Italian term (withering, wilting) for the drying of grapes. These are laid out or hung on wooden racks in well-ventilated attics or in the open air. If necessary, this is supported by fans to prevent rotting. This can last from a few weeks to several months. The loss of water in the berries results in a higher concentration of sugar and flavour, thus enabling the production of sweet wines. This is used in the wines produced using the Passito and Recioto methods. See a list of the different methods under dried grapes.
![]()
For me, Lexicon from wein.plus is the most comprehensive and best source of information about wine currently available.
Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)