D3 - Marche, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo

Question 1

Marche mainly makes red wines from these grapes and white wines from this grape.

Answer 1

• Red – Montepulciano, Sangiovese;
• White – Verdicchio.

Question 2

Marche’s climate goes from Mediterranean near the coast to _____ inland.

Answer 2

Continental

Question 3

Soils in the Marche are principally _____ and _____.

Answer 3

Limestone and clay

Question 4

Why is Verdicchio planted at low densities?

Answer 4

Its first four buds are sterile so it needs space to grow.

Question 5

Verdicchio needs a long growing season and it retains naturally ____ acidity.

Answer 5

High

Question 6

Does Verdicchio usually go through malo or not?

Answer 6

Not – to preserve crisp acidity.

Though some producers of Riservas will do partial malo to add creaminess.

Question 7

What are the 2 main appellations in Marche for Verdicchio?

Answer 7

1. Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC;
2. Verdicchio di Matelica DOC.

Question 8

Select the correct answer.

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC

1. Is it larger or smaller than Matelica DOC?
2. Is it in the lower part or the hilly part?
3. What are its soils?

Answer 8

1. Larger;
2. Lower part;
3. Clay and limestone.

Question 9

Select the correct answer.

Verdicchio di Matelica DOC

1. Is it in the lower part or the hillier part?
2. What are its soils?
3. Why does it have a longer growing season, and what does that do for the grapes?

Answer 9

1. Hillier part;
2. Sandstone and fossils (less clay than Jesi);
3. Elevation + protection from sea influence = cooler nights, hence higher acidity than Jesi (they also tend to be less overtly fruity and fuller bodied generally).

Question 10

What is the grape in Offida Pecorino DOCG? Describe its tasting profile.

Answer 10

Pecorino

• High alcohol;
• High acidity;
• Medium body;
• Herbal + orchard fruit.

Question 11

What are the 5 appellations for Montepulciano in the Marche?

Answer 11

1. Rosso Piceno DOC;
2. Rosso Piceno Superiore DOC;
3. Offida Rosso DOCG;
4. Rosso Conero DOC;
5. Conero Riserva DOCG.

Question 12

What are the two main appellations in Umbria, and what are their grapes?

Answer 12

1. Orvieto DOC (minimum 60% Trebbiano Toscano and/or Grechetto and must be grown at 100–550m);
2. Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG (100% Sagrantino).

Question 13

What styles of wine are allowed under the Orvieto DOC?

Answer 13

Dry, off-dry and sweet wines

• Late harvest wines called vendemmia tardiva;
• Wines made from grapes affected by noble rot (muffa nobile).

Question 14

What are the differences in aging and grape minimums for Rosso di Montefalco DOC and Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG?

Answer 14

• Rosso di Montefalco: 60-70% Sangiovese, 10-15% Sagrantino, aged 18 mos;
• Montefalco Sagrantino: 100% Sagrantino, aged 37 mos (with 1 year in wood).

Question 15

What helps moderate Lazio’s warm Mediterranean climate?

Answer 15

• Elevation in low hills (up to 300m);
• Cooling sea winds.

Question 16

What are some of the climate hazards in Lazio?

Answer 16

1. Occasional spring frost;
2. Hail;
3. Excessive summer heat;
4. Rain at harvest.

Question 17

What are the grape varieties in Lazio?

Answer 17

1. Malvasia Bianca di Candia (oxidizes easily);
2. Malvasia del Lazio (aromatic);
3. Trebbiano di Toscano;
4. Cesanese (doesn’t always ripen fully, so quality low).

Question 18

Frascati DOC must be a minimum ___% of one or both of these two grapes.

Answer 18

• 70%;
• Malvasia Bianca di Candia and Malvasia del Lazio.

Question 19

What are the 3 main wines of Abruzzo?

(hint: one is a white, one is a rosé, and one is a red)

Answer 19

1. Trebbiano d’Abruzzo (unoaked);
2. Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, made from Montepulciano;
3. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.

Question 20

How can Abruzzo’s growing regions be divided?

Answer 20

1. Hillside vineyards (foothills of the Apennines);
2. Flatter, coastal zone (more fertile, better for high volume wines).

Question 21

What are the climates of the hilly, inland area and the flatter coastal zone of Abruzzo?

Answer 21

• Hilly – warm continental
• Flatter coastal – warm Mediterranean

Question 22

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC

1. What are the max yields?
2. How is it typically made?
3. Does it see malo or is malo blocked?

Answer 22

1. 98 hl/ha;
2. Cool fermentation temp with ambient or cultured yeasts in SS;
3. No malo to retain acidity.

Question 23

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC

1. Must be minimum ___% Montepulciano.
2. Can be made using these two techniques.

Answer 23

1. 85%;
2. Direct press or short maceration (12 hours).

Question 24

What are the three levels of Montepulciano red wines made in Abruzzo?

Answer 24

1. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC;
2. One of the 5 official subzones + DOC;
3. Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG.

Question 25

What is the maximum yield and aging requirement for Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC?

Answer 25

• 98 hl/ha – must be grown on hilly sites;
• No aging requirement – usually light to medium concentration.

Question 26

What is the maximum yield and aging requirement for the 5 subzones of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC?

Answer 26

• 66 hl/ha;
• 18 mos of aging, 9 of which must be in oak.

Question 27

What is the maximum yield and aging requirement for Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG?

Answer 27

• 66 hl/ha;
• 2 years, 1 of which must be in oak.

Question 28

Why are the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC wines sometimes seen as lower quality?

Answer 28

• The DOC wines don’t have to be bottled in the region of origin;
• High yields which can lead to lower concentration.

Question 29

What is the maximum yield for Rosso di Montefalco DOC?

What is the maximum yield for Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG?

Answer 29

• Rosso di Montefalco yield: 77hL/ha
• Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG yield: 52 hL/ha

Question 30

What are some techniques being used by producers of Montefalco Sagrantino to soften Sagrantino’s harsh tannins?

Answer 30

1. Reducing maceration to 2-3 weeks;
2. Aging in new French barrique (e.g. Caprai);
3. Aging in traditional large casks followed by extended bottle aging.