North-West Italy Flashcards
Name three Italian Wine Categories?
Wine without Geographical Indication, PGI Wines, PDO Wines
What is Italian name for PGI wines?
Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP); Traditional Term was Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT).
What are two categories of PDO wines in Italy?
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG).
When was granted first DOCG?
- Brunello di Montalcino; Barolo and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano were upgraded from DOC to DOCG.
Name three most planted red varieties in Italy?
Sangiovese (most planted any colour), Montepulciano, and Merlot
Name three most planted white varieties in Italy?
Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano Toscano, and Glera
What appellation is the largest producer of DOCG wine in Italy?
Asti/Moscato d`Asti DOCG
What is mean Dolce regarding Italian wines?
Very sweet
What is mean Amabile regarding Italian wines?
Sweet but less sweet than dolce
What is mean Abboccato regarding Italian wines?
Slightly sweet or off dry style
What is mean Secco regarding Italian wines?
Dry
How many ha of vineyards are planted in Italy?
Around 700.000 ha
What is Classico mean on Italian label?
Wines made exclusively from grapes grown within a defined historical area of a DOC or DOCG.
What is Superiore mean on Italian label?
Wines with a higher minimum alcohol level, typically an additional 0.5% abv.
What is Riserva mean on Italian label?
Wines submitted to a certain ageing period, at least two years for red wines and one year for white wines. Some individual DOC/DOCG specify that this ageing or part of it must be in oak.
What is mean Frizzante regarding Italian wines?
Lightly sparkling
What is mean Passito regarding Italian wines?
Generic term for wine made from dried grapes (typically sweet but sometimes dry)
How you call late harvested grapes in Italian?
Vendemmia tardiva
What is mean Tenuta regarding Italian wines?
Land holding or property. Usually associated with the vineyard location or wine estate.
What is mean Poggio regarding Italian wines?
Means hill or elevated place.
What is mean Fattoria regarding Italian wines?
Wine farm
What is mean Azienda regarding Italian wines?
Company
How you say winery on Italian?
Cascina or Cantina
What is mean Imbottigliato all’origine regarding Italian wines?
Estate-bottled
How you say fully sparkling wine on Italian?
Spumante
How you say Vintage on Italian?
Vendemmia
How you say Vineyard on Italian?
Vigneto. “Vigna” refers to a single vineyard wine.
What is the most planted variety in Piemonte?
Barbera
What are two most popular white varieties in Piemonte?
Cortese and Arneis
Name first still white wine in Piedmont to be promoted to the DOCG level?
Gavi (Cortese di Gavi) DOCG
What is the main difference between Asti and Moscato d`Asti?
Atmospheric pressure, Asti is fully sparkling while Moscato is not.Alcohol level, Asti (typically 7.5% abv) while Moscato (always 5.5% abv).
What is Asti DOCG?
Tank-fermented, sparkling, low alcohol wine made from Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains) in three provinces of Piedmont: Asti, Alexandria and Cuneo.
Describe Asti DOCG wine?
Pronounced aromas and flavours of orange blossom, grapes and peach. They are medium acidity, low alcohol and medium-sweet.
Describe Moscato d’Asti DOCG wine?
The generally higher quality Moscato d’Asti DOCG, using fruit from the same three provinces, is lower in alcohol, medium (+) acidity and sweeter than Asti DOCG.
What are the sweetness level for Asti DOCG wine?
The final alcohol traditionally had to be in the range of 6–8 per cent, resulting in wines that are sweet (around 100g/L residual sugar). Regulations now permit the style of the wine to range from Extra Dry to sweet, in effect 12g/L and above.
What are the sweetness level for Moscato d’Asti DOCG wine?
The final alcohol has to be 6–8 per cent. This results in wines that are sweeter than Asti DOCG (around 130g/L residual sugar). Moscato d’Asti must not exceed 2.5 atmospheres in pressure.
Describe typical wine produced from Nebbiolo?
Pale ruby in colour, turning to pale garnet within 3–5 years, with pronounced intensity aromas and flavours (violet, rose, red cherry, red plum), a full body, high tannins, high acidity and can be high alcohol.
How long Barolo DOCG need to be aged?
Three years and two months after harvest, including 18 months in oak. Two years for Barbaresco DOCG.
How long Barolo Riserva DOCG need to be aged?
Five years and two months after harvest with a minimum of 18 months in oak. Four years for Barbaresco DOCG
What is Barolo Chinato?
Barolo wine, sweetened and infused with herbs and spices.
What are arguably The Best Barbaresco producers?
Modernist Angelo Gaja (release wines as Langhe DOC), Bruno Giacosa (more traditional style) and the local co operative; Produttori del Barbaresco; offers great value and exemplifies the terroir of the region.
Name two regional denominations which produce wines from Nebbiolo for early drinking?
