Northern Italy Flashcards
Where is Piedmont and what is its climate?
Piedmont is in the northwest corner of Italy.
Its climate is moderate Continental.
What are the primary black/red grapes used in Piedmont?
Nebbiolo
Barbera (most planted)
Dolcetto
What are the 2 most important red DOCGs of Piedmont?
Barolo DOCG
Barbaresco DOCG
What is the only red grape allowed in Barolo and Barbaresco?
Nebbiolo
What is the aging requirement for Barolo?
Barolo
38 months, 18 of which must be in oak
What is the aging requirement for Barbaresco?
Barbaresco
26 months, 9 of which must be in oak
If a bottle of Barolo has just “Barolo” on it, where can the grapes come from that go into that wine?
The grapes can come from any of the several villages that make up the Barolo DOCG.
If the grapes for a Barolo come from just one village or just one vineyard, what appears on the label?
You’ll see Barolo + name of village (e.g. Serralunga d’Alba, La Morra) or Barolo + name of cru (e.g. Villero, Francia).
Is Nebbiolo an early or late ripener?
Nebbiolo is a late ripener.
Note the pale color (Nebbiolo is thin skinned but packed with tannins).
What is the first red grape to ripen in Piedmont?
Dolcetto
Note the purple color.
What is the white grape in Gavi DOCG?
100% Cortese
Which mountains create a rain shadow in Piedmont, protecting the region from northern winds?
The Alps
What are the weather threats in Piedmont?
summertime hail
fog, which can lead to underripe grapes or rot
What are the 2 primary white grapes in Piedmont?
Moscato (most planted)
Cortese
Are there any IGPs or IGTs in Piedmont?
No, Piedmont has only DOCs and DOCGs.
What is the altitude range for vineyards in Barolo?
Which direction do the most important vineyards in Barolo face?
300-500m
Most vineyards in Barolo face south.
What is the altitude range for vineyards in Barbaresco?
200-400m
Lower altitude means Nebbiolo ripens earlier in Barbaresco, making Barbaresco usually a bit fruitier than traditional Barolo
Which DOCG can be on a wine if the Cortese grapes only come from the village of Gavi itself?
Gavi di Gavi DOCG
Light body, high acid, citrus, pear/apple aromas
Barbera d’Alba is a DO____.
Barbera d’Asti is a DO____.
Barbera d’Alba DOC
Barbera d’Asti DOCG
Which Dolcetto DOC is generally viewed as the one making better Dolcetto?
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC
Veneto lies on what sea?
The Adriatic
Venice is in the eastern part of the Veneto.
What lake is on Veneto’s western border?
How does this lake influence the winegrowing area around it?
Lake Garda
Breezes off the lake cool down vineyards in the western portion of the Veneto.
What is the main red grape in Valpolicella DOC and Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG?
Corvina
It has a profile of sour cherry and high acidity.
Grapes grown on the valley floor in Valpolicella use which DOC?
Grapes grown in the foothills of Valpolicella use which DOC?
Valley floor: Valpolicella DOC
Foothills: Valpolicella Classico DOC
What are the soils of Valpolicella DOC?
What are the soils of Valpolicella Classico DOC?
Which is more fertile?
Valpolicella Classico: The foothills in the North have Limestone, Clay and Volcanic soils.
Valpolicella: The flatter southern lands are gravel and sand which retain warmth better.
Valpolicella Classico is more fertile = Volcanic soil.
Valpolicella Classico DOC and Soave Classico DOC, both located in their respective foothills, have similar soils.
What are those soils?
Limestone, Clay and Volcanic rock.
What are the 2 styles of red wines in Veneto made using the passito process?
Amarona della Valpolicella DOCG - dry or off-dry, full bodied with high ABV, medium-high tannins and intensely concentrated red berry and spice flavours. Usually oaked in large casks.
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG - Made from grapes so sweet the fermentation stops naturally. Sweet, intense red fruit, medium-high ABV, full bodied with med-high tannins.
When a winemaker knows they’re going to use the passito process, when do they harvest the grapes and when do they start fermenting them?
Grapes are picked early while high in acidity and are dried indoors to concentrate sugar. They are not fermented until winter.
How is Valpolicella Ripasso made?
