ITALY Flashcards
What are the four official tiers of the Italian wine Classification?
- DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is the highest classification for Italian wines
- DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) is the main tier of Italian wine classification, and covers almost every traditional Italian wine style
- IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) was introduced in 1992, to allow a certain level of freedom to Italy’s winemakers
- Vino da Tavola: means ‘table wine’ in Italian, and represents the most basic level of Italian wine.

What are the “Super Tuscans”?
- A particular set of high-quality Tuscan wines which were precluded from claiming DOC or DOCG status because they broke traditional Italian winemaking norms (foreign grape varieties were used, and the wines were often matured in small, new oak barrels).
- Originally these wines had to be labeled as Vino da Tavola because they contravened the stringent, tradition-focused DOC laws. This situation ultimately led to the creation of the IGT category, with its relatively relaxed production rules.
What do “Classico” and “Riserva” stands for?
- Classico, denotes the traditional, theoretically superior, vineyard area within a DOC/G zone.
- Riserva, Literally ‘reserve’. Denotes extended ageing (in cask, then in bottle) before the wine is sent to market.
What does “Superiore” stands for?
- wines with greater concentration and higher alcoholic strength
What is the main grape variety of Barolo, Barbareso, Gattinara and Roero DOCGs?
- Nebbiolo
What is the most widely planted grape variety in Piedmonte?
- Barbera
What are the five communes of Barolo?
- Barolo
- La Morra
- Serranglunga d’Alba
- Castiglione-Falleto
- Monforte d’Alba

What are the main types of soil in Barolo?
- Tortonian Soil: La morra and Barolo (more aromatic, fruitier styles, softer and faster maturing wines of Barolo).
- Helvetian Soil: Castiglione-Falleto, Serralunga d’Alba and Monforte (bigger in structure, higher in tannins and requires a longer time to age)
Where is “Dolcetto” grape produced?
- Dogliani DOCG (Piedmont)
What are the communes of Barbaresco?
- Barbaresco
- Neive
- Treiso
- San Rocco Senodelvio

Name the two DOCGs of sparkling wine in Piedmonte:
- Alta Langha Metodo Classico DOCG (Chardonnay/Pinot Noir)
- Asti DOCG (Moscato Bianco)
What large zone or sub-region of Piedmonte that encompassed Barolo, Barbaresco, Asti and Dogliani?
- Langhe DOC
What DOCG produces a sweet effervescent red dessert wine made from Brachetto grapes?
- Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG
What are the ageing requirements of Barolo DOCG?
- Barolo: aged min. 38 months ,min. 18 months in wood
- Barolo Riserva: total of 62 months, min. 18 months in wood
What are the ageing requirements for Barbaresco DOCG?
- Barbaresco: aged min. 26 months, min. 9 months in wood
- Barbaresco Riserva: total of 50 months, min 9 months in wood
What are the three labelling terms of Italian wines?
- Classico
- Riserva
- Superiore
What is the grape variety of Gavi/Cortese di Gavi DOCG?
- Cortese grape (white)
What is the grape variety blend of Gattinara and Ghemme DOCGs?
- Nebbiolo, Vespolina and Bonarda (Uva rara)
What is the white grape variety of Roero?
- Arneis
Where is located Colli Tortonesi DOC?
- Piedmonte
Which region produces a fortified aromatized wines that has a bitter flavour of quinine by steeping the bark of the chinchona tree in the wine?
- Barolo Chinato DOCG
What grape variety was also known as “Spanna”?
- Nebbiolo
List of Barolo Modernists:
- Paolo Scavino
- Luciano Sandrone
- Elio Altare
(Smaller Barriques, short maceration and rounder style of wine)

List of Barolo Traditionalist:
- Giacomo Corterno
- Bartolo Mascarello
- Guiseppe Rinaldi
(Longer aging periods, large neutral casks and extended maceration of 30-50 days)

