Aleatico is a variety of ancient cultivation whose presence in Tuscany dates back to the 1300 when, according to De Crescenzi, it was known as Livatica. The first report on the production of Aleatico red wine in Tuscany is of Trinci (1778): ‘its wine is few colorful, loose, thin, very witty, with a delicate smell, grateful and tasty, perhaps more than Moscadello’. Other authors have praised the good qualities of Aleatico grape, including Malenotti (1831) and Gallesio (1839) who describes at length the ‘Liatica’ or ‘Aleatico of Florence’, considering it a ‘real Muscat’, supposing that it may have originated in Tuscany by seed from muscatel grape. In particular, he indicates that Aleatico is cultivated throughout Italy and in Tuscany where it give a "liqueur wine" highly sought after.    

Molon (1906) reported the Aleatico as a wide Tuscan variety with the most famous cultivation area  in Florence and Siena, but also spread to other regions: Romagna, Marche, Umbria, Lazio, Campania, Molise , Abruzzo, Apulia, Sicily and Corsica finally. Molon also reported some information of the grape variety committees specifying its characteristic aroma that sets it apart from any other grape, but sometimes confused with the Black Muscat in Marche region, Negroamaro and Lacrima. Currently, in Tuscany the main area of cultivatio in Elba Isle. In addition to the Island of Elba, the presence of this variety has also been reported on other islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea and particularly in Corsica, where it was traditionally used for the production of "Rappu", a wine of great structure and alcohol, used as an aperitif (Dovaz et al., 1990).

In the Italian official ampelographic description of Aleatico(Breviglieri and Casini, 1962) there are a number of synonyms like ’Aleatico di Portoferraio‘, ’Uva Liatica‘, ’Leatico‘, ’Aliatico‘, ’Aleatica’, ‘Aleatico nero di Firenze‘, ‘Aleatico gentile’.

The recent DNA molecular analyses have shown that ‘Aleatico’ is synonyms   of Blacan and Pelaverde (Cipriani et al., 2010), and according to the study on microsatellite molecular markers  (Crespan e Milani, 2001; Scalabrelli et al, 2009; D’Onofrio et al. unpubblished data) Scalabrelli e D’Onofrio (2012)  suggested that Aleatico could be a natural cross between  ‘Moscato bianco’ and a proles pontica variety.

Diffusion

This grapevine variety is registered in the Italian National Catalogue (code 9) and is allowed to the cultivation for production of DOP and IGP wines in Basilicata, Campania, Latium, Marche, Piedmont, Apulia, Sardinia, Tuscany and Umbria. Outside Europe, it is slight cultivated in Central Asia (Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan), Chile, California (Sonoma) and in Australia.

In the past Aleatco was also used as table grapes, but certainly the use that has made it more famous is the production of a sweet wine with a particular aroma, high alcohol content, a beautiful ruby color and sweet flavor.

The area of cultivation of this variety diminished a lot; it decreased from 2120 ha in 1970 to 171 ha in 2010.This trend was also recorded in Tuscany where it has gone from 182 ha in 1982 to about 99 ha in 1990, that was equivalent to 0.18% of total vineyards for wine production in this region (ISTAT, 1991). And according to the regional data, this area was only about 60 ha in 2008, located mainly along the Tuscan coast (provinces of Livorno and Grosseto) on the islands of Elba and Capraia. Aleatico is also present in many other regions of central and southern Italy like Marche, Umbria,  Lathium, Campania, Sicily and Apulia. In the latter region it is located mainly in the province of Bari and in Salento area. This variety has also a small area of cultivation in Corsica and Sardinia.

Five clones have been recently approved in Italy, whilst 8 clones were approved in Corsica (Bagard et al., 1995; ENTAV, INRA, ENSAM, ONIVINS, 1995; IFVV, INRA, 2007), whose morphological, agronomic and quality characteristics are not yet known. The clonal selection carried out in Tuscany, has led to the approval of a new clone and 2 other clones identified on the Island of Elba (Scalabrelli et al., 2002; Borgo et al., 2009) are in submission for approval.

Agronomic characteristics

The bud break is average-early and the ripening in Maremma and on the Island of Elba takes place between late August and the first half of September. The vegetation trend is assurgent, with medium-high vigour, easy suckers' issue. It has medium basal bud fertility and therefore is likely to be pruned to spurs, clusters of conical shape, generally compact.

The most common training systems are  spur-cordon and Guyot, while the alberello, representing the type of cultivation more prevalent in older vineyards, persists in the less fertile areas. The cultivation of this variety requires moderate or low fertility soils, well exposed and ventilated, warm, dry climate, due to its good drought tolerance (Scalabrelli et al., 2011). It is sensitive to wet spring, during which it is subject to the phenomenon of poor fruit set (shot berries). It's quite sensitive to fungal diseases and requires a good pest management plan and a careful canopy management. As the grapes have to be subjected to dehydration, the priority must be given to all agronomic techniques which give loose and healthiest bunches, and it is also necessary to select the bunches at harvest and during the dehydration process.

The prevailing attitude that made this variety famous is withering, also available on the plant in a suitable environment. Generally, the grapes are picked not too much ripened, selecting bunches and trying to avoid damage during handling. The traditional withering took place in the sun on mats while today special covered and ventilated places are used.

This grapevine is used for the production of DOP and IGP wines from grapes harvested in the regions of Basilicata, Campania, Lazio, Marche, Piedmont, Puglia, Sardinia, Tuscany and Umbria. This variety is the basis of dessert wines some of which contain the type in purity or a variable percentage from 85 to 100% and precisely:

a) as Dop: Elba aleatico passito, Aleatico di Gradoli, Aleatico di Puglia;

b) as varietal type of Dop: Gioia del Colle, Rosso Orvietano, Pergola, Salice Salentino, Sovana, Terra d'Otranto (opinion of 30/9/2011), Val di Cornia.

It is also admitted in the production of the following wines:

 c) as varietal type of Igp: Costa Toscana, Toscana, Maremma toscana, Allerona, Umbria, Colli Cimini, Lazio, Daunia, Murgia, Salento,Tarantino, Valle d'Itria, Puglia, Basilicata, Barbagia, Colli del Limbara, Marmilla, Nurra, Ogliastra, Parteolla, Planargia, Provincia di Nuoro, Romangia, Sibiola, Tharros, Trexenta, Valle del Tirso, Valli di Porto Pino, Isola dei Nuraghi;

d)as type with name of 2 or more varieties of Igp: Allerona, Colli Cimini, Costa Toscana, Daunia, Lazio, Maremma toscana, Murgia, Puglia, Romangia, Salento, Tarantino. Toscana, Umbria, Valle d'Itria.

The use of this variety is included in the list of aromatic varieties for the production of ’sparkling aromatic wines‘, with and without DOP, subject also to the specific exemptions listed in the Regulation no. 606/09. It is included, finally, in the list of liqueur wines Dop ’naturally sweet wine‘ (Regol. n. 606).

With grapes, both dried and fresh, you get a wine, pleasantly aromatic, with a delicate fragrance. The young wine has a beautiful ruby red color with light violet, which evolves toward amber tones with ageing. Nose reveals an intense and wide range of aromas ranging from floral (violets, roses), fresh fruits (black cherry, plum and dried cherry, red and black berries, exotic fruits such as lychees) to over ripening notes (jam). Depending on the duration and type of ageing they may emerge hints of spice and minerals.

It is a dessert and conversation wine, to be tested alone or paired with pastries or chocolate desserts.

DOP wines