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WSET Level 4 - D3 > Italy - Piemonte > Flashcards

Italy - Piemonte Flashcards

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1
Q

Grape varieties
What are the top six varieties (descending order)

A
  • Barbera (b)
  • Moscato Bianco
  • Dolcetto (b)
  • Nebbiolo (b)
  • Cortese
  • Brachetto (b)
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2
Q

Describe the climate, climatic influences, and hazards

A
  • Moderate continental
  • Protected by the Alps (north): from cold winds and excessive rainfall
  • Protected by the Apennines: from weathers from the Mediterranean
  • Hazards: thunderstorms, hail, fog, late frosts
  • Low rainfall (June to Sept) -> low risk of fungal diseases
  • Higher rainfall (Sept/Okt) -> threat to late-ripening varieties as Nebbiolo
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3
Q

Grape varieties - Nebbiolo
What is the variety’s vigor, budding/ripening time and typical style (color, intensity, aromas, acidity, body, tannin, alcohol)

A
  • Vigorous
  • Early budding -> spring frosts as a problem
  • Very late ripening
  • Ruby color (pale garnet after 3-5 years)
  • Pronounced intensity
  • Violet, rose, red cherry, red plum
  • High acidity
  • Full body
  • High tannins
  • Can be high alcohol
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4
Q

Grape varieties - Nebbiolo
What are consideration regarding grape growing? (site, pruning, training, canopy, …)

A
  • Mostly planted on the best south- and southwest-facing sites -> to fully ripen
  • Vines have to be pruned high as the first few buds are infertile
  • Single Guyot is the most common form of training -> aids mechanization
  • Excessive exposure of grapes to the sun can be a problem
  • Vigorous, so needs regular canopy management and time-consuming cluster thinning
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5
Q

Grape varieties - Nebbiolo
What are considerations regarding clones?

A
  • Main aim: producing wines of deeper color
  • However, new clones might have lost some of the variety’s high aromatic intensity
  • Many (incl. Gaja) prefer mass selection, seeking vines with
  • -> low vigor (increased concentration)
  • -> open bunches (reducing fungal disease)
  • -> small berries (good depth of color)
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6
Q

Barolo DOCG
Where are vineyards located what are climatic influences and what effect do they have on the final wine?

A
  • Vineyards on south- and south-west facing slopes
  • 200-400m altitude
  • Good sunlight interception with cooling influences
  • -> Grapes ripen fully over a long growing season
  • -> pronounced aromatic intensity and high acidity
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7
Q

Barolo DOCG
What is the max yield and how have plantings evolved?

A
  • Max yield: 56 hL/ha
  • Plantings have doubled in 30 years -> to 2,000 ha
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8
Q

Barolo DOCG
What is the variety, what are the requirements regarding winemaking and what is the typical quality and price?

A
  • 100% Nebbiolo
  • Barolo: must be aged for 3 years and 2 months (incl. 18 months in oak)
  • Barolo Riserva: must be aged for 5 years and 2 months (incl. 18 months in oak)
  • Very good to outstanding quality
  • Premium and super-premium priced
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9
Q

Barolo DOCG
What are the different soil types, where are they found, and what is their impact on the wine?

A
  • Villages in the north and west: blue-grey marl -> lighter more aromatic wines that become drinkable after a few years in bottle
  • Villages in the south and east: less fertile, predominantly yellow-grey compacted sand and clay -> closed and tannic in youth and should be cellared for 10-15 years
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10
Q

Barolo DOCG
What sub-zone system was recently introduced?

A
  • MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive)
  • Sub-zones: entire village and single vineyards
  • Some still blend for more complexity
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11
Q

Barbaresco DOCG
How does it compare to Barolo in terms of size, location of vineyards, temp, and harvest?

A
  • One third of the size of Barolo DOCG
  • Slightly lower altitude
  • Slightly warmer
  • Harvest is typically a week earlier.
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12
Q

Barbaresco DOCG
What is the variety, what are the requirements regarding winemaking and what is the typical quality and price?

A
  • 100% Nebbiolo
  • Barbaresco DOCG: aged for 2 years and 2 months (min 9 months in oak)
  • Riserva: 4 years and 2 months (min 9 months in oak)
  • Very good to outstanding quality
  • Premium and super-premium price
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13
Q

Barbaresco DOCG
What is the max yield compared to Barolo?

A

Same! (56 hL/ha)

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14
Q

Winemaking - Nebbiolo
Describe how the winemaking of Nebbiolo wines evolved over time

A
  • Traditionally: very long maceration on the skins (3-4 months) and very long time in wood (5-8 years)
  • 1970s and 80s: deeper color, softer tannins and less need to be aged, and with new oak flavors
  • Today: in between the extremes
  • Ripe skins and seeds
  • Maceration on skins for 3-4 weeks
  • Ageing in large oak a combination of large and smaller oak (small amount of new oak -> overt vanilla and spices are not wanted)
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15
Q

What are other DOCGs and DOCs where Nebbiolo is grown? How are they different form Barolo and Barbaresco?
What is their typical price level?

