27. Northern Italy

Question 1

Alto Adige - town? climate? wine varieties

Answer 1

• Bolzano
• terraces
• large diurnal range due to altitude, ideal for aromatic white, light-bodied reds
• whites: Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot blanc
• reds: Schiava

Question 2

Trentino - where? grapes? climate?

Answer 2

• South of Alto Adige
• mostly Pinot Grigio, some Chardonnay
• a little warmer than A. Adige

Question 3

Friuli-Venezia Giulia - climate? varieties? DOC (3)?

Answer 3

• moderate continental to warm maritime
• Pinot Grigio: rich, medium-to full-bodied
• DOC: Friuli Grave (easy
• DOC: Collio, Colli Orientali (premium)

Question 4

Veneto - climate? 2 best known wines? IGT? main variety?

Answer 4

• warm
• Soave, Valpolicella
• Veneto IGT: mostly Pinot Grigio

Question 5

Soave - main variety? DOCs 2?

Answer 5

• Garganea: white, drunk young, medium to high acidy

- Soave DOC, Soave Classico DOC

Question 6

Valpolicella - variety? 2 DOCs?

Answer 6

• Corvina: red, thin skin, low-med tannins, high acid

- Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico

Question 7

Passito method - where? how? 2 types?

Answer 7

• Veneto
• grapes picked early, high acid, dried indoors, concentrating sugars, flavours
• Amarone delle Valpolicella DOCG: dry, off-dry, high alcohol, medium tannins, intense red fruit and spice
• Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG: sweet, so fermentation stops naturally, high alcohol, medium tannins, intense red fruit

Question 8

Ripasso method - where? how?

Answer 8

• Veneto
• Amarone skins removed (drained) before fermentation completely finished (i.e. still has sugars)
• unpressed skins transferred to Valpolicella vats to ferment remaining sugar
• Valpolicella Ripasso

Question 9

Piemont - white (2), red (3)? 2 towns? GIs?

Answer 9

• white: Cortese, Moscato
• red: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto
• Asti, Alba
• Only DOC, DOCG, no IGT or IGP

Question 10

Barolo - characteristic? ageing?

Answer 10

• only Nebbiolo
• high acid, tannin, little colour
• must be aged for three years, 18 months on oak

Question 11

Barbaresco - ageing?

Answer 11

• very similar to Barolo
• less altitude
• must be aged for two years, 9 months on oak

Question 12

Asti, Alba - 2 varieties?

Answer 12

• Barbera: medium to deep colour, low-med tannins, high acid red cherries
• Dolcetto: deep purple, high tannins, black plums, red cherries

Question 13

Gavi - variety?

Answer 13

• white wine

- Cortese