Italy Flashcards
When and where did the Greeks arrive in Italy?
8th Century BC, start planting vines in Sicily (“Oenitrea”)
What was the name of the first city established in Sicily by the Greeks?
Agrigento
What was the name of the Italian civilisation that pioneered better winemaking methods?
Etruscans
When did the Romans conquer Italy? How did this change the social status of wine?
146AD. Wine became a drink for the high class
How did the Romans first concentrate wine?
Wine would be cooked over a fire, preserved with honey, resin and herbs
Which country invented the wine glass?
Italy, imported the art of glass blowing from Syria around 1300AD
What event in the 15th century changed the winemaking standards of Italy?
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453AD, Greek wines stopped being exported to Italy, Italy then turned to increasing the quality of its domestic production
What are the two historical Italian ports for wine trade?
Venice - had a wine export monopoly in the first millenium
Port of Pisa - centred near the thriving wine producing region of Florence, and nearby Tuscany became a main trading port
Provide two examples of Italian banking families the promoted the wines of Tuscany
Antinori, Frescobaldi
Who created the first delimitation of production area in Italy? When?
Medici family delimit the Chianti region in 1716
Who pioneered the Nebbiolo grape in the region of Piemonte?
1832-1849, Louis Oudard, Oenologist from Champagne. Furthermore promoted and made Barolo a dry wine
Who invented the traditional Chianti blend?
1861, Prime minister of Italy Barin Ricasoli invents the blend of Sangio + Canaiolo
Who helped save Italian vineyards from the potential mildew devestation in the early 1900s?
Giribaldi, brought Bordeaux mixture to Italy
Was Italy greatly affected by Phylloxera?
No, reached Italy 20 years later, grafting solution already discovered
What was a major factor that led to the increase in Italian wine exports in the 20th century?
Emigration of Italians throughout the world
When was the DOC system first established? When was it recognised?
Established 1963, recognized 1966
What magazine publication put a spotlight on Italian winemakers in the late 20th century?
Gambero Rosso magazine, established 1986
What are the 4 levels of the Italian appellation system?
- Vino da Tavola
- Indicazione Geografica Protecta (IGP, formerly IGT)
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)
How many DOCs and DOCGs are there in Italy?
DOC - 332
DOCG - 76
Describe the region and wines of Calle d’Aosta DOC
- North west Italy, bordering Switzerland
- Mountainous, high sunshine, low temp
- Production 70% red
- Chardonnay, Gamay, Petit Rouge, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero
Provide an overview of the Piemonte region
- North west Italy
- Home to more DOCGs than any other Italian region
- Turin (Torino) is the major city
- Best known for Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Dolcetto, white Gavi, Sparkling Asti
- Continental climate, mountainous and Med influence
- 59 wine regions
- No IGTs
What are the main grapes of the Piemonte region?
- Nebbiolo
- Barbera
- Dolcetto
- Brachetto
- Moscato Bianco
- Cortese
- Arneis
What are the characteristics of the Barbera grape?
- Deep colour
- Low-med acid
- Low-med tannins
- Red and black gruits, coffee, smoke, anise
What are the characteristics of the Dolcetto grape?
- Easy growing, ripening
- Soft, friuty wines of varying colour
- Low acid
- Notes of black peppercorns, violets
- Firm tannin structure
- Early drinking
What are the characteristics of the Nebbiolo grape?
- Hard to grow, requires well-drained limestone or marl soils
- Taking long time for grapes to mature
- Sensitive to disease and rot
- Red fruits, dried roses
- AKA Spanna, Chiavennasca, Picotener
What are the characteristics of the Brachetto grape?
- Light bodied
- Low alcohol
- Aromatic - red and black raspberries, strawberries, rose
NOTE: Famous for being presented to Cleopatra from Caesar and Marc Anthony
What are the characteristics of the Moscato Bianco (Muscat à petit grains) grape?
- Notes of honeydew melon, grape, ripe pear, mandarin, floral
Describe the asti method in terms of Moscato winemaking
- Harvested ripe
- Grapes pressed gently, fermentation in open, pressurized tank
- Tank closed towards end of ferment to trap CO2
- Fermenting juice is frozen when desired level of alcohol is reached
- Low alc – 4.5-6.5%
- Max 2.5 bars
- Sweetness min 80g/L
What are the characteristics of the Cortese grape?
- Dry white, crisp chalky finish
- Notes of lemon, apple, melon, straw
- Med-high acid
Describe the region of Barolo DOCG
- Elevation between 170-540m
- 1500ha
- Min mat 38 months (18 in barrel), riserva min 62 months (18 in barrel)
- Terroir is varied, La Morra and Barolo are limestone, marl rich. Other areas are sandstone and limestone, creating bigger wines
- 12 Crus - Cannubi, Brunate and Bussia are most famous
What is Barolo Chinato?
- An aromatized wine made from Barolo
- Bark, herbs, spices added
- 8 week maceration
- Fortified to 16%
- Matured in small barrels for 12 months