Central Italy & Sardinia

Question 1

What is the major grape(s) of Frascati Superiore DOCG?

Answer 1

Minimum 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio

Bianco only

Question 2

What are the DOCGs of Umbria (2)?

Main grape of both DOCG’s?

Answer 2

Montefalco Sagrantino (1992): 100% Sagrantino

Torgiano Rosso Riserva (1990): min. 70% Sangiovese

^{(tiny production less than 5HA)}

Question 3

What are the DOCGs of the Marche (5)

Answer 3

Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva (2009)

Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva (2009)

Vernaccia di Serrapetrona (2003)

Conero/Conero Riserva (2004)

Offida (2011)

Question 4

Orvieto DOC is shared between what two provinces?

What are the main grapes?

Answer 4

Umbria and Lazio

White Only: minimum 60% Grechetto and/or Trebbiano Toscano (Procanico)

^{(Bianco Only, largest DOC/DOCG of production in Umbria)}

Question 5

Name the two top producers of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo?

Answer 5

Emidio Pepe, Edoardo Valentini

Tiberio, Umani Ronchi (produce in Abruzzo & Marche)

Question 6

Where is the Est! Est!! Est!!! DOC and from what grapes is it produced?

Answer 6

DOC in Lazio

Trebbiano Toscano (Proconico) (50%-65%), Trebbiano Giallo (Rossetto)

Malvasia Bianco Lunga and/or Malvasia del Lazio

Question 7

What are the grape requirements for Cannellino di Frascati DOCG?

Style?

What region of Italy?

Answer 7

Minimum 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio

Late Harvest Bianco - min. 35 g/l RS

Lazio

Question 8

What style of wine is made in Vernaccia di Serrapetrona DOCG in the Marche and what are the grape requirements? Sweetness levels?

Answer 8

Sparkling red wines made from min. 85% Vernaccia Nera (Rosso) either Secco or Dolce from a minimum 40% dried grapes to reach at least 13% alcohol

Question 9

What is the sole DOCG of Sardegna?

Answer 9

Vermentino di Gallura DOCG

Question 10

What are the grape requirements for Offida DOCG for both rosso and bianco? Region?

Answer 10

Rosso: min. 85% Montepulciano

Bianco: min 85% of stated white, Peccorino or Passerina

Marche Region

Question 11

What is the grape and style of Cerasuolo in Abruzzo?

Answer 11

min. 85% Montepulciano

style is rosé

Question 12

What is the major DOC for Grenache in Sardegna?

Answer 12

Cannonau di Sardegna DOC

min. 85% Grenache

Question 13

What are the DOCGs of Lazio (3)

What is the sweet wine producing DOCG? Rosso only DOCG?

Answer 13

Cannellino di Frascati (2011)

^{(Late Harvest/Sweet: Minimum 70% combined Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio)}

^{(Minimum Residual Sugar: 35 g/l)}

Cesanese del Piglio (2008)

^{(Rosso Only: min. 90% Cesanese)}

Frascati Superiore (2011)

^{(Minimum 70% combined Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio)}

Question 14

What are the grape requirements for Conero/ Conero Reserve DOCG? Where is it located

Answer 14

Rosso only: Minimum 85% Montepulciano and max of 15% Sangiovese

Marche Region

Aged for a minimum of two years often in some percentage of new barrique

Question 15

What is the most important grape of the Marche province and what are the 2 DOCGs that produce wine from it?

Answer 15

Verdicchio

DOCG’s: Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva and Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva

Question 16

What white grape DOC is responsible for the majority of white wine produced in Abruzzo and what grapes dominate? red grape DOC, dominate grape?

Answer 16

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC

Min. 85% combined Trebbiano Abruzzese, Trebbiano Toscano, and/or Bombino Bianco.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC

min. 85% Montepulciano

^{Aging Rosso: Wines may be released March 1 on the year following harvest.<br></br>Rosso Riserva: aged for a min. 2 years from November 1 on the year of harvest, including min 9 months in wood.}

^{_{*subzones: Terre di Casauria/Casauria, Terre dei Vestini, Alto Tirino, Terre dei Peligni, Teate}}

^{_{(*require higher percentage of Montepulciano, Casauria is 100%)}}

Question 17

What are the DOCGs of Abruzzo (2)

^{(1 was added in 2019)}

Answer 17

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane 2003

^{Min. 90% Montepulciano, Max. 10% Sangiovese - rosso only}

^{Aging: Min. 2 years from November 1 of harvest year, min. 1 year oak or chestnut, min. 6 months in bottle<br></br>Riserva: Min. 3 years from November 1 of harvest year, min. 1 year oak or chestnut, min. 6 months in bottle}

Terre Tollesi / Tullum DOCG (2019, 21HA GSomm)

^{Bianco: min. 90% Pecorino or Passerina, Rosso: min. 95% Montepulciano, Spumante: min. 60% Chardonnay}

Question 18

What grape makes up most of Rosso di Montefalco DOC?

