Ortrugo

Grape variety	Ortrugo
Synonyms	Ortrugo is also known as Ortrugo di Rovescala and Altrugo in some historical references.
Grape colour	White grape
History	Ortrugo finds its roots in ancient times, pre-dating the Roman empire, with cultivation beginning with the initial Celtic, Gallic, and Cisalpine inhabitants of Northern Italy. This grape variety gained prominence during the reign of the Romans, who amplified the cultivation and trade of Piacentini wines, including Ortrugo. This is well-documented in Latin texts, highlighting a political dispute involving natives of Piacenza, namely Marco Tullio Cicero and Lucio Calpurnio Pisone. The fame of Piacenza wines, including Ortrugo, crossed borders reaching France in the 1200s. In 1391, Piacenza's municipal statutes included the first stringent rules against wine fraud, indicating the importance of wine in the region's history.
Ampelographic features	The Ortrugo grape vine presents a large leaf, slightly three-lobed and occasionally five-lobed. The leaf has an open U-shaped breast and deep upper lateral breasts, with lower side breasts being much more subtle. The bunch of grapes is large, cylindrical-conical in shape, and extremely compact. The pedicels are short and thin, displaying a greenish hue, as does the peduncle. The brush is short and has a greenish-yellow tint. The berries are medium-sized, spheroid, and covered in a slightly dotted, thick, astringent skin of a greenish color. The flesh inside is juicy with a simple flavor.
Characteristics of the wine	The wine produced from the Ortrugo grape is of a straw-yellow color. It is warm and full-bodied in taste, offering a unique sensory experience.