Collection: Ansonica

Ansonica is a white grape with roots in Sicily, where DNA analyses have confirmed its kinship with classic Sicilian varieties such as Grillo, Frappato and Nerello Mascalese. The name derives from a French word for dark or golden colour, a reference to the appearance of the grapes when they are fully ripe. At Copenhagen Wine we carry Ansonica from Italy, and right now you will find it in our selection from Toscana.

It is on the Tuscan islands of Elba and Giglio that the grape thrives particularly well, and it is increasingly spreading along the Tuscan coast. Ansonica is an early-ripening grape, typically harvested in late August or early September, and it is well suited to warm, dry climates like those found in central and southern Italy. It is drought-tolerant but sensitive to high summer temperatures, and it is often grown in Guyot or alberello with short or mixed pruning.

In the glass, Ansonica is something all its own. It has naturally low acidity that drops quickly as the grapes approach full ripeness, and it is among the rare white grapes with a natural tannin structure. This gives wines with a slightly firmer, fuller character than you might expect from a white wine. You encounter it both as a dry white wine and as passito, a sweet wine made from air-dried grapes, and it also features in blends with Vermentino among others.

In Sicily, Ansonica is made as a varietal wine in areas such as Caltanissetta, Palermo and Agrigento and features in DOCs such as Alcamo, Contessa Entellina and Delia Nivolelli. Historically it has also played a role in the Sicilian Marsala blends. If you feel like exploring a white wine with character and a distinct southern origin, Ansonica is an obvious place to begin.