Northern Italian Sparkling Flashcards
What is the largest DOP in Italy?
Prosecco DOC
Which region is the Prosecco DOC located?
Veneto and Friuli Venezia-Giulia
Prosecco Superiore DOCG is known by what other name?
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
Which region is Trento DOC located?
Trentino
What is the nickname for Trento DOC sparkling wines?
Bollicine di montagna (mountain bubbles)
TRUE OR FALSE
Grapes are grown at high elevations in the Alpine regions of Trentino
True
Which region is Franciacorta DOCG located?
Lombardia
Which region are the Lambruso DOCs located?
Emilia - Romagna
Which region are the Asti DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG located?
Piemonte
Which province is production of Prosecco located around?
Treviso (in Veneto)
TRUE OR FALSE
Prosecco DOC vineyards are largely planted on flat plains
TRUE
Which mountain range protects the vineyards of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
The Alps
Vineyards of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG are generally planted on slopes facing in which direction?
South
Vineyards in Trento DOC can be planted as high as …..m?
800
TRUE OR FALSE
High altitude vineyards produce low acid grapes
FALSE
They produce high acid grapes and high acid wines
Which country borders the region of Lombardia?
Switzerland
TRUE OR FALSE
Lombardia has the largest number of lakes in the country?
TRUE
Lake Garda, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, Lake Iseo
Franciacorta DOCG lies to the south of which lake?
Lake Iseo
What is the southernmost region of northern Italy?
Emilia-Romagna
Which river marks the northern border of Emilia-Romagna?
The Po River
TRUE OR FALSE
Most Lambrusco vineyards lie on the Padan plain south of the Po river?
True
The city of Bologna is located in which region?
Emilia-Romagna
The city of Milano is located in which region?
Lombardia
Verona and Venezia are cities located in which region?
Veneto
Asti DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG vineyards lie within the long rolling hills of the historic region of?
Monferrato
The heart of the Asti production area surrounds the town of?
Canelli
Moscato di Canelli is a synonym of?
Moscato Bianco
TRUE OR FALSE
The Franciacorta DOCG production zone is shaped like an amphitheatre and traps heat
True
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG vineyards benefit from warm air pushed in from which sea?
The Adriatic
What grape variety is used to make Prosecco?
Glera (most wines are 100% but up to 15% of some other varieties is permitted)
Trento DOC wines are primarily made from which variety?
Chardonnay
Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Meunier are also permitted
Franciacorta DOCG wines are primarily made from which grape?
Chardonnay
although some are blends. Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco are also permitted as well as the native variety Erbamat
Erbamat is a native grape permitted in which wine?
Franciacorta DOCG
What are the 3 most important Lambrusco grape varities?
- Lambrusco di Sorbara
- Lambrusco Grasparossa
- Lambrusco Salamino
Moscato Bianco is more commonly known by which French name?
Muscat a petit grains blanc
TRUE OR FALSE
There is only one Lambrusco variety
FALSE
TRUE OR FALSE
Piemonte grows more Moscato Bianco than any other wine region
True
TRUE OR FALSE
Prosecco spends a long time ageing on lees
FALSE
Prosecco spends very little time ageing on lees. This means the wines have fresh, floral aromas, delicate stonefruit flavours and a soft, creamy mousse
Which method is used to produce Prosecco?
The tank method
TRUE OR FALSE
Trento DOC wines undergo extended lees ageing?
TRUE
High altitude vineyards produce high-acid wines. This coupled with the aromatic complexity from extended lees ageing creates nervy whites with a supple mouthfeel and toasty, biscuit flavours
TRUE OR FALSE
Franciacorta has a colder climate than Champagne
FALSE
The growing area traps enough heat to fully ripen grapes. Because of the warmer climate, the wines of Franciacorta have more pronounced fruit flavours and less acidity than most Champagnes
Do Franciacorta wines typically spend time on lees?
Yes - extended lees ageing adds complexity and depth
Lambrusco wines are typically high or low acid?
High - which makes them perfect for the rich, fatty cuisine of Emilia-Romagna.
Asti DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG wines are dry or sweet?
sweet - The fermentation in tank is interrupted, leaving unfermented sugar in the finished wine. As a result they are intensely floral, fresh, fruity and sweet.
Which word is commonly used to describe the level of fizz in Prosecco DOC wines?
Spumante (fully sparkling)
TRUE OR FALSE
Prosecco DOC is fully bodied
FALSE - Typically Prosecco DOCs are light to medium bodied
What is the most popular style of Prosecco in terms of sugar level?
Extra-dry - this is. not as dry as brut. Small quantities of drier, brut, wines are also made.
TRUE OR FALSE
Prosecco Superiore DOCG can only be made in a fully sparkling, spumante, style
TRUE
In terms of sugar level, which is the drier style of wine, brut or extra-dry?
brut
TRUE OR FALSE
Trento DOC wines are typically frizzante
FALSE
Trento DOC wines are spumante (fully sparkling)
Franciacorta wines are mostly made in a brut style. What are the other 2 styles that are often seen?
The drier styles of extra brut and brut nature are also widely seen
In terms of sparkling level, Lambruscos are often made in which style?
The great majority are semi-sparkling, frizzante
TRUE OR FALSE
Lambruscos can be made both dry and sweet
True - dry and off dry are most common for higher quality wines, although sweet versions are also made
Asti DOCG wines are spumante or frizzante?
spumante (fully sparkling) - Moscato d’Asti are frizzante!
Moscato d’Asti wines are spumante or frizzante?
Frizzante - (Asti wines are spumante!) Don’t get mixed up!
TRUE OR FALSE
Moscato d’Asti DOCG wines are always sweet
True
Asti DOCG wines are mostly sweet but are balanced by what?
