Ever heard of a Piemontese grape called neirano?

WINE TALK
1

I was looking up some things in the first edition of the Slow Food Langhe wine atlas, and it referred at several points to the neirano grape having been grown in particular vineyards in the past.

I checked Ian D’Agata’s encyclopedic work on Italian grapes and there is no mention of this variety. Googling I only get references to a Barolo maker, Tenuta Neirano.

Does anyone know anything about this grape? Is it still cultivated?

Subsidiary question: Is there a connection between it and the Neirane vineyard in Verduno?

2

by the look of things neirano is a local name for the neretta cuneese

Registro Nazionale delle Varietà di Vite (politicheagricole.it)

3

Thanks! D’Agata does have an entry for neretta cuneese, in the back of his book under obscure varieties, but he doesn’t list the neirano synonym.

4

Geekiest thread of the year contender, perhaps?

5

I will not object if you nominate it.

6

I’m all in. Let me know where I can order it!!
Tom

7

Tom - You saw “geekiest” and you came running.

Well, I have something I think you’ll like. Alberto’s post sent me back to D’Agata’s book, where I found D’Agata’s discussion of the DOC Ramie west of Turin (you’ve followed it, I’m sure, ever since the Romans colonized Piedmont), in the section on the avanà grape. D’Agata speaks highly of Ramie blends of 70% avanà and 30% neretta cuneese and avarengo.

Several Ramies are available in NYC in the $40-$50 range (proving there is a serious geek market here). Next time you pass through NY, we can try some.