9 Prosecco Flashcards
1
Q
Describe the style of a Prosecco
A
- light to medium (-) intesity
- aromas of apple, pear
- 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 (apple, pear, peach)
2
Q
Which grape variety is mainly used for Prosecco?
A
Glera
3
Q
How are the quality and price levels of Prosecco?
A
Prosecco DOC:
- acceptable to good quality
- mid-priced and some inexpensive in supermarkets
Prosecco DOCG:
- good to very good quality
- mid-priced and a few premium-priced
4
Q
Which Italian regions are included in the DOC Prosecco?
A
Veneto and Friuli
5
Q
How big is the planting area of the Prosecco DOC?
A
23.000ha
6
Q
How big is the planting area of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG?
A
7.700ha
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
8
Q
What is the Asolo Prosecco DOCG and where is it located
A
as small DOCG in the hilly area south of Valdobbiadene
9
Q
How big is the planting area of Asolo Prosecco DOCG
A
1.800ha
10
Q
How is the production volume split between the three Prosecco areas?
A
- 82% Prosecco DOC
- 15% Prosecco DOCG
- 3% Asolo DOCG
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
12
Q
How are the climate conditions in the Prosecco DOCG?
A
- cooling influences and higher diurnal temperature range
from the hillier area
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
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, drought in summer and grapevine yellow
15
Q
How much other grape varieties can be blended in?
A
maximal 15%
16
Q
Which training systems are used in the Prosecco area?
A
- Sylvoz
- double-arched cane
- single or double Guyot
17
Q
Describe the “Sylvoz” training system
A
- high cordon system
- downward hanging shoots
- well suited to high vigor sites with high yield (prosecco DOC)
- inexpensive to create initially
- minimizes winter pruning
- suitable for machine harvesting
- the height protect form frost
- disadvantage is an easy over cropping
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 (very common on hillside of Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG)
- increases ventilation of the canopy and thus the decrease fungal diseases
- disadvantages are that the individual branches must be tied at every plant and the work for maintaining open canopy
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
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
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
- high concentration due to slower growth (longer season)
- lower but still generous yield
- steep parts are terraced with grassy banks (called: ciglione)
- work on steep slops is done by hand
- harvest is allowed by hand and by machine
- categorie “Cartizze”, “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 when racking off lees of 2nd 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 “rifermentazione in bottiglia” (refermentation in the bottle) must appear on the bottle
- second fermentation is 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
- sui lieviti (required to be called in Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG)
25
What dose the labeling term "Tranquillo" mean?
still wine form the Prosecco region
26
Name the maximum allowed yield for the different Prosecco styles
- Prosecco DOC: 125hl/ha
- Conelgliano Valdobbiadene DOCG: 94,5hl/ha
- Rive DOCG: 90hl/ha
- Superiore di Cartizze DOCG or Cartizze DOCG: 85hl/ha
- Asolo Prosecco DOCG: 94,5hl/ha
27
Which are regulations if vintage on the label is used?
a minimum of 85% of the vintage must be used
28
Which are the regulations for Rive DOCG?
- 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
Which are the regulations for Superiore di Cartizze DOCG and Cartizze DOCG?
- historic and limited single-vineyard of 108ha in Valdobbiadene
- lower yield (85hl/ha)
- only spumante is allowed
- 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
How is the production size split between Prosecco and the other sparkling wines in Italy?
50% of the sparkling wines is Prosecco
31
Who is the world leader in export sparkling wine by volume?
Italy
32
Who is the world leader in export sparkling wine by value?
Champagne
33
How is the production size split between spumante and frizzante?
- 80% spumante
- 17% frizzante
- 3% rose
34
Which is the average size of the vineyard holdings?
2,5ha
35
How many growers are located in the Prosecco area?
- 11.600
36
How many producers of base wine are located in the Prosecco area?
1.200
37
How many sparkling wine producers are located in the Prosecco area?
350 (75% private companies)
38
Which is the most important region volume of production and for sale the base wine to the bottling companies?
Treviso
39
How is the domestic market and the export split in the DOC?
- 22% by volume (70% supermarket sale)
- 78% export (UK, USA and Germany)
40
Which are the three biggest export markets of the DOC?
- UK
- USA
- Germany
41
How big is the part of the three biggest export markets of the DOC?
nearly two thirds
42
For which alternative Prosecco DOC is used?
- cheap discounter Champagne
- still wine
- inexpensive or mid-priced rosé
43
When was Brut Nature and Extra Brut added to the Prosecco regulations?
2019
44
When was spumante rosé added to the DOC regulations?
2020
45
How are the production regulations for DOC rosé?
- maximal 15% Pinot Noir (made as a red wine)
- only made as spumante
- sweetness level is limited from Brut Nature to Extra Brut
46
Which are the most common styles of Prosecco DOCG
- 60% Extra Dry
- 30% Brut
47
When was Extra Brut added to the DOCG regulations?
2019
48
Which amount is account to the 32 large companies?
90% (each producing more than 1 million bottles per year)
49
How is the domestic market and the export split in the DOCG?
- 60% domestic (largest sale is northern Italy)
- 40% is export
50
Which are the three biggest export markets of the DOCG?
- Germany
- UK
- Switzerland
51
Which is a big challenge of the DOCG?
- improve recognition
- consumers see Prosecco as a generic brand.
- achieve a higher price du to higher quality
