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The Perla dei Vivi grape, whose poetic name translates to “Pearl of the Living”, is one of Italy’s most obscure and intriguing native varieties. Grown today in a single known vineyard in the province of Reggio Emilia, it is an exceptionally rare find even for seasoned wine lovers. Despite its limited cultivation, Perla dei Vivi has been officially recorded since 2007 in Italy’s National Register of Vine Varieties and is recognised in the production regulations of the prestigious DOC Colli di Scandiano e Canossa.
Historical documentation on Perla dei Vivi is scarce, adding to its mystery. DNA profiling has shown only a loose genetic connection to the Lambruschi family, although in practice it is often grouped with Lambrusco varieties due to its local origin and similar viticultural traits. This subtle distinction suggests that Perla dei Vivi may have developed independently while sharing some characteristics with its better-known Lambrusco cousins.
Perla dei Vivi is a black-berried grape known for producing wines of notable structure and body, with a high dry extract that supports complexity and ageing potential. Its agronomic traits indicate it is well-suited to still wine production, rather than the frizzante or spumante styles more typical of the region. The vine’s resilience and adaptability allow it to express the terroir of the Reggio Emilia hills with authenticity, making it a valuable - if rare - contributor to local viticultural heritage.
When vinified, Perla dei Vivi yields wines with a delicate yet complex bouquet, often revealing layered fruity notes alongside subtle floral and spice tones. On the palate, the wines are structured, balanced, and harmonious, with good depth and a refined texture. The dry extract content gives the wine a satisfying mouthfeel, making it suitable for pairing with robust Emilian cuisine, from cured meats like Prosciutto di Parma to rich pasta dishes such as lasagne alla bolognese.
In the DOC Colli di Scandiano e Canossa, Perla dei Vivi stands out as a variety that connects deeply with local identity. The hilly vineyards, with their mix of clay and limestone soils, provide the ideal growing environment, enhancing both the grape’s aromatic delicacy and its structural backbone. While production remains extremely limited, wines featuring Perla dei Vivi represent a rare and authentic taste of Emilia-Romagna’s winemaking tradition.
In an era when global wine markets often favour well-known international grapes, Perla dei Vivi is a reminder of Italy’s extraordinary biodiversity. Preserving and celebrating such indigenous varieties ensures that regional character, historical continuity, and viticultural diversity are not lost to standardisation.
The Perricone grape is a native red variety of Western Sicily and in the late 19th century was the most cultivated variety in the provinces of Palermo and Trapani (where it is called Pignatello) and was also grown in the provinces of Agrigento and Caltanissetta.
The name Pignatello, some say, comes from the name “pignatidare”, the red soils of the Trapani area because it was used for making cooking pots, “pignata”. This type of soil is particularly suited for the Pignatello grape, hence the name.
The Perricone grape variety is used for the production of Marsala Ruby, thanks to which it initially was widely planted. In the first half of the 20th century, when the consumption of Marsala gradually started to reduce, so its cultivation suffered, the grape become almost completely abandoned. Thanks to the perseverance of some sensible winemakers, the Perricone grape has been included in the disciplinary of the DOCs Contea di Sclafani, Delia Nivolelli, Eloro, Monreale, Marsala and in numerous IGTs.
The Perricone berry is black, spherical with very waxy, thick, dark blue skin. The bunch is conical-pyramidal, sometimes winged, sometimes long, compact with a medium size, pentagonal round leaf and has good production.
The Perricone grape produces a ruby-red wine, with a characteristic vinous aroma; on the palate is dry, fairly full-bodied and balanced.
The Petit Manseng grape is a fascinating white wine variety with a distinctive character. The grape originates from the South West of France, particularly the Jurançon region, but it is also found in other areas of South West France, including Gascony and around Madiran and its cultivation has expanded to "New World" wine regions, including parts of the United States, Australia, and elsewhere.
The "petit" in the name refers to its small berries, which have thick skins. The grape is known for its high acidity, even when ripe and can accumulate high sugar levels, making it ideal for sweet wines.
The Petit Manseng grape is used to produce both dry and sweet wines, with sweet styles being particularly renowned, often used in the production of luscious dessert wines. Late-harvesting is common, allowing the grapes to concentrate their sugars.
