Italy Flashcards

1
Q

What is the greatest moderating influence with respect to Italy’s climate?

A

The Mediterranean Sea

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2
Q

What three seas, besides the Mediterranean, play a role in the climate of Italy?

A

The Tyrrhenian to the West, the Adriatic to the East and the Ionian to the South?

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3
Q

How many subregions is Italy divided amongst?

A

20

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4
Q

What two mountain ranges affect the topography of Italy?

A

The Alps, which form the border to the North and the Apennines, which run the length of the peninsula.

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5
Q

How many grapes are allowed in Italian wine production?

A

400 (closer to 2000 including sub-varieties)

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6
Q

What are the leading white and red grapes of Italy?

A

Trebbiano Toscana and Sangiovese (also Pinot Grigio)

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7
Q

What are four designations of Italian wine in increasing order of quality?

A

Vino (Table wine)
Indicazione geografica tipica (IGT)
Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC)
Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG)

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8
Q

How much of Italy’s wine production is table wine?

A

40%

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9
Q

What are Super Tuscans?

A

Outstanding limited-production wines produced at the IGT level.

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10
Q

A varietal IGT wine must have what percentage of the state grape variety?

A

85%

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11
Q

What were the first wines to receive DOCG status, in what year?

A

Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano in 1980.

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12
Q

What does Classico mean?

A

A central or historic subzone within a larger region, denotes higher quality.

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13
Q

What does Superiore mean?

A

A specific higher level of alcohol in the finished wine, usually riper grapes and lower yields.

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14
Q

What does Riserva mean?

A

Aged for a longer minimum period of time than a regular wine.

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15
Q

What rivers and lakes play a role in the climate and terroir of Veneto?

A
  1. Po River
  2. Adige River
  3. Piave River
  4. Lake Garda
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16
Q

What are the five top varieties in Veneto?

A
  1. Corvina
  2. Corvinone
  3. Rondinella
  4. Garganega
  5. Glera
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17
Q

What does appassimento mean?

A

The process by which grapes are left to dry in slatted boxes, on open shelfs or hung from the rafters until they’ve lost up to 60% of their water content.

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18
Q

What does recioto mean?

A

An appassimento wine in which fermentation is arrested at around 12% ABV, producing a sweet wine.

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19
Q

What four styles of wine are made in Valpolicella?

A
  1. Valpolicella DOC
  2. Recioto della Valpolicella DOC
  3. Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
  4. Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
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20
Q

What does Ripasso mean?

A

The practice of reusing the sediment, or lees from Amarone or recioto production to produce a Valpolicella with more flavor, tannin and alcohol.

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21
Q

What are the aging and alcohol requirements for Amarone?

A

2 years and 14%

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22
Q

What wines are produced in Bardolino DOC?

A

Reds and chiarettos from Corvina and Rondinella.

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23
Q

What are the Soave appellations?

A

Soave DOC, Soave Superiore DOCG and Recioto di Soave DOCG

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24
Q

What grapes are used in the production of Soave DOC?

A

70% Garganega with either Chardonnay, Verdicchio or both

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25
Q

What four appellations are based on the Glera grape?

A

Prosecco DOC, Prosecco Rose DOC, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOGC, Avolo Prosecco

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26
Q

What are the Tre Venezie?

A

Trentino-Alto Adige
Friuli-Venezia Guilia
Veneto

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27
Q

What is made in the Lugana DOC?

A

Light white wines from Turbiana.

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28
Q

How many IGTs are found in Veneto?

A

10, including Veneto IGT and Trevenezie IGT

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29
Q

What area does delle Venezie DOC encompass and what is made there?

A

Trentino, Veneto and Fruili-Venezia Giulia; a good amount of Pinot Grigio

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30
Q

What is made in the following appellations from Veneto?

  1. Piave DOC
  2. Piave Malanotte DOCG
  3. Lison-Pramaggiore DOC
  4. Lison DOC
A
  1. Dry and appassimento wines from a variety of grapes.
  2. Red wines from Raboso
  3. Range of white and reds from international and indigenous varieties.
  4. Friulana
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31
Q

What is another name for Alto-Adige and what language is spoken there?

A

Sudtirol and German

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32
Q

What wine is made in Trentodoc?

A

Traditional method sparkling wine from Trentino.

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33
Q

How much wine from Trentino-Alto Adige is DOC?

A

80%

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34
Q

What are the three primary DOCs in Trentino-Alto Adige?

