Central Italy Flashcards
Tuscany, Marche, Umbria, Latium, Abruzzo
geographically where is Tuscany
extends from the Ligurian Sea in the West to the foothills of the Apennine Mtns in the East
-Florence
Name the 7 DOCG’s of Tuscany
- Chianti
- Chianti Classico
- Brunello di Montalcino
- Montepulciano
- Sant-Animo
- Rosso di Montalcino
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
what is the climate of Tuscany
dry Mediterranean climate
name the main grapes of Tuscany
- Sangiovese
- Cab Sauv
- Colorino
- Canaiolo
- Syrah
- Merlot
- Vernaccia
what is a fiasco bottle
traditional chianti bottle with dry straw in a squat round bottle
who created the Chianti blend recipe
Baron Bettino Ricasoli
- todays recipe is 70%-100% Sangiovese
- traditional addition of white grapes Trebbiano & Malvasia are optional & Cabernet Sauvignon can be no more than 15% of the blend
who delimited the original villages of Chianti and which ones are they
Grand Duke Cosimo 3 de Medici
- Radda
- Gaiole
- Castellina
- Greve
They make up the Chianti Classico DOCG
what are the aging requirements for Chianti
Normale: released March 1 year following harvest
Riserva: 2 years
Superiore: additional .5% of alcohol & lower yields
What is the percentage of Sangiovese in Chianti Classico wines?
- 80%
- no white grapes permitted
what is the soil of Chianti Classico
galestro & alberese (sandstone)
Describe the aging of Chianti Classico
-released after Oct 1 of the year following harvest & a min of 12% alc
Riserva: aged min 24 mo. w at least 3 mo in bottle & 12.5% alcohol, barriques
Gran Selezione: estate grown, min alcohol 13%, aged 30 mo & 3 mo in bottle, 90% Sangiovese
what percentage of Sangiovese is Brunello di Montalcino?
100% (Brunello clone aka Grosso)
what are the aging requirements of Brunello di Montalcino
- in cask min 2 years & 4 mo in bottle, released Jan 1st of the 5th year after harvest
- Riserva: released Jan 1st of the 6th year after harvest with 2 years min in cask & 6 mo. in bottle
what is the soil in Brunello di Montalcino
- varied
- galestro in higher altitude vineyards
- clay in warmer southern regions
- fossilized marine deposits scattered throughout
name two chianti wines
2013 Istine Chianti Classico “Cavarchione”
2013 Volpaia Chianti Classico
name two Brunello di Montalcino producers
2013 Biondi Santi BdM Reserva
2013 Uccelliera BdM
describe Rosso di Montalcino
“baby Bdm”
- 100% Sangi
- 1 yr. aging prior to release
describe Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
- E of Montalcino
- less firm than Chianti & less tannic than BdM
- 70% Sangi (Prugnolo Gentile clone)
- max 30% other varieties of Tuscany including no more than 5% white varieties
what are the aging requirements of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
min 2 years w at least 1 yr in wood
Riserva: min 3 years
what are the grapes of Bolgheri
Sangiovese Syrah Cab Sauv Merlot Cab Franc
what is Vino da Tavola
- in the 80s wines were released as Vino da Tavola as early “Super Tuscans”
- traditional Sangiovese Bordeaux blends
- some producers used this label to make 100% Sangiovese instead of blending with white grapes
what are the aging requirements for Bolgheri
Superiore: min 2y ears (1 yr in barrels) with a min alcohol of 12.5%
what was the first vintage of Sassicaia?
1968
who producers Sassiacaia
Tenuta San Guido
what is Vin Santo
- traditional dessert bottling
- produced from Trebbiano & Malvasia
- grapes are hung from rafters to dry, usually until Dec 1 at least
- slow fermentation & aging in caratelli barrels between 3-8 years
- typically chestnut wood for rapid oxidation, some modern producers have switched to oak
geographically where is the Marche?
Eastern coast of Italy, along the Adriatic, extending west into the foothills of the Apennine Mtns
name the regions of Marche
Verdicchio di Matelica (Reserva)
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Reserva)
Each with their own Riserva DOCG
what is the climate of the Marche
mediterranean
what is the grape of the Marche
Verdicchio
what are the aging requirements of the Marche
Riserva: min 18 mo, released as DOCG
-normale is released as DOC
