Emilia-Romagna Flashcards
Emilia-Romagna is a cultural nexus, thanks to the beautiful Romanesque and Renaissance architecture found in which cities?
-Bologna
-Ferrara
-Modena
Name the beach resorts in Emilia-Romagna that are famous among the sun-worshipping crowd.
-The Rimini
-The Riccione
Beach resorts of the Adriatic.
Emilia-Romagna is the epicenter for Italian automotive inspiration, engineeing and design. Which car-makers call Emilia-Romagna home?
-Ferrari
-Lamborghini
-Maserati
-Ducati
How much area does Emilia-Romagna have under vine and how much wine is produced?
There are more than 123,000ac/50,000ha under vine, representing 8% of Italy’s total vineyard area.
An average of 6 million hectoliters of wine is made here every year, which equates to 10% of Italy’s total wine production.
How has Emilia-Romagna solidified it’s image as a producer of easy-drinking, uncomplicated and affordable wines?
Through the combination of large cooperatives, fertile land and high yields.
What was Emilia-Romagna claim to fame in the 1970s and 1980s?
Lambrusco, an undistinguished, sweet and slightly effervescent red that was specifically crafted to suit sugar-loving export markets.
What was sent abroad was nothing like what was drunk in Italy.
Why was the international popularity of sweet Lambrusco a double-edged sword?
It brought wealth and prosperity yet also cemented Emilia-Romagna’s image as a mass-producer of uninspiring wines.
How has Emilia-Romagna’s wine reputation changed since the end of the 20th century?
An increasing number of small, quality-minded estates have emerged, particularly in the Labrusco district and in the hills of Piacenza, Bologna and Romagna.
Winemakers are working to produce expressive wines that showcase the region’s diverse terroirs and native grapes.
As a result, Emilia-Romagna’s reputation for quality wine is not only growing, but has actually developed a strong following…especially among Italians.
Why is Emilia-Romagna considered to have one of the best food cultures in the country?
It is the land of:
-Parmigiano Reggiano
-Prosciutto di Parma
-Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena
-unique pastas like tortellini
The local gastronomy is rich and based on cheese, cream, butter, and cured meats. The pasta sauces are meat-based.
Emilia-Romagna’s wine renaissance has been a welcome addition to a local table that is already richly bedecked.
Who were the native peoples of Emilia-Romagna?
The Celts.
What was the state of viticulture in Emilia-Romagna when the Romans invaded and conquered the region in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC?
The locals were already successfully growing grapes and making wine thanks to the tutelage of the Etruscans, who had already introduced and taught viticulture to all the north and central Italian tribes.
How was viticulture in Emilia-Romagna influenced by Roman rule?
Viticulture expanded and the region became one of th major centers of wine production for the Italian peninsula.
What wines from Emilia-Romagna did Pliny the Elder mention in the 1st century BC?
The fizzy wines produced in the hills around modern-day Bologna as well as the fizzy red wines from the Lambrushe (Lambrusco) grape grown on the plain around the area of modern-day Modena.
Who was Mario Emilio Lepido and what is his historical significance to Emilia-Romagna?
He was a Roman consul who built the Via Emilia, a road that connected the city of Piacenza in the west to Rimini on the Adriatic coast in the east.
This thoroughfare became a major trade route between northern and central Italy and ended up becoming the name of the region itself.
What happened to Emilia-Romagna at the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century?
The region was divided into two parts: Emilia and Romagna. Both followed different destinies and were only reunited in modern times.
After the fall of Rome, which people annexed Emilia?
Emilia was annexed by the Lombard tribe.
During the Middle Ages under Lombard rule, Emilia was divided into several duchies, and later under the Holy Roman Empire, many of the major city centers became city-states. These duchies and city-states remained largely independent.
Among the most influential were Parma, Piacenza, Modena, Reggio Emilia and Bologna, with Bologna as the most prominent and powerful of all.
What is the name of the oldest university in the western world and where was it founded?
Alma Mater Studiorum was founded in Bologna in 1088AD. Today it is called Universita di Bologna. The school was instrumental in leading education and research in the western world.
The foundation of the University marked the birth of education that was independent from any political authority and free from any direct ecclesiastical influence.
