Italian Wine Overview

Question 1

Northwest Regions

Answer 1

Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria, Aosta Valley

Cool Climate

Reds - elegant, aromatic, earthy

White - high acidity

Question 2

Northeast Regions

Answer 2

Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia

Cooler climate with warmer areas influenced by Adriatic Sea

Reds - more fruit but still elegant

White - Found in the hills (Soave grape)

Question 3

Central Regions

Answer 3

Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Lazio, Abruzzo

Mediterranean climate

Reds shine here - especially sangiovese and montepulciano

Question 4

Southern and Islands Regions

Answer 4

Molise, Campania, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria,, Sicily, Sardinia’

Warmest regions

Reds - lean toward ripe fruit

White - full body

Question 5

Superiore

Answer 5

Usually associated with a regional classification that offers a slight bump in quality

Question 6

Classico

Answer 6

class or historic wine zone within a region

Question 7

Riserva

Answer 7

wine that has been aged longer than the standard denomination

Question 8

DOCG

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantito

Answer 8

73 regions ranked as Italy’s top quality tier. DOCG wines meet b both basic DOC standards along with more rigorous again and quality specifications defined by each region

Question 9

DOC

Denominazione di Origine Controllata

Answer 9

329 officially designated wine regions. Wines must use official grape varieties and have minimum quality standards. Most DOC wines are decent everyday drinkers

Question 10

IGP/IGT

Indicazione di Geografica Tipica

Answer 10

Most IGP are table wines from larger geographical areas, but you’ll also find regional wines made with non-Italian grapes. These declassified wines can be over incredible quality.

Question 11

VdT

Vino de Tavola

Answer 11

Basic table wine with no regional designation

Question 12

Northwest Grapes

Answer 12

Aosta Valley - petite ravine, petite rouge, nebbiolo

Lombardy - Croatina, chardonnay, barbera, pinot nero (noir), chiavennasco (nebbiolo), pinot gris

Piedmont - asti spumante, moscato, barbera, dolcetto, nebbiolo, gavi, brachetta, ameis, grignolino, ruche, erbaluce

Liguria - vermentino, bosco, rossette, ciliegiolo

Question 13

Northeast Grapes

Answer 13

Trento - Trento, chardonnay, pinot noir, nosiola. schiava

Alto Adige - schiava, pinot grigio, gewürztraminer, chardonnay, logrein

Friuli-Venezia Giulia - pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, ribolla gialla, verduzzo, merlot, schiappettino

Veneto - Prosecco, soave, lugana, bagnoli, merlot

Emilia-Romagna - Sangiovese, barbera, croatina, pignoletta, lambrusco

Question 14

Central Italy

Answer 14

Tuscany - sangiovese, brunetto di Montalcino, bordeaux blend, trebbiano, vermentino, vernaccia, vin santo

Le Marche - verdicchio, Montepulciano, lacrima di morrò, vernaccia nera, ciliegiolo

Lazio - trebbiano, grechetto, sangiovese, merlot, cesanese

Umbria - sangiovese, sgranino, trebbiano, grechetto

Abruzzo - Montepulciano, trebbiano

Question 15

Southern Italy/Islands

Answer 15

Molise - Montepulciano, Tintilia del Molise

Puglia - primitivo (zin), negroamara, sangiovese, Montepulciano, trebbiano, nero di troia

Calabria - gaglioffo, greco nero, magliolo, greco bianco

Basilicata - aglianico

Sicily - marsala, cataratta blanco, chardonnay, grillo, nero d’avola, neretto mascalese, frappato, Syrah

Sardinia - vermentino, Monica nera, nuragus, cannonau (grenache)