Fundamentals Flashcards
When did Phoenicians plant grape vines?
15-3rd c BCE
When did the Etruscans develop their extensive trade network, and export wines to present day France & Spain?
7th c BCE
When did Greeks arrive on the peninsula?
8th-6th c BCE
When did Romans supersede the Greeks as the major political and military power of the ancient world?
3rd c BCE-5th c CE
When did the Roman Empire fall?
476 CE
When does the Rinascimento begin, and mezzadria becomes widely adopted?
13th c CE
When does da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa?
1506
When does Michelangelo finish the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
1512
When is the Kingdom of Sardegna formed?
1720
When does Risorgimento begin?
1815
When is the Kingdom of Italy declared?
1861
When does phylloxera arrive in Italy?
1875
When do Italians vote to end the monarchy and make Italy a democratic republic?
1946
When is the DOC approved?
1963
When is Vinitaly (first Italian Wine Days) established?
1967
What is the inaugural vintage of Sassicaia?
1968
When is Gambero Rosso & Slow Food founded?
1986
When is the IGT system established?
1992
How many native grapes are estimated?
350-600
What is “campanilismo”?
From the word “campanile” or bell tower, used to convey extreme neighborhood pride, Italians support their own “bell tower”
Sedimentary Soils?
Derived from bedrock of alluvial or marine origin, or deposited from glaciers - majority of Italy’s vineyard soils
Metamorphic soils?
Formed from heat, pressure, and chemical processes from the creation of Italy’s mountain ranges - Gneiss, schist, slate - Sardegna, Calabria, northeast Sicilia, Alps
Volcanic soils?
Considerable number of vineyards situated on slopes of extinct or active volcanoes. Volcanic ash provides nutrient rich and water retentive soils
What are the three most common ways information is organized on an Italian wine label?
- By place/region (eg. Barolo)
- By grape + place (eg Barbera d’Alba)
- By fantasy name + place (eg Le Pergola Torte Toscana IGT)