The Petit Rouge grape variety is widely considered to be the finest red grape of the Aosta Valley, and it is likely native to this region. It is one of the oldest and most commonly planted red varieties in the area, with its name literally translating to "little red one." The first records of its cultivation date back to Roman times, highlighting its long-standing presence in the valley.
As with many grape varieties in the Aosta Valley, Petit Rouge is believed to trace its origins to the native “Orious” family, which is further divided into two subfamilies: the “Gros Orious” and the “Petits Orious,” the latter of which includes Petit Rouge. The region boasts small, historic vineyards where this grape is still cultivated along the Dora Baltea valley, contributing to a unique and limited production of wines that capture the essence of the valley’s terroir.
The Petit Rouge grape itself is characterized by small, black, spheroid berries with a very waxy, thin, soft skin that has a blue-purplish hue. The bunches are typically medium-sized or medium-small, with a truncated pyramid shape and one or two wings. The clusters are moderately tight, and the leaves are medium-sized, with three to five lobes. The vine thrives in the distinct growing conditions of the Aosta Valley, which is ideal for producing wines with rich and complex flavors.
Given the widespread cultivation of Petit Rouge in the region, it is an essential component in many of the Aosta Valley's DOC wines. It accounts for 85% of Enfer d’Arvier, 70% of Torrette, 60% of Chambave, and 30% of Nus Rouge. Often, Petit Rouge is blended with other local grape varieties like Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Fumin to create wines that are tart and fruity, showcasing the region’s diverse vinous character.
Wines made from Petit Rouge are typically ruby red with garnet reflections, offering an intense, vinous aroma. On the palate, the wine is fairly tannic, yet smooth and velvety, with a full-bodied structure. It is usually quite alcoholic, further enhancing its robust and complex profile. Whether enjoyed as a stand-alone wine or as part of a blend, Petit Rouge offers a true reflection of the Aosta Valley’s winemaking heritage.
Petit Verdot, ‘little green’ in French, first gained fame as a blending grape for making Bordeaux wine. However, because Petit Verdot often has difficulties reaching full phenolic ripeness, not much of it is planted or used in Bordeaux today. Yet, that was not always the case. In fact, Petit Verdot, which takes its name from the size of its berries, small, was one of the main grapes for many Bordeaux chateaux in the Medoc during the 1700’s and after the devastating attack of phylloxera in the late 1800’s quite a bit of Petit Verdot in The Left Bank was removed. What little Petit Verdot remained was once again removed from the vineyards in Bordeaux following the frost of 1956.
However, Petit Verdot has found its new home in Tuscany, precisely in Maremma, initially as a blending grape and slowly, thanks to a few winemakers has found its own space. Making 100% Petit Verdot wines is not easy to the characteristics of the grape resulting in wine with marked tannins, but when properly done, aged in wood to tame the tannins and thanks to their high acidity, can produce outstanding wines.
The Petite Arvine grape is native of Valais, in Switzerland, from where it has crossed the border and spread in to the Aosta Valley. According to a study, the Petite Arvine grape derives from the grape Prié, native of the Aosta Valley and also grown in France.
The Petite Arvine grape is so called because of the size of its berries, petite is small in French. The grape not only is suited, but has a knack for growing in altitude, and for that reason it is nicknamed “grape of the glaciers.” Certainly adapted to the Aosta Valley's landscape, the Petite Arvine is a variety that is characterized by high intensity and pleasantness of its wines, as well as an inclination to ageing.
The Petite Arvine berry is white, small, spheroid with thin, solid, waxy, yellowish green skin. The bunch is medium, pyramidal, elongated, often bi-winged, and compact with a medium-large, pentagonal leaf and has medium vigor and good productivity.
The Petite Arvine grapes produces straw yellow wines, with intense and complex nose, floral, with hints of violets and wisteria. On the palate, the wine fresh, refreshing, with a lively acidity and medium to full body.
The Picolit grape has unknown origins, although since the 17th century there is evidence of the goodness of sweet wine made with this grape, whose fame had crossed borders and had spread at the royal courts of Europe, thanks to Count Fabio Asquini that in the 19th century undertook a journey to find a market for the sweet wine Picolit as an alternative to the Hungarian Tokay.
