The Bianco d’Alessano grape is a white grape variety native to Puglia. Its origin is rather uncertain, although it seems to come from the Valle d’Itria, in the triangle between Bari, Brindisi, and Taranto. At the time of its characterization in the late 1800s, it was known that the grape did not produce great results in terms of yield, so it was always cultivated and vinified together with another local grape, Verdeca, which was widely used for the production of base wines for Vermouth. Due to its low productivity, Bianco d’Alessano was gradually abandoned in favor of Verdeca, and especially in the Martina Franca area, the grape was almost entirely uprooted.

Today, Bianco d’Alessano is therefore a grape of little significance even at the local level, and it is mostly used in blends with other local grapes. Its main area of distribution remains the municipalities of Martina Franca in the province of Taranto, Cisternino in the province of Brindisi, and Locorotondo in the province of Bari. Ampelographically, Bianco d’Alessano has large, orbicular leaves, medium to large clusters that are conical tending to cylindrical, compact, and sometimes have a single wing. The berries are yellow, medium-sized, spherical, and have a lot of bloom on their thick skins. The grape variety has no particular cultivation requirements and is appreciated for its adaptability, although it prefers medium-textured soils and deep fertilization. When trained with medium expansion systems and strong pruning, Bianco d’Alessano significantly increases its productivity, which has prevented its total extinction. It is also a very disease-resistant variety, resistant to fungal diseases, downy mildew, and powdery mildew. However, it suffers from frost, which causes berry shatter, but these are very rare in Puglia, and its late budding provides some protection. The fruit also matures late, between September and October.