The IGP Puglia appellation: the Moscatello Selvatico vine and the Crifo proposals
27 November 2020
One of the best grape varieties in Puglia is the Moscatello Selvatico.
This cultivar is among those chosen by the Ruvo di Puglia Winery: there are indeed 5 native grape varieties cultivated and selected for the Crifo label wines. These are some of the most important grape varieties in Puglia. With Nero di Troia, Bombino Bianco, Bombino Nero, Moscatello Selvatico, Pampanuto (or Verdeca), cultivated just a few kilometers from Castel del Monte, the Ruvo di Puglia Winery produces wines from its most renowned bottles.
The Moscatello Selvatico is one of the most interesting grape varieties cultivated in the area. According to numerous scholars, including Acerbi in 1825, Rovasenda in 1877, Molon in 1906, and Dalmasso in 1964, it belongs to the large Moscato family, known for its typical aromaticity.
The Moscatello Selvatico has been cultivated in Puglia between the Murge and the Conca di Bari since the Paleolithic era.
The grape variety has a medium-small, orbicular, tri- or penta-lobed leaf; medium-sized, conical-cylindrical clusters; medium-large berries with bright green skin and good consistency.
This is a distinctly sweet aromatic grape. The resulting wine is straw yellow in color, illuminated by golden reflections, with a fragrant and musky aroma. On the nose, over an aromatic grassy base, notes of candied orange, chamomile, russet apples, and cotton candy are recognizable. The taste is fresh, delicate, and typically aromatic with a rich finish of citrus and delicate orange blossoms.
The Crifo “Bellagriffi” Moscatello Selvatico Puglia IGP is a perfect example, resulting from the cultivation of the authorized Puglian grape variety using traditional methods and vinification with cutting-edge techniques, awarded the gold medal at the latest edition of the Gilbert & Gaillard International Competition and included in the Ais Puglia, Italian Sommelier Association selections.
A delicate and pleasantly aromatic wine that comes from the late harvest of this grape variety is the Crifo Moscatello Selvatico Vendemmia Tardiva Puglia IGP. The healthiest and ripest clusters are left to wither in the vineyard for a few weeks to obtain a sweet and fragrant wine that accompanies dessert and after meals.