A

Alto Adige, Trentino and Valdadige.

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35
Q

What indigenous red grape is important in Friuli?

A

Refosco

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36
Q

What indigenous grape in Friuli is used to make an orange wine?

A

Ribolla Gialla

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37
Q

What grape in Fruili is used to make a sweet wine wine?

A

Picolit

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38
Q

What are the two highest quality appellations in Fruili?

A

Friuli Colli Orientali DOC and Collio Goriziano DOC

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39
Q

What wine is produced in the Ramandolo DOCG in Fruili?

A

Sweet whites from Verduzzo

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40
Q

What wine is produced in the Rosazzo DOCG in Friuli?

A

Dry whites with 50% Friulano; Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Ribolla Gialla make up the rest of the mix.

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41
Q

What are the first and second-largest producers of DOC and DOCG wines in Italy?

A

Veneto, then Piedmont

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42
Q

Describe Piedmont’s climate?

A

Cold, snowy winters, foggy autumns, warm and dry summers

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43
Q

What are the leading red grapes in Piedmont?

A

Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Brachetto, Freisa, Grignolino

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44
Q

What are the leading white grapes of Piedmont?

A

Moscato, Arneis, Cortese, Erbaluce

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45
Q

How many DOCGs and DOCs are found in Piedmont?

A

18 and 40

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46
Q

What are the two best known DOCGs in Piedmont, and what varietal do they use?

A

Barolo and Barbaresco, 100% Nebbiolo

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47
Q

What are the aging requirements for Barolo and Barbaresco?

A
  1. Barolo - 38 months, 62 for riserva
  2. Barbaresco - 26 months, 50 for irserva
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48
Q

What kind of wine is produced in Asti DOCG, and by what method.

A

Asti Spumante, made with Moscato Bianco, using the Charmat method.

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49
Q

What kind of wine is produced in d’Asti DOCG, and by what method?

A

Moscato d’Asti, a frizzante, off-dry wine, using the Asti method.

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50
Q

What other product is Piedmont known for?

A

Vermouth

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51
Q

What is the Asti method of producing sparkling wine?

A

Wine undergoes a single fermentation in a pressurized tank which is halted by refrigeration, resulting in a lower alcohol, lightly carbonated, slightly sweet wine.

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52
Q

What DOCG is based on the Brachetto grape and what style of wine does it produce?

A

Brachetto d’Acqui, generally slightly sweet, carbonated reds with bright berry aromas.

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53
Q

What DOCG in Piedmont is based around the Cortese grape.

A

Cortese di Gavi DOCG

54
Q

What are two DOCGs based on Nebbiolo blends?

A

Gattinara and Ghemme DOCGs, based on 70% Nebbiolo, locally known as Spanna

55
Q

What DOCG is based around the Arneis grape?

A

Roero DOCG

56
Q

What are two DOCGs based on Barbera, and what are their requirements?

A

Barbera d’Asti DOCG, 90% Barbera. Nizza DOCG, 100% Barbera, 18 month aging, 30 months for Riserva

57
Q

Name three DOCs based on Barbera, Dolcetto, and Grignolino

A
  1. Barbera d’Alba
  2. Dolcetto d’Acqui
  3. Grignolino d’Asti
58
Q

What wine is Lombardy best known for?

A

Franciacorta DOCG, a metodo classico sparkling wine made with Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero and limited amounts of Erbamat

59
Q

What are the five subzones of Valtellina Superiore DOCG?

A

Grumello
Inferno
Maroggia
Sassella
Valgella

60
Q

What are the lees aging requirements for Franciacorta?

A
  1. NV 18 months
  2. Vintage 30 months
  3. Riserva 60 months
61
Q

Where is Valtellina located and grape is associated with it?

A

Lombardy, Nebbiolo

62
Q

What is Nebbiolo called in Valtellina?

A

Chiavennasca

63
Q

What are two appellations in Lombardy that require 90% Chiavennasca?

A

Valtellina Rosso DOC and Valtellina Superiore DOCG

64
Q

What wine is produced under the Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG?

A

A high-alcohol wine based on Chiavennasca that have been partially dried. Passito-style, rich, dry, minimum 14% alcohol.

65
Q

What grape are Tuscany’s most famous wines based on?

A

Sangiovese

66
Q

Where is Tuscany located?

A

On the West Coast of Italy, north of Rome.

67
Q

What are the major cities of Tuscany?

A

Florence, Pisa, Siena

68
Q

What is the climate in Tuscany?

