Nebbiolo 2 (just mine) Flashcards
1
Q
Where does the name Nebbiolo come from?
A
comes from the latin word Nubia meaning fog either because of the fog that rolls in during harvest or because of the cloudy bloom that appears on the grapes
o The name Nibiol dates back to 1268 but the name Barol isn’t until 1751
2
Q
What are the common flavors of Nebbiolo?
A
- Mostly known for sour to ripe red cherries, delicate sweet spices and a red rose petals, with age the notes of tar develop. The tar notes should more accurately be described as pine/balsamic but often tar is used instead.
3
Q
Overtime, why does nebbiolo become less overtly fruity?
A
This is because beta-damascenone (a molecule that helps augment the intensity of red fruit flavor decreases overtime.)
4
Q
Where do overripe flavors come from?
A
only come from hot vintages or vinerons pushing the envelope of ripeness
5
Q
Which molecules are responsible for the sour red cherry, strawberry, and sweet spice aromas?
A
- Ethyl cinnamate, Ethyl dihydroxy, and other chained ethyl esters
- Ethyl cinnamate is ester of cinnamic acid and ethanol and commonly found in the essential oil of cinnamon.
6
Q
- It is often said the nose of great barolos and Barbarescos minmic those of great red burgundy, why?
A
red burgundy also has ethyl cinnamate and ethyl dihydroxy
7
Q
What are the common biotypes of Nebbiolo?
A
- Bolla
- Lampia
- Michet
- Nebbiolo Rose.
- Nebbiolo rose is actually a distinct cultivar and not a sub-variety at all.
8
Q
What is Nebbiolo Michet?
A
Nebbiolo lampia hit by GPLV (grape fanleaf virus)
9
Q
Unlike most Virus affected grapes, Nebbiolo Michet has survived well in Barolo and Barbaresco, why?
A
- producers almost unanimously agree that it gives even better wine than lampia (which is reliable and capaple of providing high quality wine on its own)
- as a virus-affected variety, it surprisingly does not have smaller yields than lampia and can sometimes even have higher yields – also seen with some barbera vines as well.
10
Q
What can a modern producer do with Nebbiolo Michet?
A
- Michet has been put through thermotherapy to remove the viral presence and so there are now virus free michet.
- Once michet grapevines are clearned of GPLV and GFkV (grapevine fleck virus), it will offer higher vigor, earlier breaking of winter dormancy, and increases yield by as much as 50%.
11
Q
Nebbiolo Bolla
A
- Plantings of Nebbiolo Bolla have sharply declined in recent decades. This bio-type’s main issue was excessive productivity and therefore these wines were never the highest quality.
- So while very common in the 1940s and 1950s in the Langhe where volume was the most important thing for a grower, Bolla’s use has been disallowed by the official production guidelines.
12
Q
Nebbiolo Rose
A
Not much left planted. As the name implies, Nebbiolo Rose has pale red, dark pink berries, it is an irregular producer and its wines are less fruity and fleshy but more perfumed and higher in alcohol than those made with Nebbiolo Lampia.
13
Q
Why did plantings of Nebbiolo Rose decline?
A
- during the 1980 and 1990s, when wines characterized by darker-than-dark, high-PH, and rich/thick textures were most in demand, most Barolo/Barbaresco producers ripped out the Nebbiolo rose vines.
Plantings in the Langhe are apparently increasing now.
14
Q
What has a larger impact on style of wine? Clones or Terroir?
A
- Findings indicate that the terroir seems to have a higher affect on the finished wine than does the choice of the clone. Or at least with some clones
15
Q
What are some common Nebbiolo clones?
A
- Clone CVT 415
- Clone CVT 308
- Clone 63
- 400 series (Picoteners)
16
Q
In experiments, how did each clone fare being planted in different terroir?
A
- Clone CVT 415 - Heavy terroir influence
- Clone CVT 308 - Terroir resistant as biochemical parameters were similar when grown in Neive and Lessona
- Clone 63 - behaved in a homogenous fashion in all 3 terroirs confirming its environmental stability
- Clone 400 series - clones from Valle d’Aosta had a systemic lack of perfume and an a-typical intensity of color
17
Q
What do the experiments with Nebbiolo clones indicate?
A
- This shows that when specific clones and biotypes are planted in new enviornments, they may produce wines that are different than expected, and it doesn’t always take centuries to occur.
- So the Picoteners 400 series clones when grown in the Vall d’Aosta give a lovely light-red hue and perfumed wines (Dr,Jekyll) turn into Mr.Hyde in the Langhe (wines that give very dark nebbiolos and lack perfume)
18
Q
List nebbiolo terroirs?
A
- Barolo
- Barbaresco
- Carema
- Donnas
- Roero
- Valtellina
- Albungnano
19
Q
List nebbiolo terroirs of alto piedmont not covered
A
- Boca
- Bramattera
- Fara
- Gattinara
- Ghemme
- Lessona
- Sizzano
20
Q
Albugnano: Location, size, topography, elevation
A
- Near Asti in Torino
- just 22 hectares for Albugnano DOC
- Albugnano hills are much higher and steeper than any other part of the Monferrato area (over 400 meters asl)
21
Q
Albugnano Soils Origin
A
The mainly marly soils were formed 20-14 million years ago right before the Tortonian Stage and Serravallian stage
22
Q
Albugnano Soil type
A
- The soils of Albugnano share similarities with the Saint Agathe marls of the Tortonian stage. However, Alubugnano’s light colored medium-packed soils differ from those of the Tortonian stage in that their uppermost layers have higher levels of tufe and sand than do the classic saint agathe marls.
