North-East Italy Flashcards
1
Q
When did Trentino and Alto Adige become part of Italy?
A
1919
2
Q
Trentino-Alto Adige in the foothills of what moutains?
A
The Alps
3
Q
Alto-Adige aka
A
Sudtirol
4
Q
Primary language in Alto-Adige?
A
German
aka Sudtirol
Austrian influence
5
Q
Trentino-Alto Adige more blends or single varietal wines?
A
Single varietals
6
Q
Trentino white wines tend to be what grapes and what kind of style?
A
Pinot Grigio, Chard, Muller Thurgau
Unoaked, fresh
7
Q
Red grapes in Trentino?
A
Teroldego
Merlot
Marzemino
8
Q
Co-ops produce what % of wine in Trentino?
A
80%
9
Q
Climate in Trentino?
A
Moderate continental Cooling influence (Alps)
10
Q
Are there more red or white grapes grown in Trentino?
A
Predominantly white grapes
75% white
25% black
11
Q
Yields in Trentino?
A
Max yields tend to be high
Whites 100hl/ha
Reds 90hl/ha
12
Q
How many different grapes can be bottled as single varieties in Trentino DOC?
A
19 altogether
10 whites
9 black
13
Q
Most widely planted grape in Trentino?
A
Pinot Grigio
14
Q
Top three grapes grown in Trentino?
A
Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay
Muller Thurgau
15
Q
Most planted red grape in Trentino?
A
Teroldego
16
Q
Teroldego in Trentino. How was it traditionally trained? And how is it trained now?
A
Historically: pergolas
Now: Guyot
17
Q
best clones of Teroldego? why?
A
145 and 152
they give intense aromas
18
Q
Trentino: best DOC for Teroldego?
A
Teroldego Rotaliano DOC
19
Q
Can Teroldego be bottled as Trentino DOC?
A
No, must be Vini delle Dolomiti IGT
20
Q
IGT for Trentino-Alto Adige?
A
Vini delle Dolomiti IGT
21
Q
What is Teroldgeo prone to?
A
Drying out of stems
22
Q
Where is the best Marzemino grown in Trentino? Why?
A
Ziresi subzone of Trentino DOC
Full sun exposure
Rich calcareous clay and basalt
23
Q
Why is Lagrein low yielding?
A
Suffers from poor fruit set
Needs a warm site with sun to ripen fully
24
Q
Italian and German label terms used in Trentino for Lagrein? (Red and rose)
A
Red: Lagrein rubino/dunkel
Rose: Lagrein rosato/kretzer
25
What is Moscato Rosa used for in Trentino? Made how?
Rose-scented sweet wine
| Appassimento w/ late harvest fruit
26
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)
27
Trentino: most white wines are made how? (Pressing, fermenting?)
```
Soft pressing
Stainless steel
Low temps 12-16C
Brief lees age
Release young
```
28
Trentino Bianco DOC must be what?
Minimum 80% Chardonnay and/or Pinot Bianco
29
Trentino Rosso DOC must be what?
Single varietal or blends of
| Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Carmenere, Merlot
30
Trentino DOC labelled with a single variety: what % of that variety?
Min 85%
31
Name for rosé in Trentino?
Rosato or Kretzer
32
Average vine holding in Trentino?
1.2ha
lots of small growers
co-ops and merchants important
33
Largest co-op in Trentino?
| And what % of wine do they make
Cavit
| 60% of all wine in Trentino
34
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
35
What is Cavit?
Consortium of 10 co-ops spread around Trentino
4,500 growers
Exports are 80% of its business
36
Key red grape in Alto-Adige
Schiava
37
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
```
38
Soils in Alto-Adige?
```
Varied
Volcanic porphyry
Quartz
Mica rock
Dolomitic limestone
```
39
Two largest growing zones in Alto-Adige? (NB not technically subzones of DOC)
Bassa Atesina
| Oltradige
40
What is Bassa Atesina?
Growing zone in south of Alto-Adige
Warmer climate
Main varieties grown, EXCEPT Schiava
Muller Thurgau at high altitudes
41
What is Oltradige?
growing zone in Alto-Adige
| includes Lake Caldaro (for Schiava)
42
Most grown grape in Alto Adige?
Schiava
43
most grown red grape and most grown white grape in Alto Adige?
Red: Schiava
White: Pinot Grigio
44
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)
```
45
Schiava style
Pale ruby
Perumed violet, strawberry
Light to medium body
Low tannin
46
Why is Schiava usually grown on pergola?
