pearl wine of rare elegance and harmony. The berry of Albarola is medium-small, ellipsoidal, white with waxy, thin, strong skin greenish or yellow, very clear. The bunch is medium or medium-small, cylindrical or conical, winged with medium-small, pentagonal or orbicular leaf. The Albarola prefers cooler areas and requires traditional farming systems with short or mixed pruning. Its production is good and regular. The Albarola grape gives a wine of a light straw yellow color, sometimes with greenish hues, accentuated by the aroma of a grass field.