23
Q
Albugnano Topography more detail
A
- A hilly ridge runs through the denomination and Nebbiolo is planted on both slopes: The slopes facing Castelnuove Don Bosco has gentler topography with greater exposure to light, while the slope that looks toward Berzano San Pietro has a narrower conformation with forests dominating the landscape.
- Nebbiolo is grown from 200-540 meters above sea level therefore the combination of different soil types, exposures, altitudes, and gradients lead to diverse Albugnano Nebbiolo wines.
24
Q
Albugnano Climate
A
- The climate is relatively cool and rainy
25
Albugnano wine
* The wines can be pleasant but the areas producer talent level is not close to the Langhe. The best Alubgnano wines are reminiscent of the Valtellina, medium-bodied with savory quality, an earthy presence that distinguishes them from Barolo and Barbaresco.
* The wines have a sleeker, chewier quality that makes them Asti-like as opposed to the smoother-riper offerings of the alba province.
* Typical aromas include red cherry, blackberry, mountain herbs and minerals.
26
Albugnano Superiore
* aged 12 months or more in oak and have more palate presence
27
Associazone Vignaoili Albugnano 549
* Created in 2017 with the goal of promoting the territory and its wines both domestic and abroad
* The goal is to have association members produce 100% Nebbiolo wines aged in oak for minimum 18 months + another 6 in bottle.
## Footnote
The 549 is the meters above sea level of the town
28
Barolo History Pre 1830
* Barolo as we know it today is actually a young wine and its history starts in the 1830s
* Before then the wines made were sweet and fizzy due to stuck fermentations resulting from archaeic winemaking and less than pristine cellar habits and equipment.
29
Barolo History 1830s
* The arrival of Francesco Staglieno (an army general whose hobby was winemaking) and Louis Oudart( a French Negociant).
* This is when Barolo entered the modern age: Temperature control, cleaner barrels, attention to avoiding oxidation, and the routine use of glass bottles are some of the innovations the two men brought.
30
Barolo History terroir
* Some vineyards and areas were associated with better Nebbiolo has been known for ages.
* The first attempt at delimitating the area dates back to 1883 with **Lorenzo Fantini.**
* **Ferdinando Vingnolo-Lutati **mapped out the soils and Nebbiolo vineyards over 20 years in Barolo and championed the characteristics of the soils as being the factor that most determined wine quality.
31
Barolo Villages
* Barolo
* Castiglione Falletto
* Cherasco
* Diano d’Alba
* Grinzane Cavour
* La Morra
* Monforte d’Alba:
* Novello:
* Roddi
* Serralunga d’Alba
* Verduno:
32
In what stages were the soils of Barolo created?
* Tortonian stage
* Serravallian stage
* Messinian stage.
33
Tortonian soils
* Blueish gray tint made of calcareous marl mixed with sand, They are more fertile than Serravallian and especially rich in magnesium and Manganese. Which account for the blue-grey shade.
## Footnote
These wines are readier to drink, more graceful, and rounder.
34
Serravillian Soils
* Sandstone based, loosely packed arenaceous and sandy layers alternating with calcareous marl and limestone. (more iron and phosphorous- iron gives reddish-gray hue)
## Footnote
This is the part of the DOCG where the majority of ageworthy, austere, tannic Barolos are made
35
Messinian Soils
* Sandy, smectite-rich, and gypsiferous soils.
## Footnote
Most approachable and softest of all barolos.
36
Barolo villages and their soils
Barolo: Tortonian
Castiglione Falletto: serravillian
Cherasco: Tortonian
Diano d’Alba: serravillian
Grinzane Cavour: serravillian
La Morra: Tortonian/ messinian
Monforte d’Alba: serravillian
Novello: Tortonian
Roddi: serravillian
Serralunga d’Alba: serravillian
Verduno: Tortonian/Messinian
37
General rule of ageing
* Verduno, Barolo and La Morra can be drunk early as 6-8 years or can age 8-25 years.
* Montefore & Serralunga 10 years from harvest up to 12-35 years)
38
Novello Exception
* Novello sits with Barolo and and La morra but taste nothing like them.
* Novellos have much tougher tannins and mouthfeels and are among the biggest Barolo brutes when young.
39
Lithology vs geologic origin
## Footnote
Lithoogy is rocks
* the general breakdown is simply Serravallian/Tortonian/Messinian but it gets deeper based on the lithology of the soils, not the geologic origin, Barolo can be divided into 4 macro soil areas and 9 different geological units,. The wines you drink correlate more with this breakdown moreso than the geologic origin.
40
What are the 4 macro soils of Barolo?
## Footnote
From west to east, oldest to youngest
* Lequio Formation
* Diano Sandstone (Arenarie di Diano d’Alba)
* Saint Agathe's Marls
* Gessoso - solfifere (gypsum-sulfur formations)
41
Lequio Formation
* Made up of alternating reddish-gray compacted sands and gray silty marls typical of Serralunga and a few parts of Montforte. The mix of yellowish sands and grayish compacted sands is cemented together by carbone salts and is generally characterized by excellent water capacity due to the sand-loam presence.
