9 Prosecco Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the style of a Prosecco

A
  • light to medium (-) intesity
  • aromas of apple, pear and peach
  • light body
  • medium to medium (+) acidity
  • low to medium alcohol
  • sweetness range form Brut to Demi-Sec (Extra-Brut is the most common style)
  • produced in fully sparkling (spumante) and lower pressure (frizzante)

Prosecco DOCs have mainly light intensity
Prosecco DOCGs have mainly medium intensity and have greater primary aromas

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2
Q

Which grape variety is mainly used for Prosecco?

A

Glera

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3
Q

How are the quality and price levels of Prosecco?

A

Prosecco DOC:
- acceptable to good quality
- mid-priced and some inexpensive

Prosecco DOCG:
- good to very good quality
- mid-priced and a few premium-priced

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4
Q

Which Italian regions are included in the DOC Prosecco?

A

Veneto and Friuli

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5
Q

How big is the planting area of the Prosecco DOC?

A

23.000ha

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6
Q

How big is the planting area of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG?

A

7.700ha

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7
Q

What is the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG and where is it located?

A
  • the hilly, historic and smaller part within the huge Prosecco DOC
  • it’s located between the towns Conegliano and Valdobbiadene
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8
Q

What is the Asolo Prosecco DOCG and where is it located

A

as small DOCG in the hilly area south of Valdobbiadene

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9
Q

How big is the planting area of Asolo Prosecco DOCG

A

1.800ha

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10
Q

How is the production volume split between the three Prosecco areas?

A
  • 82% Prosecco DOC
  • 16% Prosecco DOCG
  • 2% Asolo DOCG
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11
Q

How are the climate conditions in the Prosecco DOC?

A
  • warm and moderately continental
  • moderate rainfall
  • the flat area is affected by moist air and fog from the rivers
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12
Q

How are the climate conditions in the Prosecco DOCG?

A
  • cooling influences and higher diurnal temperature range
    from the hillier area
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13
Q

How are the soils in the Prosecco DOC and DOCG

A

vary considerably but more fertile on the plain than on the hills

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14
Q

Name the top facts of the grape variety Glera

A
  • vigorous
  • semi-aromatic
  • very high in yield
  • susceptible to millerandage, powdery and downy mildew, dough in summer and grapevine yellow
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15
Q

How much other grape varieties can be blended in?

A

maximal 15%

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16
Q

Which training systems are used in the Prosecco area?

A
  • Sylvoz
  • double-arched cane
  • single or double Guyot
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17
Q

Describe the “Sylvoz” training system

A
  • high cordon system
  • downward hanging shoots
  • well suited to high vigor sites with high yield
  • inexpensive to create initially
  • minimizes winter pruning
  • suitable for machine harvesting
  • the height protect form frost
  • disadvantage is an easy over cropping
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18
Q

Describe the “double-arched cane” training system

A
  • form of replacement cane pruning
  • canes are bent into arches
  • improves the evenness of growth and fruitfulness
  • increases ventilation of the canopy and thus the decrease fungal diseases
  • very common in the hillside sites of Prosecco DOCG
  • disadvantages are that the individual branches must be tied at every plant and the work for maintaining open canopy
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19
Q

Describe the “Guyot” training system

A
  • standard Guyot training
  • used in flatter land
  • possible to work with machines after winter pruning to reduce costs
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20
Q

Describe the vineyard management in the DOC

A
  • vineyard work and harvesting is normally done by machines
  • due to large vineyards there are considerable economies of scale
  • high yield lead to wines with lower concentration
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21
Q

Describe the vineyard management in the DOCG

A
  • best sites are the south-facing hillsides (more concentration in the final wine)
  • longer ripening season for the grapes due to reduced fertility and greater day/night temperature difference
  • lower but still generous yield lead to higher concentration
  • steep parts are terraced (called: ciglione)
  • work on steep slops is done by hand
  • harvest is allowed by hand and by machine
  • categorie “Cartine”, “Rive” and “sui lieviti” must be picked by hand
22
Q

Describe the winemaking of Prosecco

A
  • hand picked grapes can be whole bunch pressed or destemmed and pressed
  • base wine fermentation at 18°C for around 15-20 days
  • MLC is blocked to retain acidity
  • second fermentation in the tank takes one month at 12-15°C
  • short time on lees (a few weeks) the wine is chilled, filtered and bottled (no requirements for aging the wine)
  • traditionally no adjustment of the sweetness (i.e. no dosage)
  • calculation of sugar at triage to reach the required level of sweetness (Brut, Extra Dry, Dry) and pressure (spumante or frizzante) after second fermentation
  • since 2014 a possible adjustment of the sweetness is allowed after second fermentation
  • some quality producer slow down second fermentation by lowering the temperature or age the wine on the lees for a few month to add extra complexity
  • longer form of tank method, called: Charmat lungo
23
Q

