What ARE Strappo's Top Ten Italian Grapes?

Somewhat redundant perhaps, but here's my attempt to set the record straight and quell the cavilling of my faithful blogfriends.  I am listing my FAVORITE Italian grape varieties.  And on the continuation page I'm going to list my 10 UNfavorites, prominent among which will be the ones I mentioned the other day. 

My criterion is a simple one: Which grapes do I feel -- I, me, personally, individual defects and prejudices and habits all acknowledged -- are the ten best and worst of the native Italian varieties.  These lists are in no particular order.  But maybe there is an implied order in sequence in which they come to me.

TOP TEN

Aglianico
Greco di Tufo
Ribolla Gialla
Sangiovese
Fiano
Nebbiolo
Schioppettino
Freisa
Tintore
Marzemino

And the Ten of Shame and Ignominy...?

PTOOI!

Pinot Grigio
Vernaccia
Cortese
Moscato (pretty much the entire family)
Vermentino
Uva di Troia
Negroamaro
Grignolino
Primitivo
Trebbiano

OK, I can't leave it alone yet.  Here are the Ten I'm On the Fence About -- can't make up my mind whether I think they've simply been abused, misused or misunderstood:

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE

Lagrein
Friulano
Pigato
Schiava
Gaglioppo
Nero d'Avola
Cannonau
Garganega
Refosco
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Feel free to chime in.   Oh, I know you will.

Comments

[Dr. Debs]

Wow. Schioppettino. You do walk on the wild side.

I'd get off the fence about Pigato, Negroamaro, and Monte d'Abruzzo. Otherwise, I find myself in odd, awe-struck agreement.

Oh--except I'm a moscato lover. Not because it's so stupendous, but simply because I love to drink my desserts. :)

[strappo]

*I'm* awe-struck too!

Yeah Moscato can be good enough but...

You really don't go for Pigato?

[strappo]

Did you mean off the fence about Nero d'avola?

[Dr. Debs]

Sorry--Nero. Yes.

I like Pigato. It's got that saline thing that I also like about the Ansonica's I've had.

Both, BTW, are excellent with pesto, which I adore.

[Susannah Gold]

I'm surprised about the scioppettino and thought you'd add a few more grapes from Campania. Actually what are your favorite grapes from that region other than Greco?
Personally I'd add Arneis to the 10 to keep, put Pigato on the Ptoo list and replace it with Nero d'avola. What about Zibbibo? Definitely in my top 10. I agree with Dr. Debs because I love Dessert wines. I petition to reinstate parts of the Moscato family.

[fredric koeppel]

hate to say this old chum, and really hate to embarrass myself before Dr. Debs, who has my entire admiration and respect, but I have never heard of half of these grapes. and am I not supposed to like that A Mano Primitivo? it's pretty damn good for a cheap wine. on the other hand, as i write this i'm just finishing a dinner of lamb chops, marinated in red wine, garlic and oregano, and grilled outside over hardwood charcoal, with a bottle of Nickel & Nickel Suscol Ranch Merlot 2005, Napa Valley, so I'm happy as a pig in the sunshine. and humbly bow to your authority in these matters of Italia.

[Dr. Debs]

Fredric, address please? Would like to be where you are are, and ruby slippers stand by at the ready. For the record, have never had Ribolla Gialla or Marzemino and WTF is Tintore? So much for my vast knowledge!

[Strappo]

God, you people. I have a headache from it all, or is it from the lovely Scacciadiavoli Sagrantino a all the amaro at Barbone tonight?

No matter. I'll deal with you lot in the morning!

[Lizzy]

And corvina? where corvina is?? Don't you like Amarone della Valpolicella, or Recioto? Oh, boy...
:-(

[Luciano Pignataro]

Wow, three grapes from Campania!!! I'm very happy and proud.
I'll wait for you here

[Luciano Pignataro]

Wow, three grapes from Campania!!! I'm very happy and proud.
I'll wait for you here

[Strappo]

Luciano -- 4 from Campania! You forgot Tintore!

Lizzy -- mi spiace. But I did put down Garganega!

[Strappo]

Dear FK & Debs,

It is my job to ferret these things out and to bring, as they say, good things to light. Tintore -- refer to my post about Reale Wine back on May 11 of this year.

Susannah -- I have a weakness for Schioppettino. Can't help it. But I did say it was my personal, idiosyncratic list. In truth I could have added a lot more varieties to the plus side -- a top 25 for example. But that would seem too even-handed to generate much discussion.

[tracie b.]

what the HELL's wrong with refosco? you poopoo the whole moscato family, but like susannah said, zibbibo?! you can't tell me that you haven't had a passito di pant that didn't melt your heart, terry...your little black heart.

frederic--nickel and nickel?!! you must love to hemmorhage money for unworthy wines! try an aglianico del vulture...much more bang for the buck.

[Strappo]

I SAID IT WAS MY WACKO PERSONAL LIST for Chrissakes.

My little black heart will gladly drink a passito di Pantelleria, but most Moscatos really are a yawn. Seriously.

[michele colline]

I thought I read that Tintore was a clone of Piedirosso...correct me if I'm confused as I hate to spread false information.

Schioppettino=ribolla nera...

A really fresh moscato d'asti with good acidity...which is too often missing...has a place in my life...

Vermentino...it breaks my heart to see it on your Ptooi list...

[Strappo]

Tintore is an ancestor or offshoot of Aglianico.

I am told that the parentage of the grape has been revealed by DNA analysis.

My guess is that the father was a Greek sailor and the mother was an Amalfitan slut.

[Fredric Koeppel]

well, gosh, Tracie B., I happen to be a fan of N&N, i think they do fine things with 100% varietal wines and avoid the typical California sins of over-ripeness, sweet alcohol and toasty new oak. this one was all minerals and clean earth and spice and pure fruit, robed in lots of heft. & it came in the mail. mere ink-stained wretches such as i do not buy such wines.

[Strappo]

I love it when everybody starts getting all snippy and showing their hurt feelings. It's a sign we're alive!

[Luciano Pignataro]

Sorry, with Tintore is a great poker!

[tracie b.]

hey fredric, i wasn't criticizing (sorry!), i just know how much the stuff costs and what you can get for that kind of money...that's all!

[Dave]

Terry:
Gee, just when I thought I knew a little about Italian wines....
that's 30 out of, how many, 21 regions and countless indigenous grapes..
wow.
and where's a good dolcetto when you need one?
this spring I sampled pignoletto and raboso piave, mai visto quelli nel estati uniti ...
now I have to try your lists to see why they made the top 10 or ptooi ...
work, work, work.. but someone has to do it.

[alex]

Strappo,
you have a list that is "south oriented".
To balance it, I mention two red grapes from the deep north that make excellent wines and are important to me:
- Teroldego (my mother was born in Mezzolombardo, the village near Trento that is the heart of the variety and the one produced by the Cantina Sociale (local co-op) was our table wine when I was a kid);
- Lagrein (I grow up in Alto Adige/Sudtirol/Southtyrol and Lagrein in its version "dunkel" (dark) is an excellent wine).
ciao napoletano :-))

[Francesco]

I would also add another grape that originated in Sudtirol: Red Traminer or better known as Gewürztraminer.

[fredric koeppel]

Hey, Tracie B., it's all Strappo's fault, he's such a freaking controversialist!