The name Humagne Rouge appears for the first time in an inventory of grapes grown in Fully, around 1900. No one knows why the grape is called Humagne Rouge – it has no link to the real Humagne, which has white berries. That Humagne Rouge originated in the Aosta Valley in Italy has long been known; we’ve known for some 20 years that the variety is identical to the Cornalin grape from the Aosta Valley. This identity has recently been confirmed by DNA tests.
Humagne Rouge is a natural progeny of Valais Cornalin (aka Rouge du Pays) and an unknown grape. Humagne Rouge is therefore from Val D’Aosta stock – Valais Cornalin is itself the offspring of that region’s Mayolet and Petit Rouge grapes.
Just as white-berry Humagne nearly died out, Humagne Rouge also came close to disappearing from Valais: by the 1960s only 5 or 6 vine parcels remained. In the 1980s interest was revived, allowing Humagne Rouge to make a comeback and find its place among the traditional grape varieties of Valais.
Sourced from
VOUILLAMOZ José, « L’Humagne Rouge, fils du Cornalin du Valais » in Histoire de la Vigne et du Vin en Valais : des origines à nos jours, Sierre-Salgesch, Musée valaisan de la Vigne et du Vin, Gollion, Infolio, 2009.