Nascetta: general information

general information managed by Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante - CNR
How to cite this source Schneider A., Torello Marinoni D., Raimondi S., 2013. Nascetta. In: Italian Vitis Database, www.vitisdb.it, ISSN 2282-006X
acknowledgments Ager Foundation, Regione Piemonte
botanical information
name
Nascetta
type of origin
spontanea
specie
Vitis vinifera
variety group
not available
genera
Vitis
subspecie
sativa
variety for
wine
code
IVD-var_145
registration
Registered in the National Catalogue
yes
code
362
Official name
Nascetta B.
synonyms
documented synonyms (2)
synonyms documented by the Istitution that appear with the eventual support of the literature
released clones
images
  • shoot
    shoot
  • leaf
    leaf
  • bunch
    bunch
Historical references

Nascetta appears in the historical documents rather recently, not before the last decades of Nineteenth century. Even in those times, Nascetta growing area was limited to the municipality of Novello and to few near villages in the Langhe, in the province of Cuneo (Commissione Ampelografica Provincia di Cuneo, 1879). But while for many cultivars of the past the judgments were rather severe in terms of quality, not so for the Nascetta. The Count of Rovasenda left traces about Nascetta in his notes as of a "very delicate grape and exquisite wine" (Di Rovasenda, 1824 -1913). No less enthusiastically, Lorenzo Fantini in 1895 wrote "for finesse of taste immediately after the muscatel, ... the [Nascetta] grape is exquisite to the taste and gives excellent wine". This author placed Nascetta among the whites grapes capable of giving "luxury wines", together with the locals Moscatello, Rossese and Malvasia.

After a period of oblivion, few decades ago technicians and wine producers started looking at Nascetta with interest, making it the object of experimentation for a revival in culture (Macaluso and Mannini, 1993).

As for its alleged origin and history, nothing is known with precision. DNA analysis of around twenty molecular markers placed Nascetta in the group of varieties from Piedmont, in compare to hundreds Italian and international grape cultivars. Moreover, Nascetta seemed genetically linked to some minor cultivars typical of Saluzzese or Roero. It could therefore be assumed if not exactly originated in these areas, it must have be present here for some time (Schneider, 2011).

distribution & variation

The Nascetta has been registered in the National Register of Grape Varieties since 2001. Its cultivation remains for now limited to about twenty hectares, almost all included in the municipality of Novello near Barolo, its traditional cultivation area.

The identification of Nascetta with the Sardinian Nasco, already mentioned in the 1800s, must be rejected since the two varieties are distinct.

technological use

Varietal Nascetta wines are of excellent quality, with a characteristic aroma scented of honey (Ubigli, 1992). The wine shows a fair and balanced acidity, and an important structure. Some dares to approach Nascetta to Chardonnay wine for alcohol, structure and elegance. And like Chardonnay, Nascetta is suitable to wine-making and wine-ageing in wood barrels, when vineyard yield is limited. 

bibliographies (6)
authors year title journal citation
Commissione ampelografica della provincia di Cuneo. 1879 Elenco e qualità dei vitigni coltivati nella provincia di Cuneo. Bullettino ampelografico, XI, 311-353.
Di Rovasenda G. 1856-1913 Appunti inediti. Fondo Giuseppe di Rovasenda. Presso: Università degli studi di Torino – DISAFA, unità Colture arboree e Fisiologia funzionale.
Fantini L. 1895 Monografia sulla viticoltura ed enologia della provincia di Cuneo. Ristampa 1973 a cura dell’Ordine dei Cavalieri del tartufo e dei vini di Alba, CN, I.
Macaluso R., Mannini F. 1993 “Nascetta” o “Anascetta”. Scheda ampelografica. Vignevini, 20, 6, 84.
Schneider A. 2011 La ‘Nascetta’ di Novello: i pregi di un vitigno ritrovato. Annali Acc. Agric. Torino, vol. CLI, 2008-2009, 51-55.
Ubigli M. 1992 Nascetta, quel raro vitigno di Novello. L’Assaggiatore, 14,15, 6-7.
updated at 2020-05-19 17:34:15 (4 years ago)