18. Central Italy

Question 1

Sangiovese

Answer 1

• early bud, late ripe vigorous, high yield
• thin skin, bbr
• sunny, s/se slopes - can ripen best 200-550m (longer season)
• climate change drives higher sites
• Tuscan soil (Friable, shale) = Galestro, limestone =alberese [drain&retain]
  
  • and clay…..

Vineyard

• VSP, green harvest for qual, leaf trim>>exposure
• high yield clones being replace by mass selection of best plants
• • smaller berry, open bunch, thicker skin, lower yield
    *

Question 2

Chianti Story

Climate, Grow Env

Answer 2

General

• Western coast
• Divided into 3 parts
• Mountainous Chianti region in north
• Hills and valleys to the south
• Flat coastal plain.
• Irrigation is allowed in Tuscany

Growing Env and Grape Growing

• Warm med
• adequate rainfall-most aut + winter
• Inland - Alt nb infl
• summers hot, winter cold
• hazards
  
  • spring frost, hail, rain at harvest,
  • drought or hi temps causing cessation of photosynthesis & incomplete ripening

Varieties

Sangiovese 65% plantings most planted in IT

• aka Morellino in Scansano or
• Prugnolo Gentile in Montepulciano
• buds early (frost) ripens late (aut rain)
• Best on sunny S/SE slopes –long ripen season at 200-550m
• Vigorous (leaf trim), hi yield (green harvet)
• Thin skin > BBR
• Climate change – higher sites/less sunny aspects being sought
  ​
• Galestro / alberese (friable, shale and limestone) drain/retain >aroma ageability
  
  • Clay - structure (riper fruit, lower acid, tann per ext)

​Blends with:​

• Others tog < 20%
  
  • Trebiano Toscano; Mer; CS; Canaiolo Nero, Syrah
  • Most Tuscan DOC(G)s allow a small prop “other” var listed above
• Canaiolo Nero > red berry fruit, floral, light tannin
• MER and CS sometimes considered too dominant tb blended with Sangiovese

Trebbiano Toscano (=Ugni Blanc)

• Late bud
• Vigorous, hi yields
• Prone to DMD, eutypa dieback otherwise good dis resist.
• Ripens well in heat+sunshine, retains acid
• m- int lemon, herbal, hi acid, make it a good blend partner for VinSanto (+ other varieties)

Question 3

Key facts and structures around Tuscan “Chianti” wine appellations

Answer 3

Chianti DOCG 63hl (sub zone 56hl, some req 6m oak)

• VY low elevation <300m Classic-hills)
• 70 – 100% Sangiovese bal local var /int to 15%
• Min abv 11.5%, subzone 12%
• 6m age in SS /Riserva 2 yrs any vessel
• low price point /inexp > A/G Q

Subzones e.g. Rufina, Colli Senesi

• Ruffina, high foothills of Appenines, complex, fragrant, hi acid, ageworthy
• Colli Senesi warmer, riper, higher Sang 75% max 10% other

Chianti Classico DOCG 52hl

• Hilly area between Florence and Siena
• Best wines from 200-500m > cool nights, diurnal range etc
• Galestro/alberese drain retain, some clay= structure and body
• Some hillside labour is manual.
• *Wines**
• 80% Sangiovese ~ in reality 90% bal loc/int var
• Blend from local Canaiolo or int e.g. Mer
• Rel 1 yr after harvest
• *Riserva - 2 yrs,**
• Label: may incl single VY, may NOT be labelled Chianti DOCG

TWO Styles:

• Int style : plummy fruit (MER) + vanilla (oak) (inspired by super tuscans)
• Traditional : pale col, m int sour cherry, restrained new oak
• VG / OS mid – prem price

​Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

• (single VY /estate prod owned, 30m age - anyV)

Question 4

Key facts on Tuscan appellations NOT Chianti

Answer 4

Brunello di MONTALCINO DOGC 54hl 100% Sang

• Named for the town
• 1970 massive expansion led by Banfi, a US import co, purchased land and planted Muscat (unsuccessful). Vines were grafted to Sangiovese – Huge success Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
  
  • 11 prod, 65 ha 1960
  • Today 250 prod and 2100 ha
• warmer, drier than Ch Classico
  
  • (rainshadow of Monte Amiata a volc mntn to south)
• Cool breeze from Med Sea at night > acid
• Adequate rain in most years
• Hilly (120m – 500m); Galestro and clay soils

