Baratuciat
A Piedmontese white grape with Sauvignon-like aromas.
Baratuciat is a white wine grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. For most of its history it was primarily used as a table grape, with limited use for sweet late-harvest dessert wines. It was officially added to the Italian registry of wine grape varieties on 23 June 2008.
Quick Facts
- Added to italian registry
- 23 June 2008
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The name Baratuciat is similar to the Piedmontese dialect term for cat's testicles.
- Ampelographers theorize the name may refer to the shape of the berries or to the grape's Sauvignon blanc-like aromas.
- The grape can have slight bitter notes on the finish.
Viticulture
Baratuciat is a mid-ripening variety that can be very vigorous, producing a large canopy and high yields if not controlled by winter pruning, green harvesting, and canopy management. The berries are small with thick skins prone to botrytis bunch rot. While noble rot is desirable for some dessert wines, for Baratuciat the presence of Botrytis cinerea is usually considered a viticultural hazard. The grape has high acidity, which balances sugars in sweet late-harvest wines.
Wine regions
Baratuciat is believed to be grown almost exclusively in the Susa Valley within the province of Turin, notably in the villages of Almese, Buttigliera Alta, Rosta, Rubiana, and Villar Dora. One winery in Almese has cultivated the grape on a commercial scale since the early 21st century. Wine critics have noted the grape's potential within the red-wine-only Valsusa DOC. A 2011 study documented 2 hectares of the variety in 2010.
More in White Wine Grape Varieties from Italy
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced