Italy exam 67 PM Flashcards
where are most of the vineyards in Piedmont and why
south of the Po’ River, cause the alluvial soils of the River plains are too fertile for good quality viticolture
soils in Piedmont
Thin, calcareous marl and sandstone soils with varying percentages of clay and sand
Piedmont climate
continental climate
Alps provide a “rain shadow” effect
autumn hail can be a worry in the Langhe hills
Sorí
cru with a southern exposure
Bricco
vineyard at the top of the slope/hill
Major red grapes in Piedmont
Nebbiolo / Barbera / Dolcetto + bonarda
Nebbiolo = named after the morning fog that prolongs the ripening process in the fall / thin skin / late-ripening / high tannins + acidity + Alcohol
Dolcetto = earliest to ripen / high tannins + low acidity / fruity / youthful consumption
Barbera = most planted grape in Piedmont / high acidity + low tannins
Lesser varietals in Piedmont
Brachetto, Grignolino, Ruchè, Croatina, Vespolina, and Freisa
most planted white varietal in Piedmont
Moscato bianco / mostly used for Asti production
Other white varietals
Cortese, Arneis, Erbaluce and Favorita
How many DOC / DOCG in Piedmont
More DOC zones than any other region in Italy = 41 DOCs + 19 DOCGs
Most prestigious DOCG in Piedmont
Barolo & Barbaresco / encapsulated by the larger Langhe DOC
Communes of Barolo
11communes
Most famous: La morra / barolo / castiglione falletto / sarralunga d’alba / Monforte d’alba
Barbaresco communes
Barbaresco, Neive, and Treiso + Alba (one portion is allowed)
Best crus in Barolo
- Rocche dell’Annunziata
- Arborina
- Brunate
- Cerequio
- Ravera
- Cannubi
- Ginestra
- Bussia
- Monprivato
- Villero
- Falletto (bruno giocosa monopole)
- Francia (Giacomo Conterno monopole = Riserva Monfortino in great vintages / 1924 first vintage)
Best crus in Barbaresco
- Paje’
- Ovello
- Montefico
- Montestefano
- Rabaja
- Asili
- Sori’ Tildin / Sori’ San Lorenzo = GAJA
Soils in Barolo
- Tortonian soils = higher proportion of calcareous marl (La Morra and Barolo) = softer style of wine.
- Serravallian (Helvetian) sandstone soils (Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, and Castiglione Falletto) = more structure in the wine
Ageing requirements in Barolo
Barolo Normale = 38 months (18 in Oak)
Barolo riserva = 62 months (18 in Oak)
Aging requirements in Barbaresco
Barbaresco Normale = 26 months (9 in Oak)
Barbaresco Riserva = 50 months (9 in oak)
Traditionalist Barolo producers
Big casks , 30-50 days maceration: Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello, Giuseppe Rinaldi
Modernist Barolo producers
“modernists” who embraced barriques, shorter macerations, and a rounder style of wine: Paolo Scavino, Luciano Sandrone, Elio Altare
Barbaresco producers:
Bruno Giacosa, Angelo Baja, Produttori del Barbaresco
Since when “Menzioni geografiche aggiuntive” of the DOCG can be added to the labels of Barolo and Barbaresco
2007 in Barbaresco
2010 in Barolo
Barolo Chinato DOCG
Quinine flavoured wine / Cappellano top producer
Roero DOCG
(Since 2004) / northwestern bank of the Tanaro River, opposite Barolo and Barbaresco / minimum 95% Nebbiolo + Arneis / sandy soils = lighter style of Nebbiolo than Barolo or Barbaresco
Gattinara DOCG / Ghemme DOCG
along the Sesia river / Red only / Nebbiolo know as Spanna / blended with Bonarda, Vespolina
Barbera DOCG’s:
Barbera d’AstiDOCG andBarbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG = Since 2008
Nizza DOCG
Since 2014 / Formerly Barbera d’Asti / 100% Barbera
Barbera aging requirements:
Ageing requirements: Barbera d’Asti = 4 months // Barbera del Monferrato = 14 months , 6 in Oak (must be superiore)
Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG
Since 2010 / Ruche’ grape
DOCG’s for Dolcetto
- Dogliani (famous for Luigi Einaudi (former President of Italian Republic)
- Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore(Ovada)
- Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba(Diano d’Alba) = 100% Dolcetto / 10 moths minimum aging / 75 sorí are classified in Diano d’Alba
Gavi DOCG
First white DOCG in Piedmont
Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG
since 2010 / 100% Erbaluce
Asti/Moscato d’Asti DOCG
largest producer of DOCG wine in italy = around 65000hl
single fermentation = Charmat method , Martinotti
Moscato bianco = Muscat blanc a petit grains
Spumante
Sparkling (min 3.5 atmospheres)
Frizzante
slightly sparkling (between 1.0 and 2.5 atmospheres)
Alta Langa DOCG
Traditional method / Pinot Noir and Chardonnay / 30 months on lees / 3 years on lees Riserva /
Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG
Red sparkling / dry or sweet / still or sparkling / 100% Brachetto
Biggest wine producing region in Italy
Veneto