Italy: Central & Southern Flashcards
What are the two DOCGs of Umbria?
Torgiano Rosso Riserva & Sagrantino di Montefalco
Which grapes make up the blend of the famed Est!Est!!Est!!! Montefiascone wines?
50-65% Trebbiano Toscano, 25-40% Trebbiano Giallo (Rossetto), 10-20% Malvasia Bianca Lunga and/or Malvasia del Lazio
Orvieto DOC spans which 2 wine regions? Which grapes are permitted?
Lazio and Umbria; Min. 40% Grechetto, 20-40% Trebbiano Toscano or Procanico
Where in Italy might you find the Trebbiano Clone known as “Trebbiano Spoletino”? How is it trained? Name a producer who makes a wine in an homage to this grape and training method.
Trebbiano Spoletino is found in Umbria and is trained so that the fruit hangs high above the ground. Paolo Bea makes a wine called “Arboreus” from this clone in this style
What city in Umbria was the historical summer retreat for the Papacy? What kind of wine is it famous for? What grape(s) is/are used to make this wine? What percentage of DOC classified Umbrian wine comes from this city/region?
Orvieto is the historical retreat of the Popes and is known for white wine produced from Grechetto & Trebbiano Toscana (along with Verdello, Canaiolo Bianco and others). Orvieto accounts for 70% of Umbria’s DOC classified wine
What are “Super Umbros”? (hint: they are not the 21st nod to the light nylon shorts beloved by soccer players (& the girls who crushed on them) in the 1990s) Which of the following producers makes a Super Umbro: Paolo Bea, Arnaldo Caprai, Lungarotti?
Super Umbro is a term that is used to describe the Umbrian version of the Super-Tuscan – wine made from Bordeaux varietals that have been stealthily invading Umbria. None of these very traditional producers makes (or probably would ever make) a Super-Umbro.
What was the first vintage of Arnaldo Caprai’s Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni? What year was it released?
1993 vintage
1996 release
What is the flagship wine and vineyard of Paolo Bea?
Sagrantino di Montefalco “Pagliaro”
What are the eight subzones of Chianti?
Classico, Rufina, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Aretini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, Montespertoli
What is Occio di Pernice?
A rosé version of Vin Santo, where a minimum of 50% Sangiovese is added to the white grape blend of Malvasia and Trebbiano. (In Bolgheri, 50-70% Sangiovese with 30-50% Malvasia Nera)
Where would you find the DOC of Lacrima di Morro d’Alba?
In the Marches, just south of the capital Ancona. This red wine is produced from 100% Lacrima, which produced a light red wine that is red-fruit driven with a little spice and florality. This wine is similar to Pinot Noir and is always a fun alternative for red to pair with Indian cuisine.
Who produced the first Brunello di Montalcino? What are the aging requirements?
Biondi-Santi produced the first Brunello in 1865. Brunello must be aged for a min. 2years in wood and 4 months in bottle. The wine may not be released until January 1st of the 5th year following harvest. Riserva While riserva requires an additional 2 months in bottle and may not be released until January 1st of the 6th year following harvest.
What is Elba?
About 12 miles off the coast of Maremma is the isle of Elba, notably the site of the French Emperor Napoleon’s exile in 1814. In 2011, the Elba Aleatico Passito DOCG was finalized for sweet red passito wines made from the Aleatico grape on the island. Aleatico has been genetically linked to the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains grape; possibly it is a red-skinned mutation.
What is the only white wine in Tuscany to enjoy DOCG status?
Vernaccia di San Gimignano a crisp, pink grapefruit-tinged white wine produced on sandy, rock-strewn soils around the hilltop town of San Gimignano in the Siena province.
Which area of Italy became the first Italian wine to display the neck-strip of the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (D.O.C.G.)?
“Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” became the first Italian wine to display the neck-strip of the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (D.O.C.G.).
What is Sangiovese called in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and how much of it is required by law in the blend?
It is called “Prugnolo Gentile” at Montepulciano with a minimum 70% (may be joined up to 30% by other allowable Tuscan varieties.)
True or false the grape requirements used for Rosso di Montepulciano DOC are identical to the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?
Its true. Sangiovese, minimum 70% (may be joined up to 30% by other varieties authorized for the Tuscany Region).
Who made the 1st‘super-Tuscan’ wine and when was it first released commercially? What was it’s original label designation?
The Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta first made Saissicaia (Cabernet Sauvignon from his Tenuta San Guido estate in Bolgheri) in 1944; it was his personal wine. The first vintage released for commercial sale in 1971 was the 1968 vintage. The original label was Vino da Tavola.
What is Vino Cotto, and where is it made?
AKA cooked wine. It is made from the grape must of white grapes (pecorino, passerine, pagadebito caccio, maceratina, gaglioppa). The must is boiled in a copper pot till it is reduced by a third. This is then put into oak barrels where after fermentation, it is aged. Each subsequent harvest is used to fill the barrel back up. Has no alcohol content.Originally, a typical product of the Marche region, it is also made in Abruzzo and Calabria.
Who makes Flaccionello della Pieve? What’s the appellation and the cepage? What was the first vintage?
Fontodi; Colli Toscana Centrale IGT; 100% Sangiovese; 1981
Who makes Vigna del Sorbo? What’s the appellation/cepage?
Fontodi; Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG; 10% Cab/90% Sangiovese
Who makes Fontalloro? What’s the cepage/where’s it from?
Felsina; IGT Toscana (from Chianti Classico & Colli Senesi); 100% Sangiovese
Who makes Maestro Raro? What is the appellation/cepage?
Felsina; IGT Toscana; 100% Cab
Who makes Pian del Ciampolo? What’s the cepage?
Montevertine; Sangiovese/Canaiolo/Colorino
Who makes Le Pergole Torte? What’s the cepage?
Montevertine; 100% Sangiovese
Who makes Case Basse? When was it first released normale/riserva?
Soldera; 1990/1995
Who makes Cepparello? What is the cepage? When was the first vintage?
Isole e Olena; 100% Sangiovese;1980
Who makes L’Eremo? What is the cepage?
Isole e Olena –100% Syrah
What sea borders Tuscany?
Tyrrhenian Sea
What is a tonneaux?
A 500 L barrel used in Tuscany.
What mountain range forms the border b/t Tuscany and Emilia Romagna as well as Tuscany and Lazio/Marche?
Appennine Mountains
What province does the Chianti Classico DOCG lie in?
Siena & Firenze
What are the cepage requirements for Chianti Classico DOCG?
80-100% Sangiovese (other grapes allowed: Canaiolo, Colorino, Cab, Merlot)
In what year did it become illegal to use white grapes in Chianti Classico DOCG wines? What white grapes were used prior to that? Is it still legal to use white grapes in Chianti DOCG and in what amounts?
Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia; 2006
Yes, up to 10%
What are the aging requirements for Chianti Classico Riserva? What is the minimum alcohol?
24 months from 1/1 of year after harvest (3 months in bottle); 12.5% (vs. 12% for normale)
Describe the soils of Chianti Classico?
Galestro (soft marl-like soil), Alberese (sandstone), clay, schist, and sand
What are the four original communes of Chianti Classico? What are the other 5 communes? What provinces do they fall in?
Radda, Greve, Gaiole, Castellina; Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonsi, Baberino Val d’Elsa, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, San Casciano Val di Pesa
Siena: Radda in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonsi
Firenze: Greve in Chianti, Barberino Val d’Elsa, San Casciano Val di Pesa, Tavernelle Val di Pesa
Panzano & Lamole are recognized crus of what region?
Greve in Chianti
Name two crus of Greve in Chianti?
Panzano, Lamole
Name the four original villages of Chianti Classico, clockwise, starting from the northernmost.
Greve, Radda, Gaiole, Castellina
What does the designation Chianti Classico Gran Selezione mandate? When was it created?
All estate fruit, 30 months aging w/ at least 3 months in bottle; 2013
What are the eight subzones of Chianti DOCG?
Classico (doesn’t technically count as a subzone since it’s its own DOCG), Rufina, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Colli Arentini, Montalbano, Montespertoli
What is the coolest subzone of Chianti?
Rufina
Where is the Pomino DOC and who are the only producers? How are the regulations different than the surrounding region?
Within Rufina; Frescobaldi & Fattoria Selvapiana; higher % of international grapes allowed – min. 50% Sangiovese w/ Pinot Noir and Merlot (max. 50% combined). Varietal wines, white, red, and vin santo also made.
When were the subzones of Chianti created? What is the exception, and when was it added?
1932; Montespertoli was added in 1997 – it used to be part of Colli Fiorentini
What is the straw covered bottle that Chianti once came in called?
Fiasco
What is the minimum alcohol of Chianti DOCG?
