Italy Flashcards
Name the main river of N.W. Italy
River Po
Generally, Northern Italy has what sort of climate?
Moderate with short dry summers
Inland areas of N.E.Italy have a moderate climate further moderated by which bodies of water?
Lake Garda and the Rive Po
Describe a pergola trained vine
A complex trellising system to train the vines high. Fruit hang below a canopy of leaves.
Why use a pergola system for vines?
The overhead canopy protects against sunburn
To height keeps air flowing to protect against rot
Which training system is replacing the Pergola in Northern Italy?
VSP
Vertical Shoot Positioning
Describe the Italian
TRENTINO ALTO-ADIGE climate
Moderate
Vines face SE and SW
Short, dry summers
Large diurnal range
Principle grape of Italian Alto-Adige
Pinot Grigio
Body, acidity and primary notes of an Italian Alto Adige Pinot Grigio
Low to Medium body
High acidity
Citrus and green fruit (apple, lime)
Regional AC for Alto Adige
Alto Adige AOC
Trentino lies north or south of Alto Adige?
South
Climate is a bit warmer too
Italy.
Trentino’s valley floor Pinot Grigio’s body, acidity and primary fruit?
Medium body,
Medium acidity
Ripe stone fruit flavours
Roughly, where in Italy would you find Friuli-Venezia Giulia?
N.E. Italy
Climate of Fruili-Venezia Giulia in Italy.
Moderate continental, with cool air from the Alps
In the south, near the Adriatic it becomes warm maritime
Italy
Body, acidity and fruit of a Fruili-Venezia Giulia Pinot Grigio?
Medium to full bodied
(Acidity medium ? Text book doesn’t say)
Juicy peach and tropical fruits
Bets known wine names from Veneto in N.Italy?
Valpolicella (all flavours)
Soave
Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto and Fruili-Venezia Giulia are all found where in Italy?
North Eastern block opposite the Adriatic
Italy
Veneto’s climate
Warm
Moderate rainfall
Cooled by Alpine altitude in the North (high diurnals)
Cooled by Lake Garda in the West
River Po’s plains plagued by moisture, fog and therefore rot.
Italy
Veneto IGT wine style?
Usually “simple” (high yields)
Often Pinot Grigio
Compare Garganega from the Italian foothills and the plains
Foothills Soave (Classico DOC) was ripened more slowly (altitude) and thus has more ripeness and acidity. It’ll keep too.
Plains Soave (DOC) is fruitier, less acidic and won’t keep
Valpolicella Classico DOC differs from Valpolicella DOC how?
The Classico comes from the foothills where the grapes ripened more slowly (altitude) and thus have retained acidity.
The non-Classico has ripened more quickly and thus is fruitier.
Corvina’s colour, tannin, acidity and flavour
Moderate colour Low to medium tannin High acidity Simple, fruity, red cherry. Drink now.
Passito method. Describe.
Used for both white and red
Grapes picked early to capture acidity and concentrate the sugars, flavours.
Dried indoors until the winter
Name the two types of Passito wine
Amarone
Recioto
Describe Amarone DOCG
Dry to off-dry Full body High alcohol Med to high tannin Intense red berry and spice Usually oaked
Describe a Recioto wine
Sweet (very)
Intense red fruit
High alcohol
Med to high tannin
Name two Recioto DOCGs
Della Valpolicella
Soave
Describe the Ripasso method
Shortly before Amerone fermentation is complete, it is drained off the skins.
It gets added to a vat of (post-fermentation) Valpolicella where the remaining Amerone sugar continues to ferment releasing further flavour, colour and tannin.
Valpolicella Ripasso’s body, tannin and flavour?
Medium to full body
Medium to high tannin
Stewed red cherries, plums, raspberry
Where in Italy is Piemonte?
North and West
Climate of Piemonte?
Moderate continental
Alpine rain shadow from Northern wind and rain.
Piemonte summers are like what?
Short and prone to thunderstorms, hail and fog.
Long cold winters too.
The Po and Lake Maggiore help to moderate extremes.
Name the black grapes of Piemonte (3)
Cloudy sheep dance
Nebbiolo (Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG)
Barbera (Barbera d’Asti DOCG)
Dolcetto (Dolcetto d’Alba DOC)
Nebbiolo acidity, tannin, colour and body
High pH, high tannin, low colour and full body in good years.
Barolo flavours?
Perfumed aromas of sour cherries
Herbs
Dried flowers
The best Barolos are identified how?
DOCG (of course)
The name of a village or better still, a vineyard.
Difference between Barolo and Barbaresco maturation.
Barolo - 3 years (18 months in oak) before release
Barbaresco - 2 years (9 months in oak) before release.
Barbera colour, tannin, acidity and flavour
Late ripener (higher acidity and fruit) Medium to dark colour Low to Medium tannin High acidity Red cherries, plums, black pepper
Unoaked and oaked
Dolcetto colour, tannin, acidity
Earlier ripening than Nebbiolo or Barbera Likes cooler sites Deep, often Purple Medium to high tannin Medium acidity Black plums, red cherries, dried herbs
Good stuff ages well.
Where is Gavi in Italy?
North West, Piemonte
Gavi DOCG is made from which grape?
Cortese
Cortese acidity, flavours, colour, body
Hills and sea breeze make for long ripening emphasising high acidity and floral character
Pale colour Light body Citrus, green apples, pears Rarely oaked Some lees stirring for autolytics
Which grape is often used to blend with Gargenega to make Soave DOC?
Trebiano
DOC(G)s using Sangioves-knee
Chiant-knee. Chianto
Kneel di Montepulciano. Nobile di Montepulciano
Bru-kneel-o di Montalcino. Brunelo di Montalcino
Chianti Classico.
How old before release?
12 months
Chianti Riserva.
How much age and how much of that in bottle?
24 months, of which 3 in bottle
Tuscan wine that must have 100% of a grape?
Brunello di Montalcino - Sangiovese
Brunello di Montalcino... A better class of Tuscan. Why?
Old grape vines
5 year’s maturation, 2 in oak
Full body, high acid, high tannin
Name the 100% Sangiovese wine from Tuscany
Brunello di Montalcino
Chianti minimum ageing requirements:
Classico. Total age, how much bottle age?
Classico Reserva. Total age, how much in bottle?
Classico: Just 12 months. End of.
Classico Reserva: 24 months, 3 in bottle.
NB: Most producers age Chianti in oak.
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, ageing.
How long in total and how much of that in oak?
5 years total. 2 of those in oak.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ageing?
How is it different from Brunello di Montialcino?
VdiMontepulciano: Two years of ageing, and is a blend of Sangiovese with whatever.
Brunello di Montalcino is 100% Sangiovese.
