Italie centrale

Question 1

What is the climate of Central Italy?

Answer 1

Tuscany generally enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate near the coast which becomes more Continental inland, but mesoclimates exist amid the hilly terrain.
Altitude and sea breezes help provide coolness.

Question 2

Chianti is situated between which cities?

Answer 2

Pisa, Florence and Siena

Question 3

What are the permissible grapes in Chianti Classico DOCG?

Answer 3

Sangiovese is the dominant grape that goes into Chianti Classico. Other red grapes allowed in the blend include COLORINO, CANAIOLO, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
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White grapes are no longer permitted in Chianti Classico DOCG as of 2006

Question 4

There are 7 subzones of Chianti DOCG.
Which two subzones have reputations for producing higher-quality Chianti?

Answer 4

Chianti Rùfina DOCG
Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG

Question 5

What is the dominant grape variety used in Chianti DOCG?

Answer 5

Sangiovese is the dominant grape used in Chianti DOCG.

Other grapes allowed include Trebbiano and Malvasia (white), Canaiolo and Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Question 6

What is the aging requirement for Chianti Classico DOCG?

Answer 6

12 months prior to release

Question 7

What are the aging requirements for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG?

Answer 7

Brunello di Montalcino must be aged at least 5 years prior to release, 2 years of which must be spent in wood.

Question 8

What % Sangiovese must Rosso di Montalcino DOC be?

Answer 8

100% Sangiovese

Question 9

Under what designation (IGT, DOC, DOCG) are most Super Tuscans released?

Answer 9

IGT Toscana or IGT Rosso Toscana
Most are released with the name of the producer and a fantasy name

Question 10

Which 2 important DOCs can Tuscan producers use that allow for non-Italian grapes, such as Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon?

Answer 10

Bolgheri DOC and Maremma Toscana DOC
Some Super Tuscans are bottled under these DOCs.

Question 11

Tuscany is on which sea?

Answer 11

Tyrrhenian Sea

Question 12

What is the hierarchy of Italian wine classifications?

Answer 12

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)
Indicazione di Geografica Tipica (IGT)
Vino da Tavola (VdT)

Question 13

What mountain range is the northern boundary of Tuscany?

Answer 13

The Apennines

Question 14

What is the hierarchy of Chianti Classico and what is each level’s aging requirement?

Answer 14

Lowest to highest:
- Chianti Classico must be aged at least 12 months
- Chianti Classico Riserva must be aged at least 24 months
- Chianti Classico Gran Selezione must be aged at least 30 months

Question 15

Tuscany can generally be split into 3 areas. Describe each.

Answer 15

The northern part of Tuscany is mountainous and quite hilly; this is where Chianti is.
The southern part has lower altitude hills and valleys, and is generally warmer; this is where Brunello di Montalcino is.
The coast is mostly flat terrain that’s cooled by sea breezes; this is where Bolgheri is.

Question 16

In order to use the Gran Selezione designation, where do the grapes have to come from?

Answer 16

Gran Selezione grapes must come from a single estate

Question 17

Is the Chianti Classico DOCG a subzone of Chianti DOCG?

Answer 17

No, Chianti Classico is not a subzone of Chianti.It is its own DOCG with vineyards that arehigher in altitude than Chianti DOCG.

Question 18

If a producer wants/needs to declassify their Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, what is the classification they can use?

Answer 18

Rosso di Montepulciano DOC

Question 19

What is the dominant grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG?

Answer 19

Sangiovese is the dominant grape, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano can have up to 30% other local grapes (red and white) in the blend.

Question 20

Is Umbria landlocked or does it abut a sea?
What is the most important red DOCG of Umbria?

Answer 20

Umbria is landlocked. It has no Mediterranean influence

Question 21

What grape goes into Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG?

Answer 21

100% Sagrantino

Question 22

What is the most important DOC in Umbria that makes white wine?

Answer 22

Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG

Question 23

What are the grapes that go into Orvieto DOC?

Answer 23

Orvieto DOC

Question 24

What are the grapes that go into Orvieto DOC?

Answer 24

Orvieto must be a blend with a majority of:
Grechetto and Trebbiano

Other local white grapes grown in Umbria are allowed in the blend.

Question 25

What are the main grapes of Lazio?

Answer 25

Trebbiano and Malvasia

Question 26

What are the base white grapes for Frascati DOC?

Answer 26

Malvasia and Trebbiano

Fresh and unoaked, Frascati is a lightly floral and citrusy, medium-bodied wine.

Question 27

Le Marche is on which sea?
What is the most important white grape in Le Marche?

Answer 27

Adriatic
Le Marche is roughly at the calf of Italy’s boot, on the eastern side of the Apennines.

Verdicchio

Question 28

What is the well known DOC for Verdicchio in Le Marche?

Answer 28

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC

Question 29

What is the best known DOCG red from Le Marche?

Answer 29

Conero DOCG
is based on the Montepulciano grape and typically has Sangiovese in the blend.

Question 30

Which region is to the north of Abruzzo?

Answer 30

Le Marche

Question 31

What is the climate of Abruzzo?
What is the main red grape in Abruzzo?
What is Abruzzo’s best known DOC?

Answer 31

Mediterranean
Montepulciano
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC

Question 32

Montepulciano in Tuscany and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – what’s the difference?

Answer 32

Montepulciano is both a grape variety and the name of a village. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the wine produced from the Montepulciano grape when grown in the Abruzzo region.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is produced with Sangiovese grape in the Tuscany region.

Question 33

What is special about the soils in Orvieto DOC?

Answer 33

volcanic, marine sedimentary clay, and sandy soils