Glera (grape)
| Glera | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
 Prosecco sparkling wine made from Glera | |
| Color of berry skin | Blanc |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called | Prosecco and Other synonyms |
| Origin | Italy |
| Notable regions | Veneto |
| Notable wines | Prosecco |
Glera is a white variety of grape of Italian origin, which, until 2009, was mostly referred to as Prosecco,[1] such as Altaneve.[2]
Glera is a rather neutral grape variety which is mainly cultivated for use in sparkling Italian wine styles, frizzante or spumante, from the various Prosecco DOCG and DOC areas, although still wines also exist.[3] It is grown mainly in the Veneto region of Italy, traditionally in an area near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the hills north of Treviso.
History
Glera is believed to be an old variety, and its former name Prosecco was derived from the village Prosecco near Trieste, where the grape may have originated.[4] It has been proposed that it was cultivated already in Roman times,[5] possibly as the vinum pucinum praised by Pliny the Elder, although that is not known with any certainty. It ranks about thirtieth in importance among the country's some 2,000 grape varieties.[6]
Name change
Prosecco was traditionally used as the name for both the grape variety and the sparkling wine produced primarily from it. Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Prosecco di Conegliano and Prosecco di Valdobbiadene all had DOC status, and there was also an IGT zone surrounding it. When the higher DOCG status was sought for Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadine, it became a complication that the grape (which had become cultivated over a larger area) and the protected designation of origin had the same name. To resolve the issue, the old synonym Glera was officially adopted for the variety at the same time as the DOCG was approved in 2009.[7][8] The change was also made to reduce the possibility of sparkling wines of other origin being labelled as 'Prosecco' by using the grape variety's name.[9]
Relationship to other grapes
Glera is a parent variety of two Manzoni grapes, the red wine grape variety Incrocio Manzoni 2.15 (a crossing with Cabernet Sauvignon) and another red skinned variety known as Incrocio Manzoni 2.14 (a crossing with Cabernet Franc).[10]
Synonyms
Glera is also known under the synonyms Ghera, Glere, Grappolo Spargolo, Prosecco Tondo, Prosecco, Prosecco Balbi, Prosecco Bianco, Prosecco Nostrano, Prosecco Tondo, Proseko Sciprina, Serpina, and Uva Pissona.[1]
References
- 1 2 Prosecco, Vitis International Variety Catalogue, accessed on June 20, 2010
- ↑ Thirsty New York Altaneve Prosecco Sets Sail to Change Your Perception of Prosecco. May 28, 2014
- ↑ Jancis Robinson, ed. (2006). "Prosecco". Oxford Companion to Wine (Third ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 550. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
- ↑ Cortese, Amy, The New York Times (December 26, 2008). "Italian Makers of Prosecco Seek Recognition". Retrieved 2008-12-28.
- ↑ Koelliker, Beat (2008). Die neue Hallwag Weinschule: Mit 13 Weinproben zum Weinkenner (in German). HALLWAG. p. 104. ISBN 3-8338-1221-4.
- ↑ Kinssies, Richard, Seattle Post-Intelligencer (July 10, 2002). "On Wine: Proseccos sparkle on their own terms". Retrieved 2008-12-29.
- ↑ Prosecco to become DOCG, Decanter, May 28, 2009
- ↑ Prosecco to become DOCG, Decanter, July 10, 2009
- ↑ Prosecco, Italy, Tom Canavan, 2009
- ↑ J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours pgs 469-471, 594-595 Allen Lane 2012 ISBN 978-1-846-14446-2
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