Central Italy Flashcards
Historical moments in Tuscany?
Sharecropping - ended after WWII
Sassicaia 1968 and Tignanello 1971 - birth of Super Tuscans
Chianti CLassico - became DOCG in 1996
Climate of Tuscany?
Warm Mediterranean
Adequate rainfall
Altitude cools inland areas
Spring frost, summer draught, hail, and harvest-time rain are concerns
Esca/boars
Describe Sangiovese profile:
Red cherry, red plum, herbal
Medium-full body
High acid
High tannins
Describe Sangiovese:
Most planted variety in Italy (10%)
Difficult to grow
Buds early
Ripens late
Vigorous/high yields
Very susceptible to botrytis
Needs sunny south/SE slopes
Likes high draining soils (limestone, shale)
Cordons with spurs or cane-pruned VSP
Describe Trebbiano Toscano:
Late budding
Vigorous, high yields
Prone to downy mildew and eutypa dieback
AKA Ugni Blanc
High acid, neutral
Winemaking for Chianti?
7-10 day maceration for early drinking
15-25 days for aging wines
Temperature controlled tanks
Large oak barrels common - let sour cherry be the dominant note
Describe Chianti DOCG:
70%+ Sangiovese
15% max: Cab Sauv and/or Cab Franc
10% max: Trebbiano (rare)
Min. 11.5% ABV
63hL/ha
No oak required; Riserva = 2 years age
Subzones of Chianti:
Seven named subzones
Chianti Rufina DOCG - coolest
Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG - largest, warmer
Describe Chianti Classico DOCG:
Higher elevation
Galestro soils (Schist, clay, marl)
Alberese soils (Calcareous with clay)
Min. 80% Sangiovese
No white varieties
52.5hL/ha
Top tier Chianti Classico?
2013 - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione added by Consorzio
Single vineyard or single estate
Min. 30 months aging (no wood req)
Describe Brunello di Montalcino DOCG:
1865 - Biondi-Santi sold first Brunello
Warmer/drier than Chianti Classico
Adequate rainfall
Galestro (N) and clay (S)
100% Sangiovese
54hL/ha
Brunello aging requirements:
Jan 1st 5 years after harvest
- 2 years in oak
Riserva: 6 years
Describe Brunello profile:
Intense sour cherry
High acid
High tannin
Complexity - tertiary upon release due to extended aging
Describe Rosso di Montalcino DOC:
100% Sangiovese
Young vines or lesser sites within Brunello
Can include declassified Brunellos in difficult years
Describe Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG:
Southeastern Tuscany
Heavy clay soils or sandy soils
Min. 70% Sangiovese
56hL/ha
Min 2 years aging (rel Jan 1), min 1 year in oak
Riserva: 3 years
Describe Morellino de Scansano DOCG:
Southern Tuscany - warm but cooling winds
Min. 85% Sangiovese
63hL/ha
Varietals for Bolgheri DOC:
Up to 100%: Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot
Up to 50%: Syrah, Sangiovese
Up to 30% Petit Verdot, others
Cab Sauv dominates region
Vermentino for whites
Describe Bolgheri DOC:
Tuscan coast - warm days, cool nights
63hL/ha
Superiore:
56hL/ha
2 years aging, 1 in oak
Describe Bolgheri Rosso Superiore profile:
Deep ruby
Medium +/Pronounced intensity
Blackberry, red plum, green pepper (cool years), vanilla, sweet spice
High tannins
Med+ acid
Describe Sassicaia:
Has it’s own DOC - Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC for Tenuta San Guido
Min. 80% Cab Sauv
2 years aging, 18 mo in 225L oak
Describe Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG:
1966 - first DOC in Italy (now DOCG)
Min. 85% Vernaccia
Up to 10% Sauv Blanc, Riesling
63hL/ha
Sangiovese/reds also grown under DOC San Gimignano
Describe Vernaccia:
Mid/late ripening
Very high yields
Lemon/floral
Med+ acid
Well-known Toscana IGT?
