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Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare example image of the 1848 - wine book.
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  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare example image of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare detail view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare fascinating view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare representative view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare fascinating view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare feature view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare feature view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare illustrated detail of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare notable image of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare example image of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare detail view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare fascinating view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare representative view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare fascinating view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare feature view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare feature view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare view of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare illustrated detail of the 1848 - wine book.
  • Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma by Semmola, Vincenzo, a rare notable image of the 1848 - wine book.
Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma

Early Vesuvian ampelography, 112 grape types, volcanic terroir, many now vanished

Semmola, Vincenzo

Delle Varietà De' Vitigni Del Vesuvio E Del Somma
Ricerche E Annotazioni Dell'Avvocato Vincenzo Semmola Socio Corrispondente Del R. Istituto E Dell'Accademia Degli Affaticati Di Tropea Ec. Nelle Quali Si Ragiona De' Terreni, Della Coltivazione Della Vite, E Dell'Enologia Vesuviana. Lavoro Letto Nella Tornata Del R. Istituto D'Incoraggiamento Del 3 Febbraio 1848

1848, Napoli, Tipografia Del Reale Albergo De' Poveri

First edition

$2,750 USD

Overview

This rare treatise stands as one of the earliest regional studies in ampelography, focused on the unique terroir of the Vesuvius area. Semmola identified 112 distinct grape varieties, describing each with meticulous attention to vine vigor (e.g. gagliardo, gentile, vigoroso), leaf morphology, and fruit quality. His account reflects both botanical precision and an intuitive understanding of winemaking potential. Many of these varieties, such as Aglianichella, Catavizza, Coda di Pecora, and Sciascinoso, have since disappeared, leaving his catalog an invaluable record of pre-phylloxera biodiversity.

Inside the book

Semmola’s research was based on direct vineyard study in Somma-Vesuviana, where he observed that vine names were often inconsistent, varying from vineyard to vineyard. He noted that the richest concentration of native varieties appeared on the volcanic southwest slopes, though propagation there was limited due to the lava-rich soils, which often required imported plants. He also recorded varieties like Uva Greca, Guernaccia, Aglianica, Falanghina, and Calabrella, alongside many unnamed white and red grapes.
Semmola linked grape character to soil, microclimate, and elevation, articulating an early version of the modern terroir concept. Remarkably, he even called for chemical analysis of volcanic soils, foreseeing their influence on viticulture long before it became scientifically established. He also reflected on the traditional belief that vineyard biodiversity tempered and strengthened the vines, anticipating modern discussions on polyculture and resilience.
His monograph concludes with a detailed account of winemaking practices in southern Italy. Grapes were grown in “festoni” (pergolas), “arboscelli,” or even trained on trees, as in Etruscan times. He describes harvest selection, pressing technology introduced from France, and protocols for fermentation and barrel management. White wines were produced without skins, fermented for 40 days, and aged in sulfur-treated casks. He distinguishes between wines made from full bunches and those de-stemmed, preferring the former for giving body to lighter wines. He also exposes fraudulent practices such as producing "lambiccato": a partially fermented must used for adulteration in taverns.
Semmola’s work is extraordinary not merely as a catalog of vines but as a cultural, historical, and scientific document. It captures a transitional moment between oral rural tradition and the emerging discipline of agronomy. His studies were serious enough to be reprinted in the Atti del Reale Istituto d’Incoraggiamento in 1855, placing them within the scientific discourse of his time on plant pathology and agricultural modernization.

Why La Fenice chose it

An extraordinary early terroir study, rooted in Vesuvian soil. This rare regional ampelography uncovers a forgotten viticultural world: 112 native grapes, many now extinct, cataloged with insight and flair by a 19th-century Neapolitan botanist.
Condition Report

Pp. [VIII], 136.

Conditions: Contemporary beige wrappers. Front cover lacking. Uncut (with deckle edges). Some light foxing to the first leaves. Apart from the binding, an excellent, fresh, and uncut copy.
Reference:
Niccoli, Vittorio. Saggio Storico e Bibliografico dell’Agricultura Italiana, p. 478.
Paleari Henssler, Maria. Bibliografia Latino-Italiana di Gastronomia (1998), p. 684.
“Nel 1847 Vincenzo Semmola censì sul Somma Vesuvio 112 varietà di uva,” Il Mediano, 2020 (www.ilmediano.com)

Dimensions (inches): 11 x 9 x 0.5
About the author

Vincenzo Semmola (active 1825 -1850) was a Neapolitan botanist and agronomist whose work bridged classical plant taxonomy with practical viticulture. He published on the classification of conifers and cypresses, fig grafting, vine diseases, and most notably this detailed monograph on the grape varieties cultivated on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.

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