Grignolino

Grignolino
Grape (Vitis)
Color of berry skin	Noir
Species	Vitis vinifera
Also called	see list of synonyms
Origin	Italy
Notable regions	Piedmont

Grignolino ([ɡriɲɲoˈliːno]) is a red Italian wine grape variety commonly grown in the Piedmont region. It makes light colored wines and rosés with very fruity aromas, strong acidity and tannins. The name Grignolino derives from the word grignole which means "many pips" in the local Piedmontese dialect of the Asti region. The abundance of pips, or seeds, contribute to the strong, bitter tannins associated with the wine. Modern winemaker try to avoid the excess tannins with gentle and slow pressings. Grignolino has two Denominazione di origine controllata (DOCs) that produce wine from it - Asti and Monferrato Casale.

Ampelographers believe that the grape is native to the Monferrato hills located between the towns of Asti and Casale. The name Grignolino derives from the word grignole which means "many pips" in the local dialect of the region.

Producers in the Asti region try to model Grignolino on the wines of Beaujolais and those made from the Dolcetto grape in the Cuneo. These light bodied, pale colored wines are made to be consumed young and while waiting for the brawnier, Nebbiolo and Barbera based wines of the region age. While the grapes are relatively low in alcohol at around 11-12% ABV, they do have a significant amount of tannins due to the abundance of pips, or seeds. Modern winemaking techniques try to minimize the amount of tannin extraction by utilizing slow and gentle pressings. Wines made from Grignolino can have noticeably strong acidity and fruity aroma with alpine notes.

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