Lombardia** Flashcards
How did Lombardia’s history impact the region’s modern wine industry?
How Lombardia’s winegrowing area is subdivided and what makes the divisions different from each other
(soils, climate, grape varieties, etc.)?
What are the origins of Lombardia’s most important grape varieties and their synonyms?
What are the winemaking techniques that are specific to “need to know” appellations in Lombardia?
What are the permissible wine styles (still, sparkling, dessert, aromatized, etc.) of the “need to know” appellations In Lombardia?
Describe the history of the Franciacorta DOCG and its production requirements.
What are the important sub-zones of “need to know” appellations of Lombardia?
Discribe the climate, topography and geology of the “need to know” appellations in Lombardia.
What is Italy’s most populated region?
Lombardy
What are Italy’s 4 largest regions?
Sicily, Piedmont, Sardinia, Lombardy
What areas border Lombardy?
Switzerland (N), Piemonte (W), Emilia-Romagna (S), Trentino-Alto Adige (E) and Veneto (E)
What are the four sectors of Lombardy?
The Alps, The Prealps, The Padana Plain, The Apennine Foothills
What is the topographical breakdown of Lombardy?
Mountains 41%, Plains 47%, Hills 12%
Which Italian region has the larges number of rivers and lakes?
Lombardy
What is Italy’s longest river?
Po River
What is Italy’s largest lake?
Lake Garda [not Maggiore!]
Which parts of Lombardy are influenced by the lakes?
almost all of it
What is the climate of Lombardy?
continental
What are the climatic zones of Lombardy?
the Alpine Zone, the Lakes Zone, the Padana Plain
Describe the rain in Lombardy?
Very high (55 inches) in the Alps, lower further south.
What are the synonyms for Turbiana?
Verdicchio, Trebbiano di Lugana
What are the synonyms for Croatina?
Bonarda (in Otrepo Pavaese)
What is the most widely planted grape in Lombardy?
Croatina
What is the synonym for Nebbiolo in Lombardy?
Chiavennasca in Valtellina
What is the principal growing area for Turbiana?
Lugana DOC
What is the principal growing area for Croatina?
Oltrepo Pavese
What is the principal growing area for Nebbiolo in Lombardy?
Valtellina
What is the principal growing area for Groppello?
Lake Garda
What are the 6 sub-regions of Lombardy?
Valtellina, Bergamo Hills, Garda Lombardo, Oltrepo Pavese, Lower Lombardia, Franciacorta and Brescia Hills [vbgolf]
What river is associated with Valtellina?
Valtellina vineyards lie on the northern bank of the Adda River in Lombardy’s most northerly zone.
Describe the soils of Valtellina.
shallow and poor, largely composed of granitic soil, broken schist and alluvial matter
What is the smallest DOCG in Italy?
Moscato di Scanzo, sweet red passito from Bergamo Hills in Lombardy
What is the largest and most productive sub-zone of Lombardy?
Oltrepo Pavese,
What is the signature grape of Oltepo Pavese?
Pinot Nero, benchmark of Italian Pinot Nero [not Croatina]
What is the defining characteristic of Garda DOC?
large, inter-regional DOC with single varietal wines
What is the signature grape of Garda Classico DOC?
Groppello
In what wine region is Garda Classico DOC located?
Lombardy
What is the historic home for Groppello?
Valtenesi DOC
What is the most distinctive white wine appellation of Lombardy?
Lugana DOC
Name two inter-regional DOC’s across Lombardy and Veneto.
Lugana DOC and Garda DOC [not Garda Classico DOC]
What are the sub-zones of Valtellina Superiore DOCG?
5, Valgella, Inferno, Grumello Sassella, Mareggia [Valtellina Isn’t GSM, from east to west]
What grapes are allowed in Franciacorta?
Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco
What brand name represents the best of Oltrepo Pavese’s sparkling roses?
Cruasé
Name 3 native grapes from Lombardy.
