Grero di Todi: the secret Soul of Umbria

An ancient and precious soul that has spanned the centuries to give us today a sip of eternal youth unlike anything else in the world.

From Pliny's "Tudernis"
to the Mother Plant

From its classical roots to the rediscovery of rare centuries-old ungrafted vines: Grero is Umbria's millennial survivor. A unique grape variety, saved from extinction and recognized by science for its extraordinary longevity. Thanks to its record-breaking antioxidant power, every glass defies time, blending plant archaeology and contemporary excellence.

From Pliny's "Tudernis" to the Mother Plant

From its classical roots to the rediscovery of rare centuries-old ungrafted vines: Grero is Umbria's millennial survivor. A unique grape variety, saved from extinction and recognized by science for its extraordinary longevity. Thanks to its record-breaking antioxidant power, every glass defies time, blending plant archaeology and contemporary excellence.

Rebirth of a lost vine

The contribution of the Zazzera Winery and, in particular, of Fabiano Zazzera, was fundamental in every phase of the rediscovery of Grero, from the identification of the mother plant up to the official recognition.

2. “Historical” research methodology

We didn't stop at observation. We approached the restoration with the rigor of archaeology and the passion of memory. We listened to the whispered stories of the village elders and, like a treasure hunt, we consulted the ancient maps of the Military Institute. By superimposing the past onto the present, we discovered that where today dense forests stand, seventy years ago vineyards flourished. We went in search of those lost traces.

3. Science confirms the legend

Intuition wasn't enough; irrefutable proof was needed. Cantina Zazzera promoted the scientific study, involving the University of Perugia and the CNR (National Research Council). Complex DNA analyses yielded the desired conclusion: absolute genetic uniqueness. That plant wasn't a clone of other known varieties; it was a one-of-a-kind survivor.

5. Production and Aging

Since our first experimental bottle in 2011, the work has never stopped. Today, we are the custodians of this rediscovery, studying year after year its extraordinary aging potential, made possible by a record concentration of malvidin. Cantina Zazzera was not only the discoverer, but the driving force that transformed a "little hidden treasure" of the farmers into an Italian winemaking excellence.

4. A new name for an old soul

With official recognition, an identity was needed. The historic name, "Grechetto Rosso," was already in use in Tuscia. To resolve the homonymy and give commercial strength to this rebirth, we helped coin a new, strong, and distinctive name: Grero (a fusion of the roots of Gre-chetto and Ne-ro or Ro-sso).

1. The treasure in plain sight

It all begins with a glimpse that challenges normality. Fabiano Zazzera was the first to notice, during some ordinary roadwork at a roundabout, two unusual-looking grapevines. They weren't like the others. That spark of curiosity soon became certainty, in a woman's private garden in Todi. There, Fabiano found himself faced with a monumental, lush, ungrafted vine that had survived decades of changes. We had found the "mother plant."

1. The treasure in plain sight

It all begins with a glimpse that challenges normality. Fabiano Zazzera was the first to notice, during some ordinary roadwork at a roundabout, two unusual-looking grapevines. They weren't like the others. That spark of curiosity soon became certainty, in a woman's private garden in Todi. There, Fabiano found himself faced with a monumental, lush, ungrafted vine that had survived decades of changes. We had found the "mother plant."

2 “Historical” research methodology

We didn't stop at observation. We approached the restoration with the rigor of archaeology and the passion of memory. We listened to the whispered stories of the village elders and, like a treasure hunt, we consulted the ancient maps of the Military Institute. By superimposing the past onto the present, we discovered that where today dense forests stand, seventy years ago vineyards flourished. We went in search of those lost traces.

3. Science confirms the legend

Intuition wasn't enough; irrefutable proof was needed. Cantina Zazzera promoted the scientific study, involving the University of Perugia and the CNR (National Research Council). Complex DNA analyses yielded the desired conclusion: absolute genetic uniqueness. That plant wasn't a clone of other known varieties; it was a one-of-a-kind survivor.

4. A new name for an ancient soul

With official recognition, an identity was needed. The historic name, "Grechetto Rosso," was already in use in Tuscia. To resolve the homonymy and give commercial strength to this rebirth, we helped coin a new, strong, and distinctive name: Grero (a fusion of the roots of Gre-chetto and Ne-ro or Ro-sso).

5. Production and Aging

Since our first experimental bottle in 2011, the work has never stopped. Today, we are the custodians of this rediscovery, studying year after year its extraordinary aging potential, made possible by a record concentration of malvidin. Cantina Zazzera was not only the discoverer, but the driving force that transformed a "little hidden treasure" of the farmers into an Italian winemaking excellence.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Academic Validation

The University of Perugia and the scientific rigor behind Grero's recognition.

Between 2005 and 2008, the Department of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Perugia, led by Professor Alberto Paliotti, transformed the recovery of Grero into a solid scientific case. Through comparative studies with Sangiovese and advanced molecular analyses, the University demonstrated the grape's genetic uniqueness and exceptional chemical profile, characterized by higher levels of malvidin. This multidisciplinary research culminated in the drafting of the technical report that led to its official inclusion in the National Register, definitively establishing Grero as an indigenous excellence of Italy's viticultural heritage.

The vine of longevity

The value of limited yield

Il Grero è un vitigno che non ha mai assecondato la logica della quantità. Le sue rese sono naturalmente basse, limitate e profondamente imprevedibili: in alcune annate la produzione può ridursi drasticamente, fino a compromettere anche oltre il 70% del potenziale produttivo. Proprio per questa sua scarsa affidabilità sul piano economico e commerciale, anticamente, è stato abbandonato a favore di varietà più generose e prevedibili. Eppure è in questa stessa fragilità produttiva che si custodisce il suo valore più autentico: il Grero concentra tutto in pochi grappoli e in pochissime bottiglie, numerate una per una, che cambiano radicalmente da annata ad annata. Ci sono stati anni da appena 60 esemplari e altri capaci di raggiungere circa 300 o 400 bottiglie, ma sempre in quantità contenute e mai replicabili. Anche per l’uscita del 2026, vendemmia 2020, la produzione si ferma a sole 297 bottiglie: un numero che non risponde alle logiche del mercato, ma esclusivamente a quelle della natura e della qualità.

The noble resistance of Grero.

Grero stands out as a rare survivor of the phylloxera epidemic, despite not growing on naturally resistant soils, such as volcanic or sandy soils. This is thanks to the discovery of centuries-old, ungrafted vines still thriving. These enormous vines, with trunks up to 37 cm tall, like the one found in Todi, preserve the ancestral genetic identity of this grape variety, representing a direct biological bridge to the ancient viticulture of Todi.

The privilege of rarity

The authentic Grero di Todi is kept exclusively within the walls of our cellar, available only to those who choose to draw directly from the source of its rediscovery.

Buy the Grero

OUR CRU WINE

Visual analysis

It has a very dense red color. Its characteristic features are the marked purple reflections, typical of this grape variety, even after many years of aging.

Olfactory analysis

On the nose, in addition to notes of red and black fruit, there is an elegant varietal note of black pepper and spices. This is a testament to the extraordinary genetic makeup of this grape variety.

Taste analysis

On the palate, the wine is structured, full-bodied, yet extremely elegant. A never-overly high alcohol content balances the acidity, which makes the taste fresh, as well as the very velvety tannins.

Numbered bottles

The yield of these grapes is unpredictable. It was abandoned in the past due to its low production. For this reason , the number of bottles is very limited and each of our labels is numbered.