Native Wine Grapes of Italy
University of California Press
I hold a deep-rooted passion for the native grapes and wines of Italy.
I have always been fascinated by the rich diversity of Italy’s innumerable grape varieties.
In 2001 I wrote the first series of detailed articles on a number of Italy’s native grapes for
Porthos, then a mainstream Italian wine magazine. Now, in this book, The result of fifteen years of conducting interviews, walking vineyards, and tasting wines made from native Italian grapes is the book you hold in your hands. It details Italian native grapes and wines to a degree never attempted before, and it is as exhaustive as current knowledge allows it to be. Many of the Italian grape varieties named and described in this book have never been mentioned in any mainstream publication outside academic journals or scientific research. There may be native grapes and fine wines made in Italy that are not listed here, but there are not many, and I seize this opportunity to apologize to my readers and to producers whose fine wines and grapes I may have omitted.
Four years of writing, fifteen of research. It cost me a ton of life and twenty pounds, since all I did was eat and write, write and eat for most of that time. I put on weight I’m still trying to lose. Easier said than done.
Description:
Mountainous terrain, volcanic soils, innumerable microclimates, and an ancient culture of winemaking influenced by Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans make Italy the most diverse country in the world of wine. This diversity is reflected in the fact that Italy grows the largest number of native wine grapes known, amounting to more than a quarter of the world’s commercial wine grape types. Ian D’Agata spent thirteen years interviewing producers, walking vineyards, studying available research, and tasting wines to create this authoritative guide to Italy’s native grapes and their wines. Writing with great enthusiasm and deep knowledge, D’Agata discusses more than five hundred different native Italian grape varieties, from Aglianico to Zibibbo.
D’Agata provides details about how wine grapes are identified and classified, what clones are available, which soils are ideal, and what genetic evidence tells us about a variety’s parentage. He gives historical and anecdotal accounts of each grape variety and describes the characteristics of wines made from the grape. A regional list of varieties and a list of the best producers provide additional guidance. Comprehensive, thoroughly researched, and engaging, this book is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to know more about the vast enological treasures cultivated in Italy.
Contents:
Preface
Map of Italy’s Wine Regions
Introduction: Understanding “Native” and Classifying Grape Varieties
Part I. Grape Varieties: What, Where, When, Why, and How
1. Ampelology: The Art and Science of Grape Variety Identification
2. The Origin of Viticulture and a Brief History of Italy’s Grape Varieties
Part II. Italy’s Native and Traditional Grape Varieties and Wines
3. Grape Groups and Families
4. Major Native and Traditional Grape Varieties
5. Little-Known Native and Traditional Grape Varieties
6. Crossings
Comments:
“Hours of pleasure for those who are tired of drinking only chardonnay and merlot.”—Miami Herald
“Wine writers will tell you that they reach for two kinds of books: those for serious research and those for curling up in a favorite chair. When a book inhabits both categories, it is a rare and delightful tome indeed.”—The Boston Globe
“Detailed, interesting and original and I recommend to anyone interested in Italian wines or the topic of native wine grapes generally. It is a seriously fascinating read.”—The Wine Economist
“Intended for fans of Italian wine who want to learn more about all the native grape varieties, region by region. . . . An excellent reference tool for those interested in viticulture who would like to go beyond the science of tasting.”—Vins & Vignobles
“‘Definitive’ is the term that comes to mind for this book. It is rare to find a book that seems to cover its subject so thoroughly that it banishes the thought of needing any further resource on the matter, but Native Wine Grapes of Italy by Ian D’Agata is such a book.”—Italian Wine Central
“Kind of overwhelming, but oh so fascinating. The only thing to do is plunge in. . . . I’m hooked.”—S. Irene Virbila Los Angeles Times/Daily Dish
“This book had to be written, and Ian D’Agata is the only person I know who could have done it. . . . I strongly suspect every wine professional and wine consumer with a serious interest in Italian wine will come to count on the book as an indispensable work of reference for many years to come.”—Decanter
“There’s little anyone could possibly want to find out about Italian viticulture and viniculture that isn’t here. It is a magnum opus of daunting authority.”—John Mariani Virtual Gourmet
“Italophiles will want this reference book on their shelves.”—Sally Easton MW Wine Wisdom
“D’Agata didn’t just write this book, he lived it, and it’s clear that he takes personal responsibility for the fate of Italy’s native grape varieties. The frustration, tenderness, and romance that infuse both anecdotes and technical passages alike make this book an unexpected page-turner.”—The World of Fine Wine
“Italian wine lovers might look for information about certain grapes or simply leaf through this monograph, amused as I was by some of the facts Mr. D’Agata uncovered. Who knew, for example, that Grillo, the white grape of Sicily, is also the word for cricket in Italian? Or that the Pecorino grape was named after sheepherders? (Pecorino is, of course, more famously a cheese made from sheep’s milk.)” -Lettie Teague’s Six Favorite New Wine Books—Wall Street Journal
“Superbly written, and very detailed . . . .Comprehensive and richly informative. His writing is excellent: his prose is flowing and easy-to-read.”—Huon Hooke Hooked on Wine
“If you have anything more than a passing interest in Italian wine, I would strongly recommend this book. If you don’t, buy it anyway, and discover what you are missing out on!”—winenous
“This is . . . a book for any ardent lover of Italian wine to keep handy. . . . His friendly, open voice and appealing combination of humility and pride are just right for his complex subject.”—Edward Behr The Art of Eating
“This blend of personal recollection and definitive scholarship is an essential reference.” – Best Wine Books of 2014—Eric Asimov New York Times
“D’Agata has done superb scholarship on grapes both minor and major. . . . Serious lovers of Italianate wines need this book.”—Jon Bonné Inside Scoop SF/SFGate
“This is a vast treasure trove of fine wine cultivars that are relatively unknown but very unlikely to remain so.”—CHOICE
“[Ian D’Agata is] a bit like the pied piper of indigenous grapes.”—Cathy Huyghe Forbes
“D’Agata’s book knows no equal. . . . In my mind, what lifts this particular volume above and beyond is the way in which D’Agata’s editor has chosen to preserve the author’s inherent wry humour, charm, and wit across all 600+ pages.”—Jamie Drummond Good Food Revoution
“Native Wine Grapes of Italy is a painstakenly researched and represents a significant contribution to the world of Italian grapes and wines.”—Wine Spectator
“Ian D’Agata was born to write this exhaustive, indispensable book on Italian wine grapes. His passion is indefatigable and his writing effortless. His willingness to demolish myths makes this the definitive word on the subject.”
John Mariani, author of The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink and How Italian Food Conquered the World
“Ian D’Agata’s amazingly comprehensive new guide enables adventurous wine lovers to investigate Italy’s vast storehouse of native grapes. Think of this book as a GPS device for finding each variety—from world-renowned to nearly extinct—in its greatest manifestations.”
Stephen Tanzer, Editor/Publisher, International Wine Cellar
