Liguria Flashcards
Liguria: Major Cities
4 major cities along the coast, divide the region into 4 main provinces: - Imperia - Savona - Genoa - La Spezia Also tourist sites: - Portofino - Cinque Terre
Liguria: Main Winegrowing sub-regions
- Riviera di Ponente (West Coast) - from French border to Genoa. Largest, driest and most diverse sub-region
- Riviera di Levante (East Coast) - Genoa to Tuscan border. Includes Cinque Terre and Portofino. Steep cliffs interrupted by small sandy beaches Very steep vineyards on narrow terrace held in place by dry stone walls that overlook the sea.
Liguria: Topography
“Heroic” Mountains (65%) and hills (35%) .. 220 mile coastline is rocky and jagged, rising directly out of the sea. No flat land to grow vines. Vyds on steep, terraced coastal slopes or on slightly less steep, inland slopes. Two main mountain ranges: the Maritime Alps lie to the NW, the Ligurian Apennines to the NE.
Liguria: relative size?
-2nd smallest in area under vine (1,500 ha)
-3rd smallest region in total area in Italy.
Valle d’Aosta is the smallest in size and Molise, 2nd smallest. But Liguria has less area under vine than Molise.
Liguria: Location
Narrow, crescent-shaped strip of land facing the Ligurian Sea to the south.
- West lies France,
- East is Toscana,
- Piemonte most of north, with
- Emilia-Romagna a small portion to the NE
Liguria: Soils
Soils are poor and stony.
- western Ponente: reddish calcareous marl-based
- eastern Levante: clay, sand, and limestone mix
Liguria: Climate
Mediterranean overall, more continental inland.
- Mountain ranges protect from cold north winds
- Sea moderates temps and reduces diurnal variation
- Rain is abundant; humid, southern winds make it wetter than the other regions (more in Levante)
Liguria: Grape Varieties:
What is Pigato AKA?
Recent studies have shown Vermentino and Pigato are genetically identical, they have adapted differently to the terroir and produce wines with a distinct character. The two grapes are still listed as separate in the National Registry of Grapes and in the DOC disciplinare.
Albarola AKA?
Bianchetta Genovese in the Golfo del Tigullio and Valpolcevera DOCs. DNA studies have proven them to be identical. But the Italian National Registry of grapes and the DOC disciplinare still list them separately.
Rossese is known as what grape in France?
Tibouren
- DNA profiling shows genetically identical
- Considered a Traditional variety of western Riviera di Ponente
- most widely planted red grape of Liguria
- 10% of vine total
What is Ormeasco AKA?
Local name for Dolcetto
What are the most widely planted grapes of Liguria?
- Vermentino 23%
- Pigato 12%
- Rossese 10%
- Albarola 5%
- Ormeasco 5%
- Sangiovese 5%
- Bosco 4%
What training methods are used in Liguria?
Western Riviera: alberello (head training)
-Eastern Riviera: overhead pergola, esp. in Cinque Terre
Liguria: # of DOC/DOCG and names
As of 2017: No DOCG, 8 DOCs (more than 70% production), IGTs less than 15%, Generic less than 15%
- Cinque Terre – Cinque Terre Schiacchetra DOC
- Colli di Luni DOC
- Val Polcevera DOC
- Colline di Levanto DOC
- Golfo dei Tigullio-Portofino DOC
- Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC
- Rossese di Dolceacqua (or Dolceacqua) DOC
- Ormeasco di Pornassio (or Pornassio) DOC
What is sciatra?
Rosato wine in Pornassio DOC; of 95% Dolcetto (locally Ormeasco)
Cinque Terre DOC
Cinque Terre Schiacchetra DOC
Dry white blend based on the Bosco grape. Among best known wines of Liguria, its claim to fame is the rare passito Sciacchetra. Covers a narrow strip of coast from Monterosso to La Spezia, on spectacular terraced vineyards, so close to the sea they are misted by the spray of the waves. Grapes are harvested using crates on monorails.
- only white blend wine produced: 40% Bosco, max 40% Albarola +/or Vermentino; 20% OAG. Bosco gives structure, Vermentino adds perfume and Albarola provides acidity.
Subzones:
- Costa da Posa
- Costa de Campu
- Costa de Sera
DESSERT AND SPECIALTY WINES:
Sciacchetrà (WhSw): Grapes for Sciacchetrà must be air-dried to achieve a minimum potential alcohol level of 17.0% and cannot be pressed until November 1, V
Aging: min 1 year (ERD = November 1, V+1)
- Riserva (Sciacchetrà): aging: minimum 3 years
Sciacchetra is made in only the best years. Rightly considered among the best of all the Italian passitos. Fermented in chestnut barrels or stainless steel.