How does this differ from Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG?

Answer 18

Rosso di Montefalco DOC: min. 60%-70% Sangiovese, min. 10%-15% Sagrantino

^{(allows bianco from Grechetto & Trebbiano)}

Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG: 100% Sagrantino, no whites

Question 19

What DOC of Umbria abuts the southern portion of Chianti DOCG, also sharing a border with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG and Cortona DOC in Tuscany?

A. Rosso di Montefalco

B. Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC

C. Colli del Trasimeno/Trasimeno DOC

D. Umbria doesn’t border Tuscany

Answer 19

C. Colli del Trasimeno/Trasimeno DOC

^{one of the larger DOC producing areas of Umbria around lake Trasimeno, focus on local and international varietals}

^{_{min. 40% Trebbiano - min. 30%, combined or separate, Grechetto, Chardonnay, P. Bianco, P. Grigio}}

^{_{min. 40% Sangiovese min. 30%, combined or separate, Ciliegiolo, Gamay, Merlot, Cab Sauv}}

• ^{_{(Cortona DOC in Tuscany mandates min. 50% 60% Syrah)}}
• _{^{(Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC is in Lazio producing whites only from Trebbiano)}}

Question 20

What DOC within the Orvieto area focuses on International varieties grown on tuffeau soil?

A. Lago di Corbara

B. Rosso di Montefalco

C. Cesanese del Piglio

D. Nuragus di Cagliari

Answer 20

A. Lago di Corbara

^{minimum 70%, combined or separately, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Sangiovese}

^{minimum 60% Grechetto and Sauvignon Blanc - chardonnay grown also}

^{Umbria Region}

Question 21

True or False

Cònero Riserva DOCG produces only rosso wine in the Marche?

Answer 21

True

_{Minimum 85% Montepulciano, Maximum 15% Sangiovese}

_{Aging Requirements: Minimum 2 years from November 1 of the harvest year, many producers use new oak}

Question 22

What region would you find Lacrima grown? What’s the DOC?

Answer 22

Marche

Lacrima di Morro d’Alba / Lacrima di Morro DOC

min. 85% Lacrima (rosso)

Question 23

What DOC of the Marche produces the bulk of red wine production? What’s the main varietals?

Answer 23

Rosso Piceno DOC

35% - 85% Montepulciano, 15% - 50% Sangiovese

^{(varietal sangiovese must be min. 85%)}

Question 24

What DOC of the Marche mandates min. 85% Montepulciano?

A. Falerio DOC

B. Rosso Piceno

C. Rosso Conero

D. Serrapetrona DOC

E. Terre di Offida DOC

Answer 24

C. Rosso Conero

^{rosso only: minimum 85% Montepulciano}

• _{Rosso Piceno DOC: 35% - 85% Montepulciano - 15% - 50% Sangiovese - rosso only, varietal Sangiovese also}
• _{Serrapetrona DOC: min. 85% Vernaccia - rosso​ only}
• _{Terre di Offida DOC​: min. 85% Passerina - bianco only}
• _{Falerio DOC: Trebbiano, Pecorino, Passerina - bianco only with heavy Pecorino influence}

Question 25

Bianchello del Metauro DOC, Colli Maceratesi DOC, Colli Pesaresi DOC, Esino DOC, Falerio DOC are all found in what region in Italy?

What is the most known DOC for white in this region, it produces more volume than every DOC/DOCG in this region?

Answer 25

Marche Region

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC: min. 85% Verdicchio

• _{Bianchello del Metauro DOC: minimum 95% Bianchello (Biancame) - simple easy white flowers, fresh fruit - bianco only}
• _{Colli Maceratesi DOC​: min. 70% Maceratino (Ribona) - rosso: min. 50% Sangiovese + Cab Fanc, Cab Sauv, Lacrima, Montepulciano​​}
  
  • _{Maceratino is an ancient grape, basic simple whites}

Question 26

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC & Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC are used exclusively for rosso and bianco respectively. What is the all encompassing but little used DOC that covers both?

