Wine grape variety grown in Apulia
The Calabrian variety of black berry grape n. or Nero d’Avola n. was introduced in Apulia after experimentation. It is suitable for cultivation throughout the region.
As for the Calabrian black berry grape variety n. or Nero d’Avola n., although it is almost certain its Sicilian origin, it is not able to reconstruct how and when it was spread in the island. It is one of the best black berry grape varieties in the region. It was successfully introduced in Apulia, after preliminary and suitable experimentation, with vineyards made with gems from both Calabria and Sicily, verifying their ampelographic identity.
Calabrese, Calabrese nero, Calabrese d’Avola, Calabrese pizzuto.
Shoot tip: expanded, fluffy, slightly pink on a white greenish background, generally curved. Less frequently straight.
Leaf: large, circular, lobeless. Open, or less frequently, closed lyre-shaped petiole sinus with slightly overlapping lobes, often with a tooth; hardly recognizable lateral sinuses. Wavy, dull, hairless blade surface.
Bunch: medium or medium-large, cone-shaped, winged, often composite, from medium dense to slightly loose.
Berry: medium, ellipsoid or oval. Pruinose, coriaceous skin; bluish epidermis.
Time of bud burst: intermediate
Flowering time: early-intermediate
Veraison: intermediate
Ripening: intermediate
Vigour: high
Average bunch weight: 260 g (min 150 g – max 440 g)
Average berry weight: 1.8 g (min 0.9 g – max 3 g)
Number of seeds per berry: 2
Average rachis weight: 14 g
Fertility of buds: 1 – 2
Potential fertility: 1.5
Actual fertility: 1.2
Regular production; prefers short and little pruning, preferably low training.
Alcoholic content: 11.5 – 13 % by vol.
pH: 3.1 – 3.4
Total acidity: 6.5 – 9.5 g/l
Processed as a single variety, the grapes yield an excellent fine table wine, typical cherry red colour, dry, alcoholic, full-bodied, neutral taste, with fine aromas, suited to being aged in the bottle to obtain superior wines.
Grapes exclusively used for vinification. Vinified as a single variety, or in blend, it is used to obtain excellent wine, which has a characteristic cherry red colour, is dry, rightly alcoholic, with good acid balance and good body, with a neutral smell and taste. The wine, also obtained from pure vinification, may be suitable for barrel ageing and is susceptible to ageing, developing fine aromas.
The vine is present in an important way in some areas of Sicily and also in Calabria.
The vine is registered as Calabrese n. and the synonym Nero d’Avola n. among the varieties suitable for cultivation throughout Apulia.
Antonacci Donato
antonacci.dona@gmail.com
The data sheet of the Calabrese n. or Nero d’Avola n., revised and updated, is extracted from: Antonacci Donato (2006). Viti di Puglia, Adda publisher. Its use is granted by the author citing the source.