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(Synonyms: just for Trebbiano Spoletino—see the discussion below—there are Spoletino, Trebbiano di Avezzano, & Trebbiano di Spoletino.)
Background
Trebbiano is another of those wine names that are actually an umbrella over several quite distinct actual grape varieties (rather like Refosco, Malvasia, and Muscat). All of the grapes under that umbrella designation are Italian in origin, but their locales are as various as the grapes themselves. In her monumental book Wine Grapes, Jancis Robinson and her co-authors identify six distinct “Trebbiano” grapes, they being (in alphabetical order):
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo: from the Abruzzo region; produces relativly neutral wines with occasional better samples showing light fruit and minerality (may be the same grape as Bombino Bianco).
Trebbiano Giallo: from the Lazio region; much used for vinegar, the rest in regional blends.
Trebbiano Modenese: not used much for wine.
Trebbiano Romagnolo: from the Emilia-Romagna region; generally bland wines but with good acidity, hence much used for blending.
Trebbiano Spoletino: from the Umbria region; likely the best of the Trebbianos, with recent efforts much raising its reputation.
Trebbiano Toscano: the most widely planted, probably producing more wine than any other grape in the world (this is the grape known elsewhere as Ugni Blanc); it is normally quite unexciting, but occasionally can produce wines of some interest.
(Note that there are yet other grapes often called “Trebbiano Something-or-Other” but which are not really Trebbianos at all, including—at least—di Lugana, di Soave, and Valtenesi.)
As the brief notes above suggest, the grape of chiefest interest is Trebbiano Spoletino, now grown almost entirely in Umbria (central Italy), particularly around Perugia. There is now (since 2007) a distinct Trebbiano Spoletino DOC. Nonetheless, there are also wines of some quality being produced with Trebbiano Toscano and even Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, so don’t feel that only Trebbiano Spoletino is worth your attention. (And note that any source that discusses “Trebbiano” as if it were a single grape type is likely not reliable.)
Trebbiano Spoletino wines are typically a greenish yellow in appearance, full bodied and with a good balance of strong tropical fruit, spice, and minerality versus good acidity. The better specimens can age well.
Factoid: Trebbiano Spoletino probably arose in the early part of the nineteenth century as a natural cross with yet-unidentified parent grapes.
“[Trebbiano Toscano] is relatively common in Umbria, under the name Procanico, and plays a key role in the wines of Orvieto…While the variety is still to be associated with any outstanding dry whites, there has in recent years been cosiderable research into optimizing fruit quality in the vineyard…It has enjoyed resounding success, however, on the Atlantic side of France, specifically in the Charentais (Cognac) and Gascony (Armagnac). Here, it is used to produce vast quantities of light, crisp, relatively neutral-tasting white wine, the majority of which is distilled into brandy.”
“Trebbiano Abruzzese and Trebbiano Spoletino are the only two varieties in the [Trebbiano] group thought to have any family ties…and, just to make things a little more cloudy, many Trebbiano d'Abbruzzo wines thought to be made with the Bombino Bianco variety.”
“The best [Trebbiano Romagnolo] wines can be as rich and complex as Trebbiano Toscana, but others are very light.”
“The style of wine produced can range from very floral to Sauvignon Blanc-like to rather neutral…Winemaking styles vary widely, perhaps because there is little tradition behind wines which showcase the variety. Some are made as orthodox fresh dry whites fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, while others use oxidative macerations to create orange wine. This has led some commentators to voice concern that a more unified goal with more common denominators are needed to establish the popularity of the grape variety.”
“A name shared between many different Italian grape varieties, planted almost everywhere within Italy except for the far north where none of them would ripen reliably. Despite the fact its wine is remarkably thin, tart and characterless, Trebbianos are responsible for a vast proportion of all DOC white wine production. The most common, once a possible ingredient in Chianti and the basic crisp mouthwash of the Tuscan hills is Trebbiano Toscano. In France Trebbiano Toscano is known as Ugni Blanc. This variety is also planted, as Talia, in Portugal, and in Bulgaria, Russia, Greece and extensively in South America. Odd bottlings of wine made from old Trebbiano vines in California have shown extraordinary character and extract. Trebbiano Romagnolo makes mainly vapid Trebbiano di Romagna while Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is of mysterious origin and may be identical to Bombino Bianco. There is also the yellow-berried Trebbiano Giallo and Trebbiano Modenese which is probably used more for vinegar than wine. Trebbiano di Soave has been shown by DNA analysis to be Verdicchio.”
