“Come il pesce colà dove impaluda ne i seni di Comacchio il nostro mare, fugge da l’onda impetuosa e cruda cercando in placide acque ove riparare, e vien che da se stesso ei si rinchiuda in palustre prigion né può tornare, che quel serraglio è con merabil uso sempre a l’entrare aperto, a l’uscir chiuso”.
The above text is a description of the famous poet Torquato Tasso in his magical realism work “The Liberation of Jerusalem”, which mentions a place, that is, in Emilia, Italy – Valli di Comacchio in the province of Ferrara, Emilia Romagna, a deep and saline land with a strong smell of sour wet swamps , where a “pink” grape variety was first documented: La Russiola, also known as Rossiola.
This semi-known grape variety is the oldest in the Ferrara region. It grows in the Comacchio region and is oenologically classified as sandy vines, as they are vines grown in a sandy soil in the middle of the Delta del Po, just one step from the Adriatic Sea It is far away, and it is one of the very few in the world that has not been grafted.
La Russiola or Rossiola is currently protected by the Bosco Eliceo Wine Institute and was only recently included in the Emilia-Romagna Indigenous Biodiversity List.
This particular grape variety is defined as a “pink” grape because its red color is not intense, making it suitable for rosé wines, which are rich in acidity and flavor. Therefore, this rosé wine is not obtained from red grapes, but from grapes with low anthocyanin content.
Historically, it was not a productive vine and difficult to grow, vegetatively it was in clusters of medium size, tending to be conical and very compact, very susceptible to moisture and fungi. Plus it grows in humid areas like the Costa del Este, so theoretically this is a serious flaw. In addition, its peel is extremely thin and fragile and tears easily. All in all, all the above characteristics indicate that this grape variety is extremely difficult to grow.
Born around the 15th century, the Ruciola grape is thought to be an older vine than Fortana, the most famous local grape variety.
It was also during that period that this kind of grape was planted so extensively that almost every household had it, but there was no so-called fixed form and method of cultivation, it was all planted however it was convenient, because at that time it was possible One is that the concept of the cultivation method is not strong, and the second is that there is no need to maximize the profit of its output.
Dr. Marisa Fontana, a winemaker and researcher from Ravenna, has been studying this grape, and she has consulted many relevant historical references.
The earliest reference to the Ruciola grape comes from a 1913 manuscript by the archaeologist Enrico Cirelli, who mentions Ruciola in a question about the viticulture of Ferrara. Ciola grapes. In addition, the Ruciola grape variety was also highlighted in the book “Emilia (Emilia) Viticulture” published in 1927.
In 1950, the scholar Della Barba compiled some literature on the viticulture of Ferrara, proposed some programs to reform and optimize the local viticulture, emphasizing the Fortana Excellent vegetative form and winemaking potential of the grapes. At the same time, she also pointed out that the Ruciola grape would be an effective substitute, its characteristics can be optimized and strengthened, but the complexity of its cultivation needs to be addressed.
In the mid-1970s, there was a best-selling monthly magazine called “il ferrarese”, which also reported an article about the Ruciola grape. This is a delicious wine with light bubbles, which is especially suitable for drinking with friends. He even compares this wine to the wine of young people and the wine of love: “Rusiola is a wine suitable for young people. Especially When you are in love or making love, this wine will bring joy to the heart and spirit, will not betray you, let enjoy complete freedom, because it can give men soft and bold, and women smile loved. It is a A wine that really deserves to be celebrated and celebrated. This wine is very much like young friends, more like the season of love. This is the wine that everyone loves (la Russiola).
Unfortunately, in the late 90’s, due to its low yields, the breeding was too complicated and eventually it was excluded from the D.O.C. rating. This brought the Ruciola grape close to extinction. At the time, the only producer who had decided to continue making Ruciola wines was Corte Madonnina, a family business that, after discussion, decided to replant them on their own land, thus creating a dedicated line, And classified as a rosé wine, since then, the winery has become the last winery to continue this grape variety.
In 2012, the winery produced a sweet Rosciola wine called “Rosa Pomposiana,” rated IGT Emilia Rosato. After this kind of grape is overripe on the vine, it is beneficial to concentrate the sugar concentration and reduce the acid content, and then further stop the fermentation in advance during the brewing process, so as to obtain a sweet wine with a very low alcohol content (about 10°). Today, there are less than a hundred bottles of this sweet wine left.
Today, however, three prominent figures in the agri-food sector in the province of Ferrara are Sandro Colombi, a researcher and contractor at Lido di Spina, Marli, winemaker at Porto Garibaldi. Emanuele Mattarelli, producer of Marino Fogli and Vigarano Mainarda. Together they came up with a visionary project to publicize, expand and invite more entrepreneurs to jointly establish a wine line called “L’Ursiola” to continue the tradition of Ursiola wines, a wine It will be made from 100% Rusciola grapes and it is believed that in the near future this will be the only Rusciola wine on the market.
Marino Foley and Sandro Colombi grow some Ruciola grapes on their own estate, inherited from their ancestors, some of these vines are over 40 years old, some are more recent Newly grafted vines, but with a total area of only 1 hectare, were finally transformed into 80 quintals of grapes in Emmanuel Mattarelli’s cellar. All these grapes, except for a part used to make 700 liters of bulk wine, the rest can produce 800-1000 bottles.
The first bottle of “L’Ursiola” was launched in 2015, and it is already officially applying for the protection of the appellation of origin in the country. It is also worth mentioning that the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Bologna is also currently conducting further research through the vines they provided in Colombi, as all have always believed that this is the future of this ancient grape variety.
