The white grape variety originates from Italy. Some of the numerous synonyms are also varieties. These include Albana a Grappolo Fitto, Albana a Grappolo Lungo, Albana a Lungo Grappolo di Faenza, Albana Bianca, Albana Bianca di Bertinovo, Albana Bianca di Forli, Albana Bianca di Romagna, Albana Bijeli, Albana della Bagarona, Albana della Compadrana, Albana della Forcella, Albana della Gaiana, Albana della Serra, Albana di Bologna, Albana di Romagna, Albana Gentile, Albana Gentile di Bertinoro, Albana Gentile di Ravenna, Albana Grossa, Albana di Rimini, Albanone, Bianchetto, Creminese, Criminese, Forcellina, Ribona, Rimenèse, Riminèse, Riminèse ad Uva Rossa, Riminèse Bianco, Riminèse dell Elba and Sforcella. It should not be confused with the Italian Albana Bordini or the Spanish Albana Devej.
In any case, it is probably a very old grape variety that was mentioned in documents as early as 1305 by the famous scholar Petrus de Crescentiis (1230-1320). It was once widespread under numerous names in Emilia-Romagna. The hypothesis that it is a descendant of a variety already known to the Romans in ancient times can of course no longer be proven. The name probably derives from Colli Albani, the volcanic hills near Rome in the Lazio region. According to DNA analyses carried out in 2007, the Riminèse variety grown in Corsica is identical. There is a parent-offspring relationship with the leading Italian variety Garganega. A colour mutation of the Albana variety (Albana Bianca) is the pink-berry variety Albana Rosa.
This late-maturing, high-yielding variety is susceptible to botrytis and downy mildew, but resistant to powdery mildew. It yields a colourful, golden-yellow white wine that is also used for sparkling wine production. The variety is mainly found in Emilia-Romagna, as well as in the regions of Liguria, Lombardy and Marche. The DOCG white wine Albana di Romagna is produced from Albana. It was the first white wine to be classified at this highest level. In 2016, only 782 hectares of vineyards were designated in Italy, with an extremely downward trend. On the French island of Corsica, there is a tiny stock of 0.1 hectares (Kym Anderson statistics).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: M.I.P.A.F - National Vine Certification Service