Acidity
Spumante means?
Fully sparkling
Frizzante means?
Semi-sparkling
Arrange the sugar levels from driest to sweetest:
- Extra Dry
- Brut
- Dolce
- Brut nature
- Brut Nature
- Brut
- Extra Dry
- Dolce
TRUE OR FALSE
Franciacorta DOCG wines are generally less fruity than champagne
False
The traditional method is known in Italian as what?
Metodo classico
Which two Italian sparkling wine regions use the traditional method?
Franciacorta DOCG and Trento DOC
The traditional method is used to make high or low quality wines?
High - The process is time-consuming and costly so is principally used for high quality wines.
TRUE OR FALSE
Grapes for sparkling wines are often picked early to ensure high acidity
True
TRUE OR FALSE
Only white grapes can be used to produce sparkling wines
FALSE - Both red and white grapes can be used for sparkling wines by fermenting without the skins
Lees are the dead yeast left over from fermentation. What characteristics develop when a wine is aged on lees?
Wines develop texture and complex toast, brioche and freshly baked bread characters.
Riddling is known by what name in French?
Remuage - This process gently moves the yeast sediment down to the neck of the bottle and may be done by hand or machine.
Disgorging is the process of what?
The neck of the bottle is frozen. This freezes the wine around the sediment (from riddling), creating a frozen plug which is ejected by the pressure of the wine once the bottle is opened.
What is dosage?
Sugar and wine solution is added to disgorged wine. This balances the high acidity and determines how dry the finished wine is.
The tank method is known by which other name?
The Charmat method
The tank method produces more or less complex wines than the traditional method?
Less - The tank method is used to make lighter, fresher, fruitier wines
Most Prosecco and Lambrusco wines are made by which method: tank or traditional?
Tank
Lambrusco wines are fermented with or without their skins?
With - skins are required to achieve colour
The first fermentation of sparkling wine is done at high or low temperatures?
Low - to create a fresh, low alcohol, high acid base wine
Asti DOCG and Moscatio D’Asti DOCG undergo one or two fermentations?
ONE - in a pressurised tank, which is halted once it reaches the desired level of sweetness
What newly approved category allows the addition of 10-15% Pinot Nero to produce sparkling rose Prosecco?
Prosecco DOC Rose
What is the only sub-zone of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG?
Cartizze - It is considered to have the finest and steepest vineyards in the appellation, it produces some of the appellation’s best and most distinctive wines.
The word “rive” translate to what?
vineyards on steep slopes
How many villages in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG are allowed to append their village name to the word “rive” on wine labels?
43
Which sites have the higher reputation for Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG wines: rive or Cartizze?
Cartizze
TRUE OR FALSE
Production of rose wines is permitted in Trento DOC
True - although most wines are white and made in a brut style
Non Vintage Trento DOC wines must spend a minimum of how many months ageing on lees?
15
Vintage Trento DOC wines must spend a minimum of how many months ageing on lees?
24
Riserva Trento DOC wines must spend a minimum of how many months ageing on lees?
36
Non vintage Franciacorta DOCG wines must spend a minimum of how many months on lees?
18
TRUE OR FALSE
Franciacorta produces both white and rose sparkling wines?
TRUE
What is the Italian term for vintage
millesimato
Vintage Franciacorta DOCG must spend a minimum of how many months on lees?
30
Riserva Franciacorta must spend a minimum of how many months on lees?
60
TRUE OR FALSE
Franciacorta DOCG ageing requirements are longer than those required for champagne?
True
What is Saten?
Saten is a specific style of Franciacorta DOCG. It is a Chardonnay based blanc de blancs - a white wine made from white grapes - bottled with less pressure than the other wines of the DOCG. This results in a creamier, silkier mousse.
Non Dosato, Dossagio Zero, Dosage Zero, Pas Dose and Brut Nature are all terms meaning….
Sugar is not added to the bottle after the second fermentation
Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC wines are based on which grape variety?
Lambrusco di Sorbara - traditionally grown around the hamlet of Sorbara. These are fragrant, light-bodied wines with a very pale colour, almost like a rose.
Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC wines are based from which grape variety?
Lambrusco Grasparossa - grown around the village of Castelvetro. These are the most structured Lambrusco wines
Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC wines are based on which grape variety?
Lambrusco Salamino - these wines are considered inbetween the Sorbara and Grasparossa styles and are grown around the hamlet of Santa Croce
What is the most commonly exported style of Lambrusco?
Reggiano Lambrusco DOC - made from one or more of the Lambrusco grape varieties grown in the large area around Reggio Emilia
Which style of Lambrusco is made from one or more of the Lambrusco varieties grown in a large area around Modena?
Lambrusco di Modena DOC
Asti and Moscato d’Asti are both: DOCs or DOCGs
DOCGs - the highest level of appellation in Italy
Which is generally superior in quality: Asti or Moscato d’Asti?
Moscato d’Asti - usually made from the best grapes by artisan winemakers
TRUE OR FALSE
Asti DOCG is usually non vintage dated
TRUE
Large scale producers dominate production
TRUE OR FALSE
Moscato d’Asti DOCG is vintage dated
TRUE
Artisinal, small scale producers dominate
TRUE OR FALSE
Moscato d’Asti is bottled with the same cylindrical cork as still wine
TRUE
as it is frizzante it does not require the same mushroom cork as Asti DOCG, Franciacorta DOCG and Trento DOC sparkling wines
Jancis Robinson referred to Prosecco by what other name?
Venetian tourist lubricant - lol, true story
In Piemontese dialect Arneis translates to?
little rascal - grapes are notoriously hard to ripen
