10. Italy Flashcards
What is the leading red grape of Italy?
Sangiovese
What is Uni Blanc known as in Italy?
Trebbiano Toscano
How many varieties of grapes are grown in Italy?
Roughly 400
2000+ if you include sub varieties
What is the lowest level of wine in Italy’s classification scheme?
Vino / Vino da Tavola
This represents 40% of Italy’s production.
When was the IGT category created? Why?
1992
In response to the overly excessive restrictions on DOC/DOCG levels.
What category does does IGT assume in the EU classification?
PGI
True or False
IGT may carry the name of a varietal on the label.
True, if the variety has at least 85% of the named variety.
Roughly what percentage of Italian wine are produced under an IGT?
30%
There are approximately 120 IGTs zones.
As of Dec 2022, Italy had _____ DOCGs and just over _____ DOCs.
76 DOCGs
330 DOCs
(120 IGTs)
What does superiore refer to on an italian wine label?
The wine has a specific higher level of alcohol by volume than required by the corresponding normale wine.
What is the name given to an Italian wine that has been aged for a longer period of time than is required?
Riserva
Which italian wine region produces the most DOC/DOCG wine by volume?
Veneto
What river establishes the Veneto’s southern boundary?
The Po River
Name three key topographical features of the Veneto.
Lake Garda (west)
Po River (south)
Alpine Foothills (north/west)
What are the three key red varieties most commonly associated with the Veneto?
Corvina
Corvinone
Rondinella
What is the primary white grape of the Veneto?
Gargarnega
What grape is most commonly used in the sparkling wines of the Veneto?
Glera
For Prosecco
In most years, ____% of Veneto production is white.
75%
The best known red wine regions of the Veneto are ___________ and ____________.
Valpolicella
Bardolino
What is the difference between an amarone, recioto, and ripasso wine?
All three involve the use of dried grapes.
For recioto, the wines ferment until they reach 12% alcohol, fermentation is stopped. Resulting in a sweet wine.
For amarone, the wines are fermented to dry, resulting in a wine that is 15-16% alcohol.
For ripasso, this involves the use of a young base wine going through a second fermentation with the sediment/lees of an amarone or recioto. This results in a wine with more flavor, tannin, and alcohol.
What is the most noted DOCG of Valpolicella?
Amarone della Valpolicella
Requires a minimum of 2 years of aging and 15% alcohol.
What are rose wines referred to in Bardolino?
Chiaretto
What are the key grapes used in Bardolino DOC and Bardolino Superiore DOCG?
Corvina
Rondinella
Where is Bardolino located?
alongside lake garda, to the west of Valpolicella
A Soave DOC wine must be at least ____ percent Gargarnega.
70%
May be blended with Trebbiano de Soave (Verdicchio) or Chardonnay.
What is another name for Trebbiano de Soave?
Verdicchio
The key grape of the Prosecco DOC is:
Glera
What grape is used for Prosecco Rose DOC?
Pinot Noir (10-15%)
What does the Prosecco DOC cover?
Northern and eastern portions of the Veneto and all of Fruili Giulia.
What are the two small DOCGs that produce Prosecco in the historical center of Prosecco production?
Congliano-Valdobbiadene Proseco DOCG
Asolo Prosecco / Colli Asolani DOCG
Where is the Lugana DOC?
Between Veneto and Lombardy
What is the Lugana DOC known for?
Light whites based on the Turbiana grape
What is the name of the DOC that includes the Veneto, Fruili-Venezia Giulia, and Trentino regions?
Delle Venezie DOC
What does the Delle Venezie DOC cover?
All of the Veneto, Fruili Venezia Giulia, and Trentino.
This is key for large production volume of Pinot Grigio.
What is the other name for Alto Adige?
Suditrol
What language is spoken in Alto Adige?
German
What are three key topographical features of the Trentino Alto Adige region?
Alps/Foothills
Adige River
Lake Garda
What is the Valdadige DOC?
A doc which covers both the Alto Adige DOC and the Trentino DOC.
What DOC covers traditionally produced sparkling wine in Trentino Alto Adige?
Trento DOC
What are the main white varieties of Trentino Alto Adige?
Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Muller Thurgau, Traminer (Gerwurztraminer).
What are the main red varieties of Trentino Alto Adige?
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauivignon, Merlot, Lagrien, Marzemino, Schiava, Teroldego.
Name two key DOCs for the Fruili-Venezia Giulia region.
Friuli Colli Orientali DOC
Collio Goiziano DOC (Collio)
Both are in the eastern part of Friuli near the Slovenian border and allow several grapes - most of which get produced as single variety wines.
What is the Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOC known for?
A sweet white wine made from the Picolit Grape.
What is the Ramandolo DOCG known for?
sweet white wines from Verduzzo
What is the Rosazzo DOCG known for?
Dry white wines with a minimum of 50% Friulano.
What is the name of the DOCG in Friuli known for dry white wines made with 50% Friulano?
Rosazzo DOCG
Which Italian wine region has the highest proportion of PDO wines across Italy?
Piedmont
Compare / contrast Barbera and Nebbiolo.
Barbera is typically though of as more elegant, but not as powerful as Nebbiolo.
Both are known to produce high acid wines, Barbera would be lower in tannin than Nebbiolo.
What are 3 other red grape varieties of Piemonte beyond Nebbiolo and Barbera?
Dolcetto, Fresia, Grignolino, Brachetto
What are the leading white varieties of the Piemonte?
Moscato, Arneise, Cortese
How many IGTs are in Piedmont?
None
But there is a Piedmont DOC covers the majority of the area and allows for a range of still and sparkling wines.
What areas does the Langhe DOC cover?
It covers a large area of the Piemonte, including Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Alba, Olvada
What is the name of the DOC which covers Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Alba, and Ovada?
Langhe DOC
What is the minimum aging period for Barolo? And for reserve?
38 months
62 for Riserva
(Compared to Barbaresco which is 26 and 50 respectively)
What is the minimum aging period for Barbaresco? And for Riserva?
26 months, 50 for Riserva
(Compared to Barolo which is 38 months and 62 months respectively)
Which type of Muscat is Moscato Bianco made from?
Muscat Blanc a Petite Grains
What is Asti Secco?
A dry version of Asti
Where is Asti DOCG?
Piedmont. (Center of the region)
What are some common differences between wine made within the Asti DOCG and the Moscato d’Asti DOCG?
Asti DOCGs will be a Spumante (fully sparkling), made via the tank method, semi sweet to sweet.
Moscato d’Asti DOGC will be a Frizzante (lightly sparkling), made via the partial fermentation method - often referred to as the Asti method.
What type of wine may be produced in the Barbera d’Asti DOCG?
Red wine, from a large area surrounding the town of Asti, minimum of 90% Barbera.
This DOCG was named in 2008.
What type of wine can be produced under the Nizza DOCG?
Nizza was originally a subregion of the Barbera D’Asti DOCG but because its own DOCG in 2014.
Nizza DOCG wines must be 100% Barbera with 18 months of aging (30 months for Riserva).
What type of wine may be produced in the Roero DOCG?
Red: Nebbiolo, less concentrated, made across the Tanaro river
White: Roero Arneis, from the Arneis grape