Some don't consider it wine since it derives from a cross between Vitis Riparia and Vitis Lambrusca rather than Vinifera, while others fondly remember it as the family wine.
With its impenetrable violet color and intense fruity aroma, the vino Clinton is certainly not a prestigious label, but it is nonetheless capable of redeeming its characteristics even in quality distillates.
Its home territory is Veneto (dialectally called grintón), although its origins are overseas.
From North America, the vino Clinton arrived in Italy following the outbreak of phylloxera in the nineteenth century, an insect that destroyed much of our ampelographic heritage.
To avert this catastrophe, the practice of grafting European vines onto American rootstocks was adopted, the latter being resistant to the parasite.
The production of Clinto continued to persist: destined for taverns or confined to family productions, which still today lovingly cultivate "il vino del nonno." The cultivation of this grape is not at all complicated, as it requires no special care or vineyard treatments, and yields are always high.
The matter becomes more complex from an organoleptic standpoint, as the vino Clinto releases into the wine a rather pungent aromatic compound known as "volpino." This is also why it is banned from blends. Another potentially harmful characteristic is its high methanol content, though when handled carefully the level of this substance is negligible.
Negligible or not, the law prohibits its production, fining distilleries that use it in the production of fruit distillates.
Enthusiasts of the genre can still enjoy a few small productions scattered across other Italian regions, as far south as Lazio.
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