Grape Of The Week: Trebbiano
Trebbiano is a name for a group of white grapes, some of which are unrelated to each other. The primary varieties are Trebbiano Abruzzese, found in Abruzzo Italy, and Trebbiano Toscana, which originates from Tuscany and is also known as Ugni Blanc in France. Trebbiano Abruzzese is thought to be of the highest quality, with high acidity and notes of white flowers, peach, and citrus. Whereas Trebbiano Toscana is the most planted variety, with high acidity and neutral notes of herbs and lemon. In France, Trebbiano Toscana is mainly planted in Cognac, where it is most famous for producing Cognac and Armagnac brandies.
With more than double the amount of hectares of Trebbiano than Italy, France only produces about 3% of Trebbiano in the world. Meanwhile, Italy makes up just over 95% of Trebbiano production, with Romagna, Puglia, and Abruzzo being the top three regions within Italy. Able to adapt to various growing conditions, Trebbiano tends to bud later in the season to nullify spring frost and needs lots of sun to ripen. Often blended with Malvasia, Trebbiano wines are fantastic alongside roasted chicken, white pizza, seafood, and pesto pasta.
Delve into all things Trebbiano:
France
Chateau de Laubade Armagnac 2001
Domaine de Pouteou Bas Armagnac 1992
Frapin 1270 Grande-Champagne Cognac
Marie Duffau Bas Armagnac Napoleon
Italy
Angol d'Amig Pulonia Emilia Bianco Frizzante 2021
Vanempo Maluna Toscana Bianco 2021
Grape Photo Courtesy of UC Davis
