Italy: Central Flashcards

Question

Abruzzo: The Growing Environment

Answer 1

- divided by hillside under the high Appennines and flatter coastal zones HILLSIDE : warm continetnal with smowy winters and warm,short summers with coolig form the mountains allowing longer ripenig time slower sugar accumulation Risks are frost and and autumn rains Mostly hand picked work as the hills are to steep for tractors COASTAL : warm, Mediterranean Lower risk of frost and rain at harvest Termperatures are higher and soils are more fertile =high volume wines Quality is rising with denser planting and new forms of training with lower yields -vines are trained with cordon and spur pruned , Guyot and mechanisation is common

Answer 2

1) Montepulciano - see Marche 2) Trebbiano Toscano - see Tuscany 3) Trbbiano Abruzze -name of the DOC -late ripening and vigorous and highly productive -suited to Pergola and high training to provdie shade for the fruit -prone to powdery mildew 4) Chardonnay 5) Sangiovese 6) Pecorino

Answer 3

- Allow both Trebbiano Abruzzo and Trebiano Toscano - MAX YIELDS are 98h/L - and wines are light to medium flavour intenstiy at best - Protectve wine making with SS tanks, ambient or cutlured yeast - MLFC blocked to preserve acidity - Wine are aged in SS tanks - Acceptable to good with some good to outstanding wines - eg. Valentini - regarded as one Italys great white wines eee

Answer 4

- Montepulciano must be 855 of the blend in this Rose wine - Trationally made in a deep pink , now lighter colours are made - Short maceration of 12 hours or direct pressing are allowed ( Montepulciano has a deep colour) - Some make rose as a bi-product with saignee method - Medium to Medium plus body

Answer 5

- made in two styles - 1) light extraction with short time on skins giving medium colour - 85% must be name variety and the 15% is usually Merlot and Primitivo 2) extended time in large oak / small French for higher quality barrel to soften tannins and some bottle ageing **3 levels : ** - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC must be grown on hilly sites - MAX YIELDS 98h/L - gorwn at max level the wines will be light to med concentration - 5 offical subzones of the DOC restrict the MAX YIELD to 66h/L - and require 1 year and 6 months of age , with 9 months is barrel - These wines have more concentration -Cilline Teramane Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOCG is also 66h/L but wines must be aged for 2 years / 1 year in oak Usually the DOC wines do not have to be bottles in the region of origin - contirbuting t the export into other regions for colour and alcohol Wines are ddeep ruby in colour , medium intenstiy red cherry and plum , medium plus body, high tannins Inexpensive to mid ( in oak ) Some DOCG wines are very good to outstanding

Answer 6

3/4 of the wines come from 40 co-op in the region Exported to Europe, USA and Canada Good value for money Small number of premium wines are sold in speciality wine shops eg. Valentini and Masciarelli Cantina Tollo exports 35% of all production

Answer 7

- warm, mediterranean - Altitude inland is important for cooling - Rainfall is adequate - HAZARDS: frost, rain during harvest and summer drought with prolonged high temperatures ( cessation of photosynthesis and icomplete ripening )

Answer 8

- most planted grape in the whoel country - - reputation for being difficult to grown - thin skineed and susceptible to botytris bunch rot - Buds early and is prone to spring frost / ripens late ( rains ) - Best on sunny south and south east facing slopes - grapes for better quality wines are grown on 200-550m hills to enable ripeness over a long season - with the heating climate gorwers are looking for less sunny areas SOILS : best on friable, shale and limestone with excellent drainage Ok on Clay - **vigorous and needs constans trimming to avoid shade ** - - Wines are medium intensit ruby , red cherry , plum and herbal notes - Mediu to full bodies and high acid, high tannins - Acceptable to outstanding with a few prem examples