What is “SORI” and “BRICO mean in piedmontese dialect?
- Sori: Southern exposure in the Langhe and Monderrato Hils.
- Brico: Highest part/top of the slope
Where is Franciacorta DOCG located?
- Lombardy
What are the sparkling wines DOCGs of Lombardy?
- Franciacorta DOCG
- Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG
What are the grape variety used for Franciacorta production?
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Bianco
- Pinot Nero
- Erbamat
What grape is known as “Chiavennasca” in Lombardy?
- Nebbiolo (Valtellina Superiore DOCG)
Where is Valtellina Superiore DODG located?
- Lombardy
What is the grape variety of Valtellina Superiore DOCG?
- 90% Nebbiolo
What wine is made from semi-dried grapes of Nebbiolo produces a deep colored concentrated wine similar to Amarone style in Lombardy?
- Sforzato or Sfurzat di Valtellina DOCG
What is the grape variety of Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico?
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Bianco
- Pinot Gris
- Pinot Nero
What are the styles of Franciacorta?
- Franciacorta Classico
- Franciacorta Satén
- Franciacorta Rosado
- Franciacorta Millesimato
- Franciacorta Riserva
Where is Alto Adige or Südtirol DOC located?
- Trentino Alto Adige
What is the main grape variety of Trentino?
- Schiava, Teroldego, Langrein (Reds)
Where is Bardolino located?
- Veneto
Where is Ramandolo DOCG situated?
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia
What is the grape variety of Bardolino?
- Corvina
- Rondinela
- Molinara
Where is Gambellara DOC located?
- Veneto
What is the grape variety of Gambellara?
- Garganega
- Chardonnay
- Trebbiano di Soave
Where is Pinot Grigio DOC situated?
- Veneto
What is the grape variety of Soave?
- Garganega
- Chardonnay
- Trebbiano di Soave
Where is Lambrusco DOC situated?
- Emilia-Romagna
Where is Torcolato Breganze DOC situated?
- Veneto
What is the style/grape variety of Torcolato?
- sweet wine (100% Vespaiolo grape)
What does “Recioto” stands for?
What is Recioto Method?
- Sweet red or white wine made from dried grapes (a form of passito)
- The sweetest grapes are used, they are dried out for between 3 weeks and 3 months, getting rid of the water while sugar remains and concentrated.
What is the principal grape variety of Prosecco production?
- Glera
What is the grape variety of Valpolicella/Recioto della Valpolicella/Amarone della Valpolicella?
- Corvina
- Rondinela
- Molinara
What are the DOCGs of Prosecco?
- Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
- Colli Asolani/Asolo DOCG
What are the two sub-regions of Recioto della Valpolicella?
- Classico
- Valpantena
What region produces Soave?
- Veneto
What is “Ripasso”(repassing)?
- full-bodied, powerful wine style made by re-fermenting wine with amarone grape skins
- process of adding standard Valpolicella to the lees left from a recioto or amarone fermentation and allowing a second fermentation to take place, adds strenght, flavour, and increases alcohol content.
What is “Amarone”?
- Dry red wine made from dried grapes (a form of passito) and higher in alcohol.
What is “passito” grapes?
- Generic term for wine made from dried grapes (typically sweet but sometimes dry)
What are the ageing requirement of Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG?
- Amarone della Valpolicella: min. 2 years
- Amrone della Valpolicella Riserva: min. 4 years
Where is Chianti DOCG situated?
- Tuscany
What DOCG only produces white wine in Tuscany?
- Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOC
What are the sub-regions of Chianti?
- Ruffina
- Fiorentini
- Montespertoli
- Montalbano
- Colli Senesi
- Colli Aretini
- Colline Pisane
What is the main red grape of Tuscany?
- Sangiovese
- Brunello de Montalcino
- Prugnolo Gentile
Are synonyms for what Grape?
- Sangiovese
What is the most planted white grape in Italy?
- Trebbiano Toscana
What is the white grape of Tuscany?
- Vernaccia
What is the name of the process in which refermentation with the juices of dried grapes, helps strengthen the wine and initiate Malolactic Fermentation?
- Governo Process/Governo all’uso del Chianti
What is the grape variety used in Chianti/Chianti Classico DOCG?
- 70-100% Sangiovese (Chianti)
- 80-100% Sangiovese (Chianti Classico)
This DOC was introduced in 1994 mainly to bring Sassicaia, which was made primarily from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon plus 15% Cabernet Franc.
- Bolgheri DOC
- (Sassicaia was the first single estate to be granted its own sub-appelation DOC.)
What is the ageing requirements of Chianti?
Sub-zones: Rufina and Fiorentini?
Senesi?
- Chianti : requires 1 year of age before the release
- Rufina & Fiorentini: matured min. 6 months
- Senesi: min. 8 months (wood), 4 months (bottle)
