Northern Italy Flashcards
Study
Valle d’Aosta Climate
Because of its elevation, the wines tend to be lighter and higher in acid. It is a true continental
climate and its vineyards are located on the Dora Baltea river
Subzones of Valle d’Aosta
Arnad-Montjovet, Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle, Chambave,
Donnas, Enfer d’Arvier, Nus, and Torrette
Valle d’Aosta White Grapes
Blanc de Morgex,
Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Petite Arvine, and Moscato
Valle d’Aosta Red Grapes
Petit Rouge and
Picotendro (Nebbiolo) are the main indigenous varieties with Gamay, Pinot Noir and Merlot
also planted
Valle d’Aosta Wine Styles
Still white, rosé, and red, and late harvest wines are produced.
Lombardy Location
located in the north-central part of Italy at the base of the Alps on the border
with Switzerland
Lombardy bodies of water
It has four major lakes, but Lake Garda and Lake Iseo have wine regions
surrounding them
Lombardy Climate
This is a true continental climate with cold winters and warm summers
Lombardy is known for
because of its marginal climate, it is an excellent place to grow grapes for sparkling wines
Sparkling wine history in Lombardy
Franciacorta has a long history of sparkling winemaking dating back to 1570 and started to
rival the quality of Champagne in the 1960s
Grapes for Sparkling Wine
Pinot Noir, Pinot Bianco, and Chardonnay tend to
be the preferred grapes for sparkling wines while in Valtellina to the north Nebbiolo
(Chiavennasca) is the main grape.
Franciacorta DOCG
Traditional method sparkling wines from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and
Pinot Blanc
Franciacorta DOCG Wine Styles
Styles include Blanc, Rosé, Satèn (sparkling wine made from all-white grapes
and bottled at less than 5 atmospheres of pressure), Millesimato (vintage), and Riserva
Franciacorta on Label
Minimum 18 months on the lees after tirage, 25 months total.
Franciacorta Satèn & Rosé
Minimum 24 months on the lees after tirage, 31 months
total. Both styles may also be Millesimato or Riserva
Franciacorta Millesimato
Minimum 30 months on the lees after tirage, 37 months
total
Franciacorta Riserva
Minimum 60 months on the lees after tirage, 67 months total.
Scanzo DOCG
A dried, sweet wine made from 100% Moscato di Scanzo, a red version of
Moscato. The grapes have to be dried for a minimum of 21 days
Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG
Sparkling wines made in the traditional method,
can be white, rosé, and varietally labeled Pinot Noir
Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Dry reds from Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo). Can be Riserva and labeled with a subzone. May be labeled as Stagafassli if bottled in Switzerland.
Wines need to be aged for 24 months, and 3 years for Riserva.
Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG
Dry wine from dried Nebbiolo grapes. Minimum 14% abv, with
high tannins
Liguria is known for
quaffable beach wines
Liguria Climate
Mediterranean climate and its biggest
influence is the Ligurian sea
Notable Ligurian DOC’s
Cinque Terre: dry and sweet wines from Bosco and Vermentino;
Colli di Luni: whites from Vermentino and Trebbiano, reds from Sangiovese;
Riviera Ligure di Ponente: varietally labeled
dry to sweet whites from Vermentino, Pigato, and Moscato, and dry to sweet reds from Rossese
Emilia Romagna
Emilia Romagna produces easy-drinking, food-friendly wines.
Emilia Romagna Climate
It lies in the fertile plains of Po
River Valley and is a continental climate with Mediterranean influences from the Adriatic sea
Albana Romana DOCG
dry to sweet white wines from Albana- rarely found in US
Colli
Bolognesi Classico Pignoletto DOCG
dry still and sparkling wines from Pignoletto- rarely found in US
Lambrusco Grape DOC’s
Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Lambrusco di Sorbara, and Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce
Lambrusco Style
Wines are frizzante and can range from a light rosé to a dark purple and can be one dry or slightly sweet.
These wines are
making a resurgence because of their versatility in pairing with food and light tannins.
