MARZABINO

This vine has nothing in common with the Marzemino from Trent. De Bosis F. described it in 1879 in the Ampelographic Bulletins of the Province as Marzamino and one of the vines of the Rimini area and says it is the same as Marzanino from Ravenna and Balsamina from Forlì. Its name is often mispronounced; Molon in his Ampelography in 1906 referred to it as Mazzabino and quoted what the ampelographist Count of Rovasenda commented about it in 1896: he had received this variety from the Rimini area and judged it the same as Refosco. For sure this vine has many similarities with the old Refosco variety typical of the central and upper Adriatic area. During the Conference "I Nostri Vini" (Our wines) held on January 30th 1887 at Circolo Agricolo Riminese (Rimini Agricultural Club), Alessandro Pasqualini said: "Balzamino or Marzamino grown in the Rimini surroundings is the same as that from Ravenna and as Balsamina from Forlì and Ancona. These red grapes are very good and slightly scented. Unblended, they do not produce good table wine, due to the fragrance of the skin. But when blended with other grapes, excellent wines are produced. We can say the wine from other grapes is seasoned with the Marzabino one".
In the past the old Marzabino from Rimini was considered worth of being grown both alone and mixed with Sangiovese; this vine is interesting for its early ripening and for producing a scented and intensely coloured wine.
A study could be useful to better define Marzabino from an ampelographic point of view and have other oenological details.