17. North-West Italy Flashcards
What is the most grown variety in Piemonte?
Barbera
Besides Barbera, what three other black varieties are commonly grown?
1) Dolcetto
2) Nebbiolo
3) Brachetto
What is the leading white variety planted in Piemonte for dry table wine?
Cortese
What is the climate of Piemonte’s grape growing regions?
Moderate continental climate with cold winters and hot summers
Piemonte is protected from cold northern winds and excessive rainfall by what topographical formation?
The Alps
Piemonte is protected from from weather systems coming from the Mediterranean by what topographical formation?
The Apennines, which run the length and breadth of the country through the centre
What four weather conditions is Piemonte prone to?
1) Thunderstorms
2) Hail
3) Fog
4) Late frosts
What weather condition poses a threat to late ripening varieties such as Nebbiolo
Rainfall increases in September and October
When does Nebbiolo bud?
Early
When does Nebbiolo ripen?
Very late
On which soils is Nebbiolo said to produce its finest, most perfumed wines?
Calcareous marls
What two aspects do vineyards planted to Nebbiolo tend to face?
South
South-west (late ripening)
Why do Nebbiolo vines need to be pruned high?
The first few buds are infertile and therefore it needs to be pruned with more buds so that those further up the shoot will bear fruit
What is the most common form of training for Nebbiolo and why?
1) Single Guyot
2) It facilitates mechanical trimming of the canopy
What are the five principal DOCGs in which Nebbiolo is grown?
1) Barolo DOCG
2) Barbaresco DOCG
3) Roero DOCG
4) Gattinara DOCG
5) Ghemme DOCG
What are the two regional denominations in which Nebbiolo is grown?
1) Langhe Nebbiolo DOC
2) Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC
At what elevation range are Barolo vineyards?
Typically 200–400masl
What is the maximum yield for Barolo & Barbaresco?
56 hL/ha
What are the two ageing requirements of Barolo DOCG?
1) Aged for three years and two months from 1 November of the year of harvest
2)18 months in oak
What are the two ageing requirements of Barolo Riserva DOCG?
1) Aged for five years and two month
2) Minimum of 18 months in oak
Describe the two key soil types in Barolo DOCG
1) Blue-grey marl (presence of limestone) in the north and west
2) Less fertile sand and clay in the south and east
The villages with blue-grey marl in the north and west of Barolo produce what type of wine? Provide an example
1) Lighter more aromatic wines that become drinkable after a few years in bottle
2) La Morra
The villages in the south and east of Barolo produce what type of wine? Provide an example.
1) Wines that are closed and tannic in youth and should be cellared for 10–15 years.
2) Serralunga d’Alba
Name two significant producers who were the early champions of single vineyard wines in Barolo and Barbaresco
Angelo Gaja and Bruno Giacosa
Provide an example of a prized single vineyard
Cannubi
Name a producer that tends to favour multi-vineyard blending as was the historical norm
Bartolo Mascarello
What does MGA stand for?
Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive
The MGA system breaks Barolo and Barbaresco vineyards down into which two main categories?
1) Entire villages (La Morra)
2) Specified single vineyards (Bussia or Cannubi)
What is the name for Barolo wine sweetened and infused with herbs and spices.
Barolo Chinato
Barbaresco as a region shares many of the characteristics of Barolo except it is what? (2)
1) Slightly lower altitude
2) Slightly warmer
Barbaresco’s lower altitude and greater warmth compared to Barolo means harvest is often what?
1 week earlier
What are the two ageing requirements for Barbaresco DOCG?
1) Two years and two months from 1 November of the year of harvest
2) Nine months in wood
What are the two ageing requirements for Barbaresco Riserva DOCG?
1) Four years and two months
2) Nine months in wood
Traditional winemaking for Nebbiolo used to involve what two techniques?
1) Very long maceration on the skins (three
to four months)
2) Five to eight years of ageing in large old wooden vessels
What are the two main origins of oak for Barolo?
1) Slavonian
2) French
Most modern producers of Barolo tend to macerate on the skins for what period of time?