Langhe Nebbiolo DOC or Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC. These wines are typically made from young vines or less favoured sites.
Name three denominations for Nebbiolo in Piemonte apart from Barolo and Barbaresco?
Roero DOCG, Gattinara DOCG, and Ghemme DOCG. These regions have a continental climate with greater diurnal variation than Barolo, resulting of wines of higher acidity.
Describe wines produced from Barbera?
Barbera is generally high in acidity and relatively low in tannin. Majority is made for early drinking with medium to deep ruby colour, medium intensity red plum and red cherry fruit sometimes with black pepper aromas, no new French oak notes, high acidity, medium tannins and medium alcohol. Serious examples will be from low yields and aged in oak for added fruit concentration and tannins.
Name two appellations producing the best wines from Barbera in Piemonte?
Barbera d’Asti DOCG and Nizza DOCG
Name three appellations producing the best wines from Dolcetto in Piemonte?
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC, Dolcetto di Ovada DOC, and Dogliani DOCG.
Describe wines produced from Dolcetto?
The wines are typically deep ruby in colour, with medium (+) intensity red cherry fruit with floral notes, medium (-) acidity and medium (+) tannins. Wines are typically aged in stainless steel tanks or cement vats to preserve primary fruit.
Describe wines produced from Cortese?
High yielding white variety typically producing wines with light intensity aromas of lemon, apple/pear and white flowers with high acidity, light to medium body. Most wines are made for early drinking, aged in stainless steel containers to preserve the primary fruit.
What grape variety is used for production of Gavi DOCG?
100 per cent Cortese, Gavi di Gavi DOCG is wine made from grapes grown within the municipality of Gavi itself. Riserva wines must be aged for one year in any vessel before release.
What is the best appellation for Arneis?
Roero Arneis DOCG, Piemonte
Describe wines produced from Arneis?
Light intensity but complex aromas of white flowers, chamomile, white peach and lemon. They have medium (-) acidity. Grapes must be picked as soon as the desired ripeness is reached as the acidity drops very rapidly.
What varieties are used for production of Dogliani DOCG?
100% Dolcetto
What is the main variety used for production of Gattinara DOCG?
Spanna (local name for Nebbiolo)
What varieties are used for production of Ghemme DOCG?
Minimum 85% Spanna; combined maximum 15% Vespolina and Uva Rara (Bonarda Novarese).
What varieties are used for production of Roero DOCG?
Minimum 95% Nebbiolo.
What varieties are used for production of Roero Arneis DOCG?
Minimum 95% Arneis; maximum 5% other non aromatic white grapes of Piemonte.
What is mean ‘sori’ in Piedmontese dialect?
Hill vineyards with southern exposures
What kind of wine is Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG?
White wines, produced from the high-acid, herbal-scented Erbaluce grape, may be still, spumante, or passito in style.
What kind of wine is Alta Langa DOCG?
Serious, dry, sparkling traditional method sparkling wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it can be varietal or blend, also rose, it can not be lereased for 30 months after the harvest (Riserva three years) and is always vintage wine.
What kind of wine is Brachetto d`Acqui DOCG?
Sweet, intense aromatic and low-alcohol sparkling red made from Brachetto variety
What is the largest producing region for traditional method sparkling wine in Italy?
Franciacorta DOCG
What are the most planted varieties in Franciacorta?
Plantings are dominated by Chardonnay (75 per cent). Pinot Noir is also widely grown, and some Pinot Blanc continues to be grown, though little is being planted.
Name five styles are allowed within the Franciacorta DOCG?
Non-vintage, Satèn, Rosé, Millesimato, and Riserva
What is a Non-vintage style of Franciacorta DOCG?
Typically a Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend that may also have up to 50 per cent Pinot Blanco; minimum of 18 months on lees; as stated, in reality these wines are often made from the fruit of a single vintage
What is a Satèn style of Franciacorta DOCG?
White grapes only (in practice mostly 100 per cent Chardonnay), minimum of 24 months on the lees and slightly less sugar at tirage, resulting in a pressure of not more than five atmospheres; may only be made in a Brut style
What is a Rosé style of Franciacorta DOCG?
Must be a minimum of 35 per cent Pinot Noir; the colour typically derives from skin contact with the Pinot Noir portion of the grapes until the desired level of colour is attained , though blending with red wine is permitted; minimum of 24 months on the lees is required
Name two DOCGs in Valtellina?
Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG, Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Name most important grape variety in Valtellina?
Nebbiolo, known here as Chiavennasca. Valtellina is an alpine valley in the far north of Lombardy
What kind of wine is Valtellina Superiore DOCG?
Mountain-grown wine made from Nebbiolo, which is light-bodied and laced with grippy tannins. Wines are almost always lighter in both body and power than the most famous of Nebbiolo-based wines, Barolo and Barbaresco.
What kind of wine is Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG?
Powerful dry passito wine, based on the Nebbiolo.
