The red grape variety originates from Italy. Synonyms are Bursôn, Longanesi and Negretto Longanesi. In 1913, a property was bought by Antonio Longanesi (1854-1934) in the municipality of Bagnacavallo, west of Ravenna in Emilia-Romagna. It was here that an old vine was found growing up an old oak tree. His grandson Antonio (*1921) propagated it and pressed wine from it for personal use for many years. It was only in 1956 that his brother Pietro (1931-1999) used the wine as a blend for commercial use. Finally, in 1999, it was included in the official register of varieties with the family's name. The very old variety had been cultivated in the area for at least 200 years and had been forgotten over time. According to DNA analyses, it is not identical to other known varieties. Some local historians hypothesise that it was introduced from Spain by mercenaries of the Pope, while others assume that it was selected from local wild vines.
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