The Schiava Grape

Schiava is—like the Refoschi, the Malvasias, and the Muscats, just to name a few—another of those names attached to a group of grape varieties that, in this case as in many such, are not even related to one another. The name seems to derive from a method of vine training used on those grapes—pergola—which (intentionally, to avoid over-growth) reduces the vigor of the vine, hence schiavo, “slave”. The four Schiava varieties, all of Italian origin and current production, are:

The first three of those come from the Alto Adige region in the far north of Italy; the fourth, as its name suggests has its home in Lombardy. That one is usually used in blends, monovarietal bottlings (if any) being rare; we will not deal further with it here. As to the others, despite their genetic differentiation as distinct varieties, we deal with them here essentially as one grape, for two reasons: first, the wines they produce are quite similar; and second, it is often from difficult to impossible to discover which particular “Schiava” grape (or blend) has been used to make any particular wine labelled “Schiava” (even the Italian wine laws are somewhat fuzzy on the matter).

The basic virtue of a Schiava wine is its light, refreshing nature: charming, as some put it. The wines are fairly light in body, with moderate acidity, giving them a “smooth” feel. The aromas and flavors are of red fruit—strawberries, raspberries—often enhanced by various overtones, from smoke to almond, providing interest. Despite its rounded and fruity nature, Schiava is quite dry, and so never cloys. It is meant for drinking young: aging is not advised. In summer, it can be served lightly chilled, while in winter it can go with even fairly hearty foods.

Factoid: Schiava is commonly labelled in both Italian and German, owing to the bi-lingual culture of its home region, the Alto Adige (aka “Südtirol”).