A
  • Roero DOCG, Gattinara DOCG, Ghemme DOCG: continental climate -> higher acidity, light body
  • Langhe Nebbiolo DOC or Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC: wines for early drinking (less maceration on skin and ageing in neutral containers)
  • Mid- to premium priced
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16
Q

Barbera
Around what cities is it mostly grown?

A
  • Asti (Barbera d’Asti DOCG, Nizza DOCG)
  • Alba
17
Q

Barbera
What are characteristics of the variety? (budding, ripening, vigor, diseases)

A
  • Early budding -> prone to spring frost
  • Late ripening, but before Nebbiolo
  • Very vigorous -> can produce very high yields
  • Disease-resistant
18
Q

Barbera
Describe the typical style (styles, color, intensity, aromas, acidity, tannin, alcohol quality, price)

A
  • Range of styles (even lightly sparkling), but mostly still wine for early drinking
  • Medium to deep ruby
  • Medium intensity red plum and red cherry, sometimes with black pepper
  • High acidity
  • Medium tannin
  • Medium alcohol
  • Good to very good quality (some very good to outstanding)
  • Inexpensive to mid-priced (some premium prices)
19
Q

Dolcetto
What are characteristics of the variety (ripening, diseases, vigor) and what is the recent trend in plantings?

A
  • Early ripening -> can be grown on cooler sites
  • Susceptible to fungal diseases
  • Low vigor
  • -> reduction in vineyard area
20
Q

Dolcetto
How is it handled in the winery?

A
  • Reductive, so frequent pump overs or rack-and-return to introduce oxygen
  • Mid-range fermentation temps to retain fresh primary fruit
  • Short time on skins (7-15 days)
  • Soft extraction methods (naturally high tannins)
  • Aged in stainless steel or cement
21
Q

Dolcetto
What are the best areas for that variety and what is the typical style of wine? (intensity, aromas, acidity tannin, quality, price)

A
  • Alba, Dogliani, and Ovada
  • Deep ruby in color
  • Medium(+) intensity
  • Red cherry fruit with floral notes
  • Medium(-) acidity
  • Medium(+) tannins
  • Good to very good quality (some very good to outstanding)
  • Inexpensive to mid-priced (some premium prices)
22
Q

Dolcetto
What are significant producers?

A
  • Marcarini (Alba)
  • Marziano Abbona (Dogliani)
23
Q

Cortese
Describe the typical style of wine (color of variety, intensity, aromas, acidity, body, ageing, quality, price)

A
  • White variety
  • Light intensity lemon, apple/pear and white flowers
  • High acidity
  • Medium body
  • Mostly for early drinking, some develop in bottle
  • Good quality (some very good)
  • Inexpensive to mid-priced (some premium)
24
Q

Cortese
What are the characteristics of the variety?

A
  • High yields
  • Thin-skin -> susceptible to grey rot
  • Fermentation at mid-range temps
  • Aged in stainless steel to preserve the primary fruit
25
Q

Cortese
What are requirements for Gavi DOCG and Riserva? (max yield and ageing)

A
  • Gavi DOCG: 100% Cortese, max yield 67 hL/ha
  • Riserva: max yield 45 hL/ha, aged min 1 year
26
Q

Cortese
Name two significant producers

A
  • Castellari Bergaglio
  • La Scolca
27
Q

Arneis
What is the typical style of wine? (color of variety, intensity, aromas, acidity, quality, price)

A
  • White variety
  • Light intensity
  • White flowers, chamomile, white peach and lemon
  • Medium(-) acidity
  • Good quality (some very good)
  • Inexpensive to mid-priced (some premium)
28
Q

Arneis
What is important at harvest and in the winery?

A
  • Time of picking is important as acidity drops very rapidly
  • Oxidizes easily in the winery
29
Q

Arneis
What is the most important DOCG (incl. requirements? And what are significant producers?

A
  • Roero Arneis DOCG (min 95% of Arneis and max yields 70 hL/ha)
  • Vietti and Bruno Giacosa
30
Q

Wine Business
How is the business landscape structured?

A

Mostly small family-owned farms

31
Q

Wine Business
How much of Barolo and Barbaresco is exported and what are the main export markets?

A
  • About 85% (Barolo) and 75% (Barbaresco)
  • USA, Germany, UK, and Scandinavia
32
Q

Wine Business
What is the trend?

A
  • Becoming more and more attractive for collectors
  • As prices rise, attention turned to less expensive Nebbiolo wines from other DOCGs

WSET Level 4 - D3 (56 decks)

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