Vespolina

Known as ughetta in many areas of the North, like in Oltrepò Pavese, vespolina is the most significant native red grape of upper Piedmont after Nebbiolo and together with croatina. A noble vine, in upper Piedmont it is generally considered to be an improvement on the nebbiolo king, although the recent success of the latter has excluded vespolina from many blends. It is still protected in Lessona, Bramaterra and Boca: it gives these great reds spiciness, fruit, elegant tannin and good freshness, rounding off the Nebbiolo a bit. Seldom, in minor appellations of the territory, it is also vinified as a single variety.