Agronomic and oenological characterization of the intraspecific cross ‘Passau’ in the aim of its commercial use

Abstract

The study of new wine grape cultivars can be interesting to diversify the local wine productions without using international varieties. With this aim some Vitis vinifera intraspecific crosses obtained by Prof. Dalmasso in the 1930s and registered in the Italian National Catalogue in 1977, have been studied in the last years. Among colored grape cultivars, ‘Albarossa’ (‘Chatus’ x ‘Barbera’) resulted so interesting that its cultivation is spreading in several areas of Piedmont (north-west Italy). Another cross, ‘Passau’ (‘Dolcetto’ x ‘Chatus’), after many years of viticultural and enological observations (1997-2002; 2006-08) resulted promising. Vigorous, yielding, thanks to the high fertility since the bunch is only medium–little, ‘Passau’ shows an early bud-burst and a late ripening; therefore in northern areas its cultivation is recommended only in the favorable sites. A trained panel described the sensory profiles of ‘Passau’ winesas fresh and fruity with a moderate alcohol content and suitable to be consumed young.