{{Short description|Variety of grape}} {{distinguish|Vespaiola}} {{Infobox grape variety | name = Vespolina | image = | caption = | color = Noir | species = ''[[Vitis vinifera]]'' | also_called = See [[#Synonyms|list of synonyms]] | origin = [[Italy]] | hazards = | regions = | notable_wines = }}
'''Vespolina''' is a red [[Italian wine]] [[grape variety]] that is planted in [[Piedmont (wine)|Piedmont]] around [[Gattinara]] and [[Ghemme]]. [[Ampelographer]] believe that the grape is most likely [[Indigenous (ecology)|indigenous]] to this area of Piedmont and recent [[DNA profiling]] identified a parent-offspring relationship with [[Nebbiolo]]. Outside Piedmont it is found in the [[Lombardy (wine)|Lombardy]] region of [[Oltrepò Pavese]] where the grape is known as '''Ughetta'''.<ref name="Oxford pg 733"> J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 733 Oxford University Press 2006 {{ISBN|0-19-860990-6}} </ref> In [[Gattinara]], Vespolina is sometimes blended with Nebbiolo and [[Bonarda Piemontese]].<ref name="Robinson pg 153"> J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Course'' Third Edition pg 153 Abbeville Press 2003 {{ISBN|0-7892-0883-0}} </ref> Unlike the white Italian grape [[Vespaiolo]], the root of the name Vespolina does not have a direct connection with ''vespe'' or [[wasp]]. However the true origins of the name are still unclear.<ref name="Clarke pg 273"> Oz Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 273 Harcourt Books 2001 {{ISBN|0-15-100714-4}} </ref>
==Relationship to other grapes== Through its parent-offspring relationship with Nebbiolo, Vespolina is a half-sibling of several Piemontese wine grape varieties including: [[Bubbierasco]], [[Brugnola]], [[Freisa]], [[Nebbiolo rosé]], [[Negretta]], [[Neretto di Bairo]] and [[Rossola nera]].<ref name="Italian grapes">Ian D'Agata ''Native Wine Grapes of Italy'', pg 476 University of California Press 2014 {{ISBN|9780520272262}} </ref>
==Synonyms== The grape Vespolina is known under a variety of [[synonym]]s. These include Balsamina, Canneta, Croattina, Guzetta, Guzitta, Guzzetta, Inzaga, Inzagre, Massana, Nespolina, Nespolino, Novarina, Solenga, Ughetta, Ughetta di Caneto, Ughetta di Canetto, Ughetta di Canneto, Ughetta di Fassolo, Ughetta di Solenga, Uva Cinerina, Uva Rara, Uvetta, Uvetto, Vespolino, Visparola and Vispavola.<ref name="VIVC">{{cite web |url=http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=13018 |title=Vespolina |work=[[Vitis International Variety Catalogue]] |access-date=2010-01-31}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Red wine grape varieties]]