RARE GRAPE VARIETAL RESOURCE

History: Kevin Day’s article In Opening a Bottle captures Premetta’s elusive Alpine identity.

What makes a rosé wine a rosé wine? Is it the process or is it simply the final hue in the glass? On the surface, any wine made from red grapes with a deliberately short maceration ought to be called a rosé wine.

Conversely, wines made in the red wine method from grapes that never had enough pigment in the first place to achieve full “redness.” Their pale color and light body defy a red-wine context for serving, but by process, no one would dare call them a rosé.

This is the slippery slope that the wine grape Premetta lives on, both figuratively and literally, as this is a high-altitude, steep-slope original from Italy’s Valle d’Aosta.

The first thing to understand about Premetta is its one-and-only home, Valle d’Aosta, an autonomous region that is hemmed in by the tallest of the Alps. Though in Italy, the dominant language was, for the longest time, French.

Much of this terrain is steep and back-breaking, which has naturally put limitations on the volume of wine Valle d’Aosta can produce, a minuscule percentage being a most unusual indigenous grape varietals - Premetta.

Ian D’Agata has noted in his book Native Wine Grapes of Italy that while Premetta is uncommon among Valle d’Aosta’s galaxy of grapes, the vines that produce the grape tend to be very productive. Premetta also ripens early, which is a major advantage in a growing region like the Alps, while winter weather can easily sneak into otherwise prime harvest months. Premetta also doesn’t mind the overnight cold that defines such high-elevation sites. 

The wine itself will also induce hunger, as it is a thirst-quenching and silky light red with abundant cranberry-meets-strawberry fruit tones and leathery, savory edges. Like a rosé, it goes down quite easily, although you may find the fruity aspects to be more sour than the profile of most roses – a suggestion that it is better served with food.

Premetta claims its own space on the spectrum from red to rosé

Sources: (https://www.openingabottle.com/what-is-premetta-and-should-i-drink-it/)

VIVC: https://vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=9693

Parentage: Agostenga &?

Tasting notes: Premetta wines are known for their light, fragrant and delicate profile. The aromas are often described as elegant and delicate, with wild rose nuances.

The palate is dry, fresh and pleasantly tannic, making it a favorite for those who appreciate wine with a sharp berry fruit and a savory sting in the finish. These wines are best served cool, ideally between 12 and 14 C to fully appreciate their coral red tone and floral side.                                      Source: (https://www.firstleaf.com/a/wine-directory/product/premetta)

Food Pairings: Premetta wines pair well with raw prosciutto and other Valdostan mountain food, where the wine’s acidity and almond-skin bite cut clean though the fat.                                          Source: (https://www.firstleaf.com/a/wine-directory/product/premetta)

Production areas:  Valle d’Aosta DOC.

Producers: https://www.autoctovino.com/grape/premetta-primetta-prie-rouge-neblu/

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