IT: Marche, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise Flashcards
3 main grapes of the Marche?
Trebbiano
Verdicchio
Montepulciano
What separates Marche from Umbria? What else surrounds it?
Apennine Mountains - forms the entire eastern side
*Emilia-Romagna to the north
*Abruzzo to the south
*Adriatic Sea to the east
White wine DOCG in the Marche?
- Verdicchio di Castelli Jesi Riserva DOCG
- Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva DOCG
- Offida DOCG (Pecorino, Passerina and Montepulciano)
Red wine DOCG in the Marche?
- Cònero (Cònero Riserva) DOCG
* 85% Montepulciano, max. 15% Sangiovese - Vernaccia di Serrapetrona DOCG.. if we’re counting rosso spumante
Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva DOCG
- min % Verdicchio
- aging/abv
- soils
- elevation/climate
- Min 85% Verdicchio
- Min. 12.5% ABV
- ages 18 months w 6 in bottle
- dry Mediterranean climate. Growing area concentrates along Esino River (east-west valley = consistent gentle wind)
- calcareous clay/limestone soils
- Moderated by Apennines and Adriatic.
Larger of the 2 Verdicchio DOCG 100-700M, most vyd at lower elevations. Relatively warm but susceptible to spring frost.
[there is a corresponding DOC]
Main river of Castelli di Jesi?
Esino River
2 main moderating influences on Castelli di Jesi climate?
Adriatic Sea
Apennine Mountains
Verdicchio name?
“little green one”
Verdicchio di Matelica Superiore DOCG
SW of Jesi and further inland
Alta Vallesina: rare N-S valley, blocks Adriatic influence.
*350M avg, up to 720M
*steep inclines with complex limestone-based soils
*min. 85% Verdicchio
*min. 18 months (no btl requirement like Jesi)
Tend to be higher alc, higher acid, more mineral and more structured than softer, more fragrant Jesi
Why doesn’t the Verdicchio di Matelica DOCG experience maritime influence?
Alta Vallesina - high valley with a rare north-south orientation. Blocks the Adriatic’s influence.
% of Verdicchio in the Marche’s Verdicchio DOCG?
Matelica and Jesi both 85% with max. 15% “others”
Vernaccia di Serrapetrona DOCG - grapes and styles?
Rosso Spumante - secco and dulce
Min. 85% Vernaccia Nera
*min. 40% of the grapes must be dried to obtain at least 13% ABV
*max 15% “others” (such as Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Ciliegiolo)
Charmat method is standard per the disciplinaire
Vernaccia Nera is genetically identical to ________?
Grenache
Vernaccia di Serrapetrona production process?
3 stages:
1) the 60%ish of grapes are dried and fermented (like “normal”)
2) the other portion of grapes are left to dry (appassimento)
3) appassimento grapes are pressed and added to the fermented non-appassimento juice for a 2nd fermentation - Charmat method is the norm
(Can be sweet OR fermented to dry)
2 most popular French varieties for Marche IGT wines?
Cabernet Franc
Merlot
Castelli di Jesi overlaps with what red wine DOC?
Lacrima di Morra d’Alba DOC
Lacrima di Morra d’Alba DOC - grapes, styles? What production method is common here but mostly abandoned elsewhere?
Min. 85% Lacrima - Rosso, Superiore, Passito
Overlaps with Castelli di Jesi
Governo method is commonplace here**
Offida DOCG - grapes, styles
Varietal Pecorino
Varietal Passerina
Rosso: min 85% Montepulciano
Cònero DOCG
- location
- grapes/styles
Marche
Min. 85% Montepulciano, max 15% Sangiovese
(in practice, most are 100%)
- there is a corresponding Rosso Conero DOC; it was promoted in 2004 as “Rosso Conero Riserva DOCG” but most producers now go by simply Conero to differentiate
Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC - grapes?
50-65% Trebbiano Toscano (aka: Procanico)
25-40% Trebbiano Giallo (aka: Rossetto)
10-20% Malvasia Bianco Lunga and/or Malvasia del Lazio
max. 15% “others”
Abboccato
Italian term meaning slightly sweet to sweet
(sec-tendre? Feinherb?)
Frascati
- DOC/Gs?
- where
- grapes
1 DOC/2 DOCG (same boundaries)
- Frascati DOC (bianco, spumante)
- Frascati Superiore DOCG (bianco)
- Canellino di Frascati DOCG (VT)
Min. 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio.
- Generally considered to be the best wines of Lazio.
What are the 2 main Malvasia types used in Lazio wines?
Malvasia del Lazio (aka Puntinata)
Malvasia Bianca di Candia
Bellone
White grape, Lazio
*contributor to the Frascati blends
*star of Cori DOC
Lazio’s top red variety?
