Caluso
Introduction
Hello everyone! Today I will be talking to you about the Disciplinare DOCG of Erbaluce di Caluso, a controlled and guaranteed designation of origin that is produced in the provinces of Turin, Biella and Vercelli, mainly in the hills around Caluso, in Canavese.
Production area
The production area includes the municipalities of Agliè, Azeglio, Bairo, Barone, Bollengo, Borgomasino, Burolo, Caluso, Candia Canavese, Caravino, Cossano Canavese, Cuceglio, Ivrea, Maglione, Mazzè, Mercenasco, Montalenghe, Orio Canavese, Palazzo Canavese, Parella, Perosa Canavese, Piverone, Romano Canavese, San Giorgio Canavese, San Martino Canavese, Scarmagno, Settimo Rottaro, Strambino, Vestignè, Vialfrè, Villareggia and Vische in the province of Turin; Roppolo, Viverone and Zimone in the province of Biella; Moncrivello in the province of Vercelli.
History
Erbaluce seems to be a very ancient autochthonous vine: the Salassi cultivated the vine and already vinified at that time. In Roman times, the vine was called Alba lux or Albalux. The current name seems to be a local correction.
Giovan Battista Croce, a jeweler to Duke Carlo Emanuele I of Savoy, first mentioned the vine in 1606. Other mentions were made in the works of the Agricultural Society of Turin in 1799 and in Gatta's study on "Viti e vini della provincia di Ivrea" in 1833.
A legend says that the name Erbaluce derives from the tears of the nymph Albaluce, daughter of the gods Sol and Alba, who cry in front of the golden fruits of the vine.
In the 1960s, the Orsolani cellars began producing the "spumante" type.
Production techniques
The passito is obtained from grapes subjected to a period of drying in ventilated rooms, the so-called "passitaie", where they remain, lying on grids or hanging by the stalk, for about 5 months; pressing takes place in March.
The spumante can only be produced with the Classic Method and undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle for at least 15 months.
For the spumante type, the indication of the vintage year of the grapes is mandatory.
The mention of the vineyard followed by the corresponding toponym is allowed, provided it is present in the documentation.
The cultivation technique is the "pergola calusiese" formed by a row spacing of over 5 meters; pruning is done for long vines as Erbaluce does not fruit on the first basal buds.
Conclusions
And that's all you need to know about Erbaluce di Caluso. It is a denomination with an unmistakable flavor, derived from a long and ancient tradition. If you are wine enthusiasts, we recommend that you try it!