Some Descriptions of Schiava Wines

Wikipedia
“According to wine expert Oz Clarke, Trollinger [Schiava] has moderate acidity and tends to produce light bodied wines with fruity strawberry and subtle smokey notes…The wine produced from the grape is mostly red, though some dark color rosé styles are also produced…Most wines produced [with] Trollinger are often consumed very young, usually within a year of the vintage date. Italian styles of Schiava tend to be similarly light but are more often dryer and more noticeably acidic.”
Wine Searcher
“Schiava’s most notable use is as the key grape of the Santa Maddalena DOC, where it makes light-bodied, simple wines with fresh acidity.”
Wine Folly
“Schiava is a light-bodied red wine (like Pinot Noir) with aromas of cotton candy, strawberry, bubblegum, and lemonhead candy. The wine is delicate and light in color. On the palate, the flavors are quite subtle and producers in Alto Adige will often make a dry style as to not overwhelm the palate with sweetness, which is already provided by the aromas. The alcohol levels are slightly lighter (~12% ABV) because the grape grows predominantly in a cooler climate.”
Kevin Day, Opening a Bottle
“No, Schiava is not related to Gamay (nor is Alto Adige similar to Beaujolais in any way) but the tones, body and acidity of this wine remind some of Brouilly or Régnié…The first time I encountered Schiava was indelible. It was early in my ‘wine-drinking career’, and the notion that wines could share aromatic compounds with other elements of nature was still a bit of a mystery to me. But there it was, in my glass: almonds. Almond extract, to be more specific. Every time I return to Schiava, that note—sometimes faint, sometimes potent—is there. As are strawberries or red currants, honeysuckle, as well as autumn leaves and sometimes tilled soil. What Schiava does not taste like is cotton candy, as some suggest.”
Wine Paradigm
“The grapes are thin-skinned and tannin is naturally low. Acidity is low to medium, but can be elevated if yields are allowed to get too high. The wines are light in body, with a soft texture and usually have a pale ruby color (can be as pale as a Rosé). Aromas of red berries with notes of almonds, herbs and violets are followed by flavors of raspberry, strawberry and cherry, leading to a refreshing bitter almond—and sometimes slightly spicy—finish. Many can also display delicate mineral and earthy notes. These wines from Trentino-Alto Adige are unpretentious, easy drinking and intended to be consumed soon after release, when they are young and fresh. At their best…they are elegant, refined and absolutely delicious, as well as representing exceptional value for money.”
Stevie Stacionis, Serious Eats
“There was an easy, refreshing bitterness and prickle of white pepper wrapped up in a soft, compelling texture that said, ‘bet you can’t drink just one glass’…Admittedly, heading to your own local wine shop in the U.S. and seeing two foreign languages on a label—one with umlauts, no less—could be intimidating. But please don’t let the language put you off from the wine, as Schiava/Vernatsch is…so simple yet so profoundly delicious. ”
Doctor Wine
“Schiava, or Vernatsch in German, is a small mystery in the world of Italian wine. It has all the characteristics necessary to have amazing success among wine buyers: it comes from an area that for years have been one of the most successful; it is produced using one of the most celebrated native varietals that is also into a host of wines with precise characteristics (Lago di Caldaro, Schiava, Meranese and Santa Maddalena); it has a stylistic profile that meets modern tastes: it is very pleasing and easy to drink; it has a relatively low level of alcohol; it can be easily paired with many dishes; in summer it can (and should) be drunk chilled; it has an incredibly favorable quality/price ratio; and, last but not least, wine critics seem to like it. And yet, when you speak with Alto Adige winemakers, most of them complain that they have problems selling this wine.”
Burghundy
“[I]t’s got a pale ruby (sometimes pink, really) hue that, when poured into a glass, offers scents of delicate red berries (think strawberry and raspberry) with additional hints of dried green herbs, violets, and something that recalls almond with an occasional whiff of cotton candy. While that last note might be cause for concern, there’s nothing sweet about this wine; on the palate, it’s delightfully dry with a light body, and those crunchy red fruits, while present, give way to a richer, earthier flavor that also sees the almond note dialed up a bit. Some versions offer a slight peppery spice kick on the finish, and they’re generally all refreshingly zesty with soft acidity and not much tannin, so it feels altogether juicy. Note, however, that these wines aren’t necessarily the best candidates for aging (we want them fresh and bright), so try to find one that’s within 4 years of harvest.”
The Buyer
“Out of fashion for years, thanks in part to high yields and overproduction, Schiava is enjoying a modest renaissance, thanks to the trend towards thinner, fruitier wines. The Alto Adige/Süd Tirol Consorzio website suggests Schiava is an ‘Art Nouveau flirt’. I’m not sure it fully seduced me, but I did appreciate its bright, floral, red fruit, moderate tannins and general nerviness. Schiava could tempt a lover of good Beaujolais.”
Fringe Wine
“It is a vigorous and hardy grape that must be aggressively pruned and managed in the vineyard to prevent out of control yields. The grape is thin-skinned and not particularly powerful in the first place so overcropping can have serious deleterious effects. The wines produced from Schiava are rarely imported into the US because even at their densest, they tend to be light in color and extract and resemble hearty rosés rather than the full bodied red wines that are currently in such fashion in here.”
L’Italo-Americano
“Schiava makes lighter colored, lighter bodied wines, pleasantly fresh, with notes of tart red fruit, almond, and flowers. That the wines make for uncomplicated and easy drinking provides all the inspiration necessary to simply relax and enjoy them…In their easy drinkability, Schiava wines, I find, keep much in common with wines made from native Italian varieties Grignolino, Pelaverga, even Ruche, which, I am happy to say, are all enjoying a wave of wider appreciation these days due in no small part, I imagine, to their incredible charm. Charming as they may be, Schiava wines are meant for early consumption and are not intended to be cellared for long periods. Schiava is all about youthful freshness if nothing else, though there are examples that will drink well for up to three or so years. Appellation rules don’t indicate specifically which of the Schiava varieties are required to make Schiava wines. Even though several important sources point to Schiava Grossa as being more predominate, it’s not a bad idea to consider your bottle of Schiava wine is very likely produced from a blending of the three.”

Some Schiavas to Try

Schiavas have not yet made much of a dent in the U.S. wine market. The ones below are all we could find that meet our price/availability criteria. Where we show a particular Schiava grape as the constituent, we found a source somewhere that said so, but don’t bet the farm on the accuracy of those assignments.

For a Splurge

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This page was last modified on Saturday, 30 October 2021, at 11:26 pm Pacific Time.

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