Common Confusions

Question 1

Famous Spanish & Portuguese soils
- granite vs. schist vs. slate

Answer 1

Granite
- Rias Baixas (sand over granite)
- Vinho Verde (weathered granite over granite)
- Dao (weathered granite)

Schist
- Douro (decomposed schist over schist bedrock)

Slate
- Bierzo
- Priorat (slate-based llicorella over slate bedrock)

Question 2

AVAs defined by their height above sea level

Answer 2

Fort Ross Seaview (Sonoma Coast)
- 280m

Rockpile (Northern Sonoma)
- 800ft

Question 3

Provence appellations vs. Muscadet cru communaux

Answer 3

Provence:
- Bellet
- Cassis (white)
- Palette

Muscadet cru communaux:
- Clisson
- Gorges
- Le Pallet

Question 4

Aging Times for Italian reds

• Barolo
• Barbaresco
• Brunello
• Chianti Classico
• Vino Nobile

Answer 4

Barolo
- 3yrs w/ 18mths in oak
- 5yrs w/ 18mths in oak (Riserva)

Barbaresco
- 2yrs w/ 9mths in oak
- 4yrs w/ 9mths in oak (Riserva)

Brunello
- 5yrs w/ 2yrs in oak
- 6yrs w/ 2yrs in oak (Riserva)

Vino Nobile
- 2yrs w/ 12-24mths in oak
- 3yrs w/ 12-24mths in oak (Riserva)

Chianti: released in March
Chianti Classico: 1yr of aging
Riserva (either): 2yrs of aging

Question 5

Wines made with carbonic vs. semi-carbonic maceration

Answer 5

Semi-carbonic
- Beaujolais
- Nemea
- Bobal

Carbonic
- Some inexpensive Rhone reds
- Carignan in Languedoc-Roussillon
- Toro
- Jaen in Dao

Either Method
- Poulsard
- Mencia
- Beaujolais Nouveau

Question 6

Hierarchy of GIs

• Chile
• Argentina
• Australia
• South Africa

Answer 6

Question 7

Labeling law
% of grapes that must conform if a GI, grape variety, or vintage are stated

• Chile
• Argentina
• Australia
• South Africa

Answer 7

Question 8

South African regions with granite and/or shale soils

Answer 8

Constantia
- granite over sandstone
- good drainage

Durbanville
- shale
- dry farming

Darling
- granite
- dry farming

Swartland
- granite and shale
- old vines can be dry-farmed

Stellenbosch
- granite and shale on hillsides
- sandy alluvial soils on valley floor

Question 9

Rias Baixas vs. Vinho Verde

Answer 9

Question 10

Soils in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine

Answer 10

Wide variety
- Clay, limestone, flint, sand, gravel
- More schist & limestone in Anjou
- More chalk in Touraine
- Lime-tolerant rootstocks

Savennieres
- Low-fertility schist

Saumur-Champigny
- Chalk, flint, clay

Vouvray
- Flint, clay, limestone over tuff (good drainage)
- Away from the river, more clay (cooler, inhibits ripening)

Chinon & Bourgueil
- Most structured from clay/limestone
- Lighter styles from sand/gravel