Tame its natural vigour
| Yields are high
47
What % of wines from Alto Adige are DOC?
98% (!)
48
Examples of two common two-variety blends in Alto Adige DOC?
Chardonnay-Pinot Bianco
| Cabernet-Lagrein
49
Largest sub zone (used on labels) for Alto Adige DOC
Alto Adige Valle Isarco
| mostly white wines
50
Average vine holding in Alto Adige
Very small
| 1ha
51
Co-ops account for what % of Alto Adige wines
70% of production
| inc. some high quality
52
Two important producers in Alto Adige?
Alois Lageder
| Elena Walch
53
Largest winery in Alto Adige?
Cantina Kaltern (co-op)
54
Two important co-ops in Alto Adige?
Cantina Kaltern
| Cantina di Tramin
55
Alto Adige wines sold mostly in Italy or export?
75% in Italy
| of which just under half in the province itself
56
Biggest export market for Alto Adige?
Germany
| then USA
57
Italy's most north-easterly region?
Friuli (aka Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
58
Friuli broders which two countries?
Austria
| Slovenia
59
Friuli makes what % of Italian wine?
4%
60
Majority of wine in Friuli is what colour?
75% white
61
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
62
Friuli can be divided into two growing zones based on geology/topography. What are they?
```
Alluvial plain (everyday wines)
Low hills (higher end wines)
```
63
Most everyday wine in Friuli (esp. Merlot and Pinot Grigio) comes from what part of the region?
Flat alluvial plain
| Fertile soils
64
Important DOCs on Friuli's flat plain
Grave del Friuli DOC (high volume wines)
| Friuli Isonzo DOC (best quality)
65
Two important DOCs on Friuli's hillsides
Collio DOC
| Collio Orientali del Friuli DOC
66
What is ponca?
Compacted marl soils in Friuli
67
Pinot Grigio accounts for what % of grapes grown in Friuli?
25%
68
List a few local white varieties in Friuli
Ribolla Gialla
Malvasia di Istria
Verduzzo
Picolit
69
List a few local red vareities in Friuli
Refosco
Schiopettino
Pignolo
Tazzalenghe
70
Most widely planted white and black grape in Friuli?
```
Pinot Grigio (most overall)
Merlot
```
71
What is Welschriesling called in Italy?
Riesling Italico
72
Friulano aka
Sauvignonasse or Sauvignon Vert
| formerly Tocai Friulano
73
Friulano has good disease resitance. So what?
Important in Friuli where rainfall is high and disease pressure is high
74
Friulano style
Medium (-) floral, apple
Medium to high alcohol
Medium (+) acidity
75
Where is Ribolla Gialla grown?
Collio and Colli Orientali (Friuli)
76
Why does Ribolla Gialla need hillside sites?
Prevent it growing too vigorously
77
Ribolla Gialla style
Citrus and pepper
| High acid
78
Refosco aka
Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso
79
Refosco wine style
Red cherry
Herbal
High tnanins
80
Who introduced unoaked, white winemaking style to Friuli? When?
Inspired by what?
Mario Schiopetto
Late 1960s
German technical expertise eg stainless steel, temperature control, cultivated yeasts, pneumatic presses
81
Key sub-region in Friuli for orange wine?
Oslavia, a small sub-region of Collio (neighbours Brda in Slovenia)
82
How is orange wine made (Friuli)?
```
Long maceration (8 days to 6-8 mths) on skins, white varieties
Long ageing (2-6 yrs) in large oak
```
83
Pioneers of orange wine movement (Friuli)?
Josko Gravner
Stanko Radikon
Dario Princic
84
Common commitments of orange wine producers in Friuli?
```
Organic
Local varieties (Ribolla Gillia) and int'l
Long maceration on skins
Ambient yeasts
No temp control
Long amturation large oak
No fining/filtration
Low or no added SO2
```
85
Orange wine style (Friuli)
Amber, orange or gold colour
Pronounced dried fruits, dried herbs, hay, nuts
Medium tannins
86
Key difference between Collio and Collio Orientali del Friuli?
Mostly political history
87
What is currently happening legislatively to Collio DOC?
Becoming Collio DOCG
88
Principal wines in Collio DOC and Collio Orientali DOC?
Single varietal whites: Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
89
Two sweet-wine DOCGs in Friuli?
Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG
| Ramandolo DOCG
90
What is Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolot DOCG?
Historic sweet wine in Friuli
once competitor of Tokaji
Air-dried grapes (Picolit)
91
What is Ramandolo DOCG?