3-4 weeks (opposed to 3-4 months as was traditional)
What is the climate of Roero, Ghemme and Gattinara, and what effect does it have on the wine?
1) Continental with greater diurnal range than Barolo
2) Higher acidity levels than Barolo
What aspect do the vineyards of Roero, Ghemme and Gattinara face?
South
At what altitude are the vineyards of Roero, Ghemme and Gattinara planted?
300m
What is the common maceration time for Langhe Nebbiolo DOC or Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC?
7-10 days
What three reasons might contribute to Langhe Nebbiolo’s lower cost?
1) Shorter maceration
2) Neutral vessel
3) Younger vines
In which three areas is Barbera mostly grown?
1) Asti
2) Alba
3) Monferrato
What sub-zone of Asti is now a DOCG prized for Barbera?
Nizza
When does Barbera bud and what does this mean?
Early and so it’s susceptible to spring frost
What disease is Barbera susceptible to?
Fan leaf virus
When does Barbera ripen?
Late but sooner than Nebbiolo
What style of Barbera did Giacomo Bologna pioneer?
Fruit is grown at lower yields, often from old vines, and the wines are aged in French oak barriques
What is the minimum ageing period for Barbera d’Asti DOCG?
A minimum of four months only.
Barbera d’Asti Superiore DOCG must be aged for how long? (2)
1) A minimum of 14 month
2) 6 must be in oak.
Nizza DOCG must be aged for how long? (2)
1) 18 months
2) Six of which must be in oak
What DOC allows high volume Barbera and Dolcetto production? What are the respective yields?
1) Piemonte DOC
2) Barbera - 84hL/ha
3) Dolcetto - 77hL/ha
Is Nizza DOCG’s maximum yield higher or lower than Barbera d’Asti DOCG?
Lower
49 vs 63
When does Dolcetto ripen?
Earlier than Barbera and Nebbiolo
What four issues in the vineyard have contributed to a reduction in vineyard area planted to Dolcetto?
1) It is susceptible to fungal diseases
2) It is fragile (the buds are easily broken)
3) Has low vigour
4) Ripening can be blocked by prolonged spells of cold weather
What other reason has contributed to a reduction in vineyard area planted to Dolcetto?
Nebbiolo commands a higher price
Dolcetto is reductive in the winery, which means what techniques need to be employed?
Frequent pump overs or rack-and-return to introduce oxygen and avoid off-flavours
What are the general steps in the winery for Dolcetto?
1) Mid-range fermentation temperatures
2) Short times on the skins (7–15 days)
3) Soft extraction methods to avoid extracting its naturally high tannins
4) Stainless steel tanks or cement vats to preserve primary fruit.
What four regions are best for Dolcetto?
1) Dolcetto d’Alba DOC
2) Dogliani DOCG
3) Dolcetto di Ovada DOC
4) Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG
Name two significant producers of Dolcetto
1) Giuseppe Rinaldi (Alba)
2) Anna Maria Abbona (Dogliani)
What are two other local black varieties of Piemonte?
1) Freisa.
2) Grignolino
What disease pressure is Cortese susceptible to and why?
1) Grey rot in rainy conditions
2) Thin skinned
What are two DOCGs for Cortese within Piemonte?
1) Gavi (or Cortese di Gavi) DOCG
2) Gavi del commune di Gavi DOCG
What is the maturation period for Gavi Riserva wines?
They must be aged for one year in any vessel before release
Provide an example of a significant Gavi producer
La Scolca
What are the typical winemaking steps for Cortese/Gavi? (2)
1) Mid-range fermentation temperatures
2) Maturation in stainless steel
In which area of Piemonte is more Arneis grown?
Roero Arneis DOCG
What are the main aromatic characteristics of Arneis?
Light intensity but complex aromas of white flowers, chamomile, white peach and lemon
Why must Arneis grapes be picked as soon as the desired ripeness is reached?
Acidity drops rapidly
Provide an example of a significant Roero Arneis producer
Bruno Giacosa
Where is most Barolo/Barbaresco sold?
Exported to USA, UK, Scandinavia and Germany
What French wine region might Barolo/Barbaresco be compared to with respect to its focus on sub-zones?
Burgundy
