Italy Flashcards
Name the 20 Italian regions.
Valle d'Aosta Piedmont Liguria Lombardy Trentino - Alto Adige Veneto Friuli Emilia Romana Tuscany Umbria Marche Lazio Abruzzo Campania Molise Puglia Basilicata Calabria Sicily Sardinia
Explain ‘Classico’ on a label.
From the original, historic, zone. - originally used as a distinction for Chianti - now appears in many other areas including: Bardolino Caldaro Ciro Bolognesi Orvieto Soave Valpolicella Verdicchio
Explain ‘Riserva’ on a label.
‘Nebulous Italian term’ implying extended ageing before release.
Meaning varies from DOC to DOC.
- in most cases does not guarantee higher quality
- generally has to be aged for year or more (up to 62 months in case of Barolo Riserva)
- Chianti Classico Reserva allows chapitalisation to add up to 0.5% alcohol by volume (and requires no oak ageing)
- producers allowed to declare Riserva when they want so in some cases wine they aren’t shifting gets designated it
Describe climate of northern Italy.
Moderate climate with short, dry summers.
- Alps protect from rain and cold north winds
- rivers (e.g. Po) and glacial lakes (e.g. Lake Garda) provide moderating influences
- higher rainfall in coastal areas can give rise to fungal problems
What vine training systems predominate in northern Italy
Vertical Shoot Positioning (Guyot) has large superseded pergola. Lower but higher quality yields.
- but many of the local varieties which survive are still trained on pergolas
What are the five most important grapes of Alto Adige?
Pinot Grigio
Gewurztraminer
Chardonnay
Pinot Blanc
Schiava
Merlot
Describe Schiava.
An Italian red grape variety - in fact several varieties
- known as Trollinger in Württemberg where it is widely grown
- in Italy widely planted in Trentino-Alto Adige
- most common version is Schiava Grossa (the vine at Hampton Court is this)
- high yielding and not associated with wines of concentration or high quality
- produces light fruity red wines with low to medium tannins- flavours of red plums and raspberries
What is Schiava called in Württemberg?
Trollinger.
Talk about Alto-Adige.
South Tyrol in reality: Germanic culture.
3 DOCs and no DOCG
- general impression that Alto Adige is about quntity and not quality
- but as Pinot Grigio produced all over Italy, often more cheaply, AA now beginning to market its diverse terroirs to shake off image of commodity wine producer
Where does Trentino lie in relation to Alto Adige?
Directly to the south.
What is the climate of Trentino?
Dry summers and low rainfall, like Alto Adige, but generally warmer than AA due to being further south and more vineyards on the valley floor
What are the main varieties of Trentino?
Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.
Merlot and Teroldego (mostly grown on mid-slopes and valley floor)
Describe Teroldego
Italian red grape variety.
- Trentino almost its only home
- when subjected to low yields and some barrel ageing can be good and interesting (Elizabetta Foradori has pioneered this)
- deep colour
- medium to high tannins
- high acidity
- medium to full body
- aromas of black fruit
- bitter cherry fruit
Describe Lagrein.
Italian red grape variety
- 653 hectares in Alto Adige and Trentino in 2010
- often over-produced
- but can produce Lagrein Scuro and Lagrein Dunkel which are both somewhat tannic reds of real character
[see Wine Soc Lagrein Alto Adige Hofstätter, 2016 £13.95]
Talk about Friuli.
otherwise known as Friuli-Venezia Giulia
- north easternmost region of Italy
- borders Austria and Slovenia
- warm maritime climate in south of region on plains next to Adriatic; moderate continental in the north on the foothills of the Alps
- large number of varieties: native, French and German
- main varieties Pinot Grigio (26%), Merlot (15%) and Friulano (9%)
- produces some of the richest Pinot Grigio in Italy
Four important DOCs (out of 4 DOCGs and 12 DOCs):
Collio
Colli Orientali
Grave del Friuli - huge, 50% of Friuli’s output
Isonzo del Fruili
Describe Ribolla.
Ribolla Gialla White grape variety. Grown Italy (in Friuli) and Slovenia
- not to be confused with Greece’s Robola
- yellow skin
- yellow fruit flavours
- nuttiness
- good acidity
Describe Tocai.
Tocai Friulano. White grape variety. The main white grape in Friuli. Now officially know as Friulano to appease Hungarians.
- same grape as Chile’s Sauvignonasse
- originally from Bordeaux but hardly found there now
- much less crisp and aromatic than Sauvignon Blanc with which it was confused in Chile
- tends to suffer easily from mildew and rot
Describe Picolit.
Italian white grape variety, grown in Friuli and gives its name to sweet varietal wine.
- derives its name from the small, or piccolo, number of grapes it produces
- can either be picked in October and raisined on mats (traditional), or, left on vine to raisin and picked later with higher must weight
- sweet rather than luscious
- delicate floral aromas
- flavours of peaches and apricots
Regarded as over-priced by many.
