red grape · rare
Oseleta
Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
Say it
oh·seh·leh·tah
Four syllables; stress on third. 'Useleta' spelling reflects the same Venetian root 'osèl' (bird).
On the palate
blackberryblack cherryvioletblack pepperdried herbsgraphite
How you spot it blind: massive firm tannins and violet florals over dark berry fruit
The story
First written down · 16th century, Verona (Panvirio)
Revived from near-extinction by Masi winery in the early 1980s, registered in Italy's National Grape Varieties Registry in 2000, and admitted to Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella DOC blends (up to 10%) in 2003.
Where it lives
Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy
Shows up as
still redValpolicellaAmarone della Valpolicella