RARE GRAPE VARIETAL RESOURCE

History: Baratuciàt, a grape indigenous to Piedmont, was first mentioned in the 1877 Bollettino Ampelografico.

Initially grown as a table grape, it was for some time described as being unsuited for winemaking, because the strong vigor of the plant did not allow the bunches to fully ripen and, as such, made winemaking difficult.

Its abandonment was caused by the arrival of phylloxera/vine disease in 1928 and the industrialization of the Turin area. Giorgio Falca, a grape grower from Almese, is responsible for salvaging it. In the 1960s he took over the care of his grandfather’s almost hundred year old vines which had survived the disease.

Officially registered in the National Catalogue of Vine Varieties since 2008, there are currently few hectares of Baratuciàt grown, older vineyards being overgrown or abandoned.

The wine is straw yellow with greenish notes. The aroma is intense with green apple, pineapple and grassy notes and eucalyptus and acacia honey aromas. It is complex in the mouth, with a long tangy finish, accompanied by a firm acidity. It can age more than 4 years. 

Baratuciat's name translates to “cat testicles” or from the dialect expression “barat du ciàt ”, meaning cat excrement. Don’t let this disturbing fact discourage you from trying wines made from this grape, though. It’s wonderfully expressive and can be made into interesting white or skin-contact wines which could potentially be intense and structured.

The musts have good sugar content and sustained acidity, with a floral and fruity aromatic profile. Baratuciat lends itself well to vinification in steel, but also to aging in wood or maceration on the skins, giving rise to versatile and characterful wines, often also expressed in the orange wine style.

(Source: Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity – Ark of Taste) https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/?fwp_arca_settore=wines-and-grape-varietals-en )

(Courtesy of: https://www.quattrocalici.it/ )

VIVC: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=22763 

Parentage: Unknown

Tasting notes: The aroma is intense with green apple, pineapple and grassy notes and eucalyptus and acacia honey aromas. It is complex in the mouth, with a long tangy finish, accompanied by a firm acidity. Some macerated versions express an even more complex personality, with notes of tea, sweet spices, candied citrus, and beeswax. It can age more than 4 years.  (Courtesy of: https://www.quattrocalici.it/)  

Food pairings: It is a wine that pairs successfully with local mountain dishes, fresh cheeses, trout, stuffed vegetables and vegetarian cuisine. (Courtesy of: https://www.quattrocalici.it/ )

Production areas: Valsusa DOC

Producers: https://www.autoctovino.com/grape/baratuciat-slow-food/

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