Piedirosso is one of Campania’s most representative indigenous grape varieties, with ancient origins and still deeply rooted in the region’s wine-growing culture today. Tradition links it to the ‘Colombina’ mentioned by Pliny the Elder and to the ‘Palombina nera’ described during the Renaissance; its current name, however, refers to the characteristic reddish colour of the stalk and pedicels, resembling the legs of a pigeon. The leaf is generally of medium size, rounded or pentagonal, with three to five lobes; the bunch is medium or medium-large in size, rather stocky, often with one or two wings, whilst the berry is spherical, with a firm, pruinose skin and an intense reddish-purple colour. Widespread throughout most of Campania, it is particularly prominent in the volcanic areas of Vesuvius and the Campi Flegrei, in the Naples area and on the islands of the Gulf, as well as in the Sannio, on the Sorrento Peninsula and in other inland and coastal areas of the region. The wines produced are ruby red in colour, sometimes enriched with violet or garnet hues as they age. On the nose, notes of cherry, raspberry, morello cherry, floral hints of rose and subtle vegetal nuances emerge; on the palate, they are dry, savoury, fresh, harmonious and characterised by generally soft tannins. Well-balanced in structure, they can be enjoyed young, but the finest examples develop complexity and depth with ageing.
