The Bombino bianco grape is widely cultivated in the province of Foggia, especially around San Severo, where it constitutes an immense viticultural area, but also on the Gargano and in the area of Lucera. Bombino bianco is also found in Basilicata, around Potenza, where in the area of Melfi it holds an important place in the vineyards. It is also cultivated in Molise and is known in the provinces of Cosenza and Avellino. Bombino bianco is one of the most important varieties in southern Italy, with significant cultivated areas also found in Lazio, Marche, Abruzzo, and even in Emilia-Romagna. Bombino bianco is likely of Spanish origin but has been present in Italy since time immemorial.
In Basilicata and Molise, Bombino bianco is also blended with red grapes to produce light ruby-colored, pleasant, and light red table wines. In these two provinces, it is also blended with other white grape varieties to obtain fragrant and pleasant wines. In Puglia, however, Bombino bianco is vinified as a pure variety, producing a rich, pleasant, straw-yellow wine with a clean taste. It is also suitable for use as a blending wine to strengthen other white wines that are too weak. Due to the large size of Bombino bianco clusters, pruning must be of medium length to avoid weakening the plants. Bombino bianco is characterized by low vigor but very high productivity and grows best on dry, light, siliceous, or calcareous soils, well-exposed and preferably on hillsides. Budding is late, making it suitable for areas subject to frost. Bombino bianco is sensitive to rain during flowering, which can cause flower abortion, and is susceptible to downy mildew.