* This formation is associated with extremely refined but powerful Barolos in which the red fruit notes dominate.
42
Diano Sandstone
* Formed during Serravillian stage, these are blends of gray-brown to yellowish compacted sands and gray sandstone typical of the townships of Castiglione Falletto and parts of Monteforte.
* Although Diano sandstone and lequio formation were both born during the serravillian stage, they are quite different in their mineral and textural aspects and so the wines also will differ.
43
Saint Agathe’s marls
* Mostly covering Barolo, La Morra(not all), Verduno (not all) formed during the Tortonian Stage – these blue-grey marls are rich in magnesium and manganese carbonates. Locally known at Tov, the composition is 55% clay, 30% fine sand, and 15% limestone. Drainage can be problematic due to a degree of water impermeability but slope gradients are such that adequate water runoff is ensured.
* Choosing the right rootstock is super important here since the soils can have high concentrations of active lime.
* These soils and marly soils in general give very typical styles of Barolo rich in red-fruit aromas and flavors and often have a balsamic nuance.
44
Gessoso- Solfifere
* Mostly sandy deposits with chalk and soft sulphate (gypsum) found in parts of La Morra, Verduno, and Cherasco during the Messinian stage.
* The strong presence of sands means these wines are the softest, fastest-maturing Barolos of earliest appeal.
45
What are the 9 geologic units of Barolo
* Serralunga Unit
* Castiglione Unit
* La Morra Unit
* Barolo Unit
* Novello Unit
* Vergne Unit
* Verduno Unit
* Berri Unit
* Gallo d’alba Unit
46
Serralunga Unit
* Soil: Lequio formation
* Location: mostly but not all of Serralunga d’Alba. The crus of **Prapo**, **Ceretta**, and **San Rocco** are not on soil belonging to this geographical unit. Therefore wines from these crus taste different from those of other parts of Serralunga.
* The Serralunga unit also spills over into Monteforte on the left bank of the Talloria stream and so the Crus of Montefore (Presenda, Castelletto, and La Villa) are located on Serralunga Unit soils.
47
Castiglione Unit
* Soil: Diano Sandstone
* Location: Consumes 8 different areas including a large swath of Monteforte moving toward Catiglione Falletto, a section just east of La Morra, a section south-east of Barolo, and an area just south of Fontanafredda in Serralunga.
* So the famous crus of serralunga (prapo, Cerretta, and San Rocco grow on the Castiglione Unit) All of the famous crus of Castiglione Falletto luckily fall in this unit including Bricco Boschis, Fiasco, Monprivato, Rocche, and Villero)
48
La Morra Unit
* Soil: Mostly Saint Agathe’s marls with pockets of gypsum-sulfurous deposits of Messinian origin in the south.
* Location: a long vertical band that runs east of Verduno in the north, Barolo in the center, and Novello in the south. Crus include Monvigliero (verduno), Arborina, Brunate, and La Serra (La Morra), Rue and Liste(Barolo), and Le Coste and Merli (Novello)
49
Barolo Unit
* Soil: Saint Agathe’s Marls
* Location: Largest of all geologic units divided up into 4 areas: Barolo to Castiglione Falletto, Southeast of Verduno, Northeast of Castiglion Falletoo, and east of Monforte.
50
Novello Unit
Soils: Saint Agathe’s Marls in the north and Lequio formation in the south.
Location: Area between Novello and Monforte.
The most famous cru is Novello’s Ravera and this cru is located in the south on the Lequio formation where you get rugged and structured style of Barolo like those found in Serralunga.
51
Vergne Unit
* Soils: Saint Agathe’s Marls
* Location: North of Novello and and west of Barolo
* Famous crus: Bricco Viole and La Volta
52
Verduno Unit
* Soils: Messinian gypsum-sulfur soils
* Location: an area extending southwest of Verduno
* Best crus of the commune are not on this geologic unit but on the La Morra Unit soils
53
Berri Unit
* Soil: Deposits of Messinian origin.
* Location: Immediately west of La Morra. Ian thinks there are no notable crus here and that hazelnuts should be planted
54
Gallo d’alba Unit
* Soil: Alluvial deposits of recent origin
* Location: Flatlands along banks of the Talloria stream.
55
Barolo location in comparison to Barbaresco
* * Barolo is only a few kilometers south of Barbaresco but the topography and climate are so different.
56
The shape of Barolo
* Barolo is essentially a horeshoe shaped basin that is cut in half by a ridge. As a result, Barolo production is split into two valleys:
* The western valley runs from Gallo d’alba to Barolo and includes La Morra.
* The valley’s eastern border is delimited by two streams, the Talloria and the Bussia. The easten side or the serralunga valley is where the towns of Castiglione Falletto and Monforte , and Serralunga are all found.
57
Barolo Vineyard Elevation
* The vineyards lie between 150 and 400 meters asl and some crus are even higher.
58
Barolo Climate
* Barolo has a continental climate tempered by its protected inland status and the small streams that flow through it like the Talloria.
* Average daily temps of 12.5-14.5 and diurnal temps can be as high as 18.5 degrees.
