Grape Guide
Torbato
WhiteTorbato is a white variety of Sardinia's north-west coast and of Roussillon, where it is called Tourbat or Malvoisie du Roussillon. It nearly vanished from both places in the twentieth century, and survives on a small area, mostly as the signature white of the Alghero DOC and as a blending partner in Roussillon's whites and fortified wines.
Key characteristics
- Identical to Tourbat and Malvoisie du Roussillon (confirmed by DNA)
- Parentage unknown; not shown to be related to the Malvasia grapes
- Mid to late ripening
- Susceptible to fanleaf virus and weakly resistant to powdery mildew
- Alghero DOC varietal wines require at least 85% Torbato
Typical flavors
Major regions
Alghero DOC (Sardinia) · Mejlogu (Sardinia) · Côtes du Roussillon AOC · Banyuls AOP · Languedoc (Aude, Hérault)
Also known as
Malvoisie du Roussillon (France) · Malvoisie des Pyrénées-Orientales (France) · Tourbat (France) · Torbat · Turbat · Uva Catalana
Torbato makes full-bodied, dry whites with moderate to high acidity and aromas of orchard fruit, citrus peel, aromatic herbs and, in some examples, a faint smoky note. In Sardinia the finish often carries a light bitterness. The same fruit also suits traditional-method sparkling wine, where the acidity is an asset.
The variety is a minority crop on both sides of the Mediterranean. In Alghero a single large estate accounts for most of the plantings, which makes the grape a regional specialty more than a widely traded one. In Roussillon it is mostly a component, adding body and aroma to blends of Grenache Blanc and Macabeu, and it is also authorised for the white and amber styles of Banyuls.
Where Torbato first came from is still an open question. Genetic profiling showed that the Sardinian vine and southern France's Tourbat, also called Malvoisie du Roussillon, are one and the same, and by 1804 the name Malvoisie was already attached to it around Limoux. The name is misleading: no genetic tie to the Malvasia grapes, or to the other varieties sold as Malvoisie in France, has been demonstrated, and no published parent-offspring link places it within a known family. Its parentage is best treated as unknown.
Many writers point to a Spanish, probably Catalan, origin. The usual story is that the vine arrived in Roussillon under the Kingdom of Majorca, and in Sardinia under Aragonese rule, at some point in the 1300s and 1400s, though neither date is backed by documents or genetic evidence. By 1970 Sardinian plantings had dwindled to about 10 ha, and in France two ailments, fanleaf degeneration (court-noué) and powdery mildew, had nearly wiped the variety out. From the 1970s, cleaner Sardinian planting stock was carried to Roussillon, and a modest revival followed in the 1980s.
Torbato ripens mid to late season and needs a warm, dry, ventilated site to reach full ripeness, which suits the Alghero coast and Roussillon's hillsides. It is poorly resistant to powdery mildew and susceptible to fanleaf virus, the two problems that drove it out of French vineyards, so clean planting material and careful canopy and spray management are essential. Healthy planting material was reintroduced from Sardinia to Roussillon, and growers in both regions now depend on selected stock rather than old field vines. Its retained acidity in warm conditions is a practical advantage as summers grow hotter, though the disease susceptibility keeps it a variety for attentive growers.
Dry still white is the main style. Alghero producers make fresh, stainless-steel versions for early drinking, and fuller, more textured wines from riper fruit, sometimes with lees contact. Torbato also makes sparkling wine: the Alghero DOC allows Torbato spumante, and Sella & Mosca makes both a tank-method brut and a bottle-fermented version with extended lees ageing. In Roussillon the grape is usually blended with Grenache Blanc and Macabeu for dry whites, where it supplies body and a savoury, slightly smoky note, and is a permitted component of white and amber Banyuls. Most bottlings are meant for drinking within a few years of the vintage.
Where it grows
Alghero DOC (Sardinia)
The home of the variety, on the north-west coast around the town of Alghero in the province of Sassari. A wine labelled Torbato must contain at least 85% of the variety. Sella & Mosca farms most of the plantings and makes the best-known examples, including Terre Bianche and Catore.
Mejlogu (Sardinia)
A smaller area inland in the province of Sassari where Torbato is also grown, alongside the coastal plantings.
Côtes du Roussillon AOC (France)
The most widely planted French appellation for Tourbat, where it is one of the principal white varieties with Grenache Blanc and Macabeu. Those three must together make up at least 50% of a white blend, and no single variety may exceed 80%.
Banyuls AOP (France)
Tourbat, as Malvoisie du Roussillon, is among the varieties permitted for the blanc and ambré styles of this vin doux naturel. It has also been used in small amounts in other Roussillon fortified blends, including Rivesaltes and Maury.
Languedoc (France)
Scattered plantings in Aude and Hérault keep the French total to a few tens of hectares.