Delle Varietà de'Vitigni del Vesuvio e Del Somma. Richerche ed Annotazioni

4to.  260 x 220 mm., [10 ¼ x 8 ¼ inches].  [viii], 136 pp.  Bound in contemporary leather backed spine over marbled paper boards, title gilt on spine; edges a bit rubbed but sound and attractive.

First edition.  Vincenzo Semmola (active 1825-1850), was a botanist who published works on the classification of confer and cypress trees, grafting of figs trees, the diseases of grapes, and this work on the enology of grapes on Mount Vesuvius. This work on grape culture and the varieties cultivated on Mount Vesuvius includes chapters on the terroir  of Vesuvius, classification of the varieties grown there, methods of cultivation, and the steps required to make a fine vintage of read and white wine. 

Semmola's research identifies 112 varieties, each described as to the characteristics of the vine (vigorous, gentile, hardy, old vines), their distinctive qualities in relation closely related varieties, the dimensions of shape of the grape leaves, and the nature of the grape the vine produces.  When describing variety 31 Uva Pernice (nera) he writes; "rather large round berry, black, tender skin, somewhat pulpy and pleasant to eat: very fruitful; it's good, it's not very common."  The final 28 pages are devoted to the methods for the fabrication of wine.  He begins with methods for harvesting the grapes, the handling and shelling of  bunches of grapes, their pressing and fermentation, management of the barrels once the wine has been drawn into them, the making of white wine, and the storage of full barrels.

Six copies of Semmola's book are cited in ICCU (Italian Library Union Catalogue).  Not cited in OCLC or NUC.  The text was reprinted in 1855 and published in the periodical Atti Real istituto d'incorreggiamento alle scienze naturale di Napoli, and is listed in Harvard College Library.

Niccoli, Vittorio.  Saggio Storico e Bibliografico dell'Agricutura Italiana, p. 478. Paleari Henssler, Maria.  Bibliografia Latino-Italiana di Gastronomia. 1998., p. 684.