The territory that corresponds to Romagna was annexed by what people after the fall of Rome?
The Byzantines (the Eastern Roman Empire) who name the region Romania (over time changing into Romagna), in reference to the fact that the territory was the last in northern Italy to be under Roman rule.
How did the Byzantines rule over Romagna come to an end?
Romagna was annexed by the Lombards in the 8th century AD.
How did the Lombards rule over Romagna come to an end?
The Pope began to worry about the Lombard Kingdom and its hegemony because the Papal States lay on the border of this expanding super power. The Holy See requested the assistance of Pippin the Short, King of the Franks. In a pre-emptive strike, Pippin’s army invaded and defeated the Lombards, putting a stop to their territorial expansion.
Romagna was assigned to papal jurisdiction and remained part of the Papal States until the invasion of Napoleon at the end of the 18th century.
What effect did Napoleon’s arrival have on Emilia and Romagna?
It ended centuries of independence for the duchies and city-states of Emiliat and ended papal rule of Romagna.
After the defeat of Napoleon and the subsequent Congress of Vienna in 1815, Romagna was returned to the church and the different duchies and city-states of Emilia re-established their autonomy.
When were the territories of Emilia and Romagna included in the Kingdom of Sardegna?
In 1860, following the plebiscites (public vote) that took place in Emilia and Romagna.
One year later, the Kingdom of Italy was created. The two regions remained separate entities.
How did Emilia and Romagna fair during the 18th and 19 centuries?
Viticulture in both territories went through a long period of decline. Neglect, loss of interest in grape growing, and a dwindling workforce was compounded by the arrival of phylloxera at the end of the 19th century.
How were Emilia and Romagna able to experience a viticultural renaissance?
The recently created nation of Italy enacted a series of policies devoted to the promotion and development of agriculture and viticulture.
Cooperatives were established and joined thousands of small growers under one economic umbrella. These large wineries became the driving force within the wine industries of Emilia and Romagna during the 20th century.
When were Emilia and Romagna administratively joined together into the single region of Emilia-Romagna?
1947
Where is Emilia-Romagna located?
Emilia-Romagna is the southernmost region of northern Italy and links the north to the central part of the Italian Peninsula. Natural topography delimits and shapes the region into a triangle.
The Po River marks the northern border with Lombardia and Veneto.
The south is hemmed by the Northern Apennines, Toscana, the Republic of San Marino and Marche.
To the east, lies the Adriatic Sea.
The western border abuts Liguria and a small portion of Piemonte.
The administrative region of Emilia-Romagna is composed of two distinct territories. Where is each territory located?
Emilia occupies the western and central portion of Emilia-Romagna. It has historically been considered a part of northern Italy.
Romagna comprises the southeastern section. They feel kinship to central Italy.
How do the people of Emilia-Romagna identify themselve?
Either:
-Emiliani (from Emilia)
-Romagnoli (from Romagna)
Never both.
How do the people of Emilia differ from those of Romagna?
In local dialect, accent, traditions, foods, wines and culture.
Which of the two territories is the largest?
Emilia
Name the provinces found in Emilia.
1) Piacenza
2) Parma
3) Reggio Emilia
4) Modena
5) Ferrara
6) most of Bologna
Note: Bologna is considered a part of Emilia, but is also the administrative capital of the whole (Emilia-Romagna) and represents a dividing point between the two territories.
Name the provinces found in Romagna.
1) Ravenna
2) Forli-Cesena
3) Rimini
What is the topographical layout of Emilia-Romagna?
The region consists of plains, hills and mountains (Northern Apennines) which lie parallel to each other and stretch from the northwest to the southeast in three swaths or bands.
What is the percentage of Emilia-Romagna are mountains, plains and hills?
-48% plains
-27% hills
-25% mountains
Where in Emilia-Romagna can the plains be found?
Nearly half of the region (48%) is occupied by the flat plain of the Po River Valley. This plain widens toward the east, reaching its broadest expanse at the river’s delta as it empties into the Adriatic Sea.
How was the plain in Emilia-Romagna formed?
By an ancient sea that once occupied the Po Basin.
What are the soil types found in the plains of Emilia-Romagna?