Moscato di Scanzo, Croatina, Turbiana [not Marche, Robinson agrees]
Where is Buttafuoco DOC located?
northeastern part of Oltrepo Pavese, considered a classico zone for this area
Describe the wines of Buttafuoco DOC?
blends of Croatina (Bonarda) and Barbera
Which river forms the border between Lombardy and Emilia Romagna?
Po River
Name the bodies of water associated with Valtenesi DOC and Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Lake Garda and Adda River
What lake does the Adda River flow into?
Lake Como [river flows west into lake]
Name a grape from Lombardy that is often made into chiaretto.
Groppello (rosato)
What is the altitude of Valtellina vineyards?
700 to 800 m
What are the DOC/G appellations of Valtellina?
3; Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG, Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Valtellina DOC (also Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio IGT)
What is stagafassli?
Stagafassli is a label term in Valtellina. It indicates Valtellina Superiore wine that is bottled across the border in Switzerland. It cannot be labeled with a sub-zones nor can it be designated as riserva. [not IWS]
What Lombardy wine appellation has the best reputation for Nebbiolo?
Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG
Which Valtellina Superiore DOCG sub-zone produces the most structured, tannic and austere wines?
Inferno, dark garnet in color and riper fruit
What is the largest terraced wine area in Italy?
Valtellina
Which Valtellina Superiore DOCG sub-zone is the smallest?
Maroggia
What is the etymology of the Sassella Valtellina Superiore DOCG sub-zone?
sassi, large stones [similar to Sassicaia]
Which Valtellina Superiore DOCG sub-zone is the most prestigious?
Sassella
Which Valtellina Superiore DOCG sub-zone is the largest?
Valgella
What was the first rasinated Italian dry red wine to obtain a DOCG classification?
Sforzato di Valtellina (Sfursat) in 2003, it preceded Amarone by 7 years.
What is vini di paglia?
Northern Italian term for wines of straw; raisinated red wines, a reference to the practice of drying the grapes for several months on mats of straw.
Name two areas where viticulture is labeled “heroic.”
Valle d’Aosta, Valtellina
What winemaker started production of bottle-fermented sparkling wines in Franciacorta?
Franco Ziliani [p]
What are the geographic landmarks of Franciacorta DOCG?
south of Lake Iseo between Oglio and Mella rivers
What are the the two most famous villages of Franciacorta DOCG?
Erbusco and Adro
What is dominant grape in Franciacorta DOCG?
Chardonnay
What is minimum requirement for aging on the lees for NV Franciacorta DOCG?
18 months, longest minimum requirement in the world for NV traditional method sparkling wine
What is minimum requirement for aging on the lees for different levels of Franciacorta DOCG?
NV: 18 months;
Saten and Rose: 24 months; Vintage: 30 months; Riserva: 60 months [18/24/30/60]
What are the primary characteristics of Saten?
Chardonnay based Blanc de Blancs, < 5 atm pressure, brut style, aged 24 months
What is the blend for Franciacorta Rose?
min. of 25% Pinot Noir
What is typical dosage for Franciacorta?
low in warm growing conditions that achieve good ripeness
What is the sub-region, grape and wine style associated with Scanzo DOCG?
Bergamo Hills sub-region of Lombardia; Moscato di Scanzo; sweet, red passito
What grape is associated with Otrepo Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG?
Pinot Nero (at least 70% plus Chardonnay/Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio)
What are the DOC’s most associated with the labeling Chiaretto?
Lake Guarda appellations: Garda Classico DOC, Riviera del Garda Bresciano DOC, Valtenesi DOC, Bardolino DOC (Veneto)
What is the sweetness level of Sforzato?
dry, air-dried Nebbiolo from Valtellina [not sweet Scanzo]
What sub-region is Lombardy’s largest producer of bulk wine?
Otrepo Pavese (overall, most productive sub-region as well)
What are the need to know appellations of Bergamo Hills?
Moscato di Scanzo DOCG (sweet red passito)
