Novello (wine)

Vino novello, Italian for 'young wine', is a light, fruity, red wine produced throughout Italy. Novello is similar to its French cousin Beaujolais nouveau in taste, body and color, but is produced using several grape varieties with a more liberal fermentation process. While historically released for sale on November 6, Novello is since 2012 available on 30 October.

Vino novello is lightweight with low alcohol content (usually not more than 11%) and a light aroma.

Novello's literal Italian translation means 'young wine,' but it is also "the wine to be drunk young". What Vino novello does not have is tannins.

In some places in Italy, tradition says the last day to consume it is “I Giorni della Merla”, the days of the blackbird, said to be the coldest day of the year (29–31 January).

Vino novello is made from a different process to normal red wines. Novello is the result of a different procedure of processing the grapes, carbonic maceration, which involves accelerating the fermentation process. This method was developed in France in the 1930s.

The grapes are placed in large barrels or vats. They are then closed off and air is eliminated by pumping in CO₂. The natural yeast migrate from the skin of the grapes into the pulp, looking for water and oxygen, and the fermentation takes place. The fermentation process lasts about 20 days.

The whole bunches are placed within a designated 50 to 70 hl (1,300 to 1,800 US gal) tubs, in which after producing a vacuum of air is blown CO₂ at 30 degrees Celsius for 7–14 days. The clusters that are located on the bottom of the tanks are crushed by the mass of grapes and release the juice. Yeasts indigenous to the pulp from the peel migrate in search of oxygen and water, triggering a process of intracellular fermentation. At the end of the cycle, the 'red wine' is slightly crushed and further fermented for 3-4 days. The minimum alcohol content is 11%, the deadline for bottling is 31 December of the same vintage year.

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