19.1 - 19.3 - Southern Italy Flashcards
Compare and contrast the growing environments of Campania, Basilicata and Puglia (4).
Climate warm, Mediterranean in C & B, increasing to hot in Puglia
Altitude important moderating factor, Campania and Basilicata up to 600m, but Puglia flat
Sea breezes another moderating factor, Basilicata benefits from cool breezes from Balkans, very important in Puglia as surrounded on three sides by water
Rainfall moderate 550mm in Basilicata, low in Puglia –> irrigation permitted
Soils varied and complex including:
1. Limestone and clay - balance between drainage and water retention e.g. Fiano di Avellino in Campania
2. Volcanic and sandy e.g. Vesuvio in Campania
3. Combo of above provides balance between drainage and retention in Aglianico del Vulture
4. Alluvial soils in parts of Campania such as Beneventano IGP and fertile soils throughout Puglia
Campania is well-known for wines made with local varieties. Most of which are 100% varietal or 85% + a blending partners. What are the top six most planted varieties?
Describe the characteristics of Falaghina including ripening, resistance and vulnerabilities, flavours, structure.
What is the most important PDO associated with its production and what style is produced?
Ripening mid-to-late –> autumn rain
Resistance disease resistant
Vulnerabilities can shrivel at the end of the season
Flavours Med intensity apple, peach, grass, unoaked
Structure Med(+) acid
Falanghina del Sannio is largest DOC –> 84 hL/ha –> acceptable-VG, inexpensive-mid-price
Describe the characteristics of Greco including ripening, vigour/yield, resistances, vulnerabilities, flavours, and structure.
What is the most important PDO associated with its production and what style is produced?
Mid-late ripening often picked in October
Low vigour and yields
Resistant to heat and drought
Vulnerable to grey rot, powdery and downy mildew
Flavours Stone fruit, floral, smokey –> unoaked and can age
Structure High alcohol, oily texture
Greco di Tufo densely planted area on clay and limestone with max yield of 70 hL/ha –> VG-outstanding, mid-priced-premium
Why is interest in Greco on the rise? (2)
- Potential for high quality
- Resistance to drought and heat
Describe the characteristics of Fiano including ripening, vulnerabilities and resistance, flavours and structure.
What is the most important PDO associated with its production and what style is produced?
Late ripening
Vulnerable to powdery and downy mildew
Resistant to botrytis due to thick skin
Med(-)-med intensity peach, floral, hazelnut –> mostly SST, can benefit from bottle age
Med-med(+) acid, med(+) body, waxy texture –> lighter styles from fast-draining sand, heavier styles on clay
Fiano di Avellino DOCG –> max 70 hL/ha –> VG-outstanding, mid-price-premium
Describe the characteristics of Aglianico including budding, ripening, vigourousness, yield, vulnerabilities, flavours and structure.
What is the most important PDO associated with its production and what style is produced?
Early budding / late ripening –> tannins need a long season to ripen
Vigorous and yields need to be controlled for ripeness –> cordon/spur or RCP, with VSP
Vulnerable to BBR and, therefore, late-season rain
Med(+)-pronounced rose, red plum, blackberry
High acid, high tannins –> long maceration (20 days), aged in oak to soften whether small barrels or large oak
Taurasi DOCG –> cool slopes 200-600m, >85% Aglianico with 3yrs ageing with 1yr in wood (longer for riserva), 70hL/ha; VG-outstanding, mid-priced/premium
What is Piedirosso? Where is it planted and what are some of the grape’s notable features? What styles of wine does it produce?
Indigenous variety to Campania grown around Naples incl. Vesuvio DOC
Hardy variety that is resistant to mildew, botrytis and planted on its own roots as phylloxera cannot spread in sandy soils
Used to be trained high with many bunches for high vol production, now Guyot and cordon/spur to reduce yield
Traditionally used for early-drinking wines or to soften Aglianico
Now seen more often with fresh red fruit and cherries, med(+) acid, med tannin
Describe the structure of wine production in Campania.
- Large companies play an important role - owning vineyards across multiple DOCs –> resources to promote and export wines and varieties from Campania e.g. Feudi di San Gregorio
- Co-ops play sig role in certain proviences e.g. La Guardiense makes up 15% of production in Benevento
What kind of wine dominates Basilicata’s production?
- HQ Aglianico del Vulture DOC - 1/3 of all plantings
- Remainder is used to make inexpensive IGT wines for local/domestic consumption incl Sangiovese, Primitivo, Montepulciano etc.