11.5%
What are the cepage requirements for Chianti DOCG? What subzone has an exception?
70-100% Sangiovese (Colli Senesi must be 75%); no more than 15% Cab/Cab Franc combined; white grapes allowed
What is “governo”?
A process permitted in Chianti whereby wine is referemented with the juice of dried grapes to strengthen the wine and initiate malo
What are the requirements for Riserva Chianti? Superiore Chianti?
Riserva – 2 years of age. Superiore – 12% alcohol and lower yields
What denomination cannot be used in conjunction with a subzone name in Chianti?
Chianti Superiore
Slavonian oak is a sub-species of what? Where is this species found?
Quercus robur – found in the Limousin & Balkan forests of France
Where does Slavonian oak come from?
A historic and geographical area of eastern Croatia.
What province is the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG in?
Siena
What are the aging requirements for regular and riserva Brunello?
Reg: min 2 yrs in wood, 4 mos in bottle, and may not be sold until 1/1, 5 years after harvest; Riserva: min 2 yrs in wood, 6 mos in bottle, may not be sold until 1/1, 6 years after harvest
Describe the soil of Brunello di Montalcino?
Clay and marine sediment at lower altitudes; galestro (soft, marl-like soil) at higher.
Compare Brunello & Chianti.
Montalcino is hotter and sandier than Chianti; producers a more alcoholic, tannic, and extracted wine.
Where is the Arbia River? What is it a torrent of?
Located in Castellina in SW Chainti; Ombrone River.
Who makes Messorio? What does it mean and what is the cepage?
Le Macchiole; “the perfect child”; 100% Merlot
Who makes Paleo Rosso? Where and what is the cepage?
Le Macchiole; Bolgheri; 100% Cab Franc
Who makes “Scrio”? What does the name mean and what is the cepage?
Le Macchiole; “the prodigal son”; 100% Syrah
What was the first vintage of Paleo Rosso? When did it become 100% Cabernet Franc and what was the cepage before that?
1989/2001/Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon
Who makes Perlato del Bosco Rosso? What is the cepage?
Tua Rita; 60% Sangio/40% Cab
Who makes Giustro di Notri? What is the cepage?
Tua Rita; 30% Merlot/60% Cab Sauv/10% Cab Franc
Who makes Redigaffi? What is the cepage? When was the first vintage?
Tua Rita; 100% Merlot; 1994
Who makes Le Volte? What is the cepage?
Ornellaia; Sangiovese, Merlot & Cab
Who makes Le Serre Nuove? What was the first vintage? What is the cepage?
Ornellaia’s second wine; Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot/PV; 1997
Who makes Massetto? What was the first vintage? What is the cepage?
Ornellaia; 100% Merlot; 1985 (Massetto is the name of the vineyard in Bolgheri)
What was the first vintage of Ornellaia? What grapes are used?
1984; Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot/PV
Who makes Le Difese? What is the cepage?
Tenuta San Guido - 70% Cab/30% Sangiovese
Who makes Guidalberto? What is the cepage?
Tenuta San Guido, predominately Merlot
Who was the first proprietor of Tenuta San Guido?
Marquis Mario Rocchetta
What was the first “Super Tuscan”? What year was it released and what was the vintage?
Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia; released in 1970, 1968 vintage
What was Italy’s first DOC and when was it awarded?
Vernacchia di San Gimignano; 1966
What are the cepage requirements for Suvereto DOCG?
Rosso or Rosso Riserva – Cab & Merlot, with a max. 15% other grapes. Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cab can be varietally bottled, with a min. of 85% of that grape.
Where is the Offida DOCG? What kind of wines are made there? When was it elevated to DOCG status?
Marche; red wines from Montepulciano and varietal whites from Passerina and Pecorino; 2011
What communes fall within the Classico zone of Orvieto?
Orvieto, Castel Giorgio, Castel Viscardo, Allerona, Porano, Montecchio, Baschi
What DOC can red wines made in Orvieto be released as?
Lago di Corbara DOC
What two regions does Orvieto DOC overlap?
Umbria and Lazio.
What are the cepage requirements for Orvieto DOC?
min. 40% Grechetto, 20-40% Trebbiano Toscano or Procanico
What are rosato wines called in Abruzzo?
Cerasuolo
Who are the two most famous producers of Abruzzo?
Emidio Pepe & Edoardo Valentini
What is the only DOCG of Abruzzo?
