This week’s grape variety is from Emilia Romagna, a lovely region with great food and interesting wines. The variety was created in 1970 as a cross between indigenous grape varieties Barbera and Croatina, locally called Bonarda as well. It was created at the Universita’ Cattolica di Piacenza by Professor Mario Fregoni, Professor of Viticulture, as part of a larger study of indigenous varieties of the region. Fregoni was recently nominated President of the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV), an organization with fifty members in countries around the world.

Ervi is a red grape variety that is full bodied and brings sugar and color to blends. It is usually blended with Barbera. The name is a recognition of the role of one wine producer who was a significant help in the first stages of research, Ernesto Vigevani. It also means wine in Aramaic.

Here’s a link to blog post I wrote a couple of months ago about wines from the area near Piacenza or the Colli Piacentini.