Italy Producers

Question 0

What is “Ornellaia?”

Answer 0

“Ornellaia” is a wine from Bolgheri considered to be one of Italy’s leading Bordeaux blends.

Tenuto dell’Ornellaia

Question 1

What is “Solaia?”

Answer 1

Solaia, “The sunny one” is a Cab-based blend made by Antinori. It is a “Super Tuscan” that was released using the Vino da Tavola designation.

Question 2

Quick study: Guild Somm’s famous Vino da Tavola wines:

Answer 2

Solaia–Antinori’s Cab-based blend

Ornellaia–Bordeaux blend

Masseto–Merlot based

“Paleo Rosso” from Le Macchiole, 100% Cab Franc

Question 3

What are the Vino da Tavola “Super Tuscan” wines used with 100% Sangiovese?

Answer 3

San Felice’s “Vigorello”

Montevertine’s “La Pergole Torte”

Isole e Olena’s “Capparello”

Question 4

What is “Masseto?”

Answer 4

“Masseto” is a Merlot based wine produced by Tenuta dell’Ornellaia from Bolgheri.

Question 5

Guild Somm: Who are the 3 traditional producers of Brunello di Montalcino?

Answer 5

Biondi-Santi
Talenti
Soldera

Question 6

Guild Somm: Who are the more modern producers of Brunello di Montalcino?

Answer 6

Casanova di Neri
Mastrojanni

They use smaller barrels and shorter macerations in the hope of rounding and fleshing out the wine.

Question 7

Who produces “Sassicaia” and when was the inaugural vintage?

Answer 7

Marquis Mario Rocchetta’s Tenuta San Guido released “Sassicaia” in 1968–a barrique aged Cabernet blend from Bolgheri in Maremma as Vino da Tavola.

Question 8

Marco Caprai and Paolo Bea are famous producers of which Italian wine?

Answer 8

Sagrantino de Montefalco DOCG

Question 9

What is “Tignanello” and who produces it?

Answer 9

Antinori followed suit in production of “Super Tuscan” in 1971 with the release of “Tignanello,” a barrique aged red whose proportion of SanG was set at 85% in 1982.

Question 10

Producer of Tignanello and grape varieties?

Answer 10

Antinori is the producer of Tignanello;
It has a large percentage (min 80% and sometimes 85%) of Sangiovese with the remainder of mostly Cab Sauv and small amount of Cab Franc.

Question 11

What wine is the “mirror” image of Tignanello?

Answer 11

Antinori’s “Solaia” is the mirror image of “Tignanello.”
While “Tignanello” contains 80-85% SanG with lesser amounts of Cab Sauv/Franc, “Solaia” contains 75% Cab Sauv with usually 20% SanG and 5% Cab Franc.