Abruzzo Flashcards
Where is Abruzzo located?
Immediately south of the Marches and north of Molise.
What is the most cultivated grape in Abruzzo?
Montepulciano
-it is also the second most planted red grape in Italy
What is the sole DOCG of Abruzzo?
Name two producers under this DOCG?
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG “TEAR-ah-MON-nay”—this is essentially the “classico” zone of Montepulciano.
—superior producers include Illuminati and Villa Medoro
What two premier producers choose to label their wines Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC as opposed to Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Termane DOCG?
Edoardo Valentini and Emidio Pepe
What is the minimum grape variety and aging for both Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG?
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo requires 85% Montepulciano, can be released March of the year following harvest (riserva and subzones differ)
-the DOCG raises the minimum to 90%, and stipulates two years of aging, including one year in wood. Riserva wines are aged for a minimum three years.
What DOC accounts for most of Abruzzo’s white wines?
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC
What two grapes make up most of Abruzzo’s white wines?
Trebbiano Toscano or Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
What is an erroneous synonym for Trebbiano d’Abruzzo?
Bombino/Bombino Bianco
-just recently distinguished as different, but still currently in the National registry as synonyms.
Describe the Trebbiano d’Abruzzo grape variety
Large leaves with five lobes, and large, long, pyramid-shaped bunches with medium-large berries that have little bloom. The vine is vigorous, oidium sensitive and dislikes excessively windy sites; acidity drops very quickly if grapes overripen.
THE larges leaves protect the berries very well from the sunlight; and for this reason, the grapes rarely become darker than a deep straw-green in color when fully ripe; so unlike other Trebbianos, Trebbiano Abruzzese’s berries almost never become yellow-gold or reddish and this is true even when teh producer decides to deleaf in order to maximize ripeness.
What is the capital of Abruzzo?
L’ Aquila