“Trebbiano is a refreshing, light-bodied white wine that has minimal aroma with subtle hints of lemon and stone minerality on the palate. It’s generally dry and crisp and has a fruity flavour finishing with a bitter almond note. Its easy-going qualities and medium alcohol content make it a very food-friendly wine, which is why it’s the most common varietal in Italy. The majority of Trebbiano wines are made to be enjoyed young.”
“The hardy Trebbiano yields grapes that flaunt high acid levels yet exhibit little aroma and flavor. As a varietal, its wine is crisp, acidic, light-bodied with subtle hints of lemon and stone minerality. A strong fermented scent can also be found in some styles of this wine.”
“Wines made from Trebbiano have high acidity. Even though it is widely planted not many winemakers use this grape. It is more popularly used to make brandy…The wine is said to taste the best young, whereas if you age it you may find some false flavours being developed which will not be praised by the consumer.”
“A quirky heirloom white grape variety called Trebbiano Spoletino has been rediscovered in recent years by winemakers who have brought it out of local family farms and into international distribution. In the past dozen years, the number of producers of Trebbiano Spoletino has grown from a handful to more than 30, making examples that are deliciously bright and complex, layering fruit, minerals and salinity…After Trebbiano Spoletino achieved critical success, Italy established a tiny Spoleto appellation in 2011 allowing for dry, sparkling and sweet wines made from a minimum of 85 percent of the grape variety.”
“The principle characteristics of [Trebbiano Spoletino], according to the participating producers, are that: it ripens late (some said in October and after); it has an average low yield; it has an impressive resistance to disease; the acidity is a very high even when ripe; and the aromatic profile is fairly intense. Not everyone agreed on this latter aspect but I think that was because of the different growing and winemaking methods used by producers more than on studies on the grape’s aromatic properties, studies that have yet to be completed…[T]here is a lot of movement around it and the grape has a rosy future…We tasted around 50 wines from the 2015 and 2016 vintages and drew two basic conclusions: the wines held up well after a year aging in the bottle and, in fact, often became more complex developing very particular aromas and flavors with smoky and complex tones including notes of anise and a bold balsamic sensation. The second observation was a little less positive and had to do with the producers. We could find no common denominator that could offer the consumer a clear indication of what to expect from a wine made from Spoletino. It is almost as if it is everyone for themselves without any shared goal or vision of which direction to take. In short, there seems to be a lot of confusion with a slew of producers who have “seen the light” of orange wine and are making wines with out-of-control volatile acidity and macerations that are too oxidative and degrading for this varietal and deprive it of its identity. Unfortunately, this path has been championed by certain local trendsetters who are very popular and so producers are confused.”
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Some Descriptions of Trebbiano Wines
“It gives good yields, but tends to yield undistinguished wine. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long.”
“[Trebbiano Toscano] is relatively common in Umbria, under the name Procanico, and plays a key role in the wines of Orvieto…While the variety is still to be associated with any outstanding dry whites, there has in recent years been cosiderable research into optimizing fruit quality in the vineyard…It has enjoyed resounding success, however, on the Atlantic side of France, specifically in the Charentais (Cognac) and Gascony (Armagnac). Here, it is used to produce vast quantities of light, crisp, relatively neutral-tasting white wine, the majority of which is distilled into brandy.”
“Trebbiano Abruzzese and Trebbiano Spoletino are the only two varieties in the [Trebbiano] group thought to have any family ties…and, just to make things a little more cloudy, many Trebbiano d'Abbruzzo wines thought to be made with the Bombino Bianco variety.”
“The best [Trebbiano Romagnolo] wines can be as rich and complex as Trebbiano Toscana, but others are very light.”
