Ruchè (pronounced Roo-Kay) is a red Italian grape from the Piedmont region. This grape has risen from entirely non-existent to having its own recognized DOCG. Ruchè is grown in Castagnole Monferrato, Refrancore, Grana, Montemagno, Viarigi, Scurzollengo, Portacomaro, and the province of Alessandra. It is used to make Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato, one of the lowest-producing wines in Italy.
HISTORY OF RUCHÈ
Different variations on this grape’s history abound, with no written evidentiary documents. Some people believe that Ruchè was brought to Piedmont by French nobles, and others believe that Ruchè grew indigenously in the hills of Asti. The name and history are a mystery, but the consensus belief is that the Ruchè name came from a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Roch. Historically, the Ruchè grape was used to blend or make a sweet wine that the locals consumed for happy occasions. Because of the limited purpose and use, by the 20th century, only a few vines were left, and the Ruchè grape was near extinction.
RUCHÈ COMES ALIVE AGAIN
In the late 1960s, a priest named Don Giacomo Cauda arrived at a parish in Castagnole Monferrato. He was born in 1927 and arrived as a parish priest in 1964. His family was winemakers, and he was excited about the old vines he found on the church property, which were unlike any grapes in the region. Father Cauda would celebrate mass, change into his farming clothes, and jump onto a tractor to tend to the
vines. Father Cauda refined the wine made from the Ruchè grape to produce a dry wine. He was the first to bottle and sell Ruchè under “Ruchè del Parroco .”He used the funds received from the sale of the wine to pay for restorations to his church. He unknowingly reinvigorated this area and returned the Ruchè grape from near extinction.
In the 1990s, Franco Cavallero of Cantonese Sant’Agata and his family decided to produce a wine like Father Cauda. They produced a Ruchè wine called ‘NaVota, meaning once upon a time. Other growers then followed. Ruchè Di Castagnole Monferrato was classified as a DOCG in
2010. Currently, the DOCG annually produces one million bottles from seven different municipalities. Approximately 35% is exported to the United States and Asia. At that time, there were about 100 hectares (247 acres) of this vine in Italy.
RUCHÈ, THE GRAPE
The Ruchè grape thrives in the calcareous clay known to the region and its numerous microclimates. It is resistant to disease and is harvested in the first half of September. Ruchè wine is a medium-body, moderate-acid red wine that possesses soft tannins. Typical flavors include berries, floral and peppery spices. It is usually aged in oak. Therefore, the wine pairs well with rich foods, meats, tomato-based dishes, and even Asian cuisine.
DNA analysis of Ruchè’s roots shows it as a cross between Croatian (a tannic black grape) and Muscat (a white grape).
IL RUCHÈ D!
Finding this wine in this area was a bit difficult. I called various wine stores and located one bottle at a wine shop an hour away. The wine is called “Il Ruchè d!” from the Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG. The wine grower, Eugenia Rivella, a third-generation grower, wanted to vinify grapes that grew on his property. Rivella’s vineyard is only one hectare.
(approximately 2.47 acres) and produces 2,000 bottles per year. He was awarded Winegrower of the Year in 2021. The wine contains 14.5 percent alcohol.
TASTING IL RUCHÈ D!
The wine was a dark ruby red, bright with evidence of high alcohol—dark fruit on the nose with the initial smell. It gradually smelled roses and a hint of oak. Upon tasting, the wine tasted of cherry and dark fruit. The wine was medium body with low acid.