Answer 26

Abruzzo DOC (134 HA established 2010)

Abruzzo DOC allows bianco, rosso, spumante (rosé & bianco) but no rosato

^{Rosato only for Cerasuola d’Abruzzo DOC}

^{The only other DOC in all of Abruzzo authorized for rosé is Controguerra DOC on the far north Marche border}

Question 27

The Marino DOC & Frascati DOC just south of Rome along with the _______ DOC that encompasses both of the latter DOCs, is the other volumne producing DOC in Lazio along with Orvieto DOC.

A. Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC

B. Castelli Romani DOC

C. Cesanese di Olevano Romano DOC

D. Lazio DOC

Answer 27

B. Castelli Romani DOC

^{Bianco: Malvasia & Trebbiano Rosso: Cesanese, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero Buono, and/or Sangiovese}

• _{Colli Albani DOC, Colli Lanuvini DOC, Velletri DOC, Cori DOC​ ( Bianco, Rosso, Varietal (Bellone, Nero Buono) are all surrounded by Castelli Romani DOC also}
• _{There is a huge Roma DOC that does tiny production and covers a massive area north, east and south of Rome}
• _{Lazio DOC doesn’t exist}

Question 28

Affile DOC, Olevano Romano DOC and Piglio DOCG are clusted together to the southeast of Rome, what grape must be a min. of 85% of these rosso only wines?

Answer 28

Cesanese

^{The regions are preceded by Cesanese typically listed on bottles}

^{Affile, Piglio (Min. 90% Cesanese) & Olevano Romano (min. 85%)}

Question 29

The varietals Bovale Sardo, Bovale Grande, Monica, Nuragus, Torbato, Semidano, Girò and Nasco are found where in Italy? Which of the grapes are red, which are white?

Answer 29

Sardinia

Red: Bovale Sardo (Graciano), Bovale Grande (Mazuelo/Carignan), Monica, Girò

White: Semidano, Nasco, Nuragus, Torbato (Tourbat or Malvoisie du Roussillon in France)

_{*These Grapes play a dominate role at the DOC level but with smaller or tiny production}

^{Nasco di Cagliari DOC, Nuragus di Cagliari DOC, Sardegna Semidano DOC, Monica di Sardegna DOC/ Cagliari DOC (Monica),}

^{Girò di Cagliari DOC, Alghero DOC (Torbato), Campidano di Terralba (both Bovale),}

Question 30

The wines of the Oristano DOC of Sardinia are made with what grape?

A. Vermentino

B. Malvasia

C. Vernaccia

D. Nuragus

Answer 30

C. Vernaccia

The wines are made in a sherry like style, Sardinia’s first DOC in 1971

^{Malvasia di Bosa DOC produces a small of wine similiar in style to Vernaccia but with basic dry too}

^{_{(Guild Somm, Wine Atlas, Italian Wine Central have conflicted information on specific styles)}}

Question 31

Carignano di Sulcis is found where in Italy?

A. Campania

B. Sardinia

C. Lazio

D. Marche

Answer 31

B. Sardinia

^{The DOC is in the southwest of Sardinia with very old and ungrafted Carignan (Bovale Grande) vines.}

^{Agripunica is a joint venture beteewn the Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Group & the Sardinian winery Cantina di Santadi}

^{(legendary Tuscan consulting oenologist Giacomo Tachis headed it up)}

^{**They use the Isola dei Nuraghi IGT in Sulcis not the DOC for the wines but Santadi produces DOC level wine on it’s own}

Question 32

What are the 5 DOC’s that cover the entire Island of Sardegna?

Answer 32

Cannonau di Sardegna, Monica di Sardegna, Moscato di Sardegna

Vermentino di Sardegna, Sardegna Semidano

^{(Cannonau di Sardegna & Vermentino di Sardegna make up most of the productiuon of wine on the island)}

^{Sardegna Semidano produces white only (still, spumante, passito from min. 85% Semidano)}

^{Semidano wines are medium-bodied, with rich soft flavors. Hints of tropical fruit are sometimes noted, but Semidano is better known for its green herb and maritime (especially seaweed) characteristics}