18.2 - 18.5 - Marche, Abruzzo, Umbria and Lazio Flashcards
Outline the styles of wine produced in Marche.
75% red from Sangiovese and Montepulciano
25% white mainly from Verdicchio
Most wines inexpensive to mid-priced
Name the top six grape varieties grown in Marche.
Describe the growing environment of Marche.
Climate mainly Med with some continentality further inland –> summer temps, rainfall
Topography most vineyards planted on low hills near the coast
Soils limestone and clay –> drainage vs water retention
Describe the characteristics of Verdicchio including planting densities, ripening, vulnerabilities, colour, aromas and structure.
Density low –> first four buds sterile so pruned long
Ripening late –> risk of late rain
Vulnerable mildew, botrytis bunch rot
Colour pale
Aromas med(-) intensity blossom, apple, lemon, fennel, almond
Structure high acid, med body
Describe the two main winemaking styles of Verdicchio.
Fruity, inexpensive no malo, 4-6mnths in SST
Riserva with late ripened grapes, on lees in old oak, bottle ageing for up to 10yrs
Compare and contrast the rules and style of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC and Verdicchio di Matelica DOC.
Growing environment CdJ from low hills, VdM from Apennines foothills
Soils VdM on faster draining sandstone
Yields VdM slightly lower 91 hL/ha for basic CdJ
Style CdJ is light, fruity and floral, VdM is higher acid, fuller-bodied, less fruity
How are Riserva rules applied within Verdicchio DOCs.
18mnths ageing and higher min ABV but no oak stipulated
Describe the characteristics of Marche’s other white grapes?
Pecorino disease resistant and early ripening but has sterile buds so must be trained long; apple, pear, herbal; high acid + alcohol, medium body–> released early or 12-18mnths in old oak with some labelled Offida Pecorino DOCG
N.B. clonal selection being used to improve productivity
Passerina disease resistant, high productivity, later ripening than Pecorino (bad why?) but can lose acidity quickly when mature so must be picked promptly; lemon, yellow apple; high acidity
Biancame and Trebbiano Toscano fresh and crips, local consumption
How are most non-Verdicchio whites labelled? What alternatives are there?
Marche IGT
Offida Pecorino/Passerina DOCG if within Offida area
Describe the characteristics of Montepulciano including ripening, resistances, and vulnerabilities.
Describe the two contrasting styles than can be produced.
Ripening uneven and needs long season –> quality/cost implications
Resistance to BBR and downy
Vulnerable to powdery mildew
Colour deep ruby
Style - Short Maceration (4-5 days) med intensity red cherry, no oak, med tannin and body
Style - Long Maceration (~20 days) med(+)-pronounced red cherry, black plum, oak, large oak vessels
Describe some of the challenges of growing Montepulciano and vinifying it.
Ripens unvenely so either acceptable lower quality or hand-harvest/sort –> cost
Prone to reduction so aerate frequently –> cost
Describe the typical red blends produced in Marche.
Mainly blended with Sangiovese (contributes acidity, tannin, red cherries)
Examples…
Rosso Piceno DOC - up to 85% Monte
Rosso Piceno Superiore DOC - same blends with 1yr of ageing from 13 townships in the south
Offida Rosso DOCG >85% Monte, 12mnths in oak, 24 total
How of Marche’s wines are sold and consumed within Italy. Which companies have bucked this trend. What are the current challenges to growing the export market for these wines?
2/3 by value sold within Italy but private companies and co-ops have had success e.g. Umani Ronchi exports 70% of production incl. super-premium wines e.g. Pelago
Challenges
- Region best known for inexpensive wines –> lots of competition
- Rise of Pinot Grigio in NE of Italy has eaten much of that market
How does the growing environment of Umbria compare to Tuscany?
Warm climate as well but more continentality as located further from the coast
Potential for drought in summer due to continentality
Moderate rainfall but during autumn and winter –> reduces disease risk but risk of disruption to harvest
Autumns usually dry enough for late harvest and botrytised styles
What are the six most widely planted grape varieties in Umbria?
Describe the two grape varieties unique to Umbria.
Grechetto di Orvieto thick-skinned (late-harvest), downy mildew, low-med intensity lemon and white flowers, high acid, med body
Sagrantino requires heat to ripen, vulnerable to spiders who reduce veg growth, vine moths plus downy and powdery mildew, med(+)-pronounced black fruit, high acid and very high tannins, can age
Why is Sagrantino often trained with Guyot or cordon-trained/spur-pruned with VSP?
Needs sunlight to properly ripen + vulnerable to downy mildew
Describe the style of wine produced in Orvieto DOC.