A

Mediterranean, with more extreme Continental characteristics inland.

69
Q

What are two minor blending grapes used in the red wines of Tuscany?

A

Canaiolo Nero and Corlorino

70
Q

What are the leading white grapes of Tuscany?

A

Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Bianca Lunga, Vermentino and Vernaccia

71
Q

What Italian region is more focused on red wine than Tuscany?

A

Calabria

72
Q

What percentage of Tuscany’s output is red or rosato wine?

A

90%

73
Q

What does the term “governo” mean and what must be listed on the label?

A

A traditional winemaking process allowed in Tuscany, whereby overripe or dried grapes are added to a batch of fermenting wine. Governo all’uso Toscana

74
Q

What is the best known white wine in Tuscany?

A

Vernnaccia di San Gimignano

75
Q

What dessert wine is a specialty in Tuscany and how is it made?

A

Vin Santo. Grapes are hung in attic rafters, then crushed and barreled on the lees from a previous vintage initiated a new fermentation. Aged in the attic for a minimum of three years.

76
Q

What is Vin Santo made with Sangiovese called?

A

occhio di pernice (eye of the partridge)

77
Q

What is Vin Santo usually made with?

A

Trebbiano Toscano or Malvasia

78
Q

When was the term Super Tuscan coined?

A

1970s

79
Q

What is Sassicaia?

A

The original Super Tuscan, first released in 1968 by Tenuta San Guido. A Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc Blend

80
Q

What IGT is associated with Tuscany?

A

Toscana IGT

81
Q

Besides Sassacaia, what are two other famous Super Tuscans?

A

Antinori’s Tignanello and Solaia, both made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, but the reverse ratios.

82
Q

The rules of Chianti and Chianti Classico have been modified to reflect what?

A

100% Sangiovese for Chianti and up to 20% international varieties for Chianti Classico

83
Q

When was the Chianti appellation initially demarcated?

A

1716

84
Q

What are the minimum and maximum amounts of Sangiovese allowed in Chianti DOCG?

A

70% - 100%

85
Q

What are the 7 subzones of Chianti DOCG?

A
  1. Colli Aretini
  2. Colli Fiorentini
  3. Colli Senesi
  4. Colli Pisane
  5. Montalano
  6. Montespertoli
  7. Rufina
86
Q

What are the rules in Chianti Classico DOCG?

A

80% - 100% Sangiovese, no white grapes.
12% alcohol
Can’t be released until 1 year after harvest
Riserva required 2 years of age and an additional 1/2% of alcohol.

87
Q

What are the additional requirements of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione?

A

Estate-grown grapes, 30 months aging.

88
Q

What DOC is considered an alternative to Brunello di Montalcino?

A

Rosso di Montalcino DOC

89
Q

What are the grape and aging requirements of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG?

A

100% Sangiovese
Aging: 4 mo in bottle, 2 yrs in wood, just over 4 years total (cannot be released until January 1 of the 5th year after harvest)

90
Q

What is Sangiovese called in the area where Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made, and how much of it is required?

A

Prugnolo Gentile, 70%

91
Q

What DOCG requires 10% to 20% of Cabernet Sauvignon and or Cabernet Franc and has been blending Sangiovese and international varieties longer than the Super Tuscans have existed?

A

Carmignano DOCG

92
Q

What are four DOCs specifically for Vin Santo

A

del Chianti
del Chianti Classico
di Montepulciano
di Carmignano

93
Q

When was Vernaccia di San Gimignano elevated to DOC status and again to DOCG status?

A

1966 and 1993

94
Q

What coastal area of Tuscany is considered an exciting wine district and the birthplace of Super Tuscans?

A

Maremma, near the town of Bolghieri

95
Q

What three new DOCs were established based on the success of Super Tuscans?

A

Bolgheri DOC, Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC, Maremma Toscana DOC

96
Q

What was the first white wine to achieve the DOCG designation in Italy?

A

Romagna Albana DOCG in Emilia-Romana

97
Q

What geographical feature dominates Emilia-Romagna?

A

Fertile Po River Valley

98
Q

What else is Emilia-Romagna known for besides wine?

A

Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma and balsamic vinegar from Modena

99
Q

What is the most famous wine in Emilia-Romana and under what DOCs is it produced?

A

Lambusco, a red, frizzante sweet or dry wine.
1. Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce
2. Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro
3. Lambrusco di Sorbara

Also in Reggiano and Modena DOCs

100
Q

What major white grape is Le Marche known for?

