Pietro Stara è autore del libro “Il discorso del vino” (ZIC Milano, 2013), con cui ha vinto, nel 2015, il premio per la saggistica edita del Centro Pavesiano – CEPAM e del libro “Il vino e la storia” (Sabatelli editore, Savona 2025). La sua ricerca si concentra sul mondo del vino, esplorando temi legati alla sua storia, alla viticoltura e all’enologia. Collabora con diverse testate giornalistiche, sia online che cartacee, approfondendo le tematiche relative al settore. Oltre al suo impegno nel giornalismo, insegna antropologia culturale e sociologia dei consumi, come docente a contratto, presso l’Università di Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenzo.

Pietro Stara

Pietro Stara, autore di "Il discorso del vino" e "Il vino e la storia". Scrittore ed esperto che esplora cultura, storia e filosofia del vino.

Pietro Stara - Autore | Il discorso del vino, Il vino e la

The history of grignolino: roots and legacy of a great Piedmontese grape Dive into the enigmatic world of grignolino with this compelling historical investigation by renowned researcher Pietro Stara. Using an "evidential paradigm"—a detective-like approach—Stara uncovers the mysteries and complex identities of a grape variety that has shaped Piedmontese viticulture, yet whose history has often been overlooked. A historical enigma unfolds The journey begins in the 13th century (1249), tracing the grape’s earliest footsteps back to the monks of Sant’Evasio in Casale Monferrato. At the time, it was known as "Berbesino" or "Barbesino". It wasn’t until a 1614 inventory of the Casale Castle that the name "grignolino" finally appeared in official records. Key highlights of the research: The identity quest: discover how 19th-century ampelographers like Demaria, Leardi, and the traveler Giorgio Gallesio solved the puzzle of its many synonyms, confirming that the "barbesino" of Alessandria and the "grignolino" of Asti were, in fact, the same soul. The etymological debate: the book tackles the fierce disputes linking grignolino to barbera, debunking myths through the rigorous historical analysis of scholars like Senator Desana and Dalmasso. A sparkling past: in a surprising revelation, the text explores grignolino’s role as a pioneer of Italian sparkling wine. Long before its current still-wine reputation, it was crafted using the Méthode Champenoise, winning prestigious awards and ranking as a top choice for spumante production as late as 1924. The white mystery: the investigation even touches upon the elusive "white grignolino," a rare variety mentioned in historical texts and immortalized in the famous 1858 wax fruit models by Francesco Garnier Valletti.

1. History, mathematics and abduction

2. The nineteenth-century ampelographies and Grignolino, or Barbesino

3. Grignolino - TABLE XXI

4. Giorgio Gallesio. The travel journals

5. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries

6. Aldo di Ricaldone and the erroneous attribution of barbesine grapes to ancient Barbera

7. Desana and the refutation of the theses proposed by Father Coppo and then by Giovanni Aldo di Ricaldone

8. A viticultural sub-lexicon

9. A white barbesino or a white Grignolino?

10. Grignolino and the traditional method

11. Documentary appendix

12. Bibliography

36 HISTOYX OF GYIGROLIRO If the grantees should not properly cultivate the land, they must compensate the Church for losses suffered. Noreover, if they should wish to sell their rights to the vineyard, they must zrst offer them to the Church at the established price of twelve denari. The act was drawn up in the cloister of the Church of SantkEvasio and signed by notary Guillellmus de Berbeto. Grant of land to Giacomo di Amado and Bernardo Lambrosca (November 19, 1252) Provost Ottobono and the canons of the Church of Casale, with the consent of the Chapter, grant to Giacomo di Amado zve stari of land situated in the locality "Nagliano". The land borders the properties of Bernardo Lambrosca, Rovamesio and Bonifacio Tencius. Giacomo commits to planting vines of good uality ("de xoni planti xerxesini") and cultivating the land, harvesting the fruits for zve years. Starting from the sixth year, he must deliver to the Church one third of the grapes harvested and pay the tithe on his portion of wine. If he should sell his rights to the vineyard, he must zrst offer them to the Church. The act was drawn up in the cloister of the Church of SantkEvasio and signed by notary Petrus de Hylia. 

12 Bibliography Umberto Eco and Thomas A. Sebeok (eds.), Il Segno dei Tre: Holmes, Dupin, Peirce, Milano, Bompiani, 1983; Massimo Bonfantini, La semiosi e l'abduzione, Milano, Bompiani, 1987; Veronica Zanirato, Per una ClosoCa dell'indizio: htarles Peirce e la serendipiy-, Universit  degli studi, Ferrara 2006; Francesco Denini, Deduzione   Induzione A Mbduzione, model  lino per alcuni accosyamenyi yra ragionamenyo logico e ascolyo musicale, in ; Carlo Ginzburg, .iyi emblemi spief .or ologia e syoria, Einaudi, Torino 2000; Giuliana Gay Eynard (Fondazione Giovanni Dalmasso), Vittorino Novello, Giacomo Iacurti (Universit  Di Torino), Ferdinando Viglieno-Cossalino (Painter), Le hollezioni MmpelograCcte in immagini, in ; G. Licandro, A. Barbato, Su un erbario ampelograCco della sec  onda mey8 dell'0vv conser(ayo presso l'Mrcti(io Syorico di .on  cal(o )MsyiR, Informatore Botanico Italiano, 46 (1) 27-33, 2014 27 in ; 

Roots and Evidence of a Great Piedmontese Grape Variety - The History of Grignolino