Italy Flashcards

1
Q

What are the acronyms for Italian PDO wines, what do they mean and what conditions are attached?

A

DOC - Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Subject to geographical boundaries, limits on grape varieties and rules on production methods.

DOCG - Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita
As above, often stricker, plus must be bottled in area of production.

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2
Q

What are Italian Classico wines?

A

Wines made solely from the original classified area.

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3
Q

What does ‘Riserva’ on an Italian wine mean?

A

Wine with both higher alc and longer ageing than the minimum for the appelation

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4
Q

In Northern Italy how were grapes traditionally trained and, increasingly, how are they trained now?
What is a major benefit of this change?

A

Traditionally - high yield vines planted with low density.
Pergola, vine canopy with grapes hanging down allowing good airflow and so less rot, along with shade against grape sunburn. Still used for high acid, low sugar grapes intended for sparkling wine.
Change > modern - VSP training allows higher density but fewer grapes per vine, resulting in higher quality grapes.

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5
Q

Pinot Grigio is key in which 6 regions?

A

Alto Adige, Trentino, Friulli-Venezia Giulia, Collio, Colli Oriental and Veneto.

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6
Q

Where is Gargenega, primarily, grown?

A

Veneto for Soave

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7
Q

What is Trebbiano like and what is it used for?

A

High yield grape, usually simple and fruity for IGT wines

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8
Q

What are IGT wines?

A

PGI wines of Italy
IGT = Indicazione Geographica Tipica

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9
Q

What is Cortese? What does it taste like and where is it predominantly grown?

A

White grape, high acidity, floral, pale, light, body with aromas citrus, green apple and pear.
Mainly used in Gavi (in Piedmont).

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10
Q

What is the typical profile of Nebbiolo?

Identify 2 DOCGs for which it is most associated?

A

High acidity and tannin but light in colour.
At altitude it has aromas of sour cherries, roses, herbs and dried flowers. With age develops aromas of tar, truffle and leather
Used in Barolo and Barbaresco

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11
Q

What is the typical profile of Barbera?

Identify 2 DOCGs for which it is most associated?

A

Low to medium tannin with high acidity.
Aromas of red cherries, plums and sometimes black pepper. Can be youthful and fruity or barrel aged for spicy flavours.
Mainly Barbera d’Alba DOC and the higher quality Barbera d’Asti DOCG

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12
Q

What is the typical profile of Dolcetto?

Identify a key DOCs for which it is most associated?

A

Deep colour, high tannin (double t in its name!), medium acidity. Aromas black plums, red cherries and dried herbs.
Mainly used Dolcetta d’Alba DOC

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13
Q

Which is Italy’s most northerly wine region and what is mainly produced there?

A

Alto Adige
Aromatic whites mainly from Pinot Grigio but also Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc

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14
Q

Identify 5 regions of the north of Italy.

A

Alto Adige
Trentino
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Veneto
Piemonte

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15
Q

Where is Veneto?
What are its two most famous appellations?

A

North East Italy, neighbouring Lake Garda (cooling influence).

Soave and Valpolicella.

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16
Q

What is the main grape grown in Soave?

What is sweet Soave called?

A

Gargenega

Recioto di Soave DOCG

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17
Q

What is the main grape grown in Valpolicella?
How is the wine labelled?
What is sweet Valpolicella called?

A

Corvina.
Valpolicella Classico from the higher altitude hills, and Valpolicella from the flats.
Recioto Della Valpolicella DOCG

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18
Q

What is Passito, and what wine is most associated with this?

A

A process whereby grapes are picked early with high acidity, then dried indoors to concentrate colour, sugars and flavour.
Most famous - Amarone Della Valpolicella
Sweet - Recioto Della Valpolicella DOCG

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19
Q

What is the style of Amarone Della Valpolicella?

A

Dry or off dry, full body, high alcohol, medium plus to high tannin.
Intense with concentrated red berry and spice.

20
Q

Decribe the process and resulting style of a Valpolicella Ripasso .

A

Literally meaning ‘re-passed’ wine.
A Valpolicella is refermented with the remains/residue from a fermented Amarone.
The traces of yeast and smallamounts of residual sugars on the Amarone skins re-start a fermentation and the skins give off more colour, flavour and tannin.
The finished wine has a medium plus body, medium plus tannins, with flavours of stewed cherries and plums.

21
Q

What grape is used to make Barbaresco?

A

Nebbiolo

22
Q

What grapes are mainly grown in Asti and Alba and what are the PDO names used?

A

Barbera and Dolcetto
Barbera d’Alba DOC and the higher quality Barbera d’Asti DOCG
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC

23
Q

Where is Gavi, what is made there and what grape is used?

A

Piemont
White wine region with wines made from Cortese grape.

24
Q

List 5 regions of Central Italy.

