16.2 - North East Italy: Alto-Adige Flashcards
Describe the growing environment of the Alto-Adige including two key moderating factors
Mild, Alpine climate - 300-700m
Why not too cold?
- Warm air through valleys
- 300 days of sun
Rainfall is sufficient and evenly spread
Soils vary including volcanic, quartz, mica, limestone - allows for variety of grapes
How are vines trained?
Pergola - trad
Guyot - modern
Why does leaf plucking have to be performed carefully?
A warming climate means a canopy that is too thin can cause sunburn or drying
What are two important sub-zones and what do they grow?
Bassa Atesina - S, warmer, grows most things, esp Muller Thurgau at high altitude
Oltradige - near Lake Caldaro for Schiava, Merlot and Cab S in valleys; Pinot Noir and whites at higher altitude
What are the three most planted black grapes and the five most planted white grapes?
Describe the characteristics of Schiava
- Group of four varieties that are commonly co-planted
- Vigour and high yields - pergola
- Pale ruby
- Violet, strawberry
- Low tannin, light-med body
- May be blended with Lagrein to add colour and body
Describe the characteristics of Lagrein
- Need warmth/sunshine
- Can suffer from poor fruit set - yields
- Can be bitter if too much extraction
- Deep colour for either reds or rose
Outline typical winemaking (6)
- Preserve fruit aromas
- Low-mid temp 12-15c
- Cultured yeast
- SST
- Some lees ageing 4-6mnths for better wines, up to a year
- Barrel ageing for top reds and whites