* Rain is 800-900 mm concentrated in October November, and again in April/May.
59
Barolo vineyard sites 1752
Of the 170 Barolo vineyards sites officially recognized, only the Cannubi vineyard was famous enough to be put on the label as early as 1752
60
The first modern addition of cru names in Barolo began in:
* 1960s thanks to Beppe Colla and Alfredo Currado.
* It wasn’t really until the 1980s that cru names began appearing on bottles.
61
Barolo production 1900-1960
* Large firms who were interested in building their family name/brand much more than making barolos of a specific place.
* Firms made wines based on their house style much like in champage.
* Those who wanted structured Barolo could source from fruit from serralunga. Another advantage of belnding grapes from different communes was to reduce vintage variation
62
Barolo Mezioni Geographiche Aggiuntive (MGA)
* MGA names belong to specific Barolo crus but are often viewed as districts as the majority are too large to be viewed as just one vineyard. (Bussia being almost 300 hectares)
* There are 181 MGAs, 170 of them are vineyard areas (the MGAs) and 11 are village designations.
## Footnote
The word vigna can be on the label only if the vineyard is located within on the MGAs and the MGA name also has to appear on the label
63
Issues of Barolo Cru bottlings before MGA
* The MGA was a welcome step because the explosiveness of cru bottlings in the 1990s meant producers often just put names on the bottle even if the grapes did not originate from them.
## Footnote
They could charge higher prices for these wines without the merit
64
La Morra
* 829 hectares with 39 MGA’s
* Produces the most Barolo annually
* Highest altitude of all subzones means that La Morra doesn’t just produce outstanding Barolo of early appeal and grace but also shields the whole production zone of Barolo from cold winds blowing in from the Tanaro. So it has a huge topographical role for the rest of the production area.
65
La Morra Cru
* Bricco San Biagio
* Rocche dell’Annunziata
* Arobina
* Brunate (+Barolo)
* Cerequio (+Barolo)
66
Bricco San Biagio
* Cru of La Morra
* 220-290m asl
* Full range of exposures from south east through southwest, best sites facing directly south.
* It has one of the highest sand contents in Barolo and so the wines are perfumed and light-bodied- graceful.
67
Rocche dell’Annunziata
* Cru of La Morra
* (340-385m asl) – best site in La Morra. Southeast exposure up top and face and southwest lower down
68
Arobina
* Cru of La Morra
* made famous by elio altare
69
Brunate
* Cru of La Morra & Barolo
* More power along with the grace and charm typical of La Morra. This is because of higher clay content (40%) with less sand than other vineyard sites. Climate change is wreaking havoc here, and Brunate is becoming too warm.
70
Cerequio
* Cru of La Morra and Barolo
* (290-400m asl)
* Recognized for fleshy nature and strong balsamic note, it is even hotter than Brunate.
* Perhaps highest historical reputation of all, modern-day wines are not what they used to be.
71
Barolo (village)
* Only commune of the Barolo production zone that was not built atop a hill. 343 Hectares of vines – 261 for Nebbiolo production with 30 MGAs
* The town is associated with the most famous cru of all Barolo: Cannubi.
* Very much like in Burgundy, the fame of the vineyard has extended into other vineyard sites such as Cannubi Boschis, Cannubi Valletta, etc.
72
Cannubi
* Much like Montrachet, Cannubi itself is not a guarantee of greatness and many are disappointing. The perceived greatness comes from the fact that Cannubi lies at the crossroads of Barolo’s two major soil types: Tortonian and Serravillian. Therefore it was believed that the wines stemming from cannubi combine both the perfumed velvetiness with of the Toronian soils with the power and backbone of the serravillian stage.
* However, modern studies show that Cannubi is mainly on Saint Agathe’s Marls of the Tortonian stage. Cannubi has a higher sand content about 35% compared to the rest of the area. The higher sand means excellent drainage which explains why Cannubi wines are great in rainy years and less so in droughty years. Sand also contributed to Cannubi being an early ripening spot and another important factor is the central location gives cannubi plenty of wind which is nonstop breezes during the day which wards off disease pressure.
* Anyways, Droughty years are problematic, keeping yields low is paramount to creating high quality wine. Elevation is 220-330 m asl.
73
Barolo Cru
* Cannubi
* Sarmassa
74
Sarmassa
* Cru of Barolo
* Big-structured wines that age really well. Soil composition varies from spot to spot some having more clay than others. It has a unique topography with two peaks: Bricco Sarmassa cru and Bricco delle Viole Cru
75
Castiglione Falletto
* 220 hectares under vine, 145 ha Nebbiolo.
* Some of the most balanced of all Barolo subzones which exhibit characteristics that are typical of La Morra and Serralunga.
* 22 MGAs
76
Castiglione Falletto Crus
* **Rocche di Castiglione** - (320-350 m asl) facing southest and steep
* **Villero** - (240-350) southwest exposure: much more tannic and ageworthy unlike Rocche
* **Fiasco** (225-275) hot microclimate
* **Monprivato** - (240-310m asl)
77
Monforte
* Very large with 1031 hectares, 442 for Nebbiolo
* Only 10 crus and so they are very large including Bussia
78
Monforte Crus
Eastern Cru
* Ginestra
* Mosconi
* Ravera
Western Cru
* Bussia
79
Ginestra
* Monforte Cru which includes the higher elevation Pajana site
80
Mosconi
* Monforte Cru
* 350-460 m asl, Large site
* Fleshy mouthfeel and strong balsamic note
81
Monforte western Cru soil
* High sand, medium clay, and low limestone
82
Which Monforte Vineyards does Aldo Conterno own in the Bussia Cru?