Ancient marine sediments as well as alluvial deposits made by the numerous rivers that descend from the Northern Apennines and empty into the Po or the Adriatic Sea.
Name the most important rivers of Emilia-Romagna.
From east to west:
1) Panaro (Modena)
2) Secchia (Modena)
3) Taro (Parma)
4) Trebbia (Piacenza)
How much of Emilia-Romagna’s total area under vine are planted along the plain?
Two-thirds.
The vineyards on this fertile plain accounts for the bulk of Emilia-Romagna’s production.
What is the Via Emila?
It is a road separating the plains of Emilia-Romagna from a central band of hills situated at the foothills of the Northern Apennines.
Which topographical area in Emilia-Romagna produces some of the region’s most distinctive wines?
The foothills of the Northern Apennines.
This area accounts for 27% of the total area and extends diagonally from the region’s northwestern corner to its southeastern corner.
How much of Emilia-Romagna’s area is mountainous?
One quarter (25%).
The Northern Apennines cut across the southern part of Emilia-Romagna parallel to the central band of vineyard-covered hills.
These peaks rarely reach more than 6,500ft/2,000m in elevation.
No vines are grown in the mountainous area.
What is the terrain like throughout Romagna’s coastline?
Romagna’s coastline is uniformly sandy in the central and southern locations, but the north is studded with lagoons and lowlands up to the Po Delta.
What is the overall climate of Emilia-Romagna?
It ranges from Mediterranean to semi-continental to continental with alpine influences.
How much impact does the Adriatic have on the region of Emilia-Romagna?
As the length of the coastline is small compared to the girth of the inland territory, they Adriatic has limited impact beyond the coast itself.
How does the Po River influence the climate in Emilia-Romagna?
The Po, together with its many tributaries, moderates and tempers the climate of Emilia-Romagna as a whole.
The rivers increase humidity, increasing the risk of mold and rot.
Note: A large part of Emilia-Romagna’s vineyards lie within the Po River Valley and are subject to the grape-growing challenge of mold/rot.
What is the climate of Emilia-Romagna’s plains?
They tend to be continental with hot, humid summers and long, cold winters.
The plains are the driest part of the region with 20-30in /600-800mm of annual rainfall. Most precipitation falls in autumn and spring.
Fog is quite common in autumn and winter.
What is the climate of the band of hills in Emilia-Romagna?
Semi-continental.
This area receives more rainfall than the plains and is cooler in the summer, yet less cold in the winter.
Along its southern edge, where the hills border the Northern Apennines, the climate is continental with alpine influences.
What is the climate of Emilia-Romagna along the coast?
Mediterranean.
Sea breezes buffer temperatures year-round making winters milder and summers less hot than in the central plains.
What are the soil types found in the plains of Emilia-Romagna?
The alluvial plains are deep and fertile composites of clay, silt and sand.
High yields are easy to achieve if not restricted by growers.
What are the soil types found in the hillsides of Emilia-Romagna?
Shallow soils comprised of a mixture of clay, sandstone and marl.
Yields are naturally curtailed because the soils are so poor. These more challenging soils are more suitable for quality viticulture.
How many red grape varieties are grown in Emilia-Romagna compared to white varieties?
As a whole, they grow just slightly more red varieties than white.
What are the 2 most widespread grapes in Emilia-Romagna?
1) Sangiovese
2) Trebbiano Romagnolo (white)
Together they constitute more than 40% of Emilia-Romagna’s total area under vine.
Note: However, both Emilia and Romagna grow grapes exclusive to their own territories, and both have historically focused on very different varieties.
The principal grapes of Emilia belong to which red grape family?
Lambrusco
These dominate the vineyards around Reggio Emilia and Modena.
What is the Ancellotta varietal used for in Emilia?
It is a widely planted, red grape, particularly in Reggio Emilia that is used as a minor blending component in a few DOCs for the purpose of adding colour.
It is largely used for the production of concentrated grape must.
Which varietals are largely planted in the hills of Piacenza in western Emilia?
1) Barbera
2) Croatina (locally called Bonarda)
3) Malvasia di Candia Aromatica (white)
4) Ortrugo (white)
Which varietal is considered the traditional white grape of Bologna and its environs?
Pignoletto (white)
Which 2 varietals dominate the vineyards of Romagna?