Colli di Luni DOC
The area takes its name from the hills (colli) around the ancient Roman town of Luni in Liguria.
An inter-regional DOC shared with three towns in the northwest corner of Toscana. The vineyards are on the coast and inland hills. The reds are based on Sangiovese and the whites include Trebbiano Toscano. Vermentino shows a similar profile with Toacana wines and represents one of Liguria’s most distinctive whines.
WHITE WINES
-Bianco (Wh): Min 35% Vermentino; 25–40% Trebbiano; max 30% OAWG
-Albarola (Wh): Minimum 85% Albarola + OAWG
-Vermentino (Wh): Minimum 90% Vermentino + OAWG
-Superiore (Vermentino)
RED WINES
-Rosso (Rd): Minimum 50% Sangiovese + OARG
-Riserva (Rosso) Aging: min 2 years
Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC
Covers most of western Liguria from San Remo to the west side of Genoa. Liguria’s largest DOC. It produces classic varietal white wines from Pigato and Vermentino as well as reds from Rossese.
WHITE WINES
- Moscato or, in the subzone Taggia only, Moscatello (Wh, WhFrSw): 100% Moscato Bianco
- Pigato (Wh): Minimum 95% Pigato + OANWG
- Vermentino (Wh): Minimum 95% Vermentino + OANWG
- Superiore (Pigato, Vermentino)
RED WINES
- Granaccia (Rd): Minimum 90% Alicante (locally Granaccia) + OANRG
- Rossese (Rd): Minimum 90% Rossese + OANRG
- Superiore (Granaccia)
DESSERT AND SPECIALTY WINES
- Vendemmia Tardiva (WhSw): 100% Moscato Bianco
- Varietal Passito (WhSw or RdSw): Same as Moscato, Pigato, Vermentino, Granaccia, or Rossese
- Passito Liquoroso (WhFoSw): Not specified in disciplinare; presumably the same as any of the varietal passitos; aging: minimum 12 months
Subzones:
- Albenganese (Pigato, Vermentino, and Rossese only)
- Finalese (Pigato, Vermentino, and Rossese only)
- Quiliano (Granaccia only)
- Riviera dei Fiori (Pigato, Vermentino, and Rossese only)
- Taggia (Moscatello, Vendemmia Tardiva, and Passito only)
Granaccia grape AKA
Cannonau
Rossese di Dolceacqua (or Dolceacqua) DOC
1st Ligurian wine to receive DOC status (1972)
Located around the small medieval town of Dolceacqua in the western corner of Liguia along the French border.
Vineyards ie at altitudes of 300-600m. Planted on terraced, rocky slopes with red calcareous soil, on hillsides buffeted by winds.
RED WINES
Rosso (Rd): Minimum 95% Rossese + OANRG
Superiore Aging: min approx. 1 year
Subzones:
-38 menzioni geografiche aggiuntive (“additional geographical definitions”) plus 7 communes
Ormeasco di Pornassio (or Pornassio) DOC
Entirely in the mountains, Located inland around the town of Pornassio, NW of Imperia. At altitudes up to 800m. The classic style is dry red from the Ormeasco grape, local name for the Dolcetto grape.
ROSATO WINES
Sciac-trà (Ro): Minimum 95% Dolcetto (locally Ormeasco) + OANRG
RED WINES
- Rosso (Rd): Min 95% Dolcetto + OANRG
- Superiore (Rosso), aging: min approx. 12 months, inc 4 months in barrel (ERD = November 1, V+1)
DESSERT AND SPECIALTY WINES
- Passito (RdSw): Min 95% Dolcetto + OANRG; Aging: min 12 months, inc 4 months in barrel (ERD = January 1, V+2)
- Passito Liquoroso (RdFoSw): Minimum 95% Dolcetto + OANRG; Aging: min 12 months (ERD = January 1, V+2)
Costa de Sera, Costa de Campu and Costa da Posa are subzones of what DOC?
Cinque Terre doc
What was the first DOC in Liguria?
Rossesse di Dolceaqua DOC
Bianchetta Genovese is genetically identical to what other Ligurian grape?
Albarola
In which part of Liguria would Pigato likely be grown, the Western or Eastern Riviera?
Western
What is Liguria’s most planted grape?
Vermentino
The Riviera di Ponente is entirely focused on single-varietal wines? T or F
True
Which DOC only produces white wine?
Cinque Terre DOC
Who was the first to plant vines in Liguria?
The Liguri