“The style of wine produced can range from very floral to Sauvignon Blanc-like to rather neutral…Winemaking styles vary widely, perhaps because there is little tradition behind wines which showcase the variety. Some are made as orthodox fresh dry whites fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, while others use oxidative macerations to create orange wine. This has led some commentators to voice concern that a more unified goal with more common denominators are needed to establish the popularity of the grape variety.”
“A name shared between many different Italian grape varieties, planted almost everywhere within Italy except for the far north where none of them would ripen reliably. Despite the fact its wine is remarkably thin, tart and characterless, Trebbianos are responsible for a vast proportion of all DOC white wine production. The most common, once a possible ingredient in Chianti and the basic crisp mouthwash of the Tuscan hills is Trebbiano Toscano. In France Trebbiano Toscano is known as Ugni Blanc. This variety is also planted, as Talia, in Portugal, and in Bulgaria, Russia, Greece and extensively in South America. Odd bottlings of wine made from old Trebbiano vines in California have shown extraordinary character and extract. Trebbiano Romagnolo makes mainly vapid Trebbiano di Romagna while Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is of mysterious origin and may be identical to Bombino Bianco. There is also the yellow-berried Trebbiano Giallo and Trebbiano Modenese which is probably used more for vinegar than wine. Trebbiano di Soave has been shown by DNA analysis to be Verdicchio.”
“Trebbiano is a refreshing, light-bodied white wine that has minimal aroma with subtle hints of lemon and stone minerality on the palate. It’s generally dry and crisp and has a fruity flavour finishing with a bitter almond note. Its easy-going qualities and medium alcohol content make it a very food-friendly wine, which is why it’s the most common varietal in Italy. The majority of Trebbiano wines are made to be enjoyed young.”
“The hardy Trebbiano yields grapes that flaunt high acid levels yet exhibit little aroma and flavor. As a varietal, its wine is crisp, acidic, light-bodied with subtle hints of lemon and stone minerality. A strong fermented scent can also be found in some styles of this wine.”
“Wines made from Trebbiano have high acidity. Even though it is widely planted not many winemakers use this grape. It is more popularly used to make brandy…The wine is said to taste the best young, whereas if you age it you may find some false flavours being developed which will not be praised by the consumer.”
“A quirky heirloom white grape variety called Trebbiano Spoletino has been rediscovered in recent years by winemakers who have brought it out of local family farms and into international distribution. In the past dozen years, the number of producers of Trebbiano Spoletino has grown from a handful to more than 30, making examples that are deliciously bright and complex, layering fruit, minerals and salinity…After Trebbiano Spoletino achieved critical success, Italy established a tiny Spoleto appellation in 2011 allowing for dry, sparkling and sweet wines made from a minimum of 85 percent of the grape variety.”
“Aromas and flavors of citrus fruits and almonds are common.”
“The principle characteristics of [Trebbiano Spoletino], according to the participating producers, are that: it ripens late (some said in October and after); it has an average low yield; it has an impressive resistance to disease; the acidity is a very high even when ripe; and the aromatic profile is fairly intense. Not everyone agreed on this latter aspect but I think that was because of the different growing and winemaking methods used by producers more than on studies on the grape’s aromatic properties, studies that have yet to be completed…[T]here is a lot of movement around it and the grape has a rosy future…We tasted around 50 wines from the 2015 and 2016 vintages and drew two basic conclusions: the wines held up well after a year aging in the bottle and, in fact, often became more complex developing very particular aromas and flavors with smoky and complex tones including notes of anise and a bold balsamic sensation. The second observation was a little less positive and had to do with the producers. We could find no common denominator that could offer the consumer a clear indication of what to expect from a wine made from Spoletino. It is almost as if it is everyone for themselves without any shared goal or vision of which direction to take. In short, there seems to be a lot of confusion with a slew of producers who have “seen the light” of orange wine and are making wines with out-of-control volatile acidity and macerations that are too oxidative and degrading for this varietal and deprive it of its identity. Unfortunately, this path has been championed by certain local trendsetters who are very popular and so producers are confused.”