Bigolona
A revived Valpolicella white grape for botrytized dessert wines.
Bigolona is a white grape from Italy’s Valpolicella region, grown there since the early 1800s. It has long been used for sweet wines made from late-harvest or botrytized grapes. Its alternative name, Smarzirola, comes from the Italian word for “to rot.”
Quick Facts
- Region
- Valpolicella, northeast Italy
- First documented
- early 19th century
- Synonym
- Smarzirola
- Derivation of synonym
- Italian marcire ('to rot')
- Current cultivation area
- almost exclusively Valpolicella and around the commune of Illasi, province of Verona
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Bigolona is often blended with Garganega in Veneto IGT wines.
- The grape is used in vin santo and passito style wines.
- It can be made as a varietal under the Veneto IGT designation.
History
By the 1970s, Bigolona was near extinction. Viticulturalists at the Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura in Conegliano and Verona began propagating cuttings to preserve the vine. Although it was not yet on the official Italian grape register by the 2000 census, producers in the Veneto IGT zone have started making wine from these revived plantings.
Viticulture
Bigolona is a mid-ripening variety well suited to late-harvest and botrytized wines. Its synonym Smarzirola, from marcire ('to rot'), reflects its affinity for Botrytis cinerea infection. Growers must manage the vine's vigorous nature, large leafy canopy, and tendency toward high yields through pruning or green harvesting.
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