Cesanese
Only red wine DOCG in Lazio?
Cesanese del Piglio DOCG
* Minimum 90% combined Cesanese di Affile and/or Cesanese comune (common)
The majority of Umbrian wine is bottled under what DOC?
Orvieto
Orvieto
- grape/styles
WHITE ONLY: (Secco, Abboccato, Amabile, Dolce, Superiore, Vendemmia Tardiva, Muffa Nobile)
* Min 60% Procanico + Grechetto
* 80% of Umbria’s production
* Paglia river flows thru, headed to Tiber
* tufa soils
Soils and defining geological features of Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG?
The boundaries of the DOCG follow the outline of the Bastardo Basin
*sits in the backdrop of the Martani mountain range
*alluvial and fluvial soil deposits with high calcareous content
2 most important communes of Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG?
Montefalco
Bevagna
others: Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi, and Giano dell’Umbria
Montefalco DOC grapes/styles?
Bianco: min. 50% Trebbiano Spoletino
Rosso: 60-80% Sangiovese, 10 - 25% Sagrantino, max 30% others
Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG
- grapes
- styles
- aging
100% Sagrantino - secco & passito
*Secco: min 13%, Vigna is 13.5%
*Passito: min. 11% w/ 80 to 180 g/l RS
*BOTH age 37 months with 4 months in bottle - but rosso also mandates 1yr in wood
Montefalco Sagrantino Rosso DOCG aging?
Min. 37 months TOTAL
12 months in wood
4 in bottle
(passito is same but no wood requirement)
RS for Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG Passito?
80 - 180 g/l
Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG
Umbria. Lungarotti is one of the best known producers here.
Min. 70% Sangiovese plus “others”
Abruzzo DOCG? (2)
Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG
[min 90% Montepulciano, max 10% Sangiovese]
Tullum/Terre Tollesi DOCG
[Pecorino/Passerina whites, Chard-based sparkling, min 95% Montepulciano reds]
What is Italy’s 2nd most planted RED grape?
Montepulciano
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
- min % Montepulciano
- climate
- elevation
Abruzzo: spans 75 miles of coast from Marche to Molise, reaches inward 20 miles. Covers low hills, plains, and coastal areas east of Apennines
* Min. 85% Montepulciano (for rosso; subzones vary)
* Hot, dry Mediterranean climate. Adriatic breezes moderate. Rain increases with elevation.
* Max elevation: 600M; 700M if south-facing
(Colline Teramane former sub elevated to DOCG)
Subzones: Terre di Casauria/Casauria, Terre dei Vestini, Alto Tirino, Terre dei Peligni, Teate, Terre Aquilane, Colline Pescaresi, San Martino sulla Marruccina, and Terre di Chieti
Valentini
- where?
-best known for what wine?
Loreto Aprutino in the Terre dei Vestini subzone of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
*Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is THE wine. Also makes a Cerasuolo and a Montepulciano
Colline Teramane
-location?
-grapes?
-famous producers here?
DOCG, elevated former subzone (2003)
* ROSSO/RSVA: Min. 90% Montepulciano, 10% Sangiovese
* Clay + limestone
* 3 miles from the Adriatic, 19 miles from Mount Maiella
Emidio Pepe and Valentini are both here BUT they do not use the DOCG. Both use Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC.
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC - grapes, styles?
Min. 85% Montepulciano
Rosato/Rosato Superiore
[formerly part of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC; made via short maceration]
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo assemblage?
Min. 85% combined Trebbiano Toscano, Trebbiano Abruzzese, and/or Bombino Bianco
Tullum / Terre Tollesi DOCG
Abruzzo, near the coast
*Varietal Pecorino OR Passerina
*min. 95% Montepulciano-based reds
* min. 60% Chardonnay whites
Molise’s top 2 planted varieties?
Montepulciano (51%)
Trebbiano (12%)
Molise (the whole region)
2nd smallest after Valle d’Aosta but still kicks out a lot of wine
- #2 for lowest DOC production - 7% (Puglia is #1)
- Montepulciano and Trebbiano
- Tintilia is the star native grape
What is Molise’s star native grape?
Tintilia
Deep red (tinto = “dyed”)
Umbria DOCG (2)
Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG
Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG
Abruzzo’s new synonym for Montepulciano
Cordisco
* dates to 1853 ampelography study that differientiated Sangiovese (Primaticcio) and Montepulciano (Cordisco)
* Consorzio’s attempt to protect name Montepulciano in a move similar to Glera/Prosecco
Origin of name Marche
Plural of the term “March”, an archaic term for a borderland
