16.3 - North East Italy: Veneto Flashcards
Veneto is Italy’s largest wine-producing region. T or F?
True - in most years
Esp. due to Prosecco and Pinot Grigio
Describe the growing environment of Veneto including climate, cooling influence, humidity, topography and soils.
Climate Warm, moderate continental; moderate rainfall
Cooling influences altitude, Lake Garda
Humidity From moderate rainfall and proximity to rivers
Topography foothills in the north, flat river plain around River Adige and River Po
Soils Fertile esp. near river plains, hillside offer drier, poorer soil
What challenges does the growing environment of Veneto present to growers?
- Humidity –> fungal disease esp. Esca and BBR
- High fertility soils –> high yields, lack of concentration
What are the top six most grown grapes in Veneto?
Briefly outline the styles/quality of wines grown in Veneto (3)
- High vol, int’l - fertile river plains, PG, Cab S, Chard, Merlot
- High vol local - Corvina, Garganega, Trebbiano
- DOCs e.g. Valpolicella and Soave - range of quality from good to outstanding
Describe the situation, growing environment and style of wine produced in Soave
Situation East of Verona
Growing environment Two distinct areas. Foothills of cool limestone, clay, basalt soils in North. Flat plain near River Adige in south with sandy and alluvial soil.
Style White wine from Garganega, high acid with med body and apple, stone fruit, from good-outstanding
Describe the characteristics of Garganega including: ripening, yield, vigour, training, vulnerabilities, flavour, structure, quality/price.
Ripening Late
Yield High
Vigour extremely –> pergola by tradition, trellised
Vulnerabilities Winter freeze, mildew, BBR
Flavour Med intensity lemon, pear, stone fruit, pepper –> almonds, honey; generally no oak
Structure High acid, med body
Quality/price Good-VG/inexpensive-mid-priced –> sometimes more
Outline the differences between the four DOC/DOCGs of Soave including area, grapes, earliest sale date, max yield
Soave DOC large region accounting for 80% of production, >70% Garganega (balance Verdicchio, Chardonnay), sold as early as 1 Dec same year, 105 hL/ha
Soave Classico DOC hilly area in north, 20% of production, sold 1 Feb year following, 98 hL/ha
Soave Superiore DOCG smaller hilly area, sold 1 Sept year following, 70 hL/ha
Recioto di Soave DOCG same area as SS DOCG, semi-dried grapes, 36 hL/ha –> rich, floral, honeyed sweet wine with high acid
High yields in Soave generally indicate less concentration - T/F?
Partially true - although even at yields up to 70 hL/ha concentration possibly on best sites
Describe the production structure of Soave
Vineyard holding <2ha
Cantina di Soave - <50% of production vol
< 10% of production by small estates
Which regions have presented challenges to Soave? What has the impact been? How is this being addressed?
Challenge Inexpensive PG from elsewhere in Veneto
Impact Reduced export volumes (80% exported) although value has been maintained
Responses
- Pulling up Garganega vines to replace with PG
- Classifying single vineyards following soil, aspect, elevation survey –> 33 single vineyards approved
Describe the situation and soils of Valpolicella
Situation North of Verona, split between northerly foothills and flatter south
Soils North has limestone, clay and volanic soils (cooler), south has gravel and sand (warmer) –> acidity, concentration
Describe the characteristics of Corvina Veronese including: ripening, yield, vigour, training, vulnerabilities, flavour, structure.
Ripening Mid-late
Yield High
Vigour Extremely
Training Pergola b/c first few buds don’t produce fruit, reduce disease pressure, provides shade, although increases waterloss
Vulnerabilities Sunburn, drought
Flavour Red cherry, red plum, violet, herbal
Structure High acid, low-med tannin
Describe the characteristics of Corvinone including berry size, vulnerabilities, flavour and structure.
Berry size Large
Vulnerabilities Downy mildew, uneven ripening (labour)
Flavour Red cherry fruit
Structure Adds tannin
N.B. dries well for appasimento style
Describe what Rondinella and Molinara add to a blend
Rond - red cherry fruit, accumulates sugar quickly (good for sweet wine)
Molinara - pale colour, gives acidity, red fruit, freshness
Outline different styles of winemaking in Valpolicella
- Simple, inexpensive - low temps (20-25c), short maceration (5-7 days), aged in SST or large old oak for 6-8mnths
Style: Red fruit, rose, no oak, med-med(+) acid, low-med tannin, good/inexpensive-mid-priced
- Appassimento (–> passito wines) - grapes picked early 11-11.5% for acidity, dried in lofts by hanging or lying on trays, healthy grapes only, for 3-4mnths
Style: varies from Ripasso to Amarone to Recioto
What effect does drying the grapes have on the style of wine
Grapes lose up to 1/3 of weight - more sugar/alcohol, acidity, colour, tannin, flavour
More glycerol - soft mouthfeel, more body
What blend is permitted under Valpolicella’s various DOCs?
