Italy - Veneto Flashcards
How are inexpensive Valpolicellas made?
With the aim of creating fresh, fruity wines for early consumption.
After crushing, fermentation is carried out at controlled temperature (20-25°C) to retain primary aromas.
Maceration times are typically short, 5-7 days as the aim is for wines with light to medium tannins.
The wines are aged in steel or large neutral oak for 6-8m before release.
What is appassimento?
The method of semi-drying out the grapes. Common in many parts of Italy, eg, Tuscany for Vin Santo and Soave and Valpolicella for Passito.
It is a historic method for concentrating flavour, raising alcohol levels and making sweet, and today dry, wines.
How is the appassimento method carried out?
The grapes are picked early at 11-11.5% potential alcohol to maintain acidity and ensure perfect bunches.
Complete, healthy grapes with open bunched are left to dry, either on the vine or, more usually, off the vine.
The grapes are hung up. Or in volume production are laid one bunch deep in well-spaced trays, to prevent the growth of mould.
Grapes must be checked regularly and occasionally rotated.
Humidity, temperature, and air movement are carefully monitored.
Where is the appassimento method thought to originate from?
Perhaps from making wines robust enough to transport.
Roughly how much weight is lost in the grape during appassimento? What does this lead to?
Depending on the speed and length, around one-third.
Higher levels of sugar, potential alcohol, acidity, anthocyanins, tannins and flavour concentration.
In addition, chemical changes take place, eg, more glycerol is produced, giving a softer, fuller mouthfeel.
What is the profile of the Corvina blend when made with appassimento?
Deep ruby, concentrated, complex, high alcohol wines with complex tannic and acidic structure.