Describe Verduzzo.
Wine made, principally in Friuli and in Piave in Veneto, from 2 white grape varieties which are unrelated:
Verduzzo Friulano, and
Verduzzo Trevigiano (the duller of the two).
3 types of wine: dry, sparkling and sweet.
- the sweet version is the most interesting
- achieved either by raisining or late harvest
- some oak aged
- often more medium dry than sweet
Describe Picolit.
Italian white grape variety, grown in Friuli and gives its name to sweet varietal wine.
- derives its name from the small, or piccolo, number of grapes it produces
- can either be picked in October and raisined on mats (traditional), or, left on vine to raisin and picked later with higher must weight
- sweet rather than luscious
- delicate floral aromas
- flavours of peaches and apricots
Regarded as over-priced by non-Italians.
Describe Refosco.
Group of red varieties grown in north east Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, the finest of which is known in Friuli as:
Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso
- named after its red stem
- deeply coloured wine
- black and blueberry fruit
- hints of almonds
- medium to full body
- high acidity (notoriously late ripener, acidity can be difficult to control/moderate)
- good resistance to autumn rains and rot
Describe Schioppettino.
Red variety, perfumed, native to Friuli
- nearly disappeared but now on the increase
- 154 hectares in 2010
- deeply coloured
- light/medium bodied
- high acidity
- aromatic richness hinting at violets
- red and blue fruit
- raspberryish flavour
- certain peppery quality reminiscent of the Rhone (naturally high in rotundone - the compound found in black pepper)
Describe Pignolo.
Red grape variety native to Friuli and grown there.
- having something of a revival
- good acidity
- blackberry and plum flavours
- silky tannins
- ages well in oak
Talk about Grave del Friuli.
DOC in Friuli.
- ‘Grave’ means gravel - on alluvial plains
- accounts for 50% of Friuli’s output
- exceptionally high permitted yields
- incorporates other, smaller, DOCs but their rules not much more restrictive
Talk about Collio.
Also known as Collio Goriziano.
- DOC in Friuli’s north east bordering with Slovenia
- collio comes from corruption of Italian for hills (colline); 1918 larger area divided in two by Italian annexation
- whites 85% of production, have high reputation for quality
- was an early Italian adopter of cold fermentation techniques
- 9 varieties allowed in blend
- classic blends of only local varieties have been revived
- 1767 classification document dividing vineyards into 9 grades has been rediscovered
- Collio reds, overwhelmingly from merlot and Cab Sav are Loire-like in vegetal quality and lightness of body and texture.
Talk about Colli Orientali.
DOC in Friuli. Eastern hills of Friuli region.
- dominated in last 40 years by international varieties:
Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Pinot Noir
But more recent interest in indigenous varieties:
Ribolla
Verduzzo
Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso
Schioppettino (there is now an association of 22 producers dedicated to its promotion)
Pignolo
- focus on local terroirs has increased.
2 sweet wines based on Verduzzo and on Picolit.
Talk about Veneto.
Italy’s most productive wine region. Runaway success of Pinot Grigio and Prosecco in recent years. Home to Soave and Valpolicella.
- warm climate with moderate rainfall
- runs from Lake Garda to Venice
- altitude in Alps foothill vineyards
- mists from river Po (cause rot problems)
- fertile plain a source of fruit for high volume brands based on grapes such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Merlot and Corvina, Garganega and Trebbiano
- high yields and much poor quality
- DOCs have yields as high as 95 hectolitres a hectare
- but plenty of good stuff from the hills
- the sparkling Prosecco DOC is mostly in Veneto
What are Valpolicella and Soave made from?
Valpolicella: Corvina
Soave: Garganega
Talk about Soave.
In Veneto, to the east of Verona. Two distinct parts, foot hills to the north (Classico); alluvial plain of Adige river to the south.
- limestone, clay and volcanic soils in foothills slow down ripening as does altitude. Therefore grapes with full flavour ripeness but high acidity. Steeliest Soave is from volcanic rock of eastern part of Soave Classico, Monteforte d’Alpone.
- vines planted on plain are in sandy alluvial soils, ripen earlier and are fruitier with medium acidity.
- high yields on plain have led to fall in Soave’s reputation.
Four official Soave denominations which appear on labels:
1. Soave DOCG - a general Superiore category encompassing whole area. Min alcohol 12%; yield ‘only’ 10 tonnes a hectare.
2. Soave Classico DOC - covers heartland.
3. Soave Colli Scaligeri - cover all hillside vineyards outside the Classic zone.
4. Soave DOC- an overarching DOC which producers can use for declassifying.
BUT whole Soave area also now divided into 47 subzones, and certain single vineyards, or crus, identified within them - most in Classico zone.
Soave must be at least 70% Garganega and up to 30% Trebbiano di Soave, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and/or Sauvignon Blanc
Describe Garganega.
Italian white grape variety grown in Veneto.
- vigorous, productive, often over-productive
- thick skin resistant to damp and rot of Po plain
- late ripening
- high acid
- best know as constituent of Soave of which it makes up from 70 to 100%
- best has flavours of lemon and almonds [and nashi pear says James Halliday].
Talk about Valpolicella.
DOC in Veneto. To north-west of Verona.
Similar topography to Soave: foothills and a plain into which later planting has expanded.
- foothills have limestone, clay and volcanic soils which, as in Soave, slow down ripening and allow acidity to be maintained
- on warmer gravel and sand of the plain the grapes are fruitier and less acidic.
CORVINA is the main grape.
- thin skin
- low to moderate tannins
- high acidity
- pale colour
- red cherry flavours/aromas
- rarely oaked
Other varieties can be added to blend to increase tannin and colour: Rondinella; Corvinone; Molinara, and others.
- youthful Valpolicella can resemble a good Beaujolais, both can be chilled and have sour-cherry character.
Decline in quality and reputation of Valpolicella has led to rise of Amarone (growers get three times the price for Amarone grapes compared with ordinary Valpolicella ones)
Short definitions of passito, amarone, recioto, ripasso.
Passito: the method of picking early when high in acid and drying to concentrate sugars and flavours. Amarone (dry) and Recioto (sweet) are the two resulting styles.
Amarone: dry straw wine
Recioto: sweet straw wine
Ripasso: Valpolicella which when fermenting has had fermenting skins from an Amarone added to it.
- adds colour, flavour, viscosity and tannin
- gives flavours of stewed red cherries and plums
Talk about Amarone.
Expanding Valpolicella category
- a wine with no tradition, until 1960s thought of as a faulty Recioto that had fermented to complete dryness
- between 2005 and 2013 production of ordinary Valpolicella fell from 41 million to 19 million bottles largely due to popularity of Amarone
- and Ripasso production has soared as a result
Talk about Ripasso.
Means ‘repassed’.
- a young Valpolicella is re-fermented on the unpressed skins of a fermented Amarone
- commonly then aged in new oak
- volume of Repasso obtained can be no more than double that of the original Amarone
- Repasso may also contain 15% Amarone, added to beef it up
- hugely popular in last ten years
Talk about Recioto.
Recioto di Valpolicella is the most common but you also get
Recioto di Soave, and
Recioto di Gambellara
Describe Corvina.
Italian red grape variety. The dominant and best grape of Valopolicella and
Bardolino
- produces fruity red wines with sour cherry twist on finish
- low/medium tannin
- pale colour
- high acidity
- first few buds on cane don’t fruit - needs long canes and and pergola or spalliera training
- small berries with thick skins
Describe Corvinone.
Italian red grape variety.
Used to be thought to be a clone of Corvina.
- very similar to it
- grown for Valpolicella blend
- loose bunches and large berries make it good for drying
Describe Rondinella
Italian red grape variety grown in Veneto
- constituent of Valpolicella blend
- yields profusely
- well coloured
- good perfume
- low sugar
- dries well so good for Aramone
Describe Molinara.
Italian red grape variety grown in Veneto particularly for Valpolicella. - light in colour - prone to oxydation - high in acid Losing ground to Corvina and Rondinella.
Talk about Bardolino DOC.
On south eastern shores of Lake Garda in Veneto.
- like Valpolicella it has Classico zone and extended zone
- like Valpolicella a blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes, plus up to 20% of other authorised grapes
- minimum alcohol level of 10.5%
- Merlot often added to boost alcohol level to 11.5% minimum so it can be aged for additional year and thus become Bardolino Superiore (this has DOCG status)
Describe climate and topography of Piedmont.
Mountains to north provide rain shadow.
- moderate continental climate
- long cold winters
- long summers can be prone to thunderstorms, hail and fog
- moderating influences from Po river and Lake Maggiore
What are the main grapes of Piedmont?
Nebbiolo
Barbera
Dolcetta
Cortese
Moscato (Muscat)
Names of the six main wines of Piedmont:
Barolo Barbaresco Barbera d'Asti and Barbera d'Alba Dolcetto d'Alba Gavi
What are the two most prestigious appellations in Piedmont?
Barolo DOCG
Barbaresco DOCG
Talk about Barolo.
19th century origin of style. Cavour modernised his estate and planted single variety vineyards with Nebbiolo.
- Barolo DOCG can only contain Nebbiolo
- west/east divide - soils to west like those of Barbaresco (Tortonian calcereous marls) - to the east soils much less fertile and have more sandstone
- Barolo DOCG must be aged for 3 years of which 18 months must be in oak
