| Erbaluce | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
| Color of berry skin | Blanc |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called | Seelist of synonyms |
| Origin | Italy |
| Notable regions | Piedmont |
| VIVC number | 3925 |
Erbaluce orErbaluce bianca is a whiteItalian winegrape grown primarily in thePiedmont region aroundCaluso, inCanavese. In addition todry table wines, it is used to makesweet wines with deep golden coloring, such aspassito.[1] The grape has a long history in thePiedmont region, with the first written record dating to 1606, and most likely originated in thealpine hills of northern Piedmont.[2]
In the 21st century,DNA profiling determined that Erbaluce has a close genetic relationship with another Piedmontese wine grape,Cascarolo bianco, though the exact nature of that relationship is not yet known.[3]
Wines made from Erbaluce tend to be dry with noticeableacidity. While the grape's acidity makes it ideally suitable for sweet wine production, the dry wines need to have considerable amount of fruit in order to balance that acidity. Both the dry and sweet styles of Erbaluce tend to exhibit characteristicapplearomas and flavors.[2] Since the 1990s, Piedmontese producers have been working on improving the quality of Erbaluce wines to compete with the whites ofCortese andArneis.[4]
Erbaluce di Caluso is aDOCG wine.
Erbaluce is also known under the followingsynonyms: Alba Lucenti, Albaluce, Albe Lucenti, Ambra, Bianc Rousti, Bianchera, Bianco Rusti, Erba Luce, Erbaluce bianca, Erbalucente, Erbalucente bianca, Erbalus, Erbcalon, Greco Novarese, Repcalon, Trebbiano Gentile, Trebbiano Perugino, Trebbiano Verde dell'Umbria, Uva Rustia, Uva Rustica, and Vernazza di Gattinara.[5]