Answer 9

- -cordons pruned to spurs and VSP is most common - Growers ahve been replacing older clones with new clones or vines by mass selection from the best performing plants - eg. THe Chianti classico project in which they produced 7 new clones - -Aim is for smaller, thicker berries with depeer colour and greater resistance to disease , and with less vigour , reducing labour Esca- avoiding large cuts to the wood to prevent vulnerablity - skilled method for pruning WIld boars aslo can damage vineyards - fencing

Answer 10

- late budding not vulnerable to spring frost - Vigorous and high yielding - prone to powdery mildew and eutypa dieback - ripens well in sunshine and and heat while retaining acid - Medium minus lemon and herbal - ( In France Brandy producers use the same grape aka Ugni Blanc **Lack of fruitiness and intenstiy measn the grape is declining in popularity but the acid is important in Vin Santo / and for blending

Answer 11

- used for bledning it lends a red berry and floral note with soft tannins when added to Sangiovese over taken by Merlot and Cab Sauv as a blending component

Answer 12

- In the absence of white grapes in the blend , wines are now kept on skins for a reduced time of 7-10 days for early drinking wines - 15-25 days for high tannins- designed for ageing - 90's spurren the change to temperature controlled ferments in SS tanks to preserve primary fruit - some using concrete Trends in barrels ahve chnaged and now a move to older barrels and less sweet spices is commong 500L tonneaux and large, neutral casks are common Subtle cherry, shoudl be the main interest point and not the oak Inexpensive wine is aged in SS tanks

Answer 13

- area of hills with some vineyards lower than 300m - Producers can bottle as Chianti , in the 7 subzones or Chianti with the name of the subzone Chianti DOCG - 70-100% Sangiovese the blends may be local or international ( Cab Sauv /Franc may not exceed 15% ) 10% may be Trebbiano Toscano but is rarely used Min abv% 11.5 and some 12% abv MAX YIELD 63h/L can be released for sale in March after the vintage aged in SS tank or oak light -medium flavour , less expensive compared to Classico Wines are medium bodied, with medium alchol Acceptable to very good RISERVA - must be aged for 2 yrs ( no oak required )

Answer 14

- MAX YIELD 56 h/L - Riserva - 6 months must be in oak - smallest and coolest zone - 350m - cool winds from the Appennines - High acid wines with retrained fruit and capapcity to age and develop complexity - - near FLorence - Estates : - Frescobaldi - Nipozzano Good to outstandign and mid priced with some prem examples

Answer 15

- largset subzone - warmer and wines are fuller bodied and richer - 75% must be Sangiovese an less Cabernets only 10% allowed Wines are inexpensive - mid and accepteble to very good

Answer 16

-hilly areas between Florence and Siena -200-500m for the best wines SOILS : schitstous, crumbly rock with clay and mark ' **galestro'** - gives aromatic wines with potential to age Soils have good drainage and water holding capactiy Soils with more clay are said to give wines bdoy and structure -most work done on hillside is by hand = $$$ Wine must be 80% Sangiovese, and/ Merlot / Caniolo as the blend NO WHITE varieites are permitted MAX YIELD is 52.5h/L Cannot be released before October the year after harvest RISERVA - 2 years from the 1 st of Jan , year of harvest Label may mention single vineyard Wines may NOT be bottled as Chianti DOC Current trends are tradtional style: paler colour, sour cherry and restrained new oak Medium flacvour, mid priced to prem and very good to outstanding eg. Fontodi

Answer 17

est. 2013 by the Conzorsio **SIngle vineyard Estate must be owned by the producer Min 30 months aged ( no wood) 90% Sangiovese and no international grapes allowed in the blend ** If grown in the 11 UGA 's ( additonal geographical units ) either a municipality eg. Radda or a zone may be named eg. Panzano **

