Description
The Elba PDO is reserved for the following types of wine: White, Red, Rosé, Spumante, Passito, Vin Santo and Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice. The Designation also incorporates numerous grape variety specifications.
Production Area
The production area of Elba PDO is within the entire territory of the municipalities of the island of Elba in the Province of Livorno, in the Tuscany region.
Description of product typologies
Elba PDO Bianco varies from straw-yellow to pale straw-yellow; the nose is fresh, displaying delicate fragrances of acacia flowers, white fruit and apples; it is dry, harmonious and pleasantly sapid on the palate. Elba PDO Rosso is intense ruby red; the nose displays a delicate fragrance reminiscent of pansy and fruity notes; it is dry and full-bodied on the palate, with a long, persistent finish. It can display Riserva on the label if the wine has undergone a mandatory ageing period of at least 24 months, at least 12 months of which must be in wooden barrels. The ageing period commences November 1st of the year in which the grapes were produced. Elba PDO Rosato is pink, varying in intensity; the nose is fresh and fruity; it is dry on the palate, with a freshness that supports its delicate fruitiness. Elba PDO Spumante is straw-yellow, varying in intensity and with a fine and persistent perlage; the nose is delicate and subtle; it is dry and harmonious on the palate. Elba PDO Passito varies from straw-yellow to amber; it is ethereal, intense and characteristic on the nose; the flavour is harmonious and velvety. Elba PDO Vin Santo is straw-yellow to golden yellow and deep amber; it is ethereal, intense and characteristic on the nose; the flavour is harmonious, velvety and rounded. Elba PDO Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice varies from intense pink to pale pink; it is warm and intense on the nose; the flavour is sweet, harmonious, velvety and rounded. After a careful selection, the grapes destined for the production of Elba PDO Bianco Passito wine (including those with a grape variety specification) must be dried outside or in suitable areas for a minimum of 10 days, with the possibility of partial dehydration with ventilated and/or dehumidified air, until the sugar content has reached a minimum of 30%. The traditional vinification method used to produce Elba PDO Vin Santo and Elba PDO Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice wines involves the carefully selected grapes being dried naturally and – due to the particular climatic conditions of the island of Elba – they cannot be mashed before November 1st of the harvest year or any later than March 31st of the following year. The grapes must be dried in suitable environments and partial dehydration with ventilated air is permitted; storage and ageing must take place in wooden kegs with a capacity of no more than 5 hectolitres. Elba PDO Vin Santo and Elba PDO Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice cannot be released for consumption before November 1st of the third year following that in which the grapes were produced.
Grape variety specifications
The Elba PDO may display the following grape variety specifications. From white grape varieties: min. 85% Ansonica (incl. Passito), Trebbiano Toscano (locally known as Procanico), Vermentino, pure or with the addition of similarly-coloured grapes originating from other grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the concerned area, max. 15%. From red grape varieties: min. 85% Sangiovese, pure or with the addition of similarly-coloured grapes originating from other grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the concerned area, max. 15%. The characteristics of the colour, fragrances and flavour of each specification are those typical of the grape variety and terroir of origin.
Additional specifications
The Elba PDO designation can be followed by the specification Vigna (Vineyard) with the relative toponym. In the Designation and presentation of Elba PDO Moscato Passito, Elba PDO Ansonica, Elba PDO Ansonica Passito and Elba PDO Bianco Passito wines, the type of wine or grape variety can be written before the Elba Protected Designation of Origin, or be followed by the specification “dell’Elba”.