DOCG Regulations

• 100% Sangiovese - yield 54hl/ha
• Complex aromas from Ext ageing reqd : 5 years from 1 Jan after harvest, of which 2 yrs in oak (lately large format)
• Riserva – 6yrs, 3 in oak
  
  • Label may include single VY
• May declassify to Rosso di M DOC if vintage is bad
• Rosso di Montalcino DOC 100% Sang
  
  • Lesser growth, aged briefly SS / oak to preserve prim fruit
  • Can be sold after 1 year

VINO NOBILE di Montepulciano DOCG 56hl

• VY on E, SE facing slopes, 250 – 600m
• Highest ~ most aromatic wines due to long ripening season
• Soils heavy, cool clay – f body 7 Sand – more aromatic >> Various Styles

DOCG Regulation

• 70 – 100% Sangiovese
• Ageing – 2 yrs from 1 Jan after harvest (12-24m wood)
• Riserva – aged 3 yrs (same wood)
• Label may include single VY
• “Rosso di Montepulciano” lesser Q, early cons.

Question 5

Key facts the non-Sangiovese dominant appellations

Answer 5

Bolgheri DOC 63hl

• Compact, densely planted, Tuscan coast
• Bordeaux blends R- 80%, single var, white, rose
• Warm, sea breeze moderates at night > full ripe grapes
• Sea wind red risk of fungal disease
• Soils vary
• Rain sufficient, throughout year - dry at harvest
• Irrigation widely installed
• VY planted cordon + spur prune, VSP
  
  • Easy to control, prod hi Q fruit
  • 6000 v/ha higher than ave Tuscany – raises the competition to inc conc in final wine

​DOC Regulation

• Allow 100% CS, CF, MER,
• 50% Syrah, Sangiovese
• 30% other var e.g. Petit Verdot
• Aged 1 year
• WHITE wine esp Vermentino > Bolgheri DOC wine

Bolgheri Rosso Superiore DOC 56hl, 2yrs, sign new oak 225l

• deep ruby, m+/pron int blackberry, red plum, bell pepper in cooler years, vanilla+sweet spice from oak, m+ acid, hi tann.

Bolgheri Sassicaia - single estate Tenuto San Guido

• 80% CS allowed, age min 2 yrs, 18m in 225l oak
• Regarded as world class ex of Bordeaux style wine
• Collected and traded around the world

Note on BOLGHERI

• Bolgheri Consortium represents 90% of vy planted,
• 10 largest prod hold 70% of VY
• Rapid success in decade to 2017

Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 63hl

• West of Chianti DOCG
• Dry, windy summers reduce fungal dis
• Vines on hillsides 200 – 400m – good sunlight interception + drainage
• Vernaccia ripens late, hi yield
• DOC Regulations
• 85% Vernaccia, Up to 10% SB and Riesling allowed
• Usually m int lemon and floral, m+ acidity
• Inexp – mid price, few OS.
• 30% sold locally - sign tourist mkt
• Export 50% - USA, DE, CH

Question 6

Describe Vin Santo

Answer 6

Vin Santo

• Amber col sweet wine made with appassimento method
• Most often Trebbiano Toscano + Malvasia
• Grapes dried in the loft > Juice fermented
• Wine aged in small barrels sealed, stored unopened over many years (up to 10 yrs)
  
  • The rise/fall in temps + oxidative ageing with no top up leads to amber col, flav of dried apricot and lemon, nuts, and VA.
• Wines are sweet, bal with hi acid, m+/h alc
  
  • Modern prod may choose to control ferm temp to retain some prim fruit.
  • Prem – s prem price due to small batch prod, and years of ageing.

Allowed in many denom e.g

• Vernaccia di San Gimignano;
• Chianti DOC
• Chianti Classico
• VN di Montepulciano

Question 7

Key facts on the Chianti market structure and business

Answer 7

Wine Business

• Tuscany prod both inexpensive wine for early release and prem – s prem wine for ageing
• Brunello ageing adds cost: storage, vessels, delayed ROI
• 65% of wines are DOCG
  
  • Chianti - highest vol
  • Chianti Classico less vol, highest val.
  • 2nd highest val = Chianti
  • 3rd highest val = Brunello di Montalcino

Co-op Prod (overall LOW)

• mostly Chianti, small % Chianti Classico
• Super prem all private

Route to Market

• Chianti DOCG – smkt, deep discounter, 0.75l and brick
  
  • ~highest selling red wine in Italy vol and value
• Inexp - smkt/bar
• Mid-price/prem wines – Spec retail, fine dining rest.

