Chapter 1- Introduction To Italy And Italian Wine Flashcards
EU and traditional Italian Quality Terms
EU:
Good: Vino
Better: indication geografica protetta (IGP)
Best: denominazione d’origine protetta (DOP)
Traditional Italian Quality Terms:
Good: Vino da Travola (VdT)
Better: indicazione geografica tipica (IGT)
Best: denominazione d’origine controllata (DOC)
BestII: denominazione d’origine controllata e garantita (DOCG)
Italy’s annual wine production (liters and cases) & Rank in Acreage
4.7 billion liters, ~524 million cases
3rd in acreage planted with wine grapes (after Spain and France)
% of global wine produced in Italy
Over 1/6
Rank in exported wines (volume and revenue) and countries where Italian wine is the most imported
Largest exporter in volume (second to Spain if include bulk wine)
Second largest in revenue (after France)
Largest source of imports to US (30% of imported wine), UK, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden
of varieties that make up 75% of total acreage (compared to Spain/France) and total varieties on official registry of grape varieties
80 make up 75% (France and Spain under 12 make up 75%)
More than 590 on official registry, more recognized all the time
4 basins of Mediterranean Sea that surround Italy
Ligurian Sea (northwest side, north of Sardinia/Corsica) Tyrrhenian Sea (west of Italy) Adriatic Sea (east of Italy) Ionian Sea (southeast of Italy)
4 countries bordering Italy
France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia
Two major mountain ranges and longest river including locations
Alps (northern border- in Liguria, Valle d’Aosta, Piemonte, Lombardy, veneto, trentino alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia) Apennines (arc from Liguria to toe in Calabria of Italy down center of country) Po River (north of Italy below alps, creates only large flat plains in north)0
Italy’s climatic zones
Alpine zone: cool short summers; long winters with frequent snow
Po Valley: hot, humid summers; cold foggy winters
Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Coast: Hot summers and mild winters
Apennines: cool summer, cold rainy winter
Adriatic Coast: hot summers, chilly winters
Mediterranean Zone: hot, dry summers; very mild winters
Year EU approved PDOs established for wines (compared to other agricultural items)
2008 (other items established 1992)
How long ago did wine exist in Italy (and where)?
How long ago did vitus vinifera exist in Italy (where)?
Wine existed at least 6,000 years ago in Sicily
Vitus vinifera existed more than 3000 years ago in Sardinia
Earliest known winemakers in Italy
Etruscans (lived in Central Italy)
Who started wine tradition separate from Etruscans in southern Italy?
Greeks
How did Roman Empire impact wine history?
Absorbed wine technologies and wine ideas from those they conquered, from 200 bc to 200ad romans planted grapevines everywhere they expanded (Western Europe, North Africa and near east), established basis for today’s global wine industry
Why did viticulture continue after fall of Roman Empire once economic conditions declined in Europe?
- Water quality bad in medieval Europe whereas alcohol was inherently more hygienic
- Church required wine for sacrament, especially Italy important in Italy as the home of popes
What caused the vast array of wine regions, styles, and varieties that exist today in Italy?
Fragmented by political boundaries, cultural rivalries, mountainous terrain
When did Italy unify?
19th century, early 20th century
1861 reunited as a kingdom, in 1946 Italy became a republic
In 1957 became founding member of European economic community
European Union created in 1993
What is the purpose of a PDO?
- tie specific agricultural product to the place where it was created/developed over time
- prevent producers in other places from taking advantage of and damaging tradition product’s reputation
- ensure items for sale are typical of product/meet customer expectations
How do PGI requirements differ from those of PDOs?
- geographical area generally larger than PDOs
- more grape varieties generally allowed to be used
- viticulture and winemaking requirements less stringent
What are requirements to qualify as PDO?
-where grape is grown
-how vineyard was planted and managed
-when grapes were picked
-what types of grapes go into making wine and in what proportions
-methods used in wine making
Flavor, aroma, color, sweetness, finish
-alcohol content/other chemical components
-length of aging & whether barrels required
-labeling and packaging
What are typical labeling requirements?
- producer name
- place of origin and quality level
- vintage date
- alcohol content
- bottle volume
- sulfite warning
What is a fascetta?
Band seen on most DOP-level Italian wines, affixed around neck, show that necessary taxes have been paid and that winery is not producing more bottles than approved
- required on DOCG wines but can be replaced with traceable serial number elsewhere on bottle
- DOCG gold, DOC blue but optional at DOC level
What % is needed for wine to be labeled varietal?
85% need to be varietal grapes, blending grapes must be on list of approved options and come from within borders if same denomination
What are some style descriptions?
Bianco- white wine
Rosso- red wine
Rosato-rose wine
Spumante- sparkling wines
Frizzante- slightly fizzy
Dolce- sweet wines
Classico- grapes came from most historic and respected part of denomination
Superiore- wine with higher minimum alcohol (.5-1% more than standard), wine made from rupee grapes
Vigna- all grapes came from one vineyard
Riserva- longer aging, at least 2 years for red wines, white at least one year with some time in wood
