Caprettone
A white grape from Campania, distinct from Coda di Volpe.
Caprettone is a white wine grape variety grown in the Campania region of southern Italy, where it serves as a minor blending component in Lacryma Christi bianco. It is also cultivated in the Rogue River Valley of southern Oregon. Historically thought to be a clone of Coda di Volpe, DNA analysis has confirmed it as a distinct variety.
Quick Facts
- Region of origin
- Campania, southern Italy
- Also grown in
- Rogue River Valley, southern Oregon
- Dna relationship
- Distinct from Coda di Volpe; closely related to Piedirosso and Ginestra
- Doc appellations
- Vesuvio DOC, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco
- Ripening
- Early to mid-ripening
- Typical harvest period
- Mid to late September in Campania
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Caprettone is noted for maintaining moderate acidity even in the warm climate of southern Italy.
- The grape is usually harvested in Campania in mid to late September.
History
The name Caprettone may derive from the Italian capra, meaning goat, possibly referencing shepherds' historical role in southern Italian viticulture or the goat-beard shape of its clusters. For years it was mistaken for a clone of Coda di Volpe, but early 21st-century DNA analysis showed it is a distinct variety closely related to Piedirosso and Ginestra. Speculation about links to Catalanesca and Uva Rosa was not supported by 2005 DNA results.
Wine regions
In the 2000 census, Caprettone was still officially listed as a synonym for Coda di Volpe, so exact plantings are unknown. True Caprettone is believed to be mostly confined to the province of Napoli, particularly 15 villages around Mount Vesuvius. It can be made as a varietal wine under Vesuvio DOC and is a major blending component in Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco. A varietal wine is also produced in Oregon's Rogue River Valley.
More in White Wine Grape Varieties from Italy
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