16.3 - North East Italy: Veneto

Question 1

Veneto is Italy’s largest wine-producing region. T or F?

Answer 1

True - in most years

Esp. due to Prosecco and Pinot Grigio

Question 2

Describe the growing environment of Veneto including climate, cooling influence, humidity, topography and soils.

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What challenges does the growing environment of Veneto present to growers?

Answer 3

1. Humidity –> fungal disease esp. Esca and BBR
2. High fertility soils –> high yields, lack of concentration

Question 4

What are the top six most grown grapes in Veneto?

Answer 4

Question 5

Briefly outline the styles/quality of wines grown in Veneto (3)

Answer 5

1. High vol, int’l - fertile river plains, PG, Cab S, Chard, Merlot
2. High vol local - Corvian, Garganega, Trebbiano
3. DOCs e.g. Valpolicella and Soave - range of quality from good to outstanding

Question 6

Describe the situation, growing environment and style of wine produced in Soave

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Describe the characteristics of Garganega including: ripening, yield, vigour, training, vulnerabilities, flavour, structure, quality/price.

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Outline the differences between the four DOC/DOCGs of Soave including area, grapes, earliest sale date, max yield

Answer 8

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

Question 9

High yields in Soave generally indicate less concentration - T/F?

Answer 9

Partially true - although even at yields up to 70 hL/ha concentration possibly on best sites

Question 10

Describe the production structure of Soave

Answer 10

Vineyard holding <2ha

Cantina di Soave - <50% of production vol

< 10% of production by small estates

Question 11

Which regions have presented challenges to Soave? What has the impact been? How is this being addressed?

Answer 11

Challenge Inexpensive PG from elsewhere in Veneto

Impact Reduced export volumes (80% exported) although value has been maintained

Responses

1. Pulling up Garganega vines to replace with PG
2. Classifying single vineyards following soil, aspect, elevation survey –> 33 single vineyards approved

Question 12

Describe the situation and soils of Valpolicella

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Describe the characteristics of Corvina Veronese including: ripening, yield, vigour, training, vulnerabilities, flavour, structure.

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Describe the characteristics of Corvinone including berry size, vulnerabilities, flavour and structure.

Answer 14

Berry size Large

Vulnerabilities Downy mildew, uneven ripening (labour)

Flavour Red cherry fruit

Structure Tannin

N.B. dries well for appasimento style

Question 15

Describe what Rondinella and Molinara add to a blend

Answer 15

Rond - red cherry fruit, accumulates sugar quickly (good for sweet wine)

Molinara - pale colour, gives acidity, red fruit, freshness

Question 16

Outline different styles of winemaking in Valpolicella

Answer 16

1. 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

2. 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

Question 17

What effect does drying the grapes have on the style of wine

Answer 17

Grapes lose up to 1/3 of weight - more sugar/alcohol, acidity, colour, tannin, flavour

More glycerol - soft mouthfeel, more body

Question 18

What blend is permitted under Valpolicella’s various DOCs?

Answer 18

Corvina/Corvinone - 45-95%

Rondinella - 5-30%

Others incl Molinara

Question 19

Outline the difference in rules and style between Valpolicella DOC and Valpolicella Classico DOC and what the label Superiore denotes.

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Describe where and how Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG is made. Outline any relevant stipulations and describe the style and price-quality.

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Describe where and how Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG is made. Outline any relevant stipulations and describe the style and price-quality.

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Describe where and how Valpolicella Ripasso DOC is made. Outline any relevant stipulations and describe the style and price-quality.

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Compare Recioto della Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella and Valpolicella Ripasso in terms of:

Sweetness

Alcohol

Tannins

Body

Flavour

Price-Quality

Answer 23

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

Question 25

Why is Amarone made at such a variety of quality levels?

Answer 25

High demand means lots of volume production so quality ranges from good to outstanding

Question 26

What is the Valpolicella Consorzio?

Answer 26

Industry body representing >80% of producers of DOC(G) wines

Question 27

Outline production trends in Amarone and Ripasso.

What impact has this had on the production of Valpolicella?

Answer 27

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

Question 28

What % of Amarone is exported? Where is it sold?

Answer 28

65% export - Germany, US, Switzerland, UK

Question 29

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?

Answer 29

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

Question 30

A grower producing PG in the North-East of Italy may choose which appellations for their wine?

Answer 30

Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC

or

A number of smaller, local DOCs for PG

Question 31

Describe the growing environment and style of Bardolino DOC. Outline growing and winemaking stipulations (max yield, min alcohol)

Answer 31

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)

Question 32

Describe the situation and style of Bianco di Custoza DOC. Where is the wine sold? What kind of producers dominate?

Answer 32

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

Question 33

Describe the situation and style of Lugana DOC

Answer 33

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