Name other styles of Prosecco

A
  • Prosecco Col Fondo (second fermentation in the bottle without disgorgement
  • Tranquillo (still wine)
24
Q

Describe the style and the production of Prosecco Col Fondo

A
  • traditional style
  • light cloudy, dry and frizzante
  • allowed in the DOC and DOCG
  • phrase “refermentazione in bottiglia” (refermentation in the bottle) must appear on the bottle
  • second fermentation is un the bottle
  • wine is left undisgorged
  • finished with a crown cap
  • can be aged for a short time
  • tiny production level and special and fashionable like Pet Nat
  • traditional name is: Col Fondo
  • 2020 Prosecco regulations will require the name: sui lieviti (on the lees)
25
Q

What dose the labeling term “Tranquillo” mean?

A

still wine form the Prosecco region

26
Q

Name the maximum allowed yield for the different Prosecco styles

A
  • Prosecco DOC: 125hl/ha
  • Prosecco DOCG: 94,5hl/ha
  • Rive DOCG: 90hl/ha
  • Superiore di Cartizze DOCG or Cartizze DOCG: 85hl/ha
  • Asolo Prosecco DOCG: 94,5hl/ha
27
Q

Which are regulations if vintage on the label is used?

A

a minimum of 85% of the vintage must be used

28
Q

Which are the regulations for Rive DOCG?

A
  • rive is the local word for slope of the steep hill, followed by a place name (e.g. Rive di Soligo)
  • name could be a single commune or vineyard
  • grapes must be grown in one of the 43 Rive
  • picked by hand
  • lower maximum yield (90hl/ha)
  • vintage must be shown on the label
29
Q

Which are the regulations for Superiore di Cartizze DOCG and Cartizze DOCG?

A
  • historic and limited single-vineyard of 108ha in Valdobbiadene
  • lower yield (85hl/ha)
  • only spumante is allowed
  • steep hills and vineyards on slopes
  • traditionally the area with highest quality
  • fuller body and normally residual sugar above Brut
  • Prosecco is not used (Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG or Valdobbiadene Cartizze DOCG)
30
Q

How is the production size split between Prosecco and the other sparkling wines in Italy?

A

50% of the sparkling wines is Prosecco

31
Q

Who is the world leader in export sparkling wine by volume?

A

Italy

32
Q

Who is the world leader in export sparkling wine by value?

A

Champagne

33
Q

How is the production size split between spumante and frizzante?

A
  • 75% spumante
  • 25% frizzante
34
Q

Which is the average size of the vineyard holdings?

A

2,5ha

35
Q

How many growers are located in the Prosecco area?

A
  • 10.000 (50% co-operatives and 50% private growers)
36
Q

How many producers of base wine are located in the Prosecco area?

A

1.200

37
Q

How many sparkling wine producers are located in the Prosecco area?

A

350 (75% private companies)

38
Q

Which is the most important region volume of production and for sale the base wine to the bottling companies?

A

Treviso

39
Q

How is the domestic market and the export split in the DOC?

A
  • 25% by volume (50% hospitality and 50% retail)
  • 75% export (UK, USA and Germany)
40
Q

Which are the three biggest export markets of the DOC?

A
  • UK
  • USA
  • Germany
41
Q

How big is the part of the three biggest export markets of the DOC?

A

nearly two thirds

42
Q

For which alternative Prosecco DOC is used?

A
  • cheap discounter Champagne
  • still wine
  • inexpensive or mid-priced rosé
43
Q

When was Brut Nature and Extra Brut added to the Prosecco regulations?

A

2019

44
Q

When was spumante rosé added to the DOC regulations?

A

2020

45
Q

How are the production regulations for DOC rosé?

A
  • maximal 15% Pinot Noir (made as a red wine)
  • only made as spumante
  • sweetness level is limited from Brut Nature to Extra Brut
46
Q

Which are the most common styles of Prosecco DOCG

A
  • 60% Extra Dry
  • 30% Brut
47
Q

When was Extra Brut added to the DOCG regulations?

A

2019

48
Q

Which amount is account to the 32 large companies?

A

90% (each producing more than 1 million bottles per year)

49
Q

How is the domestic market and the export split in the DOCG?

A
  • 60% domestic (largest sale is northern Italy)
  • 40% is export
50
Q

Which are the three biggest export markets of the DOCG?

A
  • Germany
  • UK
  • Switzerland
51
Q

Which is a big challenge of the DOCG?

A
  • improve recognition
  • consumers see Prosecco as a generic brand.
  • achieve a higher price du to higher quality