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane
What is a synonym for Trebbiano d’Abruzzo?
Bombino Bianco
What are the cepage & aging requirements for Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG?
At least 90% Montepulciano (max. 10% Sangiovese) 2 years (1 in wood), 3 for Riserva
What are the aging requirements for Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG?
Min. 30 months, including 12 in wood
Where are the DOCs of Fara and Faro, respectively?
Fara – Piedmont
Faro – Sicily
What are the grapes of Vin Santo? What are the aging requirements?
Trebbiano Toscano & Malvasia
Must be aged in caratelli (chestnut wood, allowing rapid oxidation, capacity ranges from 300-500L) for 3 years. Riserva, 4 years (except in Montepulciano, where it’s 5)
What is the rosé version of Vin Santo called?
Occhio di Pernice (50% Sangiovese + white grapes)
What is the primary grape of Ciro DOC?
Gaglioppo
What is the Brunello clone of Sangiovese?
Sangiovese grosso
Who makes “Tignanello” and where? What is the cepage?
Antinori, Tuscany (80% Sangiovese/20% Cab)
In what region is the Prugnolo Gentile clone of Sangiovese grown?
Montepulciano, Tuscany
What was the first DOCG in Italy?
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, 1980 (along with Brunello di Montalcino and Barolo)
Describe some of the notable Tuscan vintages from 1995 to present.
95, 96, 97 – string of excellent vintages
98 – rainy, harder, okay for Brunello
00, 02, 05 – the most problematic vintages of the decade
04, 06 – excellent, concentrated wines
What is Ca’Marcanda’s white wine?
Vistamare (“Sea View”) – Vermentino/Viognier/Chard/SB
Who makes “Promis”? What kind of soil is it made on? Cepage?
Gaja; the “terre brune” of his Tuscan vineyard in Bolgheri – dark loam and clay; 55% Merlot/35% Syrah/10% Sangiovese
What Tuscan estate translates to “The House of Endless Negotiations”?
Ca’Marcanda
What province is the Suvereto DOCG in, and when was it established?
2011; Livorno
What Tuscan winemaker is the nephew of Tenuta San Guido’s Marquis Mario Rocchetta?
Piero Antinori
Who released the second Super Tuscan ever? When? What was it?
Piero Antinori, Tignanello in 1971; 80% Sangiovese/15% Cab/5% Cab Franc
Who makes Guado al Tasso? Where from and what is the cepage?
Antinori; Bolgheri. Approx. 65% Cab/20% Merlot/12% Cab Franc/3% PV (2008 numbers)
What are the cepage/aging/ABV requirements for Morellino di Scansano Rosso & Riserva?
Min. 85% Sangiovese (Morellino); 12.5%/13%; Riserva must age 2 years
Suvereto DOCG was a sub-zone of what DOCG until it was elevated in 2011?
Val di Cornia DOCG
What are the aging requirements and min. alcohol for Suvereto DOCG Riserva?
Cannot be released until 1/1 of the 3rd year following harvest, min. 18 months in oak, 6 months in bottle. 13% ABV (vs. 12.5% for normale)
Who makes “Magari”? From where and what is it?
Gaja, Ca’Marcanda. Both terre brune (dark loam/clay) and terre blanche (stone/pepples); Merlot/Cab/Cab Franc
Where is the Misa river?
Marche – Castello di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva DOCG
What DOCG does the Esino river flow through?
Castello di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva DOCG
What are the aging requirements for Castello di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva and Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva?
Min. 18 months before release
What are the two red wine DOCGs of the Marche?
Vernaccia di Serrapetrona DOCG & Conero Rosso Riserva DOCG
Who makes Solaia? When was the first vintage? What is the cepage?
Antinori; 75% Cab/20% Sangio/5% Cab Franc; 1978
What are the two DOCGs for Verdicchio in the Marche?
Castello di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva, Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva
Where, specifically, is Bucci a producer?
Castello di Jesi, Marche
What is the name of Paolo Bea’s premier cuvee?
“Pagliaro,” Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG
Where is the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba DOC?
Marche
In what year did Castello di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva and Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva become DOCGs?
2009
Where is Vernaccia a red grape?
Marche; Vernaccia di Serrapetrona DOCG
What styles of wine are made in the Vernaccia di Serrapetrona DOCG?
Sparkling reds, dry or sweet, with 40% Passito grapes
What is the capital of the Marche?
Ancona