The red grape variety originates from Italy. Synonyms are Majolina and Sangallina. DNA analyses carried out by Dr José Vouillamoz disproved the hypothesis that it was identical to the Tempranillo variety. The old variety used to be widespread in the province of Brescia in Lombardy. The Pusterla winery cultivates the "Vigneto Pusterla" vineyard at the foot of the castle in the middle of the city of Brescia, where autochthonous vines, some of which are very rare, are planted on four hectares and from which the special IGT cuvée Ronchi di Brescia is pressed. Among them are, for example, the varieties Corva, Groppello Gentile, Invernenga, Marzemino, Schiava Grossa and Maiolina. The Slow Food association defined this vineyard as a cultural heritage site in 2007. Moreover, in the early 1980s, the Majolini brothers (the name of the grape variety could be derived from this family) revitalised the variety in the municipality of Ome. The two winegrowers produce a fair amount of wine from it. In 2016, 0.4 hectares of vines were designated (Kym Anderson).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: M.I.P.A.F - National Vine Certification Service
For my many years of work as an editor with a wine and culinary focus, I always like to inform myself about special questions at Wine lexicon. Spontaneous reading and following links often leads to exciting discoveries in the wide world of wine.
Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien