North-East Italy Flashcards
When did Trentino and Alto Adige become part of Italy?
1919
Trentino-Alto Adige in the foothills of what moutains?
The Alps
Alto-Adige aka
Sudtirol
Primary language in Alto-Adige?
German
aka Sudtirol
Austrian influence
Trentino-Alto Adige more blends or single varietal wines?
Single varietals
Trentino white wines tend to be what grapes and what kind of style?
Pinot Grigio, Chard, Muller Thurgau
Unoaked, fresh
Red grapes in Trentino?
Teroldego
Merlot
Marzemino
Co-ops produce what % of wine in Trentino?
80%
Climate in Trentino?
Moderate continental Cooling influence (Alps)
Are there more red or white grapes grown in Trentino?
Predominantly white grapes
75% white
25% black
Yields in Trentino?
Max yields tend to be high
Whites 100hl/ha
Reds 90hl/ha
How many different grapes can be bottled as single varieties in Trentino DOC?
19 altogether
10 whites
9 black
Most widely planted grape in Trentino?
Pinot Grigio
Top three grapes grown in Trentino?
Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay
Muller Thurgau
Most planted red grape in Trentino?
Teroldego
Teroldego in Trentino. How was it traditionally trained? And how is it trained now?
Historically: pergolas
Now: Guyot
best clones of Teroldego? why?
145 and 152
they give intense aromas
Trentino: best DOC for Teroldego?
Teroldego Rotaliano DOC
Can Teroldego be bottled as Trentino DOC?
No, must be Vini delle Dolomiti IGT
IGT for Trentino-Alto Adige?
Vini delle Dolomiti IGT
What is Teroldgeo prone to?
Drying out of stems
Where is the best Marzemino grown in Trentino? Why?
Ziresi subzone of Trentino DOC
Full sun exposure
Rich calcareous clay and basalt
Why is Lagrein low yielding?
Suffers from poor fruit set
Needs a warm site with sun to ripen fully
Italian and German label terms used in Trentino for Lagrein? (Red and rose)
Red: Lagrein rubino/dunkel
Rose: Lagrein rosato/kretzer
What is Moscato Rosa used for in Trentino? Made how?
Rose-scented sweet wine
Appassimento w/ late harvest fruit
Trentino: what is Nosiola? Where is it grown? What does it taste like?
White grape
Grown in Valley of the Lakes (warmest area)
Light hazelnut flavour
also Vino Santo (not Vin Santo)
Trentino: most white wines are made how? (Pressing, fermenting?)
Soft pressing Stainless steel Low temps 12-16C Brief lees age Release young
Trentino Bianco DOC must be what?
Minimum 80% Chardonnay and/or Pinot Bianco
Trentino Rosso DOC must be what?
Single varietal or blends of
Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Carmenere, Merlot
Trentino DOC labelled with a single variety: what % of that variety?
Min 85%
Name for rosé in Trentino?
Rosato or Kretzer
Average vine holding in Trentino?
1.2ha
lots of small growers
co-ops and merchants important
Largest co-op in Trentino?
And what % of wine do they make
Cavit
60% of all wine in Trentino
Example of a high profile estate not to use Trentino DOC? Why?
Foradori
Don’t believe standards are uniformly high; use IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti instead
What is Cavit?
Consortium of 10 co-ops spread around Trentino
4,500 growers
Exports are 80% of its business
Key red grape in Alto-Adige
Schiava
Climate in Alto-Adige
Mild Alpine continental climate Mountains protect from cold winds Warm air in valleys 300 days sunshine Diurnal range = > great for ripening and acidity
Soils in Alto-Adige?
Varied Volcanic porphyry Quartz Mica rock Dolomitic limestone
Two largest growing zones in Alto-Adige? (NB not technically subzones of DOC)
Bassa Atesina
Oltradige
What is Bassa Atesina?
Growing zone in south of Alto-Adige
Warmer climate
Main varieties grown, EXCEPT Schiava
Muller Thurgau at high altitudes
What is Oltradige?
growing zone in Alto-Adige
includes Lake Caldaro (for Schiava)
Most grown grape in Alto Adige?
Schiava
most grown red grape and most grown white grape in Alto Adige?
Red: Schiava
White: Pinot Grigio
What is Schiava? What is it also known as?
Main red grape in Alto Adige aka Vernatsch (its German name) Four separate varieties identified (usually grown together)
Schiava style
Pale ruby
Perumed violet, strawberry
Light to medium body
Low tannin
Why is Schiava usually grown on pergola?
Tame its natural vigour
Yields are high
What % of wines from Alto Adige are DOC?
98% (!)
Examples of two common two-variety blends in Alto Adige DOC?
Chardonnay-Pinot Bianco
Cabernet-Lagrein
Largest sub zone (used on labels) for Alto Adige DOC
Alto Adige Valle Isarco
mostly white wines
Average vine holding in Alto Adige
Very small
1ha
Co-ops account for what % of Alto Adige wines
70% of production
inc. some high quality
Two important producers in Alto Adige?
Alois Lageder
Elena Walch
Largest winery in Alto Adige?
Cantina Kaltern (co-op)
Two important co-ops in Alto Adige?
Cantina Kaltern
Cantina di Tramin
Alto Adige wines sold mostly in Italy or export?
75% in Italy
of which just under half in the province itself
Biggest export market for Alto Adige?
Germany
then USA
Italy’s most north-easterly region?
Friuli (aka Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
Friuli broders which two countries?
Austria
Slovenia
Friuli makes what % of Italian wine?
4%
Majority of wine in Friuli is what colour?
75% white
Climate in south of Friuli (flat plain near Adriatic sea)
Warm maritime climate
Warm air from sea meets cooler influence from Alps
High rain, humidity
Extra work to combat disease etc
Friuli can be divided into two growing zones based on geology/topography. What are they?
Alluvial plain (everyday wines) Low hills (higher end wines)
Most everyday wine in Friuli (esp. Merlot and Pinot Grigio) comes from what part of the region?
Flat alluvial plain
Fertile soils
Important DOCs on Friuli’s flat plain
Grave del Friuli DOC (high volume wines)
Friuli Isonzo DOC (best quality)
Two important DOCs on Friuli’s hillsides
Collio DOC
Collio Orientali del Friuli DOC
What is ponca?
Compacted marl soils in Friuli
Pinot Grigio accounts for what % of grapes grown in Friuli?
25%
List a few local white varieties in Friuli
Ribolla Gialla
Malvasia di Istria
Verduzzo
Picolit