11 Intro to Italy Flashcards

1
Q

Italian Wine Classification

A

In order of size / esteem

  • DOCG - “Classic”
  • DOC - Introducd in 1963 to formalize & protect Italian wine appelations
  • IGT - geographical zone
  • Vino
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2
Q

Italian Labeling - Classico

A

Traditional, theoretically superior vineyard area within a DOC or DOCG

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3
Q

Italian Labeling - Riserva

A

Usually indicates extended ageing & can denote lower yeilds & higher alcohol depending on appelation

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4
Q

Italian Labeling - Superiore

A

Denotes higher alcohol or longer agign depending on the appelation

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5
Q

Northern Italy Wine Regions

A

(Not ordered)
- Piedmont
- LIguria
- Valle d’Aosta
- Lombardy
- Trentino-Alto Adige
- Emilia-Romagna
- Veneto
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia

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6
Q

Piedmont Stats

A
  • Location: Northwestern Italy, bordering France & Switzerland
  • Geography: Alps to North & West, Apennine to south & east; Po River begins in Piedmont
  • Climate: Continental, rain shadow from alps
  • Soil: Limestone & sandstone
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7
Q

Piedmont Grapes

A

White
- Moscato - aeromatic
- Cortese - mineral & fragrant, can be consumed early
- Arenis - mineral & fragrant, can be consumed early

Red
- Nebbiolo - late-ripening grape, lots of acidity & tannin; firm structure
- Barbera - most planted, vibrant blue colors, low tannin; oaked & un-oaked
- Dolcetto - sweet grape
- Brachetto

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8
Q

Primary Piedmont Appelations

A
  • Barolo DOCG
  • Barbaresco DOCG
  • Moscato d’Asti / Asti DOCG
  • Barbera d’Asti DOCG
  • Gavi DOCG
  • Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG
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9
Q

Barolo DOCG Wines

A
  • Red only
  • 100% Nebbiolo
  • Best vineyards on hillsides
  • Long oak aging in barrels & barriques
  • Slavonian oak
  • Aging: 38 months total, with minimum 18 in oak
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10
Q

Barbaresco DOCG Wines

A
  • Red only
  • 100% Nebbiolo
  • Best vineyards on hillsides
  • Long oak aging in barrels & barriques
  • Aging: 26 months total, with minimum 9 in oak
  • Softer wine than Barolo, requires less aging
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11
Q

Moscato d’Asti / Asti DOCG Wines

A
  • White wine
  • Moscato
  • Moscato d’Asti: Off-dry, frizzante sparkling wines
  • Asti DOCG - White, supmante, or metodo classico sparkling wines
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12
Q

Barbera d’Asti DOCG Wines

A
  • Dry red only
  • Barbera
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13
Q

Gavi DOCG Wines

A
  • Dry white wines
  • Cortese grape
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14
Q

Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG

A
  • Sweet, sparkling red wines
  • Brachetto grapes
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15
Q

Other Piedmont AOCs

A
  • Roero DOCG (Nebbiolo / Arneis)
  • Barbera d’Asti DOCG
  • Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba DOCG
  • Ghemme DOCG (Spanna [Nebbiolo])
  • Gattinara DOCG (Spanna [Nebbiolo])
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16
Q

Lombardy Stats

A
  • Geography: Northeast of Milan, foothills of Alps
  • Climate: Cool continental
  • Topography: Mountains, rolling foothils
  • Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), Nebbiolo
  • Vinification: Metodo Classico, Rose
  • Aged for a long time, get toasted biscuit notes
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17
Q

Lombardy appelations

A
  • Franciacorta DOCG
  • Valtellina Superiore DOCG
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18
Q

Franciacorta DOCG Wines

A

White Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Bianco

Red grapes
- Pinot Nero

Vinification
- Metodo classico sparkling wines only

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19
Q

Valtellina Superiore DOCG Wines

A

Climate:
- High altitude & alpine
- Abudnant sunshine allows for long, slow growing season

Grapes:
- Nebbiolo

Vinification
- Oak-aged
- Dry red wines

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20
Q

Piedmont food pairing

A
  • Franciacorta: Fritto misto
  • Arenis: shashimi / summer salad
  • Barolo & barbaresco: pasta & truffles
  • Moscato D’Asti: spicy cheese & salty cracker
21
Q

Northeast Italy appelations

A
  • Trentino-Alto Adige
  • Veneto
  • Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
  • Emilia-Romagna
22
Q

Trentino-Alto Adige Stats

A
  • Geography: Asutria / Switzerland border
  • Climate: Continental; cold winters, warm summers; warm winds
  • Topography: Mountainous & rolling foothills
23
Q

Trentino-Alto Adige Grapes

A

White
- Pinot Grigio
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Pinot Bianco

Red
- Merlot
- Lagrein

24
Q

Trentino-Alto Adige Appelations

A
  • Trentino DOC
  • Alto Adige (Südtiroler) DOC
25
Q

Veneto Stats

A
  • Location: Northeastern Italy, foothills of Alps extending eastward towards border of the Adriatic Sea
  • Climate: Continental with warmer maritime climate near the coast
  • Largest producing region in Italy, mostly sparkling wines
26
Q

Veneto Appellations

A
  • Soave
  • Prosecco
  • Valpolicella
27
Q

Soave Stats

A
  • Grape: Garganega
  • Vinificaiton: Dry white wine
  • Superior sub-zone: Soave Superiore DOCG
  • Additional DOCG - Recioto di Soave DOCG
28
Q

