9. Prosecco Flashcards
Name the following with regard to Prosecco:
- Primary grape variety
- Area of Italy it is primarily made
- Method of Production
- Glera
- North-east Italy
- Tank
What are the primary aroma/flavor characteristics of Prosecco?
- Light-medium intensity apple and pear
- Light body
- Medium to med+ acidity
- Low/medium alcohol
- Sweetness ranges from Brut to demi-sec, extra dry most common
- Both spumante and frizzante
What are the quality and price points of Prosecco?
Prosecco DOC - acceptable to good; mid-priced, some inexpensive
DOCGs - good to very good; mid-priced, some premium
What geographic area comprises Prosecco DOC?
The former IGTs covering nine entire provinces in the regions of Veneto and Friuli - stretches from Trieste to Vicenza.
What GIs may be added to Prosecco DOC? Which GI is the most important?
Treviso or Trieste if grapes grown and wine made within the respective area. Treviso much more important.
How are Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG wines labeled?
Producers must use either or both names of the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. Within spumante category, “Superiore” may be added and/or “Prosecco” omitted. In this case “Superiore” is part of the name of the wine and implies no difference in winemaking.
What second DOCG makes Prosecco?
Asolo Prosecco DOCG - within spumante category “Superiore” may be added
What was the original name of the Glera varietal and why was it changed?
Originally named Prosecco. Changed so Prosecco could be used to designate defined areas that were entitled to use the name and to prevent other regions or countries from exploiting the success of the name.
What is the production breakdown (percentages) for Prosecco DOC and the DOCGs?
Prosecco DOC- 82%
Prosecco DOCG - 16%
Asolo DOCG - 2%
What are the climate conditions of the DOC and DOCG regions?
Prosecco DOC - warm and moderate continental w/ moderate rainfall. Flat plain affected by moist air and fog from rivers, increasing # of sprays needed to combat disease.
Prosecco DOCG areas hillier - cooling influences from altitude and higher diurnal temp range - longer, slower ripening. Wines from DOCG can have higher acidity and more intense fruit flavors.
What are the characteristics of Glera? What are primary threats in the vineyard to this variety and vineyard management challenges?
Vigorous, semi-aromatic variety capable of very high yields. Susceptible to
1. millerandage
2. powdery & downy mildew
3. drought in summer
4. grapevine yellows
First 2 buds don’t bear much fruit; has to be trained long, typically on vertically trellised systems w/ 8-12 buds. Low/medium densities due to vigor. Permitted yields are high
True or false: Prosecco wines must be 100% Glera
FALSE. Up to 15% of other local varieties or certain international varieties are permitted.
What are the 3 primary vineyard training methods used for Glera grapes?
- Sylvoz
- Double-arched cane
- Guyot
Describe the Sylvoz training method. What are the advantages and disadvantages for using this method?
High cordon system with shoots that hang downwards. Advantages:
1. Well-suited to high vigour sites such as on fertile, flatter land of Prosecco DOC where aim is for high yields, but sometimes used in the DOCGs.
2. Inexpensive to create initially
3. Minimizes winter pruning
4. Suitable for machine harvesting
Disadvantages:
1. May encourage over-cropping
2. Requires careful monitoring & trimming of canopy to avoid excessive shading
3. Difficult to distribute clusters evenly
Describe the Double-arched cane training system. What are its advantages and disadvantages?
Form of replacement cane pruning where the prunes are bent into arches.
Advantages:
1. Improves the evenness of growth and fruitfulness of Glera
2. Increases ventilation of the canopy, reducing fungal diseases.
Disadvantages
1. Individual branches must be tied in on every plant (adding to cost)
2. Care taken to maintain open canopy by repeated shoot thinning (added cost)
VERY COMMON ON HILLSIDE SITES OF PROSECCO DOCG
What sites is it most common to find Guyot training?
Flatter areas where after winter pruning it is possible to work with machines.
What is the aspect of the best sites in the DOCG? Why?
South-facing hillside sites
- Reduced fertility - poorer soils and better drainage than on flatter sites
- Greater day/night temp shift so slower growth
- Longer season for flavor to develop in grapes and higher acidity
What is a ciglione?
Grassy banks used to terrace steepest parts of DOCG
What are the 3 categories of wines that require hand harvesting?
- Cartizze
- Rive
- Sui lieviti
Describe the winemaking steps for Prosecco
- If grapes hand-picked, winemaker chooses whole-bunch press (which some believe preserves primary fruit flavors). Otherwise destem & press
- Base wine fermentation for 15-20 days at 64F to preserve primary fruit
- Malolactic conversion blocked - same reason + retain acidity
- 2nd fermentation in tank - 1 month @ 54-59F.
- Short time on lees (few weeks) wines chilled, filtered and bottled
- No aging requirement - emphasis on freshness
How are the sweetness levels of Prosecco adjusted?
Traditionally made with no dosage. Winemaker calculates how much sugar is required as tirage to provide both the required level of CO2 (spumante or frizzante) and remaining sugar in final bottled wine (Brut, Extra Dry, Dry). Since 2014 possible to adjust sweetness when wine racked off the lees of 2nd fermentation.
What is Charmat lungo?
A longer form of tank method that keeps the wine in contact with the lees for at least 9 months - lees are agitated with an insert within the tank.
What are 2 other measures that some quality-focused winemakers take for extra complexity, especially in the DOCG area?
- Slow 2nd fermentation by lowering temperature
2. Age wine on lees for a few months
What is Prosecco Col Fondo?
- Traditional style typically producing lightly cloudy, dry wines in frizzante style.
- Can be applied to DOC or DOCG wines.
- Bottle label must state “rifermentazione in bottiglia” (refermentation in bottle).
- 2nd fermentation in bottle.
- Wine left undisgorged and is bone dry.
- Typically finished with crown cap and contains sediment.
- Can be aged for a short time.
- After 2020 the Prosecco DOCG regulations will require wines to be called “sui lieviti” (on the lees)
