Son Of A Lesser God: Baratuciat, An Interesting White Variety For Refreshing Sparkling Wines In Piedmont

Recently in Turin, I met Mrs Valentina Peracino, the president of the Associazione Tutela del Baratuciat e Vitigni Minori. This association was born in 2019, initially to give a voice to a group of small producers of baratuciat who were outside the borders of the Val di Susa, who hoped for an expansion of the Doc Valle di Susa Baratuciat in which to include their production. Unfortunately, this project did not come to fruition, so now the association is working, thanks to the diffusion and appreciation that this vine has obtained throughout the region, for the recognition of the Doc Piemonte Baratuciat, which could be mentioned the multiple and interesting versions of this white wine.

In fact, a lot of winemaker appreciate this grape, for its characteristics and versatility, as you can produce sparkling or still or passito wines.

Baratuciat is a grape with elliptical berries and a medium-thick, very pruinose skin, yellow/green in color, golden when ripe. The berries have a pulp that is not very consistent, juicy and not colored. It is an early and vigorous vine. The bunch when ripe is medium or medium-small, compact, conical or cylindrical. It has a late ripening and is usually harvested in the third ten days of September. The first mention of Baratuciat is found in the document drawn up by the Ampelographic Commission of the Province of Turin, in 1877, where its presence was reported in a few specimens exclusively in the municipality of Villarbasse with the name of “Berlon ‘d ciat bianco”.

It was saved from extinction, due to phylloxera and the depopulation of the countryside, by a farmer from Almese, Giorgio Falca, who planted some shoots of a 1910 pergola vine in his vineyard and around 2000 brought a shoot and a bunch of that grape to the University of Grugliasco to be analyzed: the baratuciat had not been lost and he had managed to save it. From Susa Valley, it migrated to Canavese, the Biella area, the Carmagnola area, Monforte d’Alba and Basso Monferrato.

The vine perfoms well in various types of soil, expressing different organoleptic characteristics: aromas of white fruit such as pear, peach, citrus, grapefruit, mandarin and also sage, mint and anise. Often there are hints of flint, with a gentle and delicate evolution towards hydrocarbon. The wines usually have a good freshness and are very pleasant to drink.

Barat classic method sparkling wine (13° alcool), Dellavallle Winery is 100% baratuciat. The second fermentation takes place in bottle, and the rest on the lees is variable, from 12 to 60 months, depending on the choice of the winegrower.

Bright straw yellow color, olfactory notes of citrus fruit, pineapple, passion fruit, sage, pastry, and bread. Silky mousse and refreshing sip.

Perfect with raw fish and shrimp salad!