Corvina/Corvinone - 45-95%
Rondinella - 5-30%
Others incl Molinara
Outline the difference in rules and style between Valpolicella DOC and Valpolicella Classico DOC and what the label Superiore denotes.
Valpolicella DOC - high max yield (84 hL/ha)
Purple colour, light intensity red cherry and rose, no oak, med-med(+) acid, low-med tannin, cheap/mid, good/VG
Valpolicella Classico DOC - hilly area in North
More concentration, cheap/mid, good/VG (more VGs)
Superiore
- Higher min ABV requirement
- 1yr ageing requirement from Jan 1st after harvest
- Producers like Quintarelli use this label but wines are from semi-dried grapes and aged for many year, not reflective of the category
Describe where and how Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG is made. Outline any relevant stipulations and describe the style and price-quality.
Where Grapes from within Valpolicella DOC (or Classico)
How Grapes dried off-vine 100-120 days, max yield 48 hL/ha and fermented
Style Intense fresh/dried red fruit, full-body, med(+)-high tannin, min 12% ABV, 50 g/L sweetness
Price-Quality Premium-VG/out
Describe where and how Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG is made. Outline any relevant stipulations and describe the style and price-quality.
Where Grapes from within Valpolicella DOC (or Classico)
How Grapes dried off-vine 100-120 days, max yield 48 hL/ha and fermented until dry/off-dry, wine aged in wood for min 2yrs (Riserva for 4)
Style Intense dried red fruit, new oak or even oxidative flavour, high acid, full-body, med-high tannin, min 14% ABV (usually >15%), 5-9 g/L sweetness
Price-Quality Mid-priced/SP - Good/out
Describe where and how Valpolicella Ripasso DOC is made. Outline any relevant stipulations and describe the style and price-quality.
Where Same as Amarone and Recioto
How Unpressed grape skins with RS are taken from fermentation vat of Ama or Recioto and added to Vapolicella wine that has already been pressed –> 2nd fermentation. Up to 15% of Amarone can also be blended in.
Stipulations >12.5% ABV, ageing one year from Jan 1st
Style Fresh and stewed red fruit, med(+) tannin, med-full body
Price-Quality Mid/premium-good/VG
Compare Recioto della Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella and Valpolicella Ripasso in terms of:
Sweetness
Alcohol
Tannins
Body
Flavour
Price-Quality
Sweetness Recioto sweetest with ~50g/L, Amarone <9g/L, Ripasso dry
Alcohol Amarone >15%, Ripasso ~13%, Recioto >12%
Tannin Recioto has med(+)-high, Amarone med-high, Ripasso med(+)
Body Amarone and Recioto are full, Ripasso med-full
Flavour All have fresh and dried red fruit flavours, Recioto and Amarone are usually pronounced, Amarone may have oak and/or oxidative character, Ripasso may have stewed flavours
Price-Quality: Recioto is VG/outstanding-premium, Amarone is good/outstanding (due to vol)-mid/premium, Ripasso good/VG-mid/premium
Why is Amarone made at such a variety of quality levels?
High demand means lots of volume production so quality ranges from good to outstanding
What is the Valpolicella Consorzio?
Industry body representing >80% of producers of DOC(G) wines
Outline production trends in Amarone and Ripasso.
What impact has this had on the production of Valpolicella?
Amarone production up 6x since 1990s
Ripasso up 4x over similar time period
Production of Valpolicella down 40% as growers receive better money for dried grapes
What % of Amarone is exported? Where is it sold?
65% export - Germany, US, Switzerland, UK
Outline the area covered by Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC. What style and quality level does it produce. How does it differ from Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGP?
Area All sub-regions: Trentino AA, Friuli, Veneto
Style Light-med(-) intensity apple and lemon, med(+) acid, med alcohol, light-med(-) body
Price-Quality Inexpensive-mid / good
Large reduction in yield from 152 to 126 hL/ha; it covers 40% of the world’s PG production
A grower producing PG in the North-East of Italy may choose which appellations for their wine?
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC
or
A number of smaller, local DOCs for PG
Describe the growing environment and style of Bardolino DOC. Outline growing and winemaking stipulations (max yield, min alcohol)
Growing Environment Next to lake Garda, also has a Classico sub-zone
Style Light-bodied reds and rose blends based on Corvina, up to 20% of authorised varieties e.g. Merlot; rose is Chiaretto that is med salmon, light, fresh and red fruited
Stipulations 91 hL/ha, min 10.5% ABV (bit higher for Superiore)
Describe the situation and style of Bianco di Custoza DOC. Where is the wine sold? What kind of producers dominate?
Situation Between Verona and Lake Garda
Style easy-drinking, light, fresh, aromatic whites from blend of Trebbiano Toscano, Garganega, Friulano, Cortese
Sold in Italian supermarkets
Produced by two large co-ops
Describe the situation and style of Lugana DOC
Situation South of Garda, into Lombardy
Style Verdicchio with aromatic apple, citrus and hazelnut, high acid, top producers mature in oak for wine that can age