1) Trebbiano Romagnolo
2) Sangiovese
What style of wines are produced in Romagna using Sangiovese and Trebbiano Romagnolo?
Both are used to produce simple and uncomplicated wines.
Although, quality-minded producers do craft more substantial Sangiovese bottlings very similar in style to those from Toscana.
Which varietal is the most important and traditional white grape in Romagna?
The native Albana. It is responsible for some of Romagna’s best dry whites and passitos.
Name some less widely planted grape varieties that are of significant local importance in Romagna.
1) Fortana
2) Terrano
3) Malbo Gentile
(all red)
Name the International varietals found in Emilia-Romagna.
1) Merlot
2) Cabernet Sauvignon
3) Pinot Nero
4) Chardonnay
5) Pinot Grigio
6) Sauvignon Blanc
These account for a small proportion of the area under vine. They are particularly important on the hills of Piacenza and Bologna where they perform well.
Name the native and traditional red varieties of Emilia-Romagna.
1) Lambrusco Family
2) Sangiovese
Others:
3) Ancellotta
4) Barbera
5) Bonarda (Croatina)
6) Fortana
7) Malbo Gentile
8) Terrano
9) Barbarossa
How old are the Lambrusco family of grapes?
They represent one of the most ancient families of native grapes in Italy. It is so ancient, that a specific area of origin has not been determined.
Historically, they were believed to descend from domesticated wild vines. All the Lambrusco grapes are related to each other but are considered distinct varieties.
How are the varieties in the Lambrusco similar or different?
In general, the wines produced from these grapes share common features, such as high acidity, moderate alcohol and red fruit-floral aromas.
However, each variety does express a distinct character, despite such similarities.
Name the 3 most important varieties from the Lambrusco family.
1) Lambrusco di Sorbara
2) Lambrusco Salamino
3) Lambrusco Grasparossa
Which is the most well-known variety from the Lambrusco family?
Lambrusco di Sorbara
Where has Lambrusco di Sorbara been traditionally grown?
Around the hamlet of Sorbara in the province of Modena.
What style of Lambrusco is produced from Lambrusco di Sorbara grapes?
It produces the lightest (in terms of colour, body, alcohol & structure) version of Lambrusco, which is considered to be the benchmark style.
How is the Lambrusco di Sorbara grapevine peculiar?
It needs another Lambrusco variety in the vineyard to serve as a pollinator.
Lambrusco Salamino is commonly interplanted with Lambrusco di Sorbara to play this role.
Which is the most widely planted of the Lambrusco varieties?
Lambrusco Salamino
Where has Lambrusco Salamino traditionally been cultivated?
Around the hamlet of Santa Croce in the province of Modena.
What does the Lambrusco Salamino name reference?
The shape of the grape clusters, which look like small salami.
What style of Lambrusco is produced from Lambrusco Salamino?
It is often described as crafting the most balanced Lambrusco wine. Stylistically falling between Lambrusco di Sorbara and Lambrusco Grasparossa.
Which is the second-most widely planted varieties of Lambrusco?
Lambrusco Grasparossa
What style of Lambrusco is produced from Lambrusco Grasparossa?
Fleshier, fuller-bodied and more tannic Lambrusco wines.
Where are the varieties of the Lambrusco family typically planted?
Lambrusco Salamino and Lambrusco di Sorbara are primarily planted on the plains around Reggio Emilia and Modena.
Lambrusco Grasparossa is mainly grown on the hills around the village of Castelvetro to the south of Modena. This is considered its traditional home.
Name the other 2 significant, but less widely planted Lambrusco varieties.
1) Lambrusco Marani
2) Lambrusco Maestri
Recent DNA studies have proven that Sangiovese is a natural cross between which 2 varieties?
1) Ciliegiolo
2) Calabrese Montenuovo (an obscure southern Italian grape that is almost extinct)
DNA research has also shown that Sangiovese has kinship with several other southern Italian grapes, suggesting that the grape originated in the south of Italy - not Toscana as was previously thought.
Where did some of the highest-quality of Sangiovese clones currently planted in Toscana actually originate from?
Romagna; where the grapes is considered as traditional.
How significant is the Sangiovese grape variety?
