Northeast Italy Flashcards
Grape varieties of Trentino?
75% white - 100hL/ha yields
Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Muller-Thurgau
25% reds - 90hL/ha yields
Teroldego, Merlot, Marzemino
Wine business in Trentino?
80% co-ops
Cavit 60% of production
- Consortium of 10 co-ops that work with 4500 growers
Climate of Trentino?
Moderate continental
Large diurnal shift
Lake Garda moderates
Describe Teroldego?
Most common black variety in Trenteno
Stems can dry out
Teroldego Rotaliano DOC (sand/gravel)
Describe Marzemino?
Prone to botrytis and powdery mildew
Xiresi subzone, calcareous/clay/basalt soils
Describe Lagrein:
Needs warm site
Poor fruit set, low yields
Can be bitter
Deep colored
Often used for roses
Describe Moscato Rosa:
Makes rose-scented sweet wines
Poor fruit set, susceptible to botrytis
Either late harvest or appassimento
Premium
Describe Nosiola:
Grown in Valley of the Lakes (warm)
Small volume of distinctive whites with hazelnut note
Also makes Vino Santo - semi-dried fruit
Prone to spring frosts, powdery mildew, sour rot
Varietal labeling in Trentino?
Min. 85% for single variety wines
Blanco: min. 80% Chard and/or Pinot Bianco
Rosso: Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Carmenere, and Merlot
Varieties in Alto Adige?
Schiava
Pinot Grigio
Gewurz
Chard
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Noir
Sauv Blanc
60% white, 40% red
Climate in Alto Adige?
Mild Alpine continental climate
Protected by mountains in the north
High sunshine days
Sufficient rainfall - can be problem at harvest
Bassa Atesina: South/warm/all but Schiava
Oltradige: Lake Caldaro area for Schiava; international varieties
Describe Schiava:
German name: Vernatsch
Vigorous, high yielding\
Pale ruby
Perfumed violet/strawberry
Light/med body
Low tannins
Saint Magdalena DOC: can include up to 15% Lagrein
Varietal labeling in Alto Adige:
Bianco: min. 75% Chard, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio - min. 2; no variety may be more than 70%
Varietal - min. 85%
Two variety blends - both must be more than 15%; listed as “Chardonnay-Pinot Bianco”
Wine business in Alto Adige:
6 subzones within DOC
- Alto Adige Valle Isarco (whites)
- Lago di Caldaro (Schiava)
98% DOC wines
Co-ops 70%
25% export - Germany, US
90hL/ha
Climate of Friuli?
Warm maritime (Adriatic Sea)
High rainfall
Humidity
Ponca soils - excellent draining compacted marl
Wine business in Friuli?
4% of total Italy
Varietals in Friuli?
So many…
75%+ white
Pinot Grigio - 25%
Merlot, Friulano, Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc, Cab Franc are top
Local varieties: Ribolla Gialla (white), Refosco (most planted local black), many others
International: Franconia (Blaufrankish), Muller, Thurgau, Riesling Italico (Welschriesling)
Describe Friulano:
AKA Sauvignon Vert or Sauvignonasse
Good disease resistance
Ageworthy
Floral, apple, lower intensity
Med+ acid
Med/high alc
Where are orange wines important, and describe:
White varieties with long skin maceration (8 days to 8 months)
2-6 years in large oak
Ribolla Gialla common, international as well
Organic practices common
Ambient yeasts
No fining/filtration
Little to no added SO2
Dried herbs, dried fruits, hay, nuts, medium tannins
Josko Gravner - a pioneer who introduced amphora
Important DOC/DOCGs in Friuli?
Collio + Collio Orientali del Friuli: most important DOCs
Friuli DOC
Sweet wines:
Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG (air-dried Picolit)
Ramandolo DOCG (air-dried Verduzzo)
Climate/viticulture in Veneto?
Warm, moderately continental
Moderate rainfall
Moist air/fog
Esca common
Very fertile soils
Varieties in Veneto?
Pinot Grigio
Cab Sauv
Chard
Merlot
Corvina
Garganega
Trebbiano
DOCs in Veneto?