Grape skins from a fermenting Amarone della Valpolicella are added to Amarone della Valpolicella that has finished fermenting. The remaining sugar in the fermented wine is fermented by the residual yeast on the grape skins, during which process more colour, flavours and tannins develop in the wine.
Recioto della Valpolicella is made with fresh, semi-dried, or fully dried grapes?
Fully dried
Recioto della Valpolicella wines are dry, semi-sweet, or sweet?
Sweet
Which sparkling wine DOC in Veneto is shared with Friuli?
Prosecco DOC
What 2 influences help cool down the warm climate of Veneto?
Altitude in the foothills of the alps.
Breezes from Lake Garda
The flat plains in southern Veneto, where a lot of inexpensive wine is made, are affected by what?
Disease and rot caused by the moist air and fog from nearby rivers
The vineyards on the flat land near the Pò River are planted mostly to which grapes?
Under which IGT are these grapes usually bottled?
Pinot Grigio?
Venato IGT or Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC
Many wines that have been labeled as Veneto IGT are now using this newer DOC.
In what year was this newer DOC launched?
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC
2017
Describe the 2 distinct areas of Soave.
Cooler foothills in the north - made up of Limestone, clay and volcanic rock.
Flat plain in the south - made up of sandy alluvial soils.
What is the main grape used in Soave and Soave Classico?
Garganega (white)
Grapes grown in the foothills in Soave can use which DOC?
Soave Classico DOC
Amarone della Valpolicella: is it dry, off-dry, or sweet?
Dry or Off-dry
What is Italy’s northernmost region?
Alto Adige
How are the majority of wines from Trentino-Alto Adige labelled: by grape varietal, by fantasy name, or by zone?
Most wines are labelled by zone:
Alto Adige DOC or Trentino DOC
What are the main white grapes of Alto Adige?
And the main white grapes of Trentino?
Alto Adige: Pinot Grigio (most planted), Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.
Trentino: Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay
What are the main red grapes of Alto Adige?
And the main red grapes of Trentino?
Alto Adige: Schiava
Trentino: Merlot and Teroldego
Are there any DOCGs in Trentino-Alto Adige?
No, there are only DOC
What is the climate of Trentino and Alto Adige?
Moderate, continental climate
Trentino is slightly warmer due to its lower altitude vineyards, southerly latitude and westerly mountains blocking some of Lake Garda’s cooling influence
What 2 bodies of water provide moderating influences to Trentino-Alto Adige?
The River Adige and Lake Garda
Trentino-Alto Adige is in the foothills of which mountain range?
The Alps
Where are vineyards planted in Alto Adige and what aspect do they have?
On the South-East and South-West facing terraces of the River Adige valley in the foothills of the Alps
Region is centred around town of Bolzano
Vineyards in Trentino are planted where: on the valley floor, on slopes, or both?
Both
Trentino is north or south of Alto Adige?
South
What factors make Trentino slightly warmer than Alto Adige?
Trentino is slightly warmer due to its lower altitude vineyards, more southerly latitude and westerly mountains blocking some of Lake Garda’s cooling influence
The northeastern region of Friuli abuts which countries?
Slovenia and Austria
Friuli receives airflow from which two sources?
The Alps in the north and the warming Adriatic sea
What is the climate of northern Friuli?
What is the climate of southern Friuli?
Northern: Moderate continental climate.
Southern: Warm maritime climate.
What is the most prevalent white grape in Friuli?
Pinot Grigio
What is Friuli’s most prevalent red grape?
Merlot
Besides Pinot Grigio, what is another important white grape in Friuli?
Friulano - Medium-high acidity, medium body with pear, red apple and herb aromas
What are the 3 most important DOCs in Friuli?
Fruili Grave DOC on the plain (Usually simple whites in style)
Collio DOC on the hills known for premium concentrated whites.
Collio Orientali DOC on the hills known for premium concentrated whites and reds.
VSP training is quite common in northern Italy, but Pergola trellising can be found there.
What is Pergola trellising and what are its advantages?
The vine’s canopy is trained high with the fruit hanging below the horizontal canopy of leaves.
This canopy protects the grapes below from sunburn and allows good air circulation reducing the risk of rot.
Pergola trellising is now used mainly for high acid/low sugar wines (sparkling) and for grapes that need to be damage and disease free (dried grape wine e.g. Amarona della Valpolicella)