A

Verdicchio

101
Q

Besides Verdicchio, name two other red and white grapes associated with Le Marche?

A

Pecorino, Passerina, Montepulciano and Sangiovese

102
Q

What are two well-known DOCGs associated with Verdicchio in Le Marche?

A

Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva DOCG
Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva DOCG

103
Q

What DOCG and DOCs are based on blending Montepulciano and Saviovese?

A

Conero DOCG and Rosso Conero DOC - 85% Montepulciano minimum
Rosso Piceno DOC - 35% - 85% Montepulciano

104
Q

What is the leading white wine DOC in Abruzzo?

A

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC

105
Q

What’s are two well-known red wines from Abruzzo?

A

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC (85% Montepulciano with Sangiovese permitted)
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC (light red with shorter maceration period)

106
Q

Which Italian wine region is landlocked?

A

Umbria

107
Q

What is the best known appellation in Umbria and what grapes does it utilize?

A

Orvieto DOC - Trebbiano Toscano and Grechetto

108
Q

What two red wine DOCGs located in Umbria?

A

Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG (100% Sangrantino)
Torgiano Rosso Riserva (70% Sangiovese)

109
Q

Names four appellations associated with Lazio.

A
  1. Frascati DOC
  2. Frascati Superiore DOCG
  3. Est! Est! Est! di Montefiascone DOC
  4. Cannellino di Frascati DOCG
110
Q

What grapes are generally associated with Lazio?

A

Trebbiano Toscano, Trebbiano Giallo, Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia del Lazio

111
Q

What city and geographical feature is associated with Campania?

A

Naples and Mount Vesuvius

112
Q

What is the red wine appellation best associated with Campania?

A

Taurasi DOCG, based on Aglianico

113
Q

What are two white wine appellations associated with Campania?

A

Greco di Tufo DOCG, Fiano di Avellino DOCG with Greco and Fiano, respectively

114
Q

What DOC in Calabria produces red and white wine respectively?

A

Ciro DOC - Gaglioppo,
Greco Bianco

115
Q

Where is Salice Salentino DOC located and which grape is associated with it?

A

Puglia, Negroamaro

116
Q

What are the important grapes in Puglia?

A

Negroamaro, Primitivo, Aleatico, Montepulciano, Sangiovese

117
Q

What is a DOCG in Puglia based on a sweet, late-harvest wine?

A

Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale, awared in 2011

118
Q

Name 3 DOCGs in Puglia NOT based on sweet wine?

A
  1. Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva
  2. Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva
  3. Castel del Monte Bombino Nero
119
Q

What is the prominent geographical feature in Sicily?

A

Mt. Etna

120
Q

What is Sicily’s only DOCG?

A

Cerasuolo di Vittoria, made from Nero d’Avola and Frappato

121
Q

What IGT and DOC cover the entirely of Sicily?

A

Sicilia DOC and Terre Siciliane IGT

122
Q

What wines are made in Etna DOC?

A

Crisp whites based on Carricante and Catarratto; reds and roses from Nerello Mascalese

123
Q

What three DOCs are known for sweet wines in Sicily?

A
  1. Malvasia delle Lipari DOC
  2. Moscato de Noto DOC
  3. Moscato di Pantelleria DOC
124
Q

What fortified wine is Sicily known for?

A

Marsala

125
Q

What main grapes are used in the production of Marsala?

A

Inzolia and Grillo

126
Q

What are the three main styles of Marsala?

A

Oro - golden
Ambra - amber
Rubino - ruby

127
Q

What is the most highly esteemed version of Marsala?

A

Vergine Stravecchio Riserva

128
Q

What are the three sweetness levels of Marsala?

A
  1. Secco - max 4% RS
  2. Semisecco - 4% - 10% RS
  3. Dolce - over 10% RS
129
Q

What are the aging levels of Marsala?

A
  1. Fine - 1 year
  2. Superiore - 2 years
  3. Superiore Riserva - 4 years
  4. Vergine/Solera - 5 years in Solera
  5. Vergine Stravecchio Riserva - 10 years in cask
130
Q

What is Sardinia’s only DOCG?

A

Vermentino di Gallura DOCG

131
Q

What two unique Italian grapes are found in Sardinia?

A

red: Monica
white: Naragus

132
Q

What DOC in Sardinia covers the entire island and what does it produce?

A

Cannonau di Sardegna DOC
85% Cannonau (Grenache)
90% for Riserva