The Abrusco grape variety is a black grape, primarily cultivated in Tuscany, especially in the Chianti region. It is an ancient variety, showing some similarities to Abrostine, a variety of Vitis Labrusca, which also originates from the domestication of wild grapes found in the area and nowadays only present in a few vines in very limited areas in the province of Florence. Abrusco is part of the so-called “color grapes,” such as Colorino, with which it often shares cultivation. These varieties have a significant anthocyanin content and were often used in blends to add color to the wine. Abrusco is considered a species close to extinction, with less than 6 hectares cultivated.
Abrusco is a permitted variety in several appellations in Tuscany, particularly the Chianti DOCG and Capalbio DOC in the southern hills of the province of Grosseto. Here, Abrusco can make up to 50% of the blend for red and rosé wines alongside Sangiovese. The Abrusco grape has dark, blue-black berries with pale-colored flesh. It has a mid-season ripening period and is usually harvested in the middle of the season, after the early-ripening Ciliegiolo and before the late-ripening Sangiovese. Wines produced with Abrusco have good structure, spicy aromas, and scents of good intensity.