Blend >60% Trebbiano Toscano and/or Grechetto
Vineyards situated at least 100m ASL
Production moderate-high yields (77hL/ha), fermented in SST and designed for drinking young
Style med(-) intensity lemon and apple, med(+) acid, med alcohol, light-bodied, up to good quality/mid-priced
Notes
Superiore category - much lower max yield (56)
Late harvest and botrytised wines also allowed
Compare and contrast Montefalco Rosso DOC and Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG.
How has the winemaking for Montefalco Sagrantino changed in the recent past?
Blend RdM mainly Sangiovese, with at least 10% Sagrantino; MS 100% Sagrantino
Max Yield RdM is moderate-high at 77; MS much lower at 52
Ageing RdM 18mnths; MS is 33mnths
Maceration periods have been reduced from ~2mnths to 2-3 weeks and some producers are using smaller French barrels + extended bottle ageing –> attempt to soften tannin
To what extent has the production of Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG grown?
Hectarage up x4 in 15yrs but only 650ha total –> 60% exported
Describe the climate of Lazio.
Warm, Mediterranean
Moderation from hills and sea breezes
Adequate rainfall but low in summer
Spring frost, summer heat and autumn rain are hazards
Name and briefly describe the grapes unique to Lazio.
Malvasia Bianca di Candia disease resistant, high yields, easily oxidises, med lemon and apple, med+ acid, med alcohol and light body
Malvasia del Lazio less popular due to lower disease resistance and yield, can lose acid quickly, grape and peach flavours
Cesanese black, semi-aromatic, late-ripening, high yield (without loss of quality), Cesanese di Piglio has pronounced red cherry and rose aromas, med acid, med tannin, high alcohol
Describe the winemaking and style of Frascati DOC and Frascati Superiore DOCG.
Grapes both from Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio, at least 70% (remainder usually Trebbiano)
Max Yields very high for DOC (105 hL/ha), med-high for DOCG (77hL/ha)
Winemaking both protective although some DOCG in barrel
Price/Quality Cheap-mid/acceptable-good for DOC, mid-priced/good-VG for DOC
Outline other styles of wine made in Lazio.
Castelli Romani DOC large area south of Rome including Frascati, as well as many whites (with high yields 120hL/ha) and some reds
Merlot, Sangiovese produced for local drinking
What has happened to the vineyard area in Frascati? Where is most of it sold?
In decline –> inexpensive wines for local market; DOCs like Frascati see 60% of production exportd
How much wine does Abruzzo produce?
Quite a lot - 5th largest producer ahead of Tuscany and Piemonte, mainly via co-ops
What three styles of wine are produced in Abruzzo?
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo crisp white with high acidity, typically unoaked from high yields (98hL/ha)
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo med-med+ bodied rosé, made from at least 85% Montepulciano. Traditionally deeply coloured but often paler today. Via maceration or DP, occasionally saignee.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo red fruit with med(+) body and high tannin made from at least 85% Montepulciano with oak ageing for all but the cheapest examples.
Describe the different growing environments in Abruzzo.
Hillside vineyards warm continental (length of growing season), cooled by mountains (speed of ripening) with risk of spring frost and autumn rain
Coastal zone warm Mediterranean climate, less frost and autumn rain risk, warmer, fertile soil
How have planting density and vine training systems changed in Abruzzo, and with what effect?
Planting densities have increased from 2500VPH –> pergola training to manage canopy –> high yield per vine meant lack of concentration
Higher density planting –> often trellised with VSP –> lower yields –> quality
Coastal zone sees cordon-trained/spur-pruned or Guyot –> mechanisation
Hillside varied system with harvest by hand
Describe the different styles of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo made including the three levels outlined by DOC law.
1. Short Maceration (4-5 days) med intensity red cherry, no oak, med tannin and body
- Montepulciano rich in tannins so short maceration important for an easy drinking style
- Merlot or Primitivo often added to blended
2. Long Maceration (~20 days) med(+)-pronounced red cherry, black plum, oak
- Oak ageing important to soften tannin with small French oak for top wines
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC on hilly sites but high yields 98 hL/ha
DOC sub-zone 18mnths ageing with, 50% of the time in oak, lower yield 66hL/ha
Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG 24mnths ageing, 12mnths oak
Give two examples of Abruzzo wine that are unusually HQ given the region is best-known for inexpensive wine.
Barrel-aged Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from producers such as Emidio Pepe and Valentini
Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG with extended oak and bottle ageing from small Abruzzo sub-zone
Why is much Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC deeply coloured by tradition?
Montepulciano is high in antho, gives colour easily
Presses which allow DP are a more recent invention - have helped control colour extraction
Most Abruzzo wine is made by which kind of producer?
What price point is most wine sold for and to what extent are exports important?
75% by co-ops
Most are inexpensive - this good GPR means exports important esp. to northern Europe and North America
