Central Italy Flashcards
What is the dominant black grape variety in Tuscany?
Sangiovese
What year was there prohibition on picking grapes before a certain date was issued to protect the quality of wine coming from Chianti.
1444
What year did the Grand Duke Cosimo III de’Medici designated four regions of wine production in Tuscany.
1716
What year did Baron Ricasoli recommended that Sangiovese should be the dominant variety in Chianti?
1872
What year did the government’s Dalmasso commission created a much-enlarged area now called Chianti with seven subzones?
1932
What year was a law passed decreeing a proportion of white varieties is required by Chianti DOC.
1967
What year was Sassicaia created?
1968
What year was Tignanello created?
1971
What year did Chianti Classico became an autonomous DOCG?
1996
Which of the following soil types has Sangiovese proven to be more successful on?
Limestone & shale
Why has there been a reduction in plantings of Trebbiano Toscano in recent years?
Because it lacks fruitiness & has a low flavor intensity
What Central Italy region are the Sangiovese and Canaiolo Nero grapes associated with?
Tuscany
What Central Italy region are the Verdicchio, Pecorino, Passerina, Biancame grapes associated with?
Marche
What Central Italy region are the Grechetto and Sagrantino grapes associated with?
Umbria
What Central Italy region are the Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia del Lazio, Cesanese grapes associated with?
Lazio
What Central Italy region is Trebbiano Abruzzese associated with?
Abruzzo
What is the aim Chianti maturation?
to allow the sour cherry flavours of Sangiovese to be the main flavour in the wine.
How is the aim of expressing the sour cherry flavors in Sangiovese achieved in Chianti?
The use of large, old 500 litre barriques
The largest of the Chianti subzones and generally warmer than the others, producing fuller bodied and richer wines. It requires a higher proportion of Sangiovese in the blend (minimum 75 per cent) and less of the Cabernets (maximum 10 per cent, singly or together).
Chianti Colli Senesi
This Chianti area is generally warmer and drier than Chianti Classico. Wines must be 100% Sangiovese and may not be released until 1 January five years after the harvest, and ageing must include two years in oak containers.
Brunello di Montalcino
The coolest Chianti subzone due to altitude and cooling winds from the north. The wines have high acidity and more restrained fruit character when young, but with a capacity to age and develop complexity in the bottle.
Chianti Rufina
Wine styles vary in this Chianti DOCG. Traditionally, the wines were full bodied and austere, requiring ageing in the bottle. However, some major companies have been working to produce wines that can be drunk in their youth; methods include shorter extraction periods and the use of small French oak vessels for maturation.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
This Chianti sub region is located in the hilly area between Florence and Siena, with the best wines typically coming from 200–500m above sea level. The wines must have a minimum 80 per cent Sangiovese, though in practice most wines are around 90 per cent Sangiovese. No white varieties are permitted in the blend.
Chianti Classico
Which grape varieties are usually used for Vin Santo Chianti Classico DOC.
Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia
they must make up 60%
What is the general style of Vin Santo?
The wines are sweet with high acidity and medium (+) to high alcohol. Amber coloured, and a complex palate of dried fruit (apricot, lemon) flavours, nutty notes.
How are Vin Santo wines typically made?
Made by the appassimento method and traditionally the grapes were dried in the lofts of houses. After fermentation, the wines are aged in small barrels sealed and stored unopened in the loft for many years (5–10 years).
What are the minimum aging requirements for Vin Santo?
In barrels
2 years in Chianti Classico
3 years in Montepulciano
These minimums are often exceeded.
As of 2013, which of the following were the top six planted varieties in Marche?
Trebbiano Toscano
Verdicchio
Passerina
Biancame
Sangiovese
Montepulciano
This Marche wine has herbal notes (sage, thyme, mint), with crisp apple and pear fruit and are medium bodied. It ripens early, thus avoiding late season rain.
Pecorino
This Marche wine has a pale lemon colour, medium (-) aromatic intensity with apple, lemon and fennel and almond notes with a slightly bitter finish, high acidity and a medium body. The wines range in quality from acceptable to outstanding.
Verdicchio
This Marche wine can produce ripe lemon and yellow apple fruited wines with naturally high acidity (acidity can diminish quickly in the grapes if not picked at the optimum time).
Passerina
What grapes are Frascati DOC and Frascati Superiore DOCG made from & what % of the blend must they make up?
min 70% Malvasia Biana di Candia &/or Malvasia del Lazio.
30% Trebbiano Toscano
What are the yields for Frascati and Frascati Superiore?
105 hL/ha for Frascati
77 hL/ha for Frascati Superiore
What are the aging requirements for Frascati and Frascati Superiore?
none for Frascati.
1 year (no oak requirement) for Frascati Superiore
What is the intensity, aroma/flavor, alcohol, acid, & body of Orvieto DOC that’s good in quality?
med (-) intensity
lemon, apple
med alcohol
med (+) acid
light body
What are the max yields of Orvieto DOC?
77 hL/ha
What grapes are required for Orvieto DOC and at what %?
min 60% Trebbiano Toscano &/or Grechetto
What are the two style of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC?
- ripe with medium intensity red cherry fruit, medium body and medium tannins. This style will not display any oak flavours.
- more pronounced intensity of red cherry, black plum and oak aromas. The tannins will be medium (+) and some of the best wines will be aged in small oak vessels.
What region is known for the following producers/businesses?
Fontodi
Casanova di Neri
Soldera
Avignonesi
Contucci
Tuscany
What region is known for the following producers/businesses?
Barberani
Umbria
What region is known for the following producers/businesses?
What region is known for the following producers/businesses?
Casal Pilozzo
Lazio
What region is known for the following producers/businesses?
Valentini
Masciarelli
Cantina Tollo
Abruzzo
