L3- Southern Italy Chap. 29 Flashcards
What is the general geographic area of Southern Italy?
What is the climate?
How were vines trained historically versus how they are trained now?
The Southern Italian region includes the southern end of the Apennine mountains below Lazio, into the pennisula of Puglia, Campania, and Sicily.
The climate is hot and dry inland, but on the coast it is humid.
Many vineyards are located on the slopes of the Apennine Mountains which provides a cooling influence.
In the flatter Puglia region the ocean provides sea breezes with moderating cooling influences.
Vines were historically bush-trained low to the ground with leaf cover protecting the grapes from sunburn (in Puglia and Sicily). This is still used for very old vines.
However a more common method today is cordon training and trellising vines which allows for mechanization on Puglia’s flatter terrain.
Both Puglia and Sicily make significant volumes of wine.
What are the characteristics of the Fiano grape?
Fiano typically displays:
-Medium acidity
-Medium to full body
-Flavors of stone fruit, melons, and mango
-Often made to be drunk young, but better examples can be matured in oak and can be aged in bottle developing aromas of wax and honey.
What are the characteristics of the Greco grape?
Greco typically displays:
-More acidity than Fiano (Medium + or more)
-Leaner in body than Fiano (Medium minus or less)
-Flavors of stone fruit, green apples, and passionfruit
-The best examples can age and develop honey and mushroom flavors.
Which red varietal is What are the characteristics of this grape?
Aglianico is the most famous red grape in Campania and the best examples tend to come from Taurasi DOCG.
Aglianico typically displays:
-Deep color
-High acidity
-High Tannin
-Flavors of black fruit
-Often matured in oak and can age in bottle where it develops earthy, forest floor notes”
Where the region of Basilicata located, and what is the topography?
What varietal/wine is the region most famous for?
Basilicata is an extremely mountaineous region located below Campania.
Vineyards can reach high altitudes of roughly 900 meters on the vast, high plain that surrounds an extinct volcano.
Basilicata is most famous for wines made from Aglianico and Aglianico del Vulture DOC is considered the best wine
What is the region of Puglia located and what is the climate?
What grapes are principally grown here and what is the style when made for mass production?
Puglia is located in the Southern Penninsula of Italy in the coastal flatlands.
The climate is hot and humid with some moderating influences from sea breezes.
When producing for mass production the yield of grapes is uncontrolled. This tends to lead to simple and fruity wines made for early drinking.
What is the style of Puglian wines made from Negroamaro and Primitivo (Zinfandel) when made for high quality production?
When produced for higher quality at lower yields Negroamaro and Primitivo demonstrate similar qualities but with different flavors.
Each display:
-Full body
-Med tannins
-Med acidity
-HIgh alcohol
Negroamaro demonstrates baked black and red fruit flavors.
Primitivo (zinfandel) displays pronounced very ripe berry flavors
-Black grape that needs warm climate to ripen successfully
-As it ripens flavors range…
-From red fruits (strawberries, raspberries) to
-Black fruits (plums, black cherries)
-Sometimes grapes w/in a bunch start to raisin before others ripen, resulting in dried fruit flavors (prune, raisin)
What styles of red wine are made in Sicily?
The island of Sicily is a hot climate that also produces mass quantities of high volume wine.
The dominant grape is Nero d’Avola.
A vast quantity of grapes that are included in IGT Terre di Sicilia/Terre Siciliane.
If yields are slightly lowered the qine can be labeled Sicilia DOC.
What are the typical characteristics of the Nero d’Avola grape?
Nero d’ Avola typically yields wines with:
-Medium to full body
-Medium acidity
-Medium tannins
-Aromas of plums and black cherries
-Typically made in a fruity, easy drinking style
-Best producers make more complex and concentrated styles
What types of white wines are produced in Sicily?
What international varieties are common?
Local whites are typically blends with citrus and stone fruit flavors, sold unoaked.
Chardonnay and Syrah are common international styles and Syrah has been most successful.
What appellation produces some of the best Sicilian reds and what are the typical characteristics of this wine?
Etna DOC produces some of the best wines in Sicily.
Tends to produce from old and low yielding vines at high altitudes
-Typically reds are made from a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. These blends create wines that are:
–Fragrant aromas of sour red cherry, cranberries, and raspberries, sometimes dried herbs
–High acid
–High Tannins
–WIth bottle age tannins soften adn mushroom aromas can develop
-High quality whites can also be made:
–Medium body
–High acidity
–Display citrus with a stony, steely character
–Develops aromas of honey and wax in bottle