Masseto (Merlot from Ornellaia)
Solaia (Cab Sauv/Sang/Cab Franc from Antinori)
Describe Vin Santo:
Appassimento wines
Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia
Allowed in multiple regions - San Gimignano and 3 separate DOCs that correspond to Chianti, CC, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Barrel aging required
Sangiovese-based red vin santo: Occhio di Pernice (eye of the partridge)
Describe Vin Santo profile:
Amber color
Dried apricot, dried lemon, nutty
High/volatile acidity
Sweet
Med+/High alcohol
Wine business in Tuscany?
75% export - USA, Germany, UK
Tuscan Anteprima - annual event for buyers/journalists to taste new vintages
Describe Marche:
Mediterranean climate, more continental inland
Red blends of Montepulciano/Sangiovese
Verdicchio
Limestone + clay soils
Describe Verdicchio:
First four buds are sterile - plant at low densities
Late ripening (needs time)
High acidity
Prone to mildew and botrytis
Grown:
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC
Verdicchio di Matelica DOC
-both have high yields and min 18mo aging (no wood req)
Describe Verdicchio profile:
Pale lemon
Med- intensity
Blossom, apple, lemon, fennel, almond
High acid
Medium body
No ML, lees aging for riserva
Describe Pecorino:
High disease resistance
Sterile buds near trunk
Ripens early
Offida Pecorino DOCG
Describe Pecorino profile:
High alcohol
High acid
Herbal notes (sage, thyme, mint)
Crisp apple, pear
Medium bodied
Can be aged in old oak for texture; no new oak
White grapes of Marche/Abruzzo:
Verdicchio
Pecorino
Passerina
Biancame
Trebbiano Toscano
Describe Montepulciano:
Susceptible to powdery mildew
Ripens unevenly within bunches
Susceptible to reduction in the winery
Describe Montepulciano profile:
Ripe, medium intensity with no oak/med tannins
OR
Pronounced intensity with oak and med+ tannin
Both with red cherry
DOC(G)s for Montepulciano?
Rosso Piceno DOC (Mont blend)
Rosso Piceno Superiore DOC
Offida Rosso DOCG
Rosso Conero DOC
Conero Riserva DOCG
Wine Business of Marche?
IMT (istituto Marchigiano di Tutela Vini) is promotional body (80% of region)
1/3 exported - USA, Canada, China, Japan
Climate of Umbria:
Warm, continental
Higher rainfall - autumn/winter
Strong organic/sustainable presence
Grapes/Regions of Umbria?
Orvieto (Grechetto)
Montefalco (Sagrantino)
Describe Grechetto:
Thick skinned
Suitable for late harvesting
Low/med intensity
Lemon/white flower
High acid
Medium body
Describe Sagrantino:
Needs full sunshine
Moderately productive
Tiny spiders, vine moths, mildew
Highly tannic
Describe Orvieto DOC:
Min. 60% Trebbiano Toscano and/or Grechetto
77hL/ha, Superiore 56hL/ha
Can include late harvest and noble rot wines
Describe Rosso di Montefalco DOC:
60-70% Sangiovese
10-15% Sagrantino
Other permitted varieties
77hL/ha
Min 18 months aging
Describe Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG:
100% Sagrantino
52hL/ha
Min. 37mo aging, 1yr in wood
2-3 weeks maceration current trend to avoid strong tannins
60% exported - USA, Germany, Canada
Grapes in Lazio:
Malvasia
Trebbiano Toscano
Merlot
Sangiovese
Cesanese
Many others
DOC(G)s in Lazio:
Frascati DOC (Malvasia)
Frascati Superiore DOCG
Castelli Romani DOC
Wines of Abruzzo:
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Describe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC:
Allows Trebbiano Abruzzese and Trebbiano Toscano (relationship unknown)
ML blocked, stainless steel aged
98hL/ha
High acidity
Describe Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC:
Min. 85% Montepulciano
Med/deep pink
Short maceration or direct press
Med/Med+ body
Describe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC:
Min. 85% Montepulciano
Up to 15% Merlot/Primitivo
High tannins/anthocyanins - short extraction
98hL for generic
66hL/ha for 5 subzones - 18mo aging, 9mo oak
DOCG in Abruzzo?
Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG
Formerly a subzone, now DOCG
66hL/ha
2 years aging, 1 year wood
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo profile:
Deep ruby
Med intensity
Red cherry/plum
Med+ body
High tannins
