North East Italy - Veneto Flashcards
Describe Veneto
One of Italy’s largest wine-producing regions
Home to Soave and Valpolicella
Where is Veneto
extends from Lake Garda in the west to Venice in the east and ranges from the foothills of the Alps in the North to the flat plains on the River Po
What is the climate in Veneto?
Warm and moderately continental
moderate rainfall
cooling influences from altitude
hi diurnal range
breezes from Lake Garda
Flat plain affected by moist air and fog from River Po
Spraying needed and trunk disease Esca
Describe the soil in Veneto
Very fertile = high yields esp on the Plain
What do hillside sites offer?
better drainage, less rich soil = better quality production
What are the 2 Main DOCs in Veneto
Soave
Valpolicella
The DOCs for Soave and Valpolicella extend to the plains - what does this mean
with high yields allowed quality varies from good to outstanding
What is grown on the main fertile Plain
fruit for inexpensive, hi volume brands
international grape varieties such as Pinot Grigio, Cab Sav, Chardonnay and Merlot
local varieties: Corvina, Gargenega
= simple fruity wines
Describe Soave
East of Verona, 2 distinct parts - foothills to north and flat plan in South near River Adige.
What are the soils in Soave?
Hillside soils are limestone, clay and/or volcanic.
how do the soils of Soave affect the wine
naturally cool plus altitude slows down ripening, leading to grapes with full flavour ripeness yet retain high acidity
If on sandy alluvial soil of plain = fruitier, med acidity, drank young
What grape makes Soave?
Gargenega
Describe Gargenega Grape
Historic white grape of Veneto
Vigorous, very productive, late ripening (Oct)
Traditionally on Pergola, now trellised
Sensitive to winter cold, mildew, botrytis
Picking by hand on hillside, machine-harvest on plain
Describe Soave Wine Making
Quality producers:
short cold maceration period, cool ferment (12-16℃)
a few months ageing on lees before bottling
some ferment/age wine in oak barrels
Describe Soave wine
High acidity
med body
med intensity of pear/apple, white pepper and ripest examples, stone fruit
Aged example develop aromas of almonds and honey
good to very good in quality, inexpensive to mid-priced.
Top producers = v good to outstanding and mid-premium priced
List the Soave DOCs
Soave DOC
Soave Classico DOC
Soave Superiore DOCG
Recioto di Soave DOCG
Describe Soave DOC
80% of Soave is made under this DOC
Soave DOC - from entire Soave region, 70% must be Gargenega
up to 30% Trebbiano di Soave (Verdiccio)
Max yield high - 105 hL/ha
Wine can be sold after 1 December same year.
Describe Soave Classico DOC
From hilly Classico region
Gargenega 70/30 rule
lower yields 98 hL/ha
Released 1 Feb after harvest
20% of Soave production
Describe Soave Superiore DOCG
Grapes from hilly zone as Recioto di Soave - delimited
same grape rules Gargenega 70/30 rule
lower yield 70 hL/ha
Wines released 1 year after harvest on 1 September
Tiny production
What is key about the yields in Soave?
Some v high yields are permitted in Soave and Soave Classico so Soave Superiore introduced with marked lower yields
However leading producers still have concentration and flavour intensity from Gargenega even at the high yields.
Describe Recioto di Soave
Same blend as Soave
Gargenega 70/30%
Yields low maximum 36 hL/ha
made using appassimento method = grapes so sweet that fermentation stops naturally.
Produces rich, floral, honeyed, sweet wines with high balancing acidity
Describe the Wine Business in Veneto
Small growers (avg 2ha)
Large Bottlers
Largest Co-Op Cantina di Soave - bottles half total wine made
Demand peaked in 1960s/70s
now lost ground to Pinot Grigio
Low quality Gargenea vines being replanted with Pinot Grigio
Soave still in demand - 80% exported to Germany, UK.
Volume dropping but higher prices achieved with exports
Describe Valpolicella, location, soils and effect on grapes?
Valpolicella is north-west of Verona
Foothills in the north have limestone, clay and volcanic soil = slow down of grape-ripening + more acidity = greater concentration
Soils on flatter south = gravel and sand, more fruity wines, lower concentration
Describe Corvina Veronese, trellising
aka Corvina
Vigorous and dependable, high yields
Thick skins = suitable for drying (Appassimento)
prone to downy mildew, botrytis and esca and sensitive to drought
Suited to Pergola as does not fruit on first few buds of can and helps shading vs sunburn
Pergola helps circulate air = reduced disease
What does Corvina Veronese bring to a blend
Violet, red cherry and red plum fruit
herbal note, low-med tannins, high acidity
Some single-variety Corvina wines?
following success of Allegrini’s La Podia, a concentrated barrel-aged red more popular
Describe Corvione
= Big Corvina - but not related
Uneven ripening
supplies tannins to blends
adds red cheery and dries well (appassimento)
describe Rondinella
Reliable and productive variety
grows on a range of soils
good disease resistance (good for drying)
pront to esca
adds light simple cherry fruit
accumulates sugar v fast so is good for Recioto
Molinara grape?
High yielding
adds acidity, red-berried fruit and lightness
Describe Winemaking in Valpolicella
to make fresh, fruit wines for early consumption:
After crushing, fermentation carried out at medium temp to retain primary aromas
Maceration times are short (5-7 days)
aim for wine with light-med tannins
Aged in S/S or large neutral oak barrels 6-8 months before release.
Appassimento method, using dried grapes are becoming more common.