* Colonello- Southwest exposure, fine and sandy soil like beach
* Cicala -Southeast exposure, much richer-compact clay
* Romirasco - Faces southwest and highest elevation; most complete and deep wine.
83
Serralunga d'Alba
* 500 hectares under vine, 346 of Nebbiolo
* Large township with 39 MGAs
* Divided between eastern and western slopes:
* Eastern Slopes: fewer and less famous
* Western Slopes: Divided into 3 areas
84
Serralunga d'Alba western slopes divided into 3 areas
* Lowest-lying vineyards (250-350 asl)
* Higher up (280-385)
* Third level rises steeply (330-445)
85
Serralunga d'Alba Crus
* Lazzarito
* Ceretta
* Vigna Rionda (250-360) one of the best crus of all. South-southwest exposure. Unlike classic serralunga style, more fleshy and sexy.
86
Verduno
* Much smaller subzone located at 380 meters asl. 198 hectares planted with 110 planted to Nebbiolo
* 11 MGAs
87
Verduno Crus
* Monvigliero- 40% loam, 30%clay, 30% sand, and lies 280-350 m asl with a full range of exposure. Most famous always really good
.
* San Lorenzo di Verduno – less steep than Monvigliero and gives extremely refined Barolo- first site to get hit by winds from Tanaro which gives a special microclimate. Soils are similar to Monvigliero
88
Novello
* 7 MGAs
* Bergera-pezzole
* Sotocastello di Novello
* Ravera
* Novello barolos are all characterized by very structured mouthfeel thanks to chewy massive tannins
89
Least famous Barolo communes
* Cherasco
* Diano d’Alba
* Grinzane Cavour
* Roddi
90
Barbaresco History
* First mention of Barbaresco is 1799 and in 1894, **Dominzio Cavazza**, the dean of the scuola enolgica di Alba who bought the castle of Barbaresco and adjacent vineyards. In the same year he founded the Cantina Dociale di Barbaresco with a few local winemakers which is the ancestor of today’s co-op Produttori di Barbaresco
* Cavazza and company tirelessly promoted these wines until he passed and the region fell on hard times with many of the grapes from Barbaresco being purchased for Barolo wines.
91
Barbaresco was defined in
* 1926 and then enlarged in 1933 to Include Neive
* MGAs in 2007 (66)
92
Barbaresco common misconception on style
* Barbaresco is NOT a feminine wine and those descriptions reveal lack of imagineation and knowledge. Many think that the softer, more ready to drink character is due to the smaller requirement of oak age but it really is about terroir.
93
Barolo villages/townships/communes
* Barbaresco
* Neive
* Treiso
* San Rocco Seno d’Elvio
94
Barbaresco general topography/elevation
* The Barbaresco production zones hills are generally much softer and lower lying mostly 150-300 meters above sea level though in Treiso there are some vineyard sites closer to 500m.
95
Barbaresco has a much warmer macroclimate compared to Barolo because
* The production area is much closer to the Tanaro River
* Therefore, Nebbiolo ripens sooner than in Barolo by 2 weeks—this contributes to early drinking.
96
Barbaresco Soils
* The soils also contribute to the readily drinking quality since they are practically all compact gray-white marl and limestone formed during the Tortonian stage- a soil mix that is known to give sooner ready to drink wines
* Generally, Barbaresco also has more clay content than Barolo and a more even distribution of minerals.
## Footnote
The exception is in Treiso where in a small southern sector there is Lequio formation found in Serralunga
97
Barbaresco Village Wine Style
* The wines are the most Balanced of all barbarescos and have always been recognized for being distinct from the other communes.
98
Barbaresco Village area under vine
* In 1998 there were 217 hectares and 132 growers
* Now there are 247 hectares planted to Nebbiolo
99
Barbaresco Village crus
* Paje
* Secondi
* Muscagota
* Pora
* Faset
* Asili
* Martinenga
* Rabaja
* Rio Sordo
* Roncagliette
* Roncaglia
* Ovello
* Montefico
* Montestefano
100
* Paje
* Secondi
* Muscagota
Barbaresco Village Crus located located to the south of the town near Tre Stelle and Treiso
* **Paje **-- best cru in this part farmed by Roagna and Produttori
* **Secondi** -- South facing site farmed by Gaja who makes San Lorenzo from this plot (didnt want to name it "second")
* **Muscagota**-- Slightly higher up and more westerly facing
101
Asili, Martinenga, and Rabaja
* Farther South from Paje, Secondi, and Muscagota
* The three best sites of Barbaresco
* Asili -- Steep and mainly southeast facing, Refined and even austere
* Martinenga --Swath of land moves gradually from southwest to southeast
* Rabaja -- Southwestern exposure and characterized by softer, broader topography which helps explain this crus much warmer mesoclimate compated to Asili.
* The soils is about 40% clay, 35%limestone, and 25% sand.
