PIWI grape varieties are obtained through cross-pollination between Vitis vinifera and American grapevines, which—through successive crossbreeding—have been found to be naturally resistant to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and downy mildew. The first experiments were conducted in France between 1880 and 1935, but it wasn’t until 1950 that more complex crosses of the PIWI grape varieties we know today began to be developed.

Thanks to their high resistance to common grapevine diseases, such as powdery mildew and downy mildew, the number of treatments required each year is reduced.

PIWI varieties produce wines with characteristics that differ in some respects from those of native varieties. These wines are generally more aromatic, with pronounced fruity and floral notes, and they have a more intense flavor and greater length on the palate.