Italy - Veneto Flashcards
What are the key differences in the three appellations in Soave?
3 main DOCs for white with slightly rising alcohol levels
How large of an area does Soave DOC cover?
Three times larger than the original region of 1931.
Which varieties are permitted in Soave DOC?
Minimum 70% Garganega, with the remainder being Trebbiano di Soave (local synonym for Verdicchio) or Chardonnay. Of this 30%, a maximum of 5% can be any other authorised variety.
This is the same for Classico and Superiore.
What are the maximum yields of Soave DOC, Soave Classico DOC and Soave Superiore DOCG? When can the wine be released from each? How much of production do they each account for?
105, 98 and 70hL/ha.
1st December, 1st February, 1st September the following year.
80%, just under 20%, miniscule.
What is significant about the yields in Soave?
While DOC and Classico DOC have high yields - thus spawn the introduction of Superiore - leading producers work with yields close to the maximums allowed and still produce concentration and flavour intensity in their wines, showing Garganega when grown well on favourable sites can produce fully flavoured wines at high yields.
What are the limitations of Recioto di Soave DOCG?
From a delimited, hilly zone. Made from the same blend as Soave but from semi dried grapes, resulting in low yields: 36hL/ha.
Wines produced are rich, floral, honeyed, sweet wines with balancing acidity.
What do all the Valpolicella DOC(G)s have in common?
• Corvina or Corvinone must be 45-95% of the blend.
• Rondinella 5-30%
• Other authorised varieties,
including Molinara.
What is the max yield of Valpolicella DOC, and what is the typical profile?
84hL/ha resulting in low concentration.
Made with short maceration.
Wines show bright tints in youth and have red cherry and rose aromatics, no oak flavour, low to medium tannins, and medium to (+) acidity.
Good quality, with some very good examples.
Where do the grapes of Valpolicella Classico come from? What is the typical profile?
Must come from the hilly, defined, historic Classico zone. Wines typically have greater concentration that wines of the preceding DOC. The wines are typically good to very good and inexpensive to mid priced.
Where do grapes for Valpolicella Valpantena DOC come from?
The Valpantena valley.
How does Superiore differ in Valpolicella?
An additional optional to the previous three DOCs for wines with a marginal higher minimum alcohol, which are often aged in large oak vessels for a year.
They must be aged for 1 year from 1st Jan the year after harvest.
Thus, in Valpolicella Superiore is used in the traditional way for Italian wines as a higher grade of the basic DOC. (By contrast, in Soave and Bardolino the term is used as a separate DOCG in an attempt to reposition the wine in its commercial status).
What is the general profile of Superiore Valpolicella wines? Who makes the top quality wines? How are these made?
Ruby in colour, with greater concentration.
A few producers make outstanding, super premium wines labelled as Valpolicella Superiore. Eg, Quintarelli or Romano dal Forno. However these are often made from a significant proportion of semi dried grapes that have been aged for many years before release, reflecting the traditional winemaking practises for the high quality wines of this region. As a result, these wines are not reflective of this category in general.
Where can grapes for Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG come from? What is this style of wine?
Anywhere within Valpolicella DOC, unless it states Classico, in which case they must come from that delimited area.
A historic, sweet, semi dried grape wine.
What are Recioto, Amarone and Ripasso?
Not distinct geographical appellations, but based on winemaking techniques.
How is Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG made?
Grapes must be dried off the vine for 100-120 days.
The final yield (after drying and pressing the semi-dried grapes) is maximum 40hL/ha.
What is the typical profile of Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG?
Wines have intense red, fresh and dried fruit flavours, a full body and medium (+) to high tannins.
Style often differs in terms of alcohol and RS (but minimum 12% and approximately 50g/L RS).
Very good to outstanding and premium.
How does production scale of Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG affect typical style produced? What influences price?
Typically smale scale and artisan, resulting in different styles in terms of alcohol and RS.
Despite the typical labour involved and much lower yields, prices tldo not match the more fashionable Amarone.
What is Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG?
The modern dry or off dry semi-dried grape wine of Valpolicella.
Where can grapes for Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG be sourced from? How is it made?
The same region as Valpolicella. Final yield is 48hL/ha.
Grapes are vinified usually after 100-120 days of drying.
Minimum abv is 14%, but usually 15 and above, often with 5-9g/L RS (maximum is 9).
Wine must be aged for a minimum of two years in large casks or barriques (4 years for Riserva).
What is the typical profile of Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG?
Intense cherry and dried fruit flavours accompanied by spice and wood notes, medium to high tannins, and a high acidity, which balances the richness.
Depending on house style, the wine may have new oak flavours or nutty and volatile notes from mildly oxidative ageing in large casks if they’re not entirely topped up.
Due to the popularity of the style and high volumes being made, quality ranges from good to outstanding with a range of mid priced to super premium.
How is Valpolicella Ripasso DOC made?
In the ripasso method, unpressed grape skins with some residual sugar leftover from the fermentation phase of Recioto or Amarone are taken.
Newly made Valpolicella wine, having been pressed off of its own skins, is then added to these grape skins for a second maceration.
Yeasts, which are also transferred in this process, ferment the remaining sugar, during which time the grape skins give more colour, flavour and tannins to the wine.
15% Amarone may also be added to contribute further flavour, tannin and alcohol.
What are requirements for Valpolicella Ripasso DOC?
Minimum 12.5% abv, 13 for Superiore.
Must be aged for 1 year after 1st Jan the year after harvest, often in large oak vessels.
What is the general profile of Valpolicella Ripasso?
Medium to full bodied with medium (+) tannins and flavours of fresh and stewed red cherries and plums.
Good to very good, mid to premium.
What has the popularity of Ripasso styles led to?
Producers are also making wines from a blend of dried grape wine and standard wine, and selling it as IGP.