Prosecco Stats

A
  • Grape: Glera
  • Vinfiication: Charmat / tank method sparkling wine
  • DOCGs:
    –> Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG (main)
    –> Asolo / Colli Asolani-Prosecco DOCG
29
Q

Valpolicella Stats

A
  • Grapes: Corvina (dominant), Rodinella
  • Vinification: Dry red wines
  • Superior sub-zone: Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
30
Q

Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Stats

A
  • Grapes: Corvina (dominant), Rodinella
  • Vinification: Appassimento process
    –> Grapes harvested & dried for several weeks
    –> Fermented dry or off-dry
    –> High alcohol, ~14-16%
31
Q

Friuli-Venezia-Giulia Stats

A
  • Geography: Slovenian border
  • Climate: Continental
  • Grapes: Mostly white, some reds
  • Vinificaiton: mostly unoaked whites / reds
32
Q

Friuli-Venezia-Giulia grapes

A

White
- Pinot Grigio
- Sauvignon
- Friulano

Red
- Merlot
- Refosco dal Peduncolo

33
Q

Emilia-Romagna Stats

A
  • Location: North central Italy, east towards Adriatic Sea
  • Topography: Broad, vast plains
  • Grape: Lambrusco family
  • Vinification: Red sparkling wine, Frizzante or spumante, Charmat / tank method
  • Styles: Secco, Amabile
34
Q

Northeast Italy Food Pairing

A
  • Prosecco: crispy / salty cheese
  • Lambrusco: Frito - fried bread and ham
  • Pinot Grigio: light pasta dish
  • Valpolicella: Stew, braised meat, tomato-based sauce
  • Amarone: Stew, braised meat, tomato-based sauce
35
Q

Central Italy Regions

A
  • Tuscany
  • Marche
  • Umbria
  • Abruzzo
  • Latium
36
Q

Tuscany Stats

A
  • Location: Ligurian sea in the west to foothills of Apennine Mountains in east
  • Climate: Maritime on coast, continental inland
37
Q

Tuscan Grapes

A

White
- Vernaccia
- Vermentino

Red
- Sangiovese (main)
- Syrah
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot

38
Q

Tuscany Appelations

A
  • Chianti DOCG
  • Chianti Classico DOCG
  • Brunello di Montalcino
39
Q

Chianti DOCG Facts

A
  • Larger zone with 8 sub-zones
  • Grape: Sangiovese (min 70%)
  • Vinification: Dry red wines only
40
Q

Chianti Classico DOCG Stats

A
  • Smaller area in hear tof larger Chianti region with more stringent rules & agingin requirements
  • Grape: Sangiovese (min 80%)
  • Soil: Galestro, Sandstone
  • Vinfication: Dry red wine only
41
Q

Brunello di Montalcino Stats

A
  • Location: slopes around hill town of Montalcino
  • Soil: Clay & Marine sediment, Galestro at higher elevation
  • Grape: 100% Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello)
  • Vinification: Dry reds only
  • Age 2 yrs in wood & 4 months in bottle, cannot be sold before Jan 1st of 5th yr following harvest
  • Large Slavonian oak barrels or small barriques are used
42
Q

Marches Stats

A
  • Location: East coast of ITaly along Adriatic Sea & extens west towards foothills of Apennine Mountains
  • Climate: Mediterranean
  • Grapes: Verdicchio (white) & Montepulciano (Red)
  • Vinification: Dry, unoaked white wines most common
  • Main DOCGs: Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva, Cònero
43
Q

Southern Italy & Siciliy Regions

A
  • Molise
  • Puglia
  • Campania
  • Basilicata
  • Calabria
  • Sardinia
  • Sicily
44
Q

Campania Stats

A
  • Location: Mt Vesuvius, Mediterranean Sea
  • Climate: Meditteranean, sunny & warm (mild winters)
  • Topography: low-lying areas near sea & rugged terrain in volcanic mtns
  • Soil: Alluval sediments & volcanic soils
45
Q

Grapes of Campania

A

White
- Greco
- Fiano
- Falanghina

Red
- Aglianico (main)
- Piedirosso

46
Q

Campania Appelations

A
  • Fiano di Avellino DOCG (Fiano grape, dry white wine)
  • Greco di Tufo DOCG (Greco grape, dry white wine)
  • Taurasi DOCG (Aglianico grape, dry, oak-aged, age-worthy red wines; min 3yrs aging with 1yr in wood)
47
Q

Sicily Stats

A
  • Location: Island west of mainland Italyu
  • Climate: Mediterranean, cooler at higher elevations - diurnal shift is critical
  • Topography: rolling hillsides at Mt. Etna, flatter near coast
  • Soil: Notably varied, but volcanic near Mt Etna
  • Important Appelation: Etna DOC
48
Q

Sicily Grapes

A

White
- Carricante
- Grillo

Red
- Nero d’Avola
- Nerello Mascalese
- Frappato

49
Q

Etna DOC Stats

A
  • Location: Eastern Siciliy, on slopes of Mt. Etna - best quality grapes in Sicily
  • Soil: Well-drained volcanic soil
  • Grapes: Carricante (White), nerello Mascalese (red)
  • Viticulture: Vines are bush-trained to reduce yields
  • Vinification: Dry white, red, & rose wines