Mayolet is an indigenous grape variety of the Aosta Valley in northwest Italy. It is usually blended with Petit Rouge, the dominant variety of the region, but is occasionally made into varietal wines. These tend to be quite delicate, with lightly spiced cherry and blueberry characters and good levels of acidity, and sometimes are made with a hint of bitterness.
This obscure variety is permitted as a blending partner in several Aosta Valley sub-zones, most notably Torrette, although even here Petit Rouge almost always makes up the majority of the blend. This wasn't always the case: at the turn of the 20th Century, Mayolet made up a significant portion of the then-notable Torrette wines, which were made in a sweeter style from partially dried grapes.
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Mayolet
was rescued from extinction in the 20th century and has seen new plantings in
its native Valle d’Aosta in northwest Italy since the 1990s.Today, a handful of varietal wines are produced
in the Valle d’Aosta DOC.
Mayolet Grapes
Torrette is an official category within the Valle d’Aosta DOC that must include
at least 70% petit rouge, so the Mayolet component is optional and limited.
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