27 WSET3_ItalyOverview Flashcards
What is the name of the Italian PDO system?
Denominazione d’origine protetta (DOP)
What are the three different levels of PDO wines?
DOCG, DOC and IGT
What does IGT stand for?
Indicazione geografica tipica
What does DOCG stand for?
Demoninazione de origine controllata e garantita
What does DOC stand for?
Demoninazione de origen controllata
Which was the first PDO level designation level, defined in the 1960s?
DOC
Approximately how many DOCs in Italy are there in 2011?
Over 300
What is the Italian equivalent of Vins de Pays (VdP)?
IGT
In which year was the IGT level introduced?
1992
What does the labelling term Classico refer to, Name three examples.
Wine made from the original and historical, better and inevitably hilly part of the appellation. Examples include Valpollicella, Soave and Chianti.
What does the labelling term Riserva refer to in Italy?
Much abused term, but indicates longer ageing and higher alcohol.
Define the passito process
- Early harvest of acidic grapes, 2. Natural drying for 2 weeks to 6 months
What is a fruttaio?
The room where passito grapes are dried?
Provide three examples of white passito.
Recioto di Soave DOCG, Passito di Pantelleria DOC, Tuscany’s Vin Santo DOC
Provide an example of a dry, red passito.
Amarone di Valpolicella DOCG
What is an example of a sweet, red passito?
Recioto della Valpollicella DOCG
What is the main cause for climate differences through Italy?
Altitude rather than latitude.
Which are the three most important mountain ranges in Italy?
Appennines, Alps and Dolomites
What land mass separates the Alps from the Apennines?
The fertile triangle of the Po
Which two Italian locations have the highest vineyards within continental Europe?
Alto-Adige and on Mount Etna (more than 1km above sea level)
Which two grapes seldom ripen before October and have significant vintage variation?
Nebbiolo and Aglianico
What is the biggest natural threat facing Italian grape growers?
Hail
Name three types of soil found in Italy
Marine, volcanic, alluvial
Name four classic marine areas which have a clay over limestone mix?
Valpolicella, Barolo, Barbaresco and Chianti
Which marine soil suited varietals favour clay?
Barbera
Which marine soil suited varietals favour limestone?
Nebbiolo, Cortese, Verdicchio (and also the aromatic whites of Trentino)
Provide four DOCGs which are situated on volcanic sites?
Soave, Colli Euganei, Lacryma Christi and Etna
Despite being the least prevalent soil type, name four alluvial sites in Italy?
Bardolino, Piave DOC, Aquilela, Isonzo
Which underground river overflowed during the first world war and halted the Austrian advance?
Piave
What is a pergola?
A viticultural practice of high trellising
As ‘the jurassic park of viticulture’, how many total varieties of vitis vinifera can be found in Italy?
More than 1000
How many vinifera varietals are of commercial significance?
No more than 40
Which three regions have historically used the pergola?
Veneto, Trentino and Alto-Adige
Where in Italy can you still find bush training?
Southern Puglia and Sicily
What is the Italian term for bush training?
Albarello (‘little tree’)
What are the two most important styles of vine training in Italy?
- Two wire vertical shoot positioning trellising and 2. single cordon.
What is the Italian term for single cordon vine training?
Cordone Speronato
What is botte?
A large cask crafted from Slavonian oak, still used in Piemonte, Tuscany and Campania for traditional DOCG wines.
Name The sea on the east side of Italy
Adriatic
Name The sea on the west side of Italy
Tyrrhenean
