Albaranzeuli bianco
A nearly extinct Sardinian white grape with debated origins.
Albaranzeuli bianco is a white wine grape from Sardinia, Italy. Experts once thought it came from Spain, brought to the island under Aragonese rule. However, recent DNA tests suggest it may be a cross between the local red grape Girò and the Spanish table grape Molinera. Sardinia also has a pink-skinned version called Albaranzeuli nero, but how it relates to the white variety is still unknown.
Quick Facts
- Provinces with plantings
- Nuoro and Oristano
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Albaranzeuli bianco is a late-ripening grape with high yield potential and good resistance to fungal diseases.
- The grape is permitted in several Indicazione geografica tipica (IGT) wines in Sardinia, used for both dry white and sparkling wines.
- Synonyms include Albaranzèllu, Alvarenzeli, Lacconargiu, and Licronasciu.
Relationship to other grape varieties and origins
Ampelographers once suspected Albaranzeuli bianco was a Spanish grape, perhaps a clone of Albillo from Ribera del Duero. But DNA analysis in 2010 proved they are distinct, while suggesting Albaranzeuli bianco might be a cross between Girò, a Sardinian variety with possible Spanish roots, and the Spanish table grape Molinera. The genetic relationship between white-skinned Albaranzeuli bianco and pink-skinned Albaranzeuli nero remains unclear. DNA testing also points to a possible link with Sicily's Albanello and the Marche grape Albanella, two varieties frequently mistaken for one another.
More in White Wine Grape Varieties from Italy
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