The name almost certainly derives from the small size of the berry and the bunch, but also because of the limited production , due among other things to the frequent phenomenon of floral abortion. For these reasons, the cultivation of this variety has become increasingly scarce and it disappeared from the Veneto where it had spread, while it is still rooted in Friuli, in the provinces of Udine and Gorizia mainly. Picolit is often grown in the vineyards along the Verduzzo, in order to avoid, at least in part, the problem of floral abortion, encouraging cross-pollination.
Picolit has a small, ellipsoidal, white berry with waxy, thick and consistent skin around a green golden heart. The bunch is medium, pyramidal, often with a wing, sparse or very sparse. Its leaf is medium, pentagonal, and five-lobed.
Picolit vine has high vigor, mid-late maturing and a not constant productivity because of floral abortion phenomenon and its wines have a straw yellow colour with complex aromas reminiscent of wild flowers, almond, peach and the sweet chestnut taste slightly almond-bodied and of great finesse. Picolit wines are often aged and the grapes are left to dry before before vinification.
The Piedirosso is a red grape variety of very ancient origins native of the Naples area, Campania that between the 18th and 19th century spread around, reaching the province of Avellino and in the area of Vesuvius and Mount Somma. The Piedirosso origin is uncertain, some think that it corresponds to the grape “Colombina” mentioned by Pliny the Elder but its name, almost certainly comes from the red colour of the stalk that appears when the grapes reach ripeness.
Until recently the Piedirosso grape was mainly used in blend with other local grapes, amongst the wines made with Piedirosso there is the Lacryma Christi, but in the last few years thanks to a few winemakers, the grape is enjoying a renaissance, producing outstanding 100% Piedirosso red wines mainly bottled as Vesuvio DOC. The Piedirosso grape is nowadays found in the whole region of Campania, but it is in the Vesuvius area that produces the best examples thanks to its volcanic soil.
The Piedirosso berry is black, medium-large, spheroid with thick, waxy, red-purple skin. The bunch is medium, medium-large, squat, truncated pyramid, with two wings, sparse, with reddish stalks and medium, orbicular or three-lobed leaves, the grape has an early maturity.
The Piedirosso grape produces elegant wine with an intense ruby red colour, fruity with hints of violets on the nose, full bodied, slightly tannic, with a lively acidity that can stand ageing.
The Pigato grape is of Ligurian origin, as it also is the Vermentino, that has since spread from Liguria to other Italian regions. Pigato's origins are still the subject of an ongoing discussion, since it is very similar to the Vermentino, and even to the Piedmont's Favorita. DNA studies have recently confirmed the common origin of these three varieties.
Pigato is mainly found in the western Ligurian Riviera, and in the Val Polcèvera area, together with the Vermentino and its name comes from the dialect “picau”, meaning speckled, by the presence of small dots (pigghe) on the grapes.
The Pigato berry is white, medium-large, spheroid with waxy, yellow-amber or green skin (depending on exposure). The bunch is medium or medium-large, cylindrical or pyramidal, medium loose with a medium-large, pentagonal, five-lobed leaf and the vine prefers sunny and hilly terrain, close to the sea and has medium vigor and time of average maturity, good and regular production.
The Pigato grape variety produces a pale yellow wine with greenish hues, floral aromas and hints of minerality. The taste is dry, fruity, slightly bitter, smooth and harmonious.
The Pignola grape is a native Valtellinese red variety, found mostly in the municipalities of Villa di Tirano and Bianzone. Its origin is very old and seems to have come originally from Piedmont.
Its name comes from the fact that the cluster remotely resembles a pine cone, which it has in common with other varieties such as the Pignolo Friuli or Pinot Noir. With the latter a further element of affinity is constituted by the fact that the Pignola Valtellinese lends itself well to the white vinification. In fact, the pulp of the grapes is perfectly white, for which a light pressing allows to obtain colorless musts. It is vinified in red blends and takes part in the composition of the Valtellina rosso doc.
The berry is black medium small, spherical with waxy, thin, black-blue skin. The cluster is medium-small, cylindrical or pyramidal elongated short, very tight with a medium, pentagonal, five-lobed leaf.
The Pignola grape has good vigor and late ripening.
This variety, vinified in red, gives a ruby red wine, with a good fragrance, fresh, a bit tannic, with an average alcohol content and body, savory. Vinified in white it shows as persistent and intense, with fresh and floral aromas, the taste is soft and pleasantly dry.
The Pignola grape vinified in white is also an ideal base for the production of sparkling wine with fermentation in bottle.
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