Trebbiano
Trebbiano refers not to a single grape variety but rather to an entire family of them – albeit a rather disjointed family, as the varieties do not always share any real kinship. This nebulous family tree includes Trebbiano from Abruzzo (home to the legendary Emidio Pepe estate), Trebbiano Giallo, Trebbiano Modenese (commonly used to make vinegar), Trebbiano Romagnolo, Trebbiano Spoletino, and Trebbiano Toscano (the most widespread). What’s more, the term Trebbiano is sometimes used to refer to other, completely different grape varieties, such as Albarola or Trebbiano Blanco. It’s confusing, isn’t it?
But although the members of this family don't all share the same DNA, they do have many things in common. Their name, Trebbiano, comes from “vinum trebulanum,” used by Pliny the Elder to refer to Trebulanis, a small Roman town in Campania. In addition, all of these grapes have attractive light-coloured skins with a whitish, almost yellow hue. They produce fresh, mineral wines exuding aromas of lemon and pear. They are fruity wines that are best drunk young. As its name suggests, this grape variety indeed originates from the Campania region of Italy, but it has since spread to Tuscany, Lazio, Valle d'Aosta, South Tyrol, Friuli and Veneto (with the wines of Giuseppe Quintarelli), as well as France, Argentina, and Australia.
