Arvesiniadu

Arvesiniadu is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown on the island of Sardinia where it is usually used in blends for but can also be made into a sweet or dry varietal style wine under the Indicazione geografica tipica (IGT) designation of Isola dei Nuraghi.^[1]

History

The first documented mentioning of the Arvesiniadu grape was in Italian wine writer Andrea Manca dell'Arca's 1780 treatise on agriculture in Sardinia.^[1]

Viticulture

As first noted in Manca dell'Arca's 18th century book, Arvesiniadu is a late-ripening grape variety that can be very vigorous and prone to producing excessive foliage if not properly cared for by canopy management techniques.^[1]

Regions

Most plantings of Arvesiniadu are found in the western provinces of Medio Campidano and Sassari.

Today, Arvesiniadu is almost exclusively found on the island of Sardinia, particularly in the provinces of Medio Campidano and Sassari. As of 2000, there were 155 hectares (380 acres) of the grape planted on the island.^[1]

Styles

Arvesiniadu is most often seen as a blending grape in the white wines of Sardinia, usually as a minor partner to more prominent white Sardinian varieties like Malvasia, Nuragus and Vermentino. Under the IGT designation of Isola dei Nuraghi the grape can be made a varietal in either dry or sweet passito style.^[1]

Synonyms

Over the years, Arvesiniadu has been known under a variety of synonyms including: Alvu Signadu, Argu Ingianau,^[1] Argu Ingiannau, Arvesimiadu bianco, Arvu Siniadu, Arvusiniadu, Arvusiniagu, Avrisiniadu and Uva Oschirese.^[2]

References

1. J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours pg 58 Allen Lane 2012 ISBN 978-1-846-14446-2
2. Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) Arvesiniadu Accessed: March 20th, 2014