What DOCG produces a strong, dark red wine with plenty of tannin and matures with bottle age made of 100% Brunello Grapes?
- Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
What is the main grape variety of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG?
- 70% Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese Clone)
What is the principal grape for white labelled Bolgheri?
- Vermentino
Where is Carmignano DOCG situated? What is the style/grape?
- Tuscany
- Red/Rosso (Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero, Cab. Sauvignon)
Where is Morellino di Scansano DOCG?
- Tuscany
What is the style/grape of Morellino di Scansano DOCG?
- Red/Rosso (Normale,Riserva)
- Morellino grapes (Local name for Sangiovese)
What is the aging requirements of Chianti Riserva?
- min. 2 years
What is the ageing requirements of Chianti Classico/ Classico Riserva/Classico Gran Selezione?
- Chianti Classico: requires 1 year before the release
- Chianti Classico Riserva: requires 24 months, with min. 3 months (bottle)
- Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: requires min. 30 months with atleast 3 months (bottle)
Where is Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG situated?
- Umbria
What is the ageing requirement of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG?
- Brunello: aged for 4 years, 2 years (wood), 4 months (Bottle)
- Brunello Riserva: aged for 5 years, 2 years (wood), 6 months (bottle)
What are the ageing requirements of “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG”?
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: min. 2 years with 1 year (wood)
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva: min. 3 years
Where is Orvieto DOC located?
- Umbria (shared with Lazio)
What is the style/grape of Orvieto DOC?
- Blanco (Secco, Abboccato, Amabile, Dolce, Superiore, Vendemmia Tardiva, Muffa Nobile)
- Grapes: Trebbiano Toscano (Procanico) and Grechetto
What is “Vin Santo”?
- A traditional dessert wine, made from dried grapes which is usually sweet wine although the degree of sweetness varies (may be dry/sweet)
What is the principal grape for “Vin Santo” production?
- Trebbiano and Malvasia
What are the two DOCGs of Umbria?
- Sagrantino di Montefaco DOCG
- Torgiano Rosso Reserva DOCG
Where is Est! Est!! Est!!! di Motefiascione DOC produced?
- Lazio
What does “aboccato” means?
- slightly sweet
What is the main white grape variety of Lazio?
- Trebbiano
What is the grape variety of Est! Est!! Est!! di Montefiascone?
- Trebbiano and Malvasia
Where is Cesanese de Piglio DOCG located?
What is the style/grape?
- Lazio
- Rosso (Cesanese di Affile and/or Cesanese comune (common))
What are the white DOCGs of Lazio?
- Frascati Superiore DOCG
- Cannellino di Frascati DOCG
What is the principal grapes of Marche?
- Marvasia and Verdicchio
What are the finest expressions of Verdicchio DOCGs in Marche region?
- Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva DOCG
- Verdicchio di Metalica Riserva DOCG
What are the main red grapes of MARCHE?
- Montepulciano
- Vernaccia Nera (Sparkling wine)
What are the red wine DOCGs of Marche?
*
Where is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC situated?
- Abruzzo
Which DOCG produces a very tannic and high alcohol wine made from 100% Sagrantino grapes?
- Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG (Umbria)
Where is “Primitivo di Manduria DOC” produced?
- Puglia
What is the synonym for Primitivo grape?
- Zinfandel (CA)
- Tribidrag (Croatia)
This DOCG is considered as the Barolo of the South.
- Taurasi DOCG
What is the principal grape of Taurasi?
- AGLIANICO
Montepulciano grape is the most cultivated in which region?
- Abruzzo-Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG Rosso (Normale, Riserva)
What are the two DOCGs of Campania that produces only white wines?
- Fiano di Avellino DOCG
- Greco di Tufo DOCG
Where is “Lacryma Cristi” produced?
- Vesuvio DOC (Campania)
What is only DOCG for red wines in Sardegna?
- Vermentino di Gallura DOCG (95% Vermentino Grapes)
What is the rosato version of Montepulciano called in Abruzzo?
- Cerasuolo
- Edoardo Valentini
- Emidio Pepe
These are two top producers from what region?
- Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG but release their wines under the DOC label
Where is Marsala produced?
Sicily
What are the pricipal red grapes of Sicily?
- Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Frappato
What are the main white grapes of Sicily?
- Inzolia, Grillo, and Carricante
Where is Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG located?
- Sicily
Which grape is similar or close to Grenache variety in Italy?
- Cannonau
Where is Cannonau produced?
- Sardegna
What is the main white grape of Abruzzo?
- Trebbiano