Italie centrale

Question 1

What is the climate of Central Italy?

Answer 1

It’s a hot climate with moderating influences from altitude and mountain ranges.

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 are French and Italian in origin.
​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, and the others allowed include other Italian red grapes and some French red grapes.
You don’t need to know this for the exam, but some of the other grapes allowed include Trebbiano, Malvasia, Canaiolo, 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?

Question 14

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

Question 15

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

Question 16

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

Question 17

Is the Chianti Classico DOCG a subzone of Chianti DOCG?

Question 18

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

Question 19

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

Question 20

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

Question 21

What grape goes into Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG?

Question 22

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

Question 23

What are the grapes that go into Orvieto DOC?

Question 24

What are the grapes that go into Orvieto DOC?

Question 25

What are the base white grapes for Frascati DOC?

Question 26

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

Question 27

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

Question 28

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

Question 29

Which region is to the north of Abruzzo?

Question 30

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

Question 31

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

Question 32

What is special about the soils in Orvieto DOC?