Luglienga

Luglienga (also known as Lignan blanc and Seidentraube) is a white Italian wine and table grape variety that is grown across Europe. The grape has a long history of use, dating back to at least the 14th century in Piedmont but is today most seen a table grape that is occasionally used for home winemaking.

History and relationship to other grapes

The first written documentation of Luglienga dates back to 1329 where it was listed under the old synonym Luglienchis growing in the Piedmont wine region of northwest Italy. Ampelographers believe that the name is derived from the Italian Luglio which means July and could be a reference to the grape's tendency to ripen early in the growing season. The French synonym Jouanenc, derived from juin meaning June also seems to support the grape's reputation as an early ripening variety.

In the early 21st century, DNA analysis confirmed what ampelographers such as Pierre Galet had long suspected--that the German/Swiss wine grape Siedentraube and the French wine grape Lignan blanc were in fact Luglienga. DNA also showed that Luglienga shares a parent-offspring relationship with the Valle d'Aosta wine grape Prié blanc with the older Luglienga likely being the parent variety.