Passito wines

FIGURE 6.2 Conidiophore and conidia (spores) of Botrytis cinerea. Scanning electron micrograph. 

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Historically, "Vin Santo," or as it is also known, "Vinsanto" or "Vino Santo" (literally "Saint wine"), is a traditional term that relates to a group of dessert wines (passito wines) that have been produced for a long time in Toscana (Tuscany), in particular, and in other areas of central and northern Italy, as well as on the Greek island of Santorini (Fig. 3.1). 

Table 3.3 lists the non-aromatic passito wines, other than Vin Santo. On the basis of the characteristics presented that arise from the specific production technique, different styles are recognized within the Vin Santo... 

TABLE 3.2 Main grape-drying systems for the production of passito wines... 

However, as a result of the overall low-production of Vin Santo and its split into different denominations in wine growing areas of central and northern Italy, it is very difficult to find complete information on the production of this wine through the years. Moreover, in the official statistics of wine import and export, Vin Santo and other passito wines are not counted separately, but instead together within the class of all other high-quality wines (Vqprd and Vlqprd). 

Similarly, as for the production of other passito wines from partially dried grapes, such as Recioto, Albana passito, and Picolit (which we refer to as "non-aromatic passito wines"), generally the grape varieties and clones used should be those with a thicker skin and more open clustered small berries, as these are best for drying under mild conditions, with less... 

Depending on the production rules and the local traditions, different techniques are used to remove the water from the grapes that are used for the production of passito wines (see above Table 3.2). 

To date, although many studies have been conducted on microbial population dynamics with different grape varieties and fermentation conditions, very few of these have been strictly related to Vin Santo. Despite this, various studies regarding the alcoholic fermentation of other Italian passito wines, which have similar production characteristics to those of Vin Santo, have been produced, contributing to the understanding of some important microbial aspects of this particular production process. 

Most of the studies regarding the selection of a fermentation starter are mainly related to the production of other passito wines, rather than Vin Santo, with similar characteristics and therefore useful for their possible applications in Vin Santo production. 

Torelli, E., Firrao, G., Locci, R., and Gobbi, E. (2005). Ochratoxin A producing strains of Penicillium spp. isolated from grapes used for the production of "passito" wines. Int. ]. Food Microbiol. 106,307-312. 

Here we will discuss the Vin Santo produced in Italy because the production techniques and particularities of Santorini Vin Santo are more similar to those of sweet wines of aromatic styles produced all around the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea (as Passito di Pantelleria, or Greco di Bianco— passito, etc.). 

As outlined above, Vin Santo wines are essentially a group within the larger collection of dessert wines that are made mainly from non-aromatic grapes, and which in Italy are called "vino passito" or passito. This term "passito" generally means "wine made from dried grapes" (Italian vino da uve passite) (Table 3.2). 

In a recent thorough investigation focused on dessert wine demand in the Florentine areas, Meucci (2008) reported that these consumers showed a clear preference (44%) for Vin Santo (Fig. 3.7). The preference of the remaining consumers was mainly for Passito di Pantelleria and for other Italian dessert wines (44% in all). Only a small share of consumers (around 7%) bought dessert wines from the noble rot, while the remaining 3% purchased from among all of the other Italian and non-Italian dessert wines. 

Amarone is an important red wine produced in Valpolicella, an area close to Verona, in north-eastern Italy. Other red wines are produced in the region, but Amarone is the most important. It has become renowned worldwide because of its unique attributes, deriving from its special production process. It is based on partially dried grapes, similar to sweet, passito-style wines. However, it is distinct in its current form. Being dry, it competes with other, prestigious, dry red wines produced internationally. 

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