Answer 18

- first bottled and sold by the Biondi Santi Family in 1865 , the only commerical producer until WW2 - Montalcino is the town in the south - US Banfi, has led to greater plantings of Sangiovese for export to the USA - 250 prodcuers and 2,100 ha -Warm, mediterranean ( Sea is 40kms away) -in the rain shadow of the Monte Amiata -adequate rainfall -Wines are full, ripe fruit with full body and high alcohol -120-500m south of the town -majority is hilly and soils are variable NORTH - 'galestro' - in the higher elevations = aromatic wines SOUTH - clay, warmer weather = fuller bodied wines No subzones yet and the grapes are blended from different aread across the DOCG MUST be 100% Sangiovese MAX YIELD is 54h/L May not be released until 4 years after the 1st of Jan , year of harvest with 2 years in oak RISERVA - 5 years , 2 in oak Return to old, large format oak The label may mention a single vineyard Mainly Premium to Super Prem prices and typically outstanding Wines are sour cherry fruit,high acid and tannins, showing complexity even when young due to tertiary notes developed in the long ageing eg. Casanova, Biondi santi, Soldera **Category of Rosso di Montalcino DOC allows producers to declassify in very difficult vintages 100% Sangiovese made from younger vines or promising site Aged in SS or oak for one year min. Good to very good and Mid priced

Answer 19

- named after the town - Historic area in the SE bordering Umbria / Montalcino SE facing slopes at 250-600m produce aromatic wines SOILS - heavy clay, cooling =fuller bodied wines Sand - more aromatic wines Use of small barrels, shorter extraction allow for wines to be drink early Vin Nobile di Montepulciano must be 70-100% Sangiovese MAX YIELDS 56h/L Wine must be aged for 2 years / 1-2 yrs in oak from the 1 st of January , harvest year -oak depends on the bottle ageing RISERVA - 3 years and 1-2 yrs in oak Names of the vineyards may be on label Very good to outstanding and mid to prem priced eg. Avigonesi and Contucci **Rosso di Montepulciano DOC is avaialbe for less expensive wines for early drinking , from March 1 after harvest New proposal : -wines will require 85% Sangiovese and no international varieites -allow producers to name of the 12 UGA's defined zones if the grapes were grown within

Answer 20

- close to the south coast - 250m avg -cooling winds fromthe sea - Wines are ripe fruit, black notes and cherry with medium to medium plu acid and ripe medium plus tannis - 85% must be Sangiovese - MAX YIELDS are 63h/L - Good to very good and inexpensive to mid priced - eg. Le Pupille - outstanding / prem prices

Answer 21

- dense, compact area - Bordeaux Blends are 80% of all plantings - warm , mediterranean climate - winds from the sea reduce fungal disease - mostly low to 400m - SOILS : varied - Rain is sufficient, however as new area, irrigation has been installed - vines are cordon, spur trained VSP for easy to maintanance - 6,000 vines oer ha - higher than most of Tuscany enabling competition between vines and reducing yields Wines were bottled vino da tavola unitl 1983 not know for wines typical in Tuscany Bolghei DOC may be 100% Cab Sauv (dominant) , Cab Franc, Merlot and up to 50% Syrah and Sangiovese 30% Petit Verdot is also allowed **Bolgheri Rosso Superiore aged for 2 years follig the 1st of Jan year of harvest , and 1 in oak ( usally French oak barriques , raising cost ) MAX YIELDS 56h/L Wines are deep in colour, ruby, medium plus to pronounced blackberry , red plum and green bell pepper in cooler years Vanilla and sweet spice from oak Med plu acid and high tannins Very good to outstanding and prem to super prem prices Bolgheri Rosso can be sold the September , year after harvest MAX YIELDS 63h/L

Answer 22

- DOC for a single estate , Tenuta San Guido which produces Sassacaia - DOC regualtions require min. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and min 2 years , 18 months in barriques 225L The highest quality wines are Sassacaia and Ornellaia ( owned by Frescobaldi ) are world class examples of Bordeaux wines , collected and traded around the world Also make less expensive wines Bolgheri Consortium represents 90%of the vineyards , 10 large producers who own 70% of the vineyards Success in the DOC - growth to 1,400ha now in 2022