Sangiovese is the most widely planted grape in Italy overall.
Emilia-Romagna is one of Italy’s primary regions for the variety.
What is the name Sangiovese derived from?
According to the legend, it is derived from the Latin, sanguis Jovi (Jupiter’s blood).
The name was supposedly chosen by local monks in reference to the wines produced around Monte Giove (Mount Giove) near Rimini in Romagna.
Name the native and traditional white varieties of Emilia-Romagna.
1) Albana
2) Grechetto (Pignoletto)
3) Ortrugo
4) Malvasia di Candi Aromatica
5) Trebbiano Romagnolo
Others:
6) Bombino Bianco (locally called Pagadebit)
7) Spergola
8) Montu (or Montuni)
9) Santa Maria
10 Melara
What are the 2 theories as to how Albana came by its name?
1) Legend says that it was discovered in the Colli Albani (Alban Hills) and taken to Romagna by the Romans, hence its name.
2) Another theory links the grape to the word alba (dawn) in reference to the bright colour of the clusters.
How long has Albana been grown in Romagna?
Albana is an ancient variety that has been grown in Romagna since at least the Middle Ages.
What must be done to allow Albana to shine its best?
Plantings on better sites with calcareous clay soils. And its yields must be restricted.
What are the characteristics of wines produced from Albana?
The wines have subtle aromas of aromatic herbs (sage), citrus, green fruit and flowers. It is full-bodied and shows a surprising tannic component that enhances the overall texture of the wine.
What style of wine is Albana particularly suited for?
Sweet wine production
Because of its ability to handle botrytis. Its character is enriched by nobel rot.
Some of the best examples are rich passitos.
Where in Emilia-Romagna is Grechetto historically been grown?
Grechetto (also known as Grechetto Gentile) is a traditional variety historically grown on the hills behind Bologna.
The grape was previously known as Pignoletto.
Which varietal has the Grechetto grape been proven through DNA profiling to be identical to?
Grechetto di Todi, a traditional grape of Umbria.
What are the characteristics of wines produced from Grechetto?
They are typically light-bodied, expressing aromas of white flowers, citrus and apple.
The substantial tannin content of its skins adds an appealing textural component to the wines.
Additionally, its high acidity makes it suitable for sparkling and late-harvest wine production.
Where is Ortrugo native to?
The hills of Piacenza. It has grown in this area for centuries, but it was not mentioned in historic documents until the 19th century.
What does the name Ortrugo mean?
The name is derived from dialect - Altruga means “the other grape.”
Historically, Ortrugo was considered less important than other more popular varieties.
In the 20th century, it was used only as a minor blending component and was facing extinction.
When and how was the Ortrugo grape variety revived?
In the 1970s it attracted attention when it was bottle as a single-varietal.
Today, it is one of the most widely planted white grapes in the hills of Piacenza.
What are the characteristics of wines produced from Ortrugo?
The wines are typically crisp and mineral with aromas of citrus, green fruit and stone fruit.
What styles of wine are often produced from the Ortrugo grape?
Semi-sparkling or effervescent styles generally via the tank method and labeled as frizzante or vivace.
Where is the Malvasia di Candia Aromatica grape grown in Emilia-Romagna?
It is widely grown throughout Emilia and has many champions in the hills of Piacenza and Parma.
What are the characteristics of wines made from the Malvasia di Candia Aromatica grape?
The wines are fresh and floral but have weight.
As the name suggests, it is an aromatic variety.
What styles of wine are produced from Malvasia di Candia Aromatica ?
It is a high-quality, versatile grape that can be successfully crafted into:
-still
-sparkling
-passito
Note: Malvasia di Candia Aromatica passitos are considered some of Italy’s best sweet wines.
How are single-varietal wines made from Malvasia di Candia Aromatica typically labeled?
Simply “Malvasia.”
Despite there being other grapes in Italy call “Malvasia” within Emilia-Romagna, this grape holds claim to this name.
Which appellations in Emilia-Romagna use the Trebbiano Romagnolo grape to produce wine?
This ancient variety is used in several appellations as a blending component, but producers in Romagna champion it as a single varietal.
What other variety is Trebbiano Romagnolo typically co-planted with?
Trebbiano Toscano