* Fleshy and rich with a signature note of cocoa which is not due to oak use
102
Other crus of Barbaresco village location
* The northern part of Barbaresco where these crus exist has more compact, clay-rich soils and all of the wines made here are tougher and more austere in youth except for Montestefano which develop a degree of finesee and complexity and closest to a grand cru for a premier cru vineyard.
* Exceptional slightly cooler microclimate so climate change has been beneficial here
103
Neive style and area under vine
* Commune best known for more powerful, full-bodied barbarescos of all.
* Largest township but produces least amount of Barbaresco, known more for Dolcetto, barbera, and Moscato Bianco.
* 271 planted to Nebbiolo but 447 planted to other varieties.
104
Neive Soils
* Complex geology.
* South of town soils have more sand with less limestone and clay but the northern sites are richer in clay.
* In general Neives soils have higher sand content than the other communes accounting for a certain firmness of the wines in their youth. Especially of wines made from the farthest eastern reaches of Neive which has Lequio formation soils.
105
Neive crus
* Cotta
* Curra
* Gallina
* Santo Stefano(located in larger Albesani Cru)
* Serraboella
## Footnote
All of these except for Serraboella are located on the western sector of neive.
106
Santo Stefano
* Best Cru in Neive
* 200-250 m asl
* Remarkebly deep, complex, and luscious balanced wines
* Albesani is larger and overlooked because of the fame of Santo Stefano
107
Cotta & Curra
* Crus of Neive
* Cotta -- o Most like Barbaresco commune wines since location is closest
* Curra -- (23 hectares, 220-300 m asl)
* Protected topography meaning a warmer microclimate contributing to a riper red fruit syrup note with red flowers. And yet these wines are very fresh thanks to a strong minerality especially In certain vintages.
108
Treiso mesoclimate
* Much cooler mesoclimate- steely high acid nature in wines is a common misconception.
* The reason why Treiso Barbarescos are so austere in youth is because of the Lequio formation soils instead of Saint agathe’s marls that typify Barbaresco and give rounder, softer, earlier -drinking wines. Furthermore the high altitude and cooler windier microclimates mean the best sites of Treiso are located at the midslope and not in the Bricchi (summits) that are so coveted elsewhere in Barbaresco
* Always made fantastic dolcetto
109
Treiso can be divided into two areas
* The Northern lower-lying sector close to the border of Barbaresco
* The western sector
110
Treiso Northern lower-lying sector closer to Barbaresco
* gives richer, broader Barbaresco similar to the style found in Barbaresco
111
Treiso western sector
* The western sector has a much cooler mescoclimarte with Nebbiolo grown at higher altitude gives remarkable perfume and grace.
112
Treiso Cru
* Pajore (north)
* Rombone (north)
* Bernadotti (south)
* Rizzi (south)
* Nervo (south)
* Bernadot
* Bricco di Treiso
113
Pajore
* Treiso Cru
* 210-340m asl mainly west-southwest and is the most northerly and also the best.
* Sleep and large at 42 hectares with poor marly soil that gives wines great power and depth.
* Owned by Gaja now and does not bottle a single vineyard here and usually goes into the Gaja regular Barbaresco
114
Rombone, Bernadot, Bricco di Treiso
* Rombone-- 190-315m asl southwest exposure 47 hectares which is large and not all sites are great
* Bernadot -- 320-400 m very steep. Small site with ampitheater shape with warmer mesoclimate
* Bricco di Treiso -- 340-405 m asl south-southwest. Very high and cool site but thanks to southern exposure and ampitheater shape, grapes ripen in most vintages. Elegant and steely wines
## Footnote
Crus of Treiso
115
San Rocco Seno d’Elvio
* Outstanding price to quality value
* 46 hectares planted
* Less complex and charmingly soft mouthfeel accessible in youth are different than Treiso’s high acid austere style and Neive’s fleshy behemoths. Which is strange since it has Leqiuo formation soils.
* Does not have any grand crus of its own ( all but one shared with Treiso) But still has great sites
116
San Rocco Seno d’Elvio Crus
* Rizzi -- 200-300 m asl wines are classic and austere and youth and develop nicely
* Montersino (shared with Treiso) --Very Large with many exposures
* Neruzzano (Shared with Treiso) --Very Large with many exposures
* Rocche Massalupo --Medium-large and the only MGA of San Rocco Sen d’Elvio. 200-300 m asl with various exposures
117
Carema biotypes
* Characterized by Picotener Nebbiolo biotype
118
Carema vineyard ownership
* Practically all vineyard owners are part-time only and have second jobs to survive.
* 16 Hectares of Carema DOC and 13.5 are under the control of Cantina Produttori and its 71 members—average holdings of .2 ha which are subdivided even further within same ownership;This is because families try to hedge their bets by owning parcels in different areas of Carema to offset vintage variation issues usually Hail.
119
Carema Terroir
* Terroir is characterized by terraced vineyards hugging steep slopes but its not all like that. The best sites for Nebbiolo have calcareous clay soils and the highest vines are planted at 550m asl
120
Carema vineyard sites at 700m and above
* Sadly, many of the terraced vineyards at 700m are abandoned.
121
Carema vineyard aspect
* Vines face southeast, south=, and southwest with an ampitheather like shape. Best sites are facing southwest with most sunlight and best protection from cold winds blowing through the carema valley.
