Bondola

Previously the most widely grown variety in Ticino (Switzerland) where there are records of it dating back to 1785, Bondola was rapidly supplanted by the Merlot introduced in 1906 after the phylloxera crisis. DNA tests have shown that Bondola and Briegler in German-speaking Switzerland are identical. A variety with rustic tannins and distinct acidity, it is now only grown in Ticino, particularly in Sopraceneri, where it produces wines that are fruity and crisp with an Alpine character.