Origin: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
History: Fleurtai is a white grape variety developed in 2002 by researchers at the University of Udine and the Institute of Applied Genetics (IGA) in Italy. It is a cross between Tocai Friulano (also known as Friulano) and Kozma 20-3, a disease-resistant variety. Fleurtai was bred to combine the desirable organoleptic qualities of Friulano with enhanced resistance to fungal diseases, particularly downy and powdery mildew. This makes it suitable for sustainable viticulture practices with reduced need for chemical treatments.
Appearance: Medium-sized, conical clusters with two medium-sized wings; berries are medium to small, elliptical, with thin, golden-green skin.
Growing Traits: Fleurtai is a vigorous grapevine with a semi-upright to drooping growth habit. It requires canopy management, such as green pruning, to ensure adequate sunlight penetration and air circulation. The variety is adaptable to different trellis and pruning systems but performs best with Guyot training. It exhibits excellent resistance to downy mildew (Rpv12) and powdery mildew (Ren3), reduced sensitivity to botrytis and anthracnose, and good winter hardiness, tolerating temperatures as low as -23°C.