122
Carema rainfall and snow
* Rainfall and snow are less prevelant in Carema due to circulating air currents.
123
Cantina Produttori di Carema makes two main wines
* Black label is entry level aged 2 years with one in bottle
* White label is Riserva and has better lots along with 18 months in large oak casks
## Footnote
Ferrnado is other major player in Carema
124
Carema crus
* Here crus do not exist, the area is already so small that blending will make higher quality wines. Ferrando also does not make site specific wines.
125
Donnas Location
* Valle d’aosta
126
Donnas vineyard ownership
* Much like Carema -- mountain viticulture where fractional land ownership makes cooperatives a necessity.
* Most wines come from a high quality local co-op with 74 members
127
Donnas Elevations
* Average altitude is 350-500 meters asl at Pont-Saint-martin, 320 m asl at Donnas and 500m asl at Perlo.
* Like in Carema, vineyards once went as high as 700m asl but have been abandoned however members of the Cave Cooperative de Donnas have been reclaiming these vineyards starting at the lower altitudes
128
Donnas area under vine + average owned
* * 25 hectares of vines with average size being .3 hectares but many own less than .1 hectares. The surface area is highly fragmented meaning that even if an owner has more than .4 hectares, they are probably divided up into different parcels which makes the work really hard. The co-op is working with local institutions to favor the trading of distant parcels between owners to create larger estate vineyards, however this process is slow.
*
129
Valle d'Aosta Picotener Group
* Nebbiolo Picotener 308 – also used in Carema
* 400 series and the 423 is the most common in the area
* 308 and 400 series do very well in Donnas but do not do well in the Langhe
130
Picotener grape bunches
* Picotener does not have compact bunches which is important for the air-drying of grapes --which is an old Donnas tradition.
* It also lessens the risk of rot attack in the cool and potentially wet late autumns of Valle d’Aosta.
131
Picotner rootstock
* 420A which drives the roots down but for some reason, Nebbiolo longevity is lower with this rootstock.
132
Donnas Climate
* Climate is especially favorable for viticulture
* A strong aircurrent blows down from valley of Gressoney and does not allow the air to stagnate and so the fog of piedmont does not occur here and average temps are mild.
* The growth cycle is longer here than in Piedmont.
133
Characteristics of good Donnas Nebbiolo
* Wines are pretty, light red color, less showey aromas than Barolo and Barbaresco but lovely pristine mouthfeels.
134
Donnas most important factor of wine style
* The most important factor in determining the characteristic at these northerly latitude will be the vintage.
135
Roero number of communes
* 23 communes
136
Roero Soil and the resulting wine
* The sandstone and sedimentary rocks of marine origin composed of limestone, clay, and sand make for a soft and permeable setting.
* Thanks to its sandy terroir rich in sea-fossil, Nebbiolo wines have lighter frames and potentially more fragrant than the Langhe’s.
137
Roero climate compared to Barolo
* Climate is generally warmer in Roero and harvest takes place one or two weeks earlier than in Barolo
138
Roero x Nebbiolo d'Alba
* Nebbiolo d’Alba also covers Roero therefore producers can label as Roero or Nebbioloa’Alba
139
Roero Subzones, MGAs, and soils throughout them
* In March 2017, Roero Consorzio made the official MGA list of crus.
* Soils change from west to east ranging from mostly sandy soils in Santo Stefano Roero, Monteu Roero, and Vezza d’Alba
* and then become clay dominant in Canale, Castellinaldo, and Castagnito
* Canale soils fall between these two extremes
140
Roero subzones list
* Canale
* Castagnito
* Castellinaldo
* Monteu Roero
* Santo Stefano Roero:
* Vezza d’Alba
141
Canale (Roero)
* Biggest and most important township with the most vineyards (370 ha with 240 ha docg) Most planted to Arneis
* Soil tends to be on the sandy side with blue-gray loamy inclusions and as much as 20% clay in parts of the township
* The soils and wines can be thought as sort of an inbetween of those from the western and eastern zone. Wine made closer to the east are bigger and savory, wine made even further east are more refined and mineral
142
Castagnito (Roero)
* Especially marly soil that is very cold and clay-rich with veins of chalk running though it which is ideal for the production of large bodied Arneis. 58 hectares with 6 planted to Nebbiolo
143
Castellinaldo
* 260 hectares with 120 registered for DOCG
* Much like Castagnito, Arneis is the most planted variety with Nebbiolo being far behind
Two main soil types:
* Southeastern sector has gentler topography and marl-rich soils containing very high percentages of sand and limestone
* Northwest sector is steeper with forest covered slopes and very sandy-loamy soils that give more refinement
144
Monteu Roero
* 150 hectares undervine, again Arneis is most planted
* Soils at the easternmost tip has loosely packed, sand, fossil-rich soils which give elegant wines
* Soils moving toward Canale become marl, loam, and clay creating richer more savory reds.
145
Santo Stefano Roero
* 50 hectares mostly planted to Arneis
* Much like Monteu Roero, the central part has marly-loamy soils
* The easternmost soils are best for very elegant arneis and elegant and light Nebbiolo reds while the central part have rich, deep Nebbiolo wines.