A

Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Marche and Abruzzo

25
Q

What geographical factors help explain the climate of Central Italy?

A

Centre of Italy, either side of the Apennines with plantings in hills and valleys of mountain ranges, cooled by altitude and also sea breezes

26
Q

What is the primary grape of Tuscany?
What are its characteristics?

A

Sangiovese
Late ripening, needs warmth, high acidity and tannin, red cherries and plums.
Usually oak aged to soften tannins and add spicy flavours

27
Q

What is represented by the Gran Selezione classification of Chianti?

A

The highest designation of Chianti Classico.
Grapes must from a single estate and aged 30 months.
Oak optional but usually used.

28
Q

What is the climate like in Southern Tuscany and what are the two key PDOs/DOCGs produced?

From what grape(s) are they produced?

A

Lower altitude so warmer but with cool maritime breezes
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - 100% Sangiovese
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG - a blend of Sangiovese and others

29
Q

How are declassified Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG labelled?
Why might they be declassified?

A

Rosso di Montalcino and
Rosso di Montepulciano
Declassified in poor years or if young vines.

30
Q

From where in Tuscany are most ‘Super Tuscan’ wines produced?
What is the main DOC and what grapes can be used?

A

Tuscany coast.
Bolgheri DOC
Bolgheri permits many non Italian grapes but most are based on Sangiovese

31
Q

What is the main DOC wine produced in Umbria, and from what grapes are it produced?

A

Mainly Orvieto DOC.
A blend of Grechetto and Trebbiano, better wine have more Greschetto.

32
Q

What is the main wine produced in Lazio, and from what grapes are it produced?

A

Frascati DOC
Blend Malvasia and Trebbiano

33
Q

Where is Marche, what is produced there and what is the best known DOC?

A

East side of Apennines
Verdicchio grape - High acid, green apples, lemons and sometimes fennel and almonds
Verdicchio die Castelli di Jesi DOC

34
Q

Where is Abruzzo?
What grape is predominant in this region?
What are its key features?
What is the best known DOC of this region?

A

East coast of Italy (south of Marche)
Montepulciano grape.
High colour and tannin.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC

35
Q

What are the predominant white grapes of Campania?

In what way are they particularly different?

List 2 DOCGs associated with these grapes.

A

Fiano and Greco.
Fiano has medium acidity whereas Greco has high acidity.

Fiano di Avelino DOCG
Greco di Tufo DOCG

36
Q

What is the predominant black grape of Campania, what is it like and what is the main DOCG?

A

Aglianico, deep colour, high acid and tannin. Black fruit and oak
Taurasi DOCG (also Aglianico del Vulture)

37
Q

Describe the climate of Puglia?

A

Hot but with sea breeze cooling on the Puglia peninsula

38
Q

What are the 2 principal black grapes of Puglia?

What 2 PDOs are they linked to?

A

Negroamaro
Primitivo (Zinfandel)

Puglia IGT
Salice Salentino DOC

39
Q

XXXXXX del Vulture
Which region?

A

Aglianico del Vulture DOC
Basilicata

40
Q

What is the most prestigious red wine DOCG of Umbria?
From what grape is this wine produced?

A

Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Sagrantino.

41
Q

Describe the climate of Southern Italy?
From where are cooling influences obtained?

A

Hot and dry inland and humid by the coast.
Many vineyards on slopes of Apennines giving some altitude cooling, there are also sea breezes on the Puglia peninsula.

42
Q

Describe the geography of Basilicata.
What is its key red grape, and associated DOC?

A

Very mountainous up to 900 metres
Aglianico
Aglianico del Vulture DOC

43
Q

What is the main Italian grape grown in Sicily?
What are the two main international grapes grown in Sicily? (a red and a white).

A

Nero d’Avola.

Syrah and Chardonnay

44
Q

Which Italian black grape is mainly used in Trentino?

A

Teroldego
For Trentino DOC

45
Q

What DOC, used by producers of Pinot Grigio, comprises the regions of Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino?

A

Pinot Grigio delle Venezia DOC

46
Q

Total ageing requirements for the following?
Barolo DOCG
Barbaresco DOCG
Chianti Classico DOCG
Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Chianti Gran Selezione DOCG
Brunelli di Montalcino DOCG
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG

(Note, if you find these particulary tricky to recall then don’t place too much of a priority on learning them. They could come up but you shouldn’t be unduly compromised in an exam if were unable to answer/ Guy).

A

Barolo DOCG - 38 months (18 min in wood)
Barbaresco DOCG - 26 months (9 monthis min in wood)
Chianti Classico DOCG - 12 months
Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG - 24 months
Chianti Gran Selezione DOCG - 30 months
Brunelli di Montalcino DOCG - sold in 5th year after harvest
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG - 24 months

47
Q

Other than Sangiovese, with what red grapes are ‘Super Tuscan’ often produced?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.