Chapter 27 - Northern Italy Flashcards
What is the climate of Northern Italy?
Overall the area has a moderate climate with dry, short summers.
What is the name of a complex trellising system that was common in Northern Italy?
Pergola
What is Italy’s most northerly wine region?
Alto Adige
What is the most notable white wine of Alto Adige? What are additional other important white grapes?
Pinot Grigio
Also, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc
What is the notable red wine of Alto Adige?
The Italian variety Schiava
Why are vineyards in Trentino slightly warmer than in Alto Adige?
It is due to Trentino’s more southerly latitude, and the mountains to the west side of the valley that protect the region from the cooling influences of Lake Garda.
What are the main varieties of Trentino?
Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio
Merlot and Teroldego
What is the climate of Friuli-Venezia Giulia?
Moderate and continental, cooled by cold air from the mountains. Vineyards in the south are based on the flat plain near the Adriatic Sea and experience warm maritime climate.
What are the most prevalent varieties of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia?
Pinot Grigio and Merlot
What are the three principal DOC’s of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia?
Friuli Grave DOC (from the plains)
Collio DOC and Colli Orientali DOC (from the hills)
What are two of the best known wines of Veneto?
Soave and Valpolicella
What is the climate of Veneto?
Warm with moderate rain fall
What are the common grape varieties of the flat fertile plains of Veneto?
Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot, Corvina, Garganega and Trebbiano
How are high volume wines from Veneto labelled?
Veneto IGT
What is a sparling wine DOC found partly in Veneto?
Prosecco
What is the main grape variety of Soave?
Garganega
How are wines made using grapes from the foothills of Soave labeled?
Soave Classico DOC
What is the main grape of Valpolicella?
Corvina
What are some characteristics of the Corvina grape?
Thin skin, moderate color, low to medium tannins and high acidity.
What is the Passito method?
Widely used in Veneto to increase structure and flavor concentration. Grapes are picked early when still high in acidity and dried indoors, concentrating the sugars and flavors. Fermentation does not get underway until the winter months.
What are the two types of Passito wines from Valpolicella?
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG (dry or off-dry)
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG (sweet)
What is the Ripasso method?
This method uses grape skins from fermenting Amarone. The skins are unpressed and added to a vat of Valpolicella that has finished fermentation. They are labelled as Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
What is the climate of Piemonte?
Moderate and continental with long, cold winters and summers that can be subject to thunderstorms, hail and fog.
What are the main grapes of Piemonte?
Black grapes of Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto
White grapes Cortese and Moscato
What are the two most prestigious appellations of Piemonte?
Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG
What grapes must be used for Barolo DOCG?
100% Nebbiolo
How must Barolo DOCG be aged?
It must be aged for three years before release, of which 18 months must be in oak.
How must Barbaresco DOCG be aged?
It must be aged for two years before release, with nine months in oak.
What is the main grape of Asti and Alba?
The black Barbera grape is used to produce Barbera d’Alba DOC and Barbera d’Asti DOCG
What is another commonly used grape of Asti and Alba?
Dolcetto
What grapes are used to make sparkling wines in Asti?
Moscato
What is the main grape of the Gavi region of Northern Italy?
Cortese