Trentino-Alto Adige Location
This is actually two regions following a valley north to south. It is extremely
mountainous and borders both Switzerland and Austria
Trentino-Alto Adige Climate
Alpine-continental
and because of the cool climate, white varieties do well here
Trentino-Alto Adige Bodies of Water
Lake Garda is the biggest body
of water here and the region follows the Adige River
e delle Venezie DOC
umbrellas Trentino-Alto Adige and the Veneto and is where much of Italy’s mass-market wines come from.
Casteller DOC
dry red wines from
Schiava, Merlot, and Lambrusco
Lago di Caldero DOC
dry to sweet red wines
from Schiava
Teroldego Rotaliano DOC
dry red and rosé from Teroldego
Veneto location
This region reaches all the way up to Austria and down to the Adriatic sea
Veneto bodies of water
Numerous rivers
including the Adige and Piave cut through the subregions here on their way to the ocean
and Lake Garda is a big area for grape growing
Veneto Climate
The climate starts as continental and moves
into Mediterranean
Veneto and Valpolicella
style of winemaking that includes drying grapes into raisins until they lose much of their
moisture, creating wines that are big, rich, and can be white or red, sweet or dry
Main grapes for Apassimento
The main red grape here is Corvina, for whites, it is Garganega, Trebbiano, Pinot Grigio, as
well as a host of both red and white international varieties
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
Dry to semi-dry wine from dried Corvina and Rondinella grapes. This region has a historical center called “Classico.” There is also a subzone, Valpantina. Minimum 14% abv, aging is a minimum 2 years, Riserva is a
minimum of 4
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
Sweet red wine made from Corvina and Rondinella in
the Amarone style. Can be still or sparkling, and labeled with Classico or Valpantena
Valpolicella DOC
Dry red wine from Corvina and Rondinella. Same area as Amarone, can
be regular, Classico, Valpantina, and Superiore.
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
Ripasso is when a wine is run through the spent skins of an Amarone fermentation. This adds body and richness to the wine. Dry red wine from Corvina and Rondinella
Bardolino Superiore DOCG
Dry red wine from from Corvina and Rondinella. Can be
Classico
Colli Asolani DOCG
Dry to sweet white sparkling wine from the Glera grape, made in either the Charmat or traditional method. Can be “Sui Lieviti” or spumante Superiore, a wine from a single harvest, must be fermented in the bottle and left undisgorged, minimum 90 days on lees
Colli Euganei Fior d’Arancio DOCG
still, sparkling or passito sweet wines from Moscato Giallo
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
Dry to sweet sparkling wine from Glera
made in the Charmat method. Can be still, Frizzante, Spumante Superiore, or have a
“rive,” a single vineyard on the label. This is considered the highest quality DOCG for
Prosecco
Montello Rosso DOCG
Dry red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Can be Superiore
Recioto di Gambellara DOCG
Dry to semi-sweet white wine made from Garganega. Can
be sparkling or Classico
Soave Superiore DOCG
Dry white wines from Garganega. Can be Classico and Riserva
Recioto di Soave DOCG
Dry to semi-sweet white wine made from Garganega. Can be sparkling or Classico
Fruili-Venezia Giulia Location
This region is tucked between Austria, Slovenia, and the Adriatic sea
Fruili-Venezia Giulia Climate
Mediterranean
climate and shares similar varieties and a long wine-growing history with Slovenia
Fruili-Venezia Giulia Wine Styles
best quality usually coming from DOCs and based on dry, high acid white wines. These wines can be fermented in stainless steel to keep their varietal characteristics, or some will have skin contact or be barrel-aged to add richness
Fruili-Venezia Giulia white grapes
Pinot Grigio, Malvasia, Traminer, Ribolla Gialla, Ramandolo, Picolit, and Friulano
Fruili-Venezia Giulia red grapes
Pignolo, Refosco, and Schioppettino all tend to make spicy,medium-bodied wines
Colli Orientali del Fruili Picolit DOCG
Sweet passito wines made from Picolit. Can be Riserva and be labeled with the sub-zone, Cialla
Lison DOCG
Dry white wine from Tai (Friulano) can be labeled with Classico
Ramandolo DOCG
Sweet passito wines made from Verduzzo Fruilano
Rosazzo DOCG
Dry white wine from a blend of Tai, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, and
Chardonnay
