29. Southern Italy

Question 1

What is the climate of southern Italy?

Answer 1

• Inland: Hot and dry

- Coast: Hot and humid

Question 2

What are the geographical and climatic factors that moderate the weather in southern Italy?

Answer 2

• Altitude

- Sea breezes

Question 3

What are the traditional and contemporary methods of vine training in southern Italy?

Answer 3

• Traditional: Bush-trained low to the ground with leaf cover
• Contemporary: Cordon training and trellising

Question 4

Name the wine growing regions of southern Italy from north to south

Answer 4

• Campania
• Basilitica
• Puglia
• Sicily

Question 5

Which grape growing region in southern Italy is home to more DOCGs?

Answer 5

Campania

Question 6

What are the most important white and black grape varieties in Campania?

Answer 6

• White: Fiano, Greco

- Black: Aglianico

Question 7

What are the most prestigious white wine appellations in Campania?

Answer 7

• Fiano di Avellino DOCG

- Greco di Tufo DOCG

Question 8

Tasting notes for Fiano

Answer 8

• Medium acidity
• Medium to full body
• Aromas of stone fruit, melon and mango
• Better examples can be oaked and matured in bottle developing aromas of wax and honey

Question 9

Tasting notes for Greco

Answer 9

• High acidity
• Medium body
• Aromas of green apple, stone fruit and passion fruit
• Some producers use old and lees stirring
• Best examples can age in bottle to develop aromas of honey and mushroom

Question 10

Tasting notes for Aglianico

Answer 10

• Deep color
• High acidity
• High tannin
• Flavours of black fruit
• Matured in oak and aged in bottle to develop earthy, forest floor notes

Question 11

What is the best wine region for Aglianico?

Answer 11

Taurasi DOCG

Question 12

What is the geographical property of Basilicata region?

Answer 12

It is an extremely mountainous region where vineyards can reach 900 meters

Question 13

What is the most prestigious appellation in Basilitica?

Answer 13

Aglianico del Vulture DOC

Question 14

Which kind of grapes dominate in Puglia, white or black? Why?

Answer 14

Black grapes because the climate is hot

Question 15

What are the most notable black grape varieties in Puglia?

Answer 15

• Negromaro

- Primitivo (Zinfandel)

Question 16

The wines produced from the grapes that are grown at high yields in Puglia is labelled as…

Answer 16

Puglia IGT

Question 17

Tasting notes for Negromaro

Answer 17

• Full-bodied
• Medium acidity
• Medium tannins
• High alcohol
• Flavours of baked red and black fruit

Question 18

Best example of Negromaro wines come from which appellation?

Answer 18

Salice Salentino DOC

Question 19

Tasting notes for Primitivo

Answer 19

• Full bodied
• Medium acidity
• Medium tannins
• High alcohol
• Flavours of very ripe berry fruit

Question 20

Vast majority of the grapes (high yield) produced in Sicily are labelled as..

Answer 20

IGT Terre di Sicilia/ Terre Siciliane

Question 21

What is the dominant black grape of Sicily?

Answer 21

Nero d’Avola

Question 22

Tasting notes of Nero d’Avola

Answer 22

• Medium to full body
• Medium acidity
• Medium tannins
• Aromas of plums and black cherry

Question 23

What is the speciality of wines of Etna DOC?

Answer 23

They are produced from the low-yielding old vines grown in high altitudes

Question 24

What are the grapes used to produce red wines in Etna DOC?

Answer 24

• Nerello Mascalese

- Nerello Cappucio

Question 25

Tasting notes for red wine from Etna DOC

Answer 25

• Fragrant wines
• High acid
• High tannins
• Aromas of sour red cherries, cranberries and raspberries and sometimes with dried herbs
• With bottle aging, high tannins soften and mushroom-like aromas develop

Question 26

Tasting notes for white wine from Etna DOC

Answer 26

• Medium body
• High acidity
• Aromas of citrus fruit
• Stoney/steely character
• Develop aromas of honey and wax with bottle age