Export

• Chianti Classico 80%: USA, DE, CA
• Montalcino 70%: USA, CA
• Montepulciano 80% USA, DE; CH
• Chianti DOCG 70% USA, DE, UK

Marketing

• Chianti; Chianti Classico; Montepulciano appeal to their place in history.
• Montalcino and Bolgheri are promoted as world class quality wine.
• Wine Tourism and construction of architecturally ambitious wineries – build on Tuscany’s reputation as a highly des holiday dest.
• Region promotes through events like Tuscan “anteprima” – journalists and buyers taste the new Tuscan Regions’ vintages.

.Toscana IGT - Skip down to REMEMBER

• Higher permitted yields
• Any registered grape variety
• Grown anywhere in Tuscany
• Inexp – mid price

Remember:

Some of Tuscany’s most expensive and prestigious wines are bottled as Toscana IGT incl

• Masseto

(Mer from Frescobaldi’s Tenuta dell’Ornellaia)

• Solaia

(CS/Sangiovese/CF blend from Antinori)

Question 8

Where is Marche, what is produced there and what is the best known DOC?

Answer 8

East side of Apennines Verdicchio grape -

Hi acid, green apples, lemons and sometimes fennel and almonds

Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio DOC

• Low hills, valley, clay+limestone soil, floral and fruity wine.
• Hi vol,
• Classico Superiore – 77hl/ha = greater conc.

Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva DOCG

• Aged 18m oak/not oak >>(cost)

Verdicchio di Matelica DOC 91hl

• Higher – in foothills of Apennines
• Protected from sea infl by mountains
• Cont clim hot days/cold nights
• Long ripen season > higher acidity than at the coast
• Soils sandstone and fossil, less clay = faster draining
• Wines fuller body, higher acid, less fruity

Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva DOCG

Min 12.5% abv, 18m ageing, oak/not oak. >>(cost).

Question 9

Where is Abruzzo,

what’s it like and what is the best known DOC?

Answer 9

General

• East coast, south of Marche, north of Puglia
• Prod led by Co-Ops
• Black Montepulciano var dominates planting

3 main wines

• Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
  
  • Crisp white, hi acid typically unoaked
• Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo
  
  • Rose m/m+ body from Montepulciano var
• Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from Montepulciano var
• Single varietals from
  
  • Pecorino
  • Passerina

Growing Env & Grape Growing

• Hillside under the Apennines
  
  • Warm continental, cold snowy winter, warm, short summer, cool influences off the mountains
  • Long ripe season
  • Risk aut rain, spring frost
  • Hilly – harvest by hand, often use tractors to work in the VY
• Coast, flat, more fertile
  
  • Warm Mediterranean, dry
  • high temp, fertile soil >> hi vol prod
  • Cordon trained, spur pruned or Guyot – allows mech vy work and harvest – contains cost.

Question 10

The black grape of Abruzzo?

Answer 10

Montepulciano (the VAR)

• Resistant to BBR and DMD, susc to PMD
• Needs long season to ripen (to avoid bitterness)
• May ripen unevenly in ind bunches >> lower q or need for selective pick > (cost)
• susc to dev reductive sulfur -needs aeration

Winemaking Approach

Simple styles:

• Maceration 4-5 days, M int ripe red cherry, m body, m tann no oak

Higher Q

• Maceration up to 20 days (caution not to overextract) m+/pron int red cherry, black plum fruit, oak aromas, m tann, aged in large oak.

THREE LEVELS

1. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC - Yield 98hl/ha

• Maceration 4-5 days,
• M int ripe red cherry, m body, m tann no oak (med colour)
• 70 -85% Montepulciano blended with Sangiovese, MER or Primitivo
• Deep ruby, m int red cherry, plum; m body, h tann, Inexp – mid price (mid prob aged wood)

2. Subzone - lower yield 66hl/ha, more conc

• Maceration up to 20 days , blend with MER / Prim allowed
• 18m ageing (9m wood)– tann soften, and bottle age benefits
• Large oak most common, some prod use barriques for best egs.
• Deep ruby, pron int red cherry, black plum fruit, oak aromas, m tann, G/VG; prem price

3. Colline Teramane Md’A DOCG - as for 2. but 24m (12m in wood)