Describe the Appassimento method
Soave and Valpolicella use the appassimento method
resulting wine called Passito
Used in Veneto and Tuscany (Vin Santo)
Grapes are picked early when still high in acidity
Dried indoors, by storing in well-aerated drying lofts for 3-4 months
concentrating the sugar and flavours, raises alcohol and making sweet (and dry) wine
Appassimento method (more detail!)
Picked at 11-11.5% potential alcohol
maintains acidity
healthy grapes with open bunches left to dry on vine or off the vine
grapes are hung up or laid one bunch deep in trays to prevent mould
grapes checked regularly and rotated occasionally.
Today humidity, temperature and air movement carefully controlled
What happens to the grapes during Appassimento method?
depending on length and speed of drying grapes lose 1/3 of their weight
Loss of water = high sugars, potential alcohol, acidity, anthocyanin (colour), tannins and concentration of flavours
Chemical changes occur in the drying grapes, ie, more glycerol produced, giving a softer, fuller mouth-feel.
Describe the 2 different wines that Corvina can produce depending on production
1) pale, ruby, simple, fresh, fruity wines (Valpolicella)
2) Deep ruby, concentrated, complex, high alcohol wines with tannic and acidic structure (Amarone and Recioto)
Wine Law - What are the rules for the wine blends?
Corvina and/or Corvione must be 45-95% of blend
Rondinella 5-30%
Other authorised varieties incl Molinara
List the DOC/DOCGs of Valpolicella
- Valpolicella DOC
- Valpolicella Classico DOC
- Valpolicella Valpantena DOC
- Superiore
- Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
- Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
- Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
Describe Valpolicella DOC + wine
Max yields 84 hl/ha
low flavour concentration
short maceration
purple tints
red cherry, rose aromatics
no oak flavour
low-med tannin
good quality, inexpensive to midpriced
Describe Valpolicella Classico DOC
must come from hilly, defined, historic Classico zone
more concentration that Val DOC, good to v good, inexpensive to mid-priced
Valpolicella Valpantena DOC
made from grapes grown in Valpantena valley
Describe Superiore wines from Valpolicella
Additional option for Valpolicello DOC, Classico or Valpantena DOC
marginally higher alcohol level
Must be aged in oak for one year after 1 January after harvest
Superiore used in traditional way to show higher grade of basic DOC
In Soave/Bardolino term is used to separate DOCG wine/status
Describe Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
Historic, sweet, semi-dried grape wine of Valpolicella
Grapes from within DOC
Grapes dried off vine for 100-120 days
Final yield (after drying/pressing = 48 hL/ha
Tasting note for Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG, size of production?
Intense red, fresh and dried fruit flavour
full-bodied
med+ to hi tannins
12% abv 50g/L res sugar
good/outstanding premium priced
Production typically small-scale/artisan
Describe Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
Dry or off-dry semi-dried grape wine of Valpolicella
final yield 48 hL/ha
Grapes vilified after 100-120 days of drying
min ABV 14%, more 15% +
5-9g/l residual sugar (max is 9g)
Must be aged min 2 years in large casks or barriques
Aged 4 years for Riserva category
tasting note for Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
Dry off-dry wine
Intense cherry and dried fruit flavour plus spice and wood notes,
med to hi tannins
hi acidity = balance richness
Can have new oak flavour, or nutty/volatile notes from oxidative ageing
How has Amarone /Ripasso production increased?
Amarone production has increased 6-fold since mid 1990s
(vs Ripasso = x 4-fold 2006-2016)
Describe Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
Using Ripasso method:
unpressed grape skins with some residual sugar are taken from end of fermentation phase of Amarone (or Recioto).
Newly made Valpolicella wine, pressed of its own skins is then added to these grape skins for a second maceration.
Yeast also transferred, ferments remaining sugar - more grape skin colour, flavour and tannins and alcohol
What is the requirement for finished wine of Valpolicella Ripasso DOC?
12.5% abv (13% Superiore)
Aged 1 year after 1 Jan after harvest
Large Oak Vessels
Describe a Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
Med to full-bodied
med+ tannins
flavours of fresh and stewed red cherries and plus
v good in quality, mid-premium priced
Who is the large co-op in Valpolicella?
Valpolicella Consorzio (represents 80% of the producers)
Which two wine markets have expanded hugely?
Amarone x 6 since 1990s
Ripasso x 4 in last 20 yrs
How much has production dropped of Valpolicella? Why?
dropped 40% in last 20 yrs, Amarone grapes receive 3 x price of basic valpolicella
Who are the key export markets for Valpolicella?
Germany, USA, Switzerland and UK
What did Valpolicella Consortia launch?
Sustainability project with 3 themes:
1. Reduce
2. Respect
3. Retrench (ie, save)
What is the other key DOC in Veneto that covers other regions?
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC
(Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino)
Describe Bardolino DOC and Bardolino Superiore DOCG
Next to Lake Garda = moderating influences
Produces mainly light-bodied reds and rosés
Corvina blends 35-80%
Merlot can be used to boost fruit character
Min 10.5% alcohol level or 11% (DOCG/Superiore)
Max yields 91 hL/ha
Describe the Rosé made near Lake Garda?
Chiaretto
light, fresh re-fruited
med salmon colour
Describe Bianco di Custoza DOC
situated between Verona and Lake Garda
easy-drinking, lightly aromatic fresh white
Trebbiano Toscan, Gargenega Friulano
Mainly sold in Italian maarket
Describe Lugana DOC
South of Lake Garda (goes into Lombardy)
Turbiana grape (same as Verdicchio)
aromatic whites with ripe apple, citrus and hazelnut notes, saline
can age.