Sweet wine in Friuli
| air-dried grapes (Verduzzo)
92
Italy's largest wine region?
Veneto
93
Climate in Veneto?
Warm, moderately continental
Moderate rain
Cooling from altitude
94
What is Italy's largest expanse of flat land? Where is it? So what?
Po River Valley
Veneto
Moist air and fog = humid, disease
95
Fertile soils in Veneto. T/F? So what?
True
High yields, particularly on the plains
Hillside sites better suited to quality
96
#1 grape grown in Veneto? Used for what?
Glera
| Prosecco
97
top 5 grapes grown in Veneto
1. Glera
2. Garganega
3. Merlot
4. Corvina
5. Pinot Grigio
98
What are the two distinct parts of Soave?
1. Foothills (north)
| 2. Flat plain (south)
99
Hillside soils in Soave? So what?
Limestone and clay and/or volcanic basalt
Naturally cool; this plus altitude => slow ripening
Full flavour ripeness, high acidity
100
What's Garganega like in the vineyard?
Vigorous
Very productive
Late ripening (October)
101
Traditional training for Garganega? Vs. now?
Trad: pergola
Now: trellis
102
Garganega style
High acid
Medium body
Medium intensity lemon, pear, apple, white pepper and (if ripe) stone fruit
Generally not oaked
103
Quality producers make Garganega how?
Short cold maceration
Cool ferment (16-18C)
Few months ageing on lees before bottling
104
Three DOCs for dry wine in Soave
Soave DOC
Soave Classico DOC
Soave Superiore DOCG
105
Soave DOC grape requirement
min 70% Garganega
| max. 30% Chardonnay OR Trebbiano di Soave aka Verdicchio
106
Trebbiano di Soave aka
Verdicchio
107
Three permitted grapes for Soave DOC
Garganega (min 30%)
Chardonnay
Treibbiano di Soave
108
Max yield in Soave DOC
High
| 105 hl/ha
109
When can Soave DOC be released?
When very young!
| After 1st December in harvest year
110
Soave DOC is what % of overall Soave production?
80%
111
Yield for Soave Classico DOC (vs Soave DOC)
Classico is 98hl/ha
| mildly lower than Soave DOC (105hl/ha)
112
Soave Classico DOC is what % of overall Soave production?
20%
113
Soave Superiore DOCG is from the same hilly zone as what other DOC/G?
Recioto di Soave DOCG
114
Yield for Soave Superiore DOCG
70hl/ha
high, but considerably lower than Soave DOC and Soave Classico DOC
115
Is Soave Superiore DOCG used a lot?
No, a tiny proportion of overall Soave production
116
Thinking behind Soave Superiore DOCG introduction?
Yields for other Soave DOCs too high, this being a quality alternative
but tbh, Garganega can give concentration and flavour at high yields so not a huge issue -> hasn't really taken off
117
Recioto di Soave DOCG: yield
36 hl/ha
118
Recioto di Soave DOCG: style
Floral, rich, honeyed, sweet
| High acid
119
Average vineyard holding in Soave
2 ha
120
What % of Soave is bottled by small family wineries?
10%
| it's a region of small growers and large bottlers!
121
Largest co-op in Soave
| accounts for what % of production
Cantina di Soave
| Bottles just under 50% of all Soave
122
What % of Soave is exported?
80%
| but glory days were in the 60s and 70s; today replaced by fashionable Pinot Grigio
123
Quality Soave producers?
Pieropan
| Inama
124
How many named cru sites in Soave?
33
| approved in 2020
125
Where is Valpolicella located?
Immediately north of Verona (Veneto region)
126
Corvina aka
Corvina Veronese
127
Most concentrated wines come from which zone of Valpolicella?
Foothills in the north
Limestone and clay/volcanic
Cool soils, slow ripening
-> more acidity, more concentration
128
The grapes for Valpolicella (4)
Corvina
Corvinone
Rondinella
Molinara
129
Corvina has thick skins. So what?
Suitable for drying!
130
Why is Corvina suited to pergola training?
It doesn't fruit on the first few buds
| Height helps with air circulation, reducing disease (prone to downy, botrytis etc)
131
What does Corvina add to Valpolicella?
```
Red cherry
Violet
Red plum
Herbal
Low to medium tannin
High acid
```
132
Example of single-variety Corvina? (High-end)
Allegrini's "La Poja"
| Concentrated, barrel aged
133
Are Corvina and Corvinone related?
