🍇 Trebbiano
A name shared by several Italian white grapes; the best known is Trebbiano Toscano (Ugni Blanc), 111,000 ha worldwide (OIV, 2015).
Trebbiano is a name shared by several white grapes of Italy that are mostly unrelated to each other; the best known is Trebbiano Toscano (VIVC no. 12628), called Ugni Blanc in France. According to the OIV, in 2015 it covered 111,000 ha worldwide and went into dry white wine and into wine for distilling into Cognac.
VIVC describes it as a white variety of Italian origin with hermaphrodite flowers and lists 170 synonyms, among them Ugni Blanc, Procanico and Biancone. According to the OIV, it buds and flowers late, ripens slowly and gives a heavy crop, 5 to 20 t/ha. Its wine is acidic and modest in strength. The vine is sensitive to downy mildew but relatively resistant to grey rot.
In Italy it covers 21,000 ha, in France 82,000 ha. Italian wines from it are neutral, so they are blended: the Orvieto DOC requires at least 60% Trebbiano Toscano (Procanico) and Grechetto together, and Vin Santo del Chianti at least 70% of this grape and Malvasia Bianca Lunga. In France Ugni Blanc makes up almost 98% of the roughly 75,000 ha of vineyards in Cognac, and the wine for distilling has 7–12% alcohol by volume.
The name “Trebbiano” covers different vines. A 2001 study compared 7 varieties with this name and 17 similar ones: most turned out to be genetically very different, while Verdicchio proved identical to Trebbiano di Soave. Among the offspring of Trebbiano Toscano, according to VIVC, are Vidal Blanc, Chenel and Folignan.
Why it matters to you. “Trebbiano” on a label does not say which grape is in the bottle, so look for a qualifier: Toscano, d'Abruzzo or the DOC name. Ugni Blanc and Trebbiano Toscano are one vine, so Italian white wine and the raw material for Cognac come from the same variety.
Facts
| Country | Italy 1 |
|---|---|
| Region | Worldwide 111,000 ha; France 82,000 ha; Italy 21,000 ha (2015) 2 |
| Main use | White wine, blends, wine for distilling into Cognac 23 |
| Acidity | High acidity and modest strength; wine for Cognac 7–12% alcohol by volume 23 |
| Yield | 5–20 t/ha 2 |
| Hardiness | Sensitive to downy mildew, relatively resistant to grey rot 2 |
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Trebbiano → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ Italian wine
- Where it grows
- 🥃 Cognac, 📍 Tuscany, 📜 Frascati
- Main grape in
- 📍 Orvieto, 📜 Vin Santo del Chianti
- Related to
- 🍷 Vin Santo, 🥃 Cognac
- Offspring
- 🍇 Vidal Blanc, 🍇 Chenel, 🍇 Weldra, 🍇 Folignan, 🍇 Select
- Similar and different
- 🍇 Trebbiano Toscano, 🍇 Trebbiano Romagnolo, 🍇 Trebbiano Abruzzese, 🍇 Trebbiano Spoletino
Frequently asked questions
What is Trebbiano?
A common name for several white Italian grapes; the best known is Trebbiano Toscano (VIVC no. 12628).
Is it true that all “Trebbiano” grapes are one variety?
No. In a 2001 study (Vitis 40), 7 varieties with that name proved very different and most likely do not share a common ancestor.
Is it true that Ugni Blanc is a different grape from Trebbiano Toscano?
No. VIVC lists Ugni Blanc among the synonyms of Trebbiano Toscano, and the AOC Cognac specification calls it the Italian variety “Trebbiano Toscano”.
How much of it is grown?
According to the OIV (2015): 111,000 ha worldwide, including 82,000 ha in France and 21,000 ha in Italy.
What wines is it used for?
In Italy, for dry white wines in blends, such as Orvieto DOC and Vin Santo del Chianti; in France, for the wine that is distilled into Cognac.
What to read next
- 🍇 Trebbiano Toscano — A white Italian grape called Ugni Blanc in France; used for wine and Cognac.
- 📍 Tuscany — Home of Chianti, Brunello and the "Super Tuscans".
- 🍷 Vin Santo — A sweet amber Italian wine from dried grapes, aged for a long time in small barrels.
- 🍇 Folignan — A white French grape from Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche, used for Cognac spirit.
- 🍇 Select — A white French grape bred by Jean-Louis Vidal from Ugni Blanc and Jurançon Blanc.
Similar
🍇 Prugnolo Gentile · 🍇 Colorino · 🍇 Canaiolo Nero · 🍇 Pugnitello · 🍇 Abrusco · 🍇 Paolina
Sources
- VIVC. Trebbiano Toscano (паспорт 12628)
- OIV. Focus OIV 2017: Distribution of the world's grapevine varieties
- Cahier des charges de l'AOC «Cognac» (arrêté du 10 juin 2026, BO Agri 18.06.2026)
- Labra M. et al. Genetic studies on Trebbiano and morphologically related varieties by SSR and AFLP markers. Vitis 40 (2001)
- Disciplinare di produzione DOC «Orvieto» (MASAF)
- Disciplinare di produzione DOC «Vin Santo del Chianti» (MASAF)