Erbaluce di Caluso but also Erbaluce Novarese and Costa delle Sesia

Legend has itg that the fairy Albaluce blessed the townspeople of Caluso with Erbaluce as her gift, hence the variety’s name.  An ancient cultivar already known in the seventeenth century , its pale hue as well as that of its wine explains why Erbaluce is also called Bianchera,  Albaluxe and Ambra. The pale yellow-green color of this variety’s berries when not fulfy ripe explains why Erbaluce is called Binachera. Albaluce and Ambra:  the pale yellow-green color ot this variety’s berries when not fully ripe recalls pale dawn light.  IN the local dialect, Erbaluce is called Bian Rousti and Uva Rustia,  a reference to the color of the beries when ripe  as its beries become amber-pink. Locally, it is still also called Greco (especially in the area around Novara, orGreco di Caluso. 

Erbaluce was also confused with Arneis as a Piemontese grape as there is no confusion at all as completely different?.

Even though Erbaluce is a high acid variety  Erbaluce is usually trained in canopy systemsq (called topia in the cannavese region where Erbaluce growns). So as to have a thick wall of leaves protecting the hanging grape bunches from hail,  always a ricsk in the northern part of Italy.

Clearly,  grapes trained in this manner see less sunlight too,  so proper so proper vineyard work has to be done,  with selective deleafing in order to allow sunlight. From a viticultural perspective, and for a variety of reasons,  Erbaluce is not the easiest variety to work with.  Budbreak occurs early,  so spring frosts,  which are not uncommon in notherly Piedmont, ar a theat.  Despite high vigor,  Erbaluce is not the most obliging producer,  due to the double whammy of susceptibility to common grepavine diseases and poor fertility,  which makes for yields that are low and irregular.  Walking through the vineyards, you’ll notice that Erbaluce leaves are often marked with white borders, a characteristic sign of magnesium deficiency, not uncommon in the calcareous soils where Erbaluce grows.

Erbaluce’s leaf is highly recognizable,  with a bulbous supper surface,  very pronounced  sinus indentations, and a round shape. Usually,  Erbaluce’s grape bunch is medium-sized, elongated and cylindrical,  with medium-large round, thick-skinned berries.  However, its appearance will depend on which clone or biotype is observed.

Today  there are four clones of Erbaluce available: the CVT has berries that tend to become amber-pink when ripe,  the clone CVT 30 yields the post typical wines,  the 71 clone being very compact and the clone 55 with the highest acidity, acidity being already high in Erbaluce grape. 

The most famous wine is the DOC Erbaluce di Caluso (Piedmont first white DOC in 1967) which was located right around the bucolic hamlet of Caluso. However Colline Novaresi Erbaluce and Coste della Sesia Erbaluce, also DOC wines,  can be just as good. 

When well made – which is of course of all our producers  these wines are a marvel of balance,  with minerally,  crisp white flower and fruit aromas.  Also flavours of combining hints of chlorophyll and apricots.  Since Erbaluce’s thick skin releases its polyphenols with difficulty, in order to augment the tactile sensation and the aromas and flavors of wine,  many producers employ  cold temperature pre-fermentation soak techniques, that also reduce total acidity by precipitating tartrate levels, some producers also perform a malolactic transformation.  

Do you want to taste the difference between Erbaluce di Caluso,  Erbaluce of the hills around Novara and Erbaluce from terroir Ghemme,  order then Trio Erbaluce