Italy: Central Flashcards
What are the geographical differences between Chianti and Chianti Classico?
Classico is hillier
When were sassicaia and tignanello first produced?
1968, 1971
What makes Sangiovese difficult to grow?
Buds early, ripens late
Vigorous
Thin skinned
Too productive
Lots of manual work to grow high quality fruit, adding to cost
What is the name for Ugni Blanc in Tuscany? What important wine is it used in?
Trebbiano Toscano
Vin Santo
How many sub zones does Chianti have? How are the requirements different?
7; lower max yields (56 vs 63)
What is the coolest of the Chianti sub zones? What accounts for this?
Rufina; higher elevation (around 350m) and cooling winds from a pass in the Apennines
What is the largest of the Chianti sub zones?
Colli Senesi; also generally the warmest
What are Chianti Classico’s two main soil types?
Galestro—schistous, crumbly rock with clay and marl
Alberese—sandstone; sandy soils
What is the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione designation?
Grapes must come from a single vineyard or an estate owned by the producer; must be aged for min 30 mos
Describe Banfi’s role in bringing Brunello di Montalcino to fame.
USA import company who purchased and planted land in Montalcino in 1970s; resulted in huge commercial success in export mkts
How does Montalcino’s climate differ from Chianti Classico?
Warmer, drier (protected from rain by Monte Amiata), so results riper, fuller bodied wines with higher alcohol
What are the aging requirements for Brunello?
Can’t be released until 5 yrs after harvest, with min 2 yrs in oak (6/3 for Riserva)
What role does Rosso di Montalcino play in relation to Brunello di Montalcino?
Rosso is made from young vines or less promising sites
Less aging, cheaper
Can be used for declassified Brunello in difficult vintages
Describe the wines of Maremma DOC.
Mainly full bodied red wines from Sangiovese and Bordeaux grapes, followed by whites from Vermentino
What is the predominating wine style in Bolgheri?
Red Bordeaux blends (80% of plantings) morning
Describe the climate of Bolgheri.
Warm climate with cooling influence from being on the coast, enabling grapes to get fully ripe
As Bolgheri was not known for wine until the 1980s, describe the viticultural practices and how they’re different from much of Italy.
Bordeaux varieties instead of Italian
Irrigation widely installed
Planting densities higher (6000 vines/ha)
Who owns Sassicaia? What’s the name of the separate DOC for the single estate that produces it, along with regulations?
Frescobaldi family
Bolgheri Sassicaia, produced by Tentua San Guido
Min 80% CS, min aging 2 yrs in 225L casks
Who makes Masseto and Solaia, and what are they made from? What is their designation?
Masseto: Merlot from Ornellaia/Frescobaldi family
Solaia: CS/CF/Sangiovese from Antinori
Both are Toscana IGT
What is Tuscany’s Vin Santo?
Sweet wine by appassimento method from Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia
What denomination makes up about half of Tuscany’s production?
Chianti, followed by Chianti Classico
How much Chianti Classico is exported?
Nearly 80%
What is Tuscany’s anteprima?
Once a year opportunity for journalists and buyers to taste the new vintage of all Tuscan regions
What are the main red and white grapes from the Marche?
Montepulciano
Sangiovese
Verdicchio
Describe the geography and climate of the Marche.
Low hills near the coast with a Mediterranean climate, inland is flatter with a continental climate
What are the two main denominations for Verdicchio?
Castelli di Jesi DOC (low hills; larger DOC; has Classico and Riserva)
Verdicchio di Matelica DOC (higher foothills of Apennines; fuller body, less fruity and higher acidity than Jesi; has Riserva)
What two white grapes can be grown in Offida DOCG? Red? Where is this region located?
Pecorino and Passerina; Montepulciano; in the Marche
What Central Italy grape is susceptible to reductive sulfur compounds during winemaking?
Montepulciano
Where is Orvieto DOC located, and what grapes are used in the wines? What styles are permitted?
Western edge of Umbria, small extension into Lazio; Trebbiano Toscano and Grechetto; dry, off-dry, sweet wines—can be late harvest and affected by noble rot
Describe Sagrantino di Montefalco.
Tannic, dark red wine from 100% Sagrantino that must be aged 33 mos before released (incl 1 yr in wood)
What style of wine is Lazio known for today?
White wines from Malvasia and Trebbiano Toscano (70% of production)
What is Lazio’s most famous DOC?
Frascati DOC
What is the level of quality of most wines from Lazio, both historically and today? What markets do the wines serve most?
Inexpensive, lighter bodied wines, mainly for tourism in Rome and local consumption. High permitted yields and volume have been the norm.
What is the name of the rosé wine made in Abruzzo? Describe it
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo; made from Montepulciano and fairly full bodied and with deep color; can be done by saignee
What are the two general geographical growing regions in Abruzzo? How is vine growing different in each?
Hillside vineyards under Apennines (vineyard work mostly by hand), and flatter coastal zone (more VSP, more mechanization)
Where will you find Colline Teramane? What can be produced there?
Abruzzo DOCG for Montepulciano (highest designation of quality for Montepulciano)
How many sub zones of Abruzzo for Montepulciano are there? How are they different than the general DOC?
5; lower yields and longer aging before release
