Albarola is a white grape variety deeply rooted in the winemaking tradition of eastern Liguria, particularly in the Cinque Terre, the province of La Spezia and the Lunigiana. Its historical presence is documented in the ancient rural practices of eastern Liguria, and the variety was officially entered in the National Register of Vine Varieties in 1970. The name probably derives from the Latin ‘albus’, referring to the light colour of the berries.
The leaf is small to medium in size, ranging from orbicular to pentagonal in shape, generally entire and sometimes trilobed, with a moderately blistered surface, a closed petiole sinus and a tomentose underside. The bunch, medium or small to medium in size, is short, cylindrical or conical, often winged and ranging from compact to very compact. The berries are small or small to medium in size, spheroidal or ellipsoidal, with a greenish-white or yellowish-white skin and juicy flesh with a neutral flavour.
Grown mainly in the Cinque Terre, the Colli di Luni and the Colline di Levanto, Albarola is also found in the Tuscan regions of Lunigiana and the Apuan coast. The wine is straw-yellow in colour, sometimes with greenish highlights, and offers fruity and floral aromas, lively freshness, a light-bodied structure and good savoury notes. It generally expresses its fragrance best in its early years, whilst more careful winemaking, including ageing on the lees, can lend it greater complexity. It is also a traditional component of the wines of the Cinque Terre and Sciacchetrà.