Answer 23

-based on the former IGT of the same name , the area covers a large extensive area encompassing the entire province of Grosseto -DOC allows a wide range of varietites , both local and international -50% is Sangiovese , with Cab Sauv and Vermentino MAX YIELDS are 77h/L and are inexpensive to mid priced Handful of high quality estates sell Bordeaux blends at Prem and Super prem prices eg. La Pupille

Answer 24

- historic regions, mentioned in the Middle Ages - First ever DOC in 1996 , now a DOCG - Warm, with dry summers - Vines are planted on hillsides 200-400m - 85% must be Vernaccia di San Gimignano - (ripens late and can be high yielding) - and 10% SB and Rielsing are allowed - Wines are Med lemon and floral notes with Medium plus acidity SOILS : sandstone MAX YIELDS 63h/L Sales have reduced by 10% 50% is exported to US, GErmany and Switzerland -very active local market of tourist s visiting the towns medieval towers ,14 of them , and 50% is sold locally Inexpensive to mid priced The Consorzio has been promoting an initiative to reduce carbon footprint by reducing chemical, energy and water consumption and using lighter bottles

Answer 25

- higher permitted yields - an option for producers - any regsitered grape variety may be used - Inexpensive and mid priced wines - SIme if the most expensive and most prestigious wines are labelled Toscana IGT - eg. **Masseto** - Merlot from Frescobaldi - and **Solaia **- Cab Sauv/ Sangiovese and Cab Fran from Antinori

Answer 26

- amber coloured ,sweet wine - Appassimento method made with Trebbiano Toscana and Malvasia - Permitted in many regions - DOCG Vernaccia di San Gimignano , and three seperate DOC for Vin SAnto that correspond to the zones of Chianti , Chianti Classico and VIn noble di Montepulciano 60% of Vin Santo Chianti Classico DOC must ve Trebbiano Toscao and Malvasia Grapes are dried in the lofts , juice fermented and wine aged in small barrels sealed sstored in the loft for many 5-10 years Small batches are still made this way while eg. Avignonesi produce volume Min ageing is 2 years in barels in Chianti Classico 3 yesrs in Montepulciano - this is usually exceeded Oxidation without topping up leads to amber colour, complex palate of dried apricot, lemon , nutty notes and some VA Ferments are controlled to retain some primary fruit in larger production Wine is prem to super prem price due to the small batched produced RARE - Occhio di Pernice - super prem

Answer 27

- most of the regions sell a wine from the previous vintges and wines which must be aged - -Longer aged wines are prem to super prem prices - eg. Brunello - Also space in the winery and delay on ROI - DOC/G wines account for 65% of all prodcution - Chianti is 50% of this and Chianti Classcio next, then Brunello di Montalcino Stucture of the industy is very different across the DOC's 14% Chianti ismade by co-ops , only 6% in Classico and 1% in Monatalcino No co-ops in Bolgheri For Chianti DOCG - in Italy supermarkets m the half of the deep dicount wines are sold in 750ml bottle and the other in 'brick' 500ml-1L , creating a low average price 2022, highest selling wine by volume in Italy Exports : **Chianti Classico - 91% to USA , Canada and UK ** Montalcino 65% to USA , Canada and Germany **Montepulciano 70% to Germany, USA and Switzerland ** Chianti DOCG - 60% to Germany, USA and UK at low prices Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino are successfully exported to USA ,GErmany , Canada, UK and Switzerland Route to market for inexpensive wines that are sold in supermarket snad inexpensive bars to mid priced - super prem wines that are sold in speciallist wine shops and high end restaurants Marketing of the wines depends on the DOC Chianti, Chianti Classico and Montepulciano are marketed as reerence to their place in Tuscan history , while wines from Montalcino and Bolgheri are promoted as wines of world class quality Wine tourisn and architecture of wineries is a marked feature of the region Highly desirable holiday denstination Wines are promoted through events at the 'anteprime' , once a year opportunity for buyers and wine journalists to taste last years vintage , aged and Riserva releases