Describe the style and winemaking produced in Aglianico del Vulture DOC and Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG.
Aglianico del Vulture DOC powerful red plum, blackberry fruit with oak; high acid, alcohol and tannin, full bodied and capable of ageing –> 70 hL/ha on layered clay, limestone and volanic soils
Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG lower max yield (52 hL/ha), min three yrs ageing (1 in oak) with even more for riserva
Where is Aglianico del Vulture sold? How is it being promoted?
50/50 export/domestic split
Generazione Vulture young growers promoting the region
What grapes are grown in Puglia?
Describe why Primitivo is well-suited to being grown in Puglia. What are the challenges of growing this variety? (6)
+ Ripens early –> avoids autumn rain
+ Loose bunches with small berries (cf. to Cali Zin) –> more disease resistant
+/- accumulates sugar rapidly and can dry on the vine –> careful with picking time to balance alcohol with phenolic ripeness
+/- Vulnerable to poor flowering and fruit set in rainy years –> but generally fairly dry
- Early budding –> prone to spring frost
- Ripens unevenly within bunches –> must sort to make HQ wine
Describe the different styles of wine that can be produced with Primitivo and briefly outline how this can be achieved.
Inexpensive trellised (cordon or cane), machine harvested with warm temp ferment and 5-7 days skin contact, 6mnths in SST or large cask –> jammy and dried red fruit, med acid, med tannin and high alcohol. Acceptable and inexpensive.
Old Vine bush trained and planted low density with more selection and warm ferment for longer and aged in French barriques –> pronounced ripe red fruit and dried fruit, med acid, med(+), high ABV and VG or outstanding
What are the two main DOCs for Primitivo? Outline any important wine-making regulations.
Primitivo di Manduria DOC >85% Primitivo, 63 hL/ha; Riserva 2.5yrs w/ 9mnths in oak, min 14% ABV
Gioia del Colle DOC 50–60 per cent Primitivo w/ Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Negroamaro, Malvasia; 52 hL/ha, riserva 2yrs w/ no oak required, min 14% ABV
–> Wines come from hilly area 250-500m but still full-bodied
Describe the mixed fortunes of Primitivo in the past couple of decade (2).
EU vine pull scheme saw many old vines pulled
But variety regaining popularity through the success of Cali Zin
Describe Negroamaro (yield, resistances).
Which is the most important DOC for its production?
How is it treated in the winery and which styles are produced?
High yielding, resistant to drought and disease
Salice Salentino DOC high % of Negro, high yields 84 hL/ha
Short maceration 7-10 days –> aged in SST for 6mnths or oak for 1yr
Black plum, black cherry, med acid, med(+) tannin, med-high alc
Good-VG, inexpensive-mid-priced
OR
Used to make deep pink rosato
Identify the style of wine made in Puglia’s four most important DOCs
Castel del Monte good quality Nero di Troia
Gioia del Colle good quality Primitivo-based blends
Primitivo di Manduria good quality Primitivo
Salice Salentino Negromaro
Why is Nero di Troia difficult to grow? (3)
What kind of wine is it used to produce?
- Needs long season to ripen –> autumn rain
- Prone to downy mildew
- Uneven ripeness requires multiple passes
Med intensity red cherry, red currant, black pepper, med(+) acid, high/fine-grained tannin
Castel del Monte mostly NdT with high yields (91 hL/ha –> 70 hL/ha if Riserva DOCG) w/ cheaper examples in SST, Riserva in oak for 1yr in wood
In general, why does quality vary between basic and premium versions of Puglia’s wines? (3)
- DOC/DOCG brings down max yield, sometimes significantly e.g. Castel del Monte DOC = 91 hL/ha –> 70 hL/ha
- Longer maceration as less risk of underripe tannins and more extraction required for style –> only 7-10 days for cheaper wines
- Oak ageing often backed by Riserva requirements –> e.g. Silice Salentino Riserva aged for >2yrs with >6mnths in large oak
What proportion of Puglian wine is classified as Vino, IGT and PDO?
Vino 60%
IGT ~30%
PDO <10%
What role do co-ops play in Puglia? Which companies have invested in quality production?
Co-ops are very important w/ scale to invest in high-tech winemaking and mkt wines domestically and int’l e.g. Cantina Due Palme w/ 1000 members and 2500ha vineyards
Quality production has come from a mix of local companies and outside producers e.g. Antinori’s Tomaresca estate
