Erbaluce di Caluso, or simply Caluso, is a classified winemaking zone found in Italy's north-western Piedmont region. The wines from this area are produced in 33 communes in the province of Turin, with Caluso as its center. The Erbaluce grape from which the wine is made takes its name from the goddess Albaluce, whose realm was Caluso.
The wine has DOCG status, which was awarded in 2010 after 43 years at the DOC level. The title encompasses the highly regarded sweet white dessert wine known as Caluso Passito DOCG, as well as the dry white wines Erbaluce di Caluso, and the Caluso Spumante (known for its dry, fresh and fruity character and underlying minerality).
Erbaluce is a unique grape, displaying a bright copper hue with slight pinkish highlights in the autumn months. The intense amber color almost makes the grape look 'roasted'. This gives rise to the grape's poetic name Uva Rustia (from uva arrostita, or roasted grape). The grape is thought to have originated in the Alps in northern Piedmont, and the first written record of this native variety dates back to 1606.
The rich, sweet dessert wine, made in a dried-grape passito style, is crafted from dried Erbaluce grapes and known as Caluso Passito. The fruit is allowed to fully ripen in the warm days of autumn and then dried before being pressed. The wine is usually a blend of several vintages, and vinification is a meticulous process which takes considerable time. It can only be bottled five years after harvest and must have a minimum alcohol content of 17%. If matured for five years or more, it may be called a riserva; the wine generally takes at least six years to reach full maturity. The result is a golden nectar with an exceptionally perfumed bouquet.
Erbaluce di Caluso is the bianco secco (dry white) version, with aromas reminiscent of meadow flowers. It is characteristically dry with a distinguishable acidity but has a well-rounded structure, making it an excellent partner to hors d'oeuvres and fish. It is particularly well suited to tench (a freshwater fish) and marinated trout, as well as mocetta (the dried, spiced meat of chamois).
Despite the establishment of Centro per la Tutela e la Valorizzazione dei Vini DOC di Caluso to promote the limited-production wines from this area, they are still not widely known outside of Piedmont, and are often available only in Biella and Turin.