Valpolicella
Soave
Bardolino
Bianco di Custoza
Lugana
Describe Soave:
Limestone/clay/basalt; cool soils - slow ripening
Min. 70% Garganega
Up to 30% Trebbiano di Soave (Verdicchio) or Chardonnay
Max. 5% of other varieties
Soave DOC(G)’s:
Soave DOC: 80% of production; 105hL/ha
Soave Classico DOC: 20% of production; 98hL/ha
Soave Superiore DOCG: tiny production; 70hL/ha
Recioto di Soave DOCG: semi-dried grapes; 36hL/ha; rich, floral, honeyed, sweet wines with high acid
Wine business in Soave?
Less than 10% small family wineries
Small growers and large bottlers
80% export - Germany and UK
33 named single vineyards approved in 2020
Describe Valpolicella:
Limestone/clay/volcanic soils in Northern foothills
Gravel/sand in flatter South
General winemaking in Northeast Italy?
Made in protective/fresh/fruity style
Describe Corvina:
Vigorous
Dependable, high yields
Thick skins
Mid/late ripening
Prone to downy mildew, botrytis, esca, drought, sunburn
Pergola training: first few buds not fruitful
Contributes violet, red cherry, red plum, herbal, low/medium tannins, and high acid
Describe Corvinone:
Big clusters
Prone to downy mildew,
Uneven ripening, requires bunch by bunch harvesting
Dries well
Contributes tannins and red cherry flavors
Describe Rondinella:
Very reliable, productive
Good disease resistance except Esca
Accumulates sugar very fast - great for Recioto
Describe Molinara:
High yielding
Not commonly used due to pale color
Contributes acid, red berry fruit, and lightness
Describe the appassimento method:
Makes passito wines
Grapes picked at 11-11.5% potential alcohol
Grapes reach semi-dried state before crushed
3-4 months in well-aerated drying lofts
- Concentrates flavor, raises alcohol
Checked regularly, rotated; temperature, air flow, and humidity are controlled
Grapes lose 1/3 of weight
More glycerol is producer (softer, fuller mouthfeel)
Varietal laws for Valpolicella?
Corvina and/or Corvinone: 45-95% of blend
Rondinella: 5-30%
Other authorized varieties make up any remainder
DOC(G)’s of Valpolicella?
Valpolicella DOC (84hL/ha)
Valpolicella Classico DOC
Valpolicella Valpantena DOC (Valpantena valley)
Valpolicella (Classico) Superiore DOC (Dal Forno ex.)
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
Describe Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG:
Sweet, semi-dried grape wine
Dried off the vines 100-120 days
48hL/ha
Min 12% ABV
Approx 50g/L RS
Describe Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG:
100-120 days of drying off the vines
Min. 14% ABV
Max RS 9g/L, typically 5-9
48hL/ha
Min. 2 years in large casks or barriques, 4 years for Riserva
Describe Valpolicella Ripasso DOC:
15% Amarone may be added
Min 12.5% ABV
Second maceration with unpressed Amarone/Recioto grape skins
Wine business in Valpolicella:
Growers receive 3x for Amarone grapes compared to basic Valpolicella
65% of Amarone is exported - Germany, United States, Switzerland, UK
Valpolicella Consorzio - launched certified sustainability project in 2018 - aiming for 100% buy-in
Describe Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC:
Promoted to DOC in 2017
Covers Veneto, Friuli, and Trentino Alto Adige
Includes 85% of Italian Pinot Grigio and 40% of worlds Pinot Grigio
High yields, but lower than before - 126hL/ha
Describe Pinot Grigio wines:
Light intensity
Apple, lemon
Light/med- body
Med alc
Med+ acid
Describe Bardolino (Superiore) DOCG:
Light bodied reds and roses
Reds: 35-80% Corvina; no other variety may make up more than 10%; 91hL/ha
Rose: Chiaretto - light, fresh, red fruited; medium salmon
Describe Bianco di Custoza DOC:
Easy drinking whites
Blends of Trebbiano Toscano, Garganega, Friulano, Cortese
Mostly drunk locally
Describe Lugana DOC:
Primarily Turbiana (fka Trebbiano di Lugana, aka Verdicchio)
Moderate aromas
Ripe apple, citrus, hazelnut, saline
Lively acidity
Can be oak aged