146
Vezza d’Alba
* Soils are mostly marly-loam with pockets of rich clay (50%)
* The wines are the most typical for what Roero can offer rich and spicy though with freshness and a lightness which distinguish them from Langhe
147
Roero Cru
* Occhetti
* Renesio
* S.S. Tinita
* Valmaggiore -- Very steep with soils of sand with no organic matter so the vines have to dig deep for nutrients. In dry years vines might suffer and the steepness prevents any mechanized work.
148
Valtellina Bio-Type + wine
* Home to Chiavennasca
* The wines can either be monovarieites or blends containing up to 10% local varieties like Pignola, Rossola, and Brugnola
* Nebbiolo Rose is also commen in the Valtellina where it is called Chianennasca
149
Valtellina DOC and DOCG
* The best wines are DOC Valtellina Rosso, DOCG Valtellina Superiore and DOCG Sforzato di Valtellina which is made Amarone-like with the grapes air-dried.
* Some Valtellina Superiore wines also can be made with late-harvested or air dried grapes but the back labels will often not give the information.
150
Valtellina Location
* The Valtellina is located in Lombardy just south of Switzserland.
151
Valtellina River
The vineyard areas snakes along the lower course of the Adda river in a rare east-west direction
152
Valtellina communes
* Sondrio (most important)
* Tirano
* Livigno
* Morbegno
153
Valtellina Vineyard Aspect
* The vineyards are planted along the north bank of the Adda and are therefore south facing. The east/west orientation along with the river have a huge impact on viticulture
154
The limiting factor for viticulture in Valtellina is not climate but
The altitude
155
Valtellina Plantings above 750m asl
* Planting any grapevines in the Valtellina above 750M is ambitious but the Valtellina is not as cold as the location and topography mitigate inclement weather.
156
Valtellina Climate/Mitigating influences
* The alpine ranges to the north and south as well as the Adda make the climate less rigid. Summer and winter temps don’t have extremes or excessive rain or snow.
* Usually a bright, sunny, and dry climate with a large diurnal temperature in the Autumn
157
Valtellina may not have temperature extremes but it is cold, how do producers increase vine survivablitity?
* The south facing exposures are combined with the wealth of stone terraces which serve two purposes:
One: To allow vines to grow of course
Two: The stone acts as heat resevoirs catching and storing daytime heat and releasing it slowly overnight.
* On average, temps in the terraced vineyards are 4-5 degrees warmer than on the Valtellina flat land. For this reason, frost is rare in the walled vineyards.
158
Why is viticulture so costly in Valtellina?
* Steep Slopes
* Necesity for stone terraces which require labor and maintenance
* 4x cost for other hillside vineyards and 10x cost for flat land
* Helicopters for changing poles and sometimes for grape transport
* Monorails are expensive and are sometimes not worth the cost
159
Valtellina Soil
* soils are sandy/loamy with good porosity ensuring good drainage but the roots do not dip very deep because they run into highly-compacted glacial-rock substrate.
* The topsoil is extremely thin and is never more than 40 to 120 centimeters so in order to plant vineyards, earth needs to be brought up by hand, mule, small truck, and sometimes even a fucking helicopter
* The soils are often slightly deficient in Boron and Magnesim and have very acid PH. So the combination of thin, shallow, loosely packed and nutrient deficient soils greatly limit yields with the old age of Valtellina vines (50 years on average) reduces crop loads while delivering complex wines with depth
160
Valtellina Superiore Subzones
* Maroggia
* Sassella
* Grumello
* Inferno
* Valgella
## Footnote
It is difficult to distinguish between these subzones when tasting. This is because the wines are made from very small holdings at varied altitudes and exposures.
161
Valtellina Superiore (Maroggia)
* Smalled subzone with 25 ha
162
Valtellina Superiore (Sassella)
* 114ha it is the second largest
* Steep and sunny
* Along with Grumello, it is the warmest but differs from Grumello because of small diurnal temp variations in September.
* Split up into western and eastern zone
* The western zone is more protected from winds and has deeper soils and rounder wines
* The eastern section soils are more mineral
* Harvest can take place two weeks apart between western and eastern zone.
163
Valtellina Superiore (Grumello)
* 78 ha with more slate and limestone and so in theory have more finesse and minerality
* Does not perform well in hot years when aromas of cooked fruit emerge
* Easiest to pick out from blind tasting—lighter structure and different mouthfeel.
164
Valtellina Superiore (Valgella)
* Largest subzone with 137 ha
* Easternmost subzone with freshest microclimate (more rainfall and slightly colder)
* Sandy loam soils but with deeper layer of topsoil
* Wines tend to be less aromatic and mineral but have good balance
Split up into 3 bands of Altitude:
* Below 400m asl
* between 400-500 asl
* above 500m asl
165
Valtellina Superiore (Valgella below 400m asl)
* Deeper colored wines
* Medium to full bodied with good balance and red rose petal and spice aromas
166
Valtellina Superiore (Valgella 400-500m asl)
* Less affected by PAR and the yield.
* It appears the decisions made by the producer in the Valtellina such as training, pruning choice, canopy management, and rootstock become more important than usual
* Riper fruit notes and less floral tones and fleshier than first band
167
Valtellina Superiore(valgella 500+m asl)
* Noteworthy elegance high acidity and rigid tannins with strong notes of sour red fruit.
