Intro+Northwest Italy Flashcards
General Climatic features of Italy:
35-47 Latitude
Apennines run through most of the country
Primarily warm Mediterranean
How many varieties in Italy?
375-500, conservatively
When were regions in Italy legally defined?
1716 first, but not enforced
DOC system introduced with 1967 vintage
DOCG created in 1980
IGT introduced in 1992
PDO/PGI in 2008
Italy overall production?
Average 48mil hL/year
Largest wine-producing country
42% DOP, 33% Vino, 25% IGP
Italy export and consumption?
40% export (equally sparkling/still)
Consumption on long-term decline (1/3 of century ago)
USA and Germany most important export
Climate of Piedmonte?
Moderate continental
Thunderstorms, hail, fog, late frosts
Describe Nebbiolo?
Early budding
Very late ripening
Vigorous
Mainly grown in Cuneo province
Best on calcareous marl
South/Southwest facing sites
First few buds are infertile
Single Guyot
Needs cluster thinning for quality
Describe Nebbiolo wine:
Pale ruby, pale garnet with age
Pronounced aromas
Violet, rose, red cherry, red plum
Full body
High tannin
High acid
High alcohol
Describe Barolo DOCG:
Good sunlight
Cooling influences
56hL/ha max
Blue-grey marle N/W - lighter/aromatic
Yellow/grey sand/clay S/E - cellar for 10-15 years
Barolo DOCG/Riserva aging:
DOCG: 3 years + 2 months from Nov 1; 18mo min. in oak
Riserva DOCG: 5 years + 2 months; 18mo min. in oak
Describe sub-zones of Barolo:
Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA) introduced in 2010
-Entire village
-Specified single vineyards
-Specified vineyards in a single MGA
Single vineyard wines in Barolo?
Angelo Gaja and Bruno Giacosa pioneered
Famous:
Cannubi
Vigna Rionda
Sweetened Barolo wine with herbs and spices?
Barolo Chinato
Describe Barbaresco DOCG:
1/3 size of Barolo - lower altitude, slightly warmer
Harvest 1 week earlier than Barolo
56hL/ha min.
Barbaresco DOCG/Riserva aging?
DOCG: 2 years + 2 months from Nov 1; 9mo min. oak
Riserva: 4 years + 2 months; 9mo min. oak
Nebbiolo winemaking?
Traditional: 3-4mo skin maceration; 5-8 years in large vessels
Modern: 3-4weeks skin maceration; less time in large vessels and/or small new oak
Regions for Nebbiolo:
Roero DOCG
Gattinara DOCG
Ghemme DOCG
Barolo DOCG
Barbaresco DOCG
Langhe Nebbiolo DOC
Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC
Climate for northern Piedmonte regions?
Continental
Greater diurnal variation than Barolo
Results in higher acid wines from Gattinara and Ghemme
Describe Barbera:
Most grown in Piedmonte
Grown in Asti, Alba, Monferrato
Early budding
Late ripening
Very vigorous
Disease resistant except fan leaf
Very high yields
Describe Barbera wines:
High acid
Med(-) tannin
Med/deep ruby
Red plum, red cherry, black pepper
Medium alc
Barbera DOC/DOCGs?
Barbera d’Asti DOCG: 63hL/ha; 4 mo aging, or 14 mo superiore (6mo oak)
Nizza DOCG: 49hL/ha; 18 mo, 6 in oak
Piemonte DOC: 84hL/ha
General Italian labelling terms?
Classico: grapes exclusively from a historical area within DOC(G)
Superiore: higher minimum alcohol level (0.5%)
Riserva: certain aging requirements - at least 2yr for reds and 1yr for whites
Describe Dolcetto:
Early ripening
Low vigour
Susceptible to fungal diseases
Fragile/buds break
RIpening blocked by cold weather
Reductive in the winery - requires frequent pump overs/rack+return
Describe Dolcetto wines:
Deep ruby
Med+ intensity
Red cherry, floral
Med- acid
Med+ tannins
DOC(G)’s for Dolcetto?
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC: 63hL/ha
Dogliani DOCG
Dolcetto di Ovada DOC
Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG
Piedmonte DOC
Describe Freisa:
Local black variety
Highly aromatic
Lower tannins than Nebbiolo
Growing interest
Describe Cortese:
High yielding
Thin skinned
Susceptible to grey rot
Grown in Gavi DOCG
-67hL/ha, or 45hL/ha for Riserva (+1yr oak)
Describe Gavi wines:
Light aromas
Apple, pear, lemon, and white flowers
High acid
Medium body
Describe Arneis:
Grown in Roero primarily
- Includes Roero Arneis DOCG (70hL/ha with min. 95% Arneis required)
Oxidises easily
Med- acid, light aromas
White flowers, chamomile, white peach, lemon
Wine business in Piedmonte?
More family owned wineries than most of Italy
Previously, more wine sold to larger growers - Fontanafredda
Now cheaper to bottle their own
High exports of Barolo/Barbaresco - USA, Germany, UK, Scandinavia