```
No
Corvinone ("big Corvina") probably arising from big clusters
```
134
Main problem when growing Corvinone?
Berries don't ripen evenly
| Picked over bunch by bunch,a dd work and cost
135
Why is Corvinone a good compliment to Corvina?
It adds tannins (Corvina is low to medium tannin)
| Red cherry fruit
136
Rondinella accumulates sugar fast. So what?
Useful for Recioto
137
Why is Molinara being grown less in recent years?
It producds pale wines
| Market prefers deeper colour (apparently ><)
138
Italian dried grapes. What's the name of the method, and what's the name of the resulting wine style?
Method is APPASSIMENTO
| Style is PASSITO
139
How long are drying grapes left in lofts for (Valpolicella)?
3-4 months
140
Passito wines: grapes dried on or off the vine?
Can be either
Completely healthy grapes, open bunches
Can be on the vine, more often off the vine
either hung up, or (for volume) laid down on trays
141
Loss of water in dried grapes does what?
Lose around 1/3 of their weight
Higher sugar, potential alcohol, acidity, anthocyanins, tannins and flavour concentration
Chemical changes: more glycerol = softer, fuller mouthfeel
142
Dried grapes undergo chemical changes that lead to more glycerol in the wine. So what?
Gives a softer, fuller mouthfeel to the wine
143
Valpolicella wines must be what % of Corvina and/or Corvinone?
Corvina and/or Corvinone must be 45-95% of the blend
| 5-30% Rondinella. Molinara also authorised
144
Max yield for Valpolicella DOC
84hl/ha
| Low flavour concentration
145
Valpolicella DOC style
```
Bright purple
Red cherry and roses
No oak
Low to medium tannin
Medium to medium (+) acid
```
146
What is Valpolicella Valpantena DOC?
Valpollicella made from grapes grown in the Valpantena valley
147
How is Superiore used in Valpolicella DOC?
Higher grade of the basic DOC (higher alcohol, longer ageing)
NOT a separate DOC
Valpolicella DOC, Valpolicella Classico DOC and Valpolicella Valpantena DOC can all have Superiore
148
Top producers in Valpolicella
Quintarelli
| Romano dal Forno
149
Valpolicella: Recioto, Amarone and Ripasso are based on geography. True/false
False
| Based on winemaking styles - can come from any geographic area within Valpolicella DOC
150
Max yield for Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
48 hl/ha
151
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG style
Intense red, fresh and dried fruit flavours
Full body
Medium (+) to high tannin
Min 50g/l sugar
152
Sweetness level for Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
Dry or just off-dry
| Max 9g/L
153
Amarone max yield
48hl/ha
154
Maturation required for Amarone?
Min 2 years in large casks or barriques (four years for Riserva)
155
How long are Amarone grapes dried for?
100-120 days
156
Amarone style
Intense cherry and dried fruit
Spice and wood
Medium to high tannin
High acid (balance the richness)
157
Ripasso method
- Unpressed grape skins with some residual sugar are taken from the end of the fermentation phase for Recioto or Amarone
- Newly made Valpolicella wine, pressed off its skins, then added to THESE skins for a 2nd maceration
- Yeasts ferment the remaining sugar, skins give colour, flavour and tannin
- may add 15% Amarone wine also
158
Ripasso style
Medium to full body
Medium (+) tannin
Fresh and stewed red cherry, plum
159
What % of Amarone is exported?
65%
| Germany, US, Switzerland, UK
160
When was Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC introduced? Why?
2017
| replace IGP of same name and add stricter requirements
161
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC: grapes have to come from where?
Veneto
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
southern Trentino province (Trentino-Alto Adige)
162
Veneto, F-VG and Trentino area produces what % of Italian Pinot Grigio? And what % of the world's Pinot Grigio?
85% of Italian
| 40% of world
163
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC style
Light to medium (-) intensity apple and lemon
Light to medium (-) body
Medium alcohol
Medium (+) acidity
164
Bardolino is located next to what?
Lake Garda
165
Moderating influence for Bardolino DOC and Bardolino DOCG?
Lake Garda
166
Bardolino style
Light bodied reds and rosé
| Corvina blends generally
167
Name for rosé style made in Bardolino?
Chiaretto
| Light, fresh, red fruit
168
Lugana DOC is from where?
Beside Lake Garda (in Veneto)
169
Turbiana aka
Trebbiano di Lugana
| Verdicchio
170
Lugana DOC style
Moderately aromatic
Ripe apple, citrus, hazelnut
Lively acidity
Saline
