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CMS LEVEL 3 FLASH CARDS > Northern Italy > Flashcards

Northern Italy Flashcards

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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) flashcards
1
Q

Regions that compose Italy’s Northern region.

A

-Valle d’Aosta
-Piedmont
-Linguria
-Lombardy
-Trentino-Alto Adige
-Veneto
-Friuli-Venezia Giulia

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2
Q

Which grape was once nicknamed ‘Barolo Bianco’?

A

Arneis, native to piedmont region.

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3
Q

Match the following white varietals to its corresponding region/sub region.

a) Arneis 1) Colli Tortonese DOC
b) Garganega 2) Friuli Colli Orientali DOC
c) Ribolla Gialla 3) Soave DOC
d) Timorasso 4) Roero DOC
e) Friulano

A

Arneis —–> Roero DOC

Garganega —–> Soave DOC

Ribolla Gialla —–> Friuli Colli Orientali DOC

Timorasso —–> Colli Toronese DOC

Friulano —–> Friuli Colli Orientali DOC

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4
Q

The climate of Piedmonte.

A

Continental climate.
The warm air from the Po River valley meets the humid air from the Mediterranean Sea, creating precipitation and fog.

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5
Q

Why was Piedmonte very important ancient roman times?

A

It was an important trade route with the Gallic provinces in the North (now France.)
Because of its proximity to Gaul (France), many of the Piedmontes wines were able to be exported beyond the Appennine mountains.

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6
Q

DOC’s and DOCG’s in Piedmont?

A

Piedmont has 19 DOCGs, the most of any Italian region, and 41 DOCs.

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7
Q

How many DOCG’s are in Piedmonte?
Name a few

A

1) Alta Langa DOCG
2) Asti DOCG
3) Barbaresco DOCG
4) Barbera d’Asti DOCG
5) Barbera del Monferrato Superior DOCG
6) Barolo DOCG
7) Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG
8) Canelli DOCG
9) Dogliani DOCG
10) Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba DOCG
11) Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG
12) Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG
13) Gattinara DOCG
14) Gavi / Cortese di Gavi DOCG
15) Ghemme DOCG
16) Nizza DOCG
17) Roero DOCG
18) Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG
19) Terre Alfieri DOCG

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8
Q

What is the allowable red grape for the following DOCG’s?

Barbaresco
Barolo
Nizza
Dogliani
Gattinara
Ghemme
Terre Alfieri
_______ d’Asti
_______ del Monferrato Superiore
_______ d’Acqui
_______ di Ovada Superiore
_______ di Castagnole Monferrato

A

Barbaresco ——> NEBBIOLO
Barolo ——> NEBBIOLO
Nizza ——> BARBERA
Dogliani ——> DOLCETTO
Gattinara ——> SPANNA (nebbiolo)
Ghemme ——> SPANNA (nebbiolo)
Terre Alfieri ——> NEBBIOLO
_______ d’Asti ——> BARBERA
_______ d’Acqui ——> BRACHETTO
______ di Ovada Superiore ——> DOLCETTO
______ di Diano ——> DOLCETTO
___ di Castagnole Monferrato ——> RUCHE
_ del Monferrato Superiore ——> BARBERA

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9
Q

which of the following is NOT a synonym for Nebbiolo?

a) Spanna c) Chiavennasca
b) Ruche d) Picotendro

A

b) Ruche

Spanna is in Ghemme & Gattinara
Chiavennasca is in Lombardy’s Valtellina region
Picotendro is in Valle d’Aosta & Carema

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10
Q

What are albeisa bottles?

A

Albeisa is the unique style of glass bottles used by producers in the langhe region to bottle their wines.
This bottle style was born in the 1700’s. The usage of this bottle is only allowed by members of the Albeisa Association, founded in 1973.

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11
Q

Aging requirements for Barolo & Barbaresco

A

Barolo.
18 months in barrel, with 38 months total aging for Normale and 62 months for Riserva

Barbaresco
9 months in barrel, with 26 months total aging for Normale and 50 months for Riserva

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12
Q

What are MGA’s?

A

menzioni geografiche aggiuntive (MGAs), or “additional geographical mentions,”

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13
Q

What kind of wine is produced in Terre di Alfieri DOCG?

A

Produces reds from nebbiolo, and whites from Arneis. This docg is very similar and close to Roero DOCG.

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14
Q

How many denominations of Piedmont are dedicated to barbera?

A

5 denominations
- Barbera d’Alba DOC
- Barbera d’Asti DOCG
- Barbera del Monferrato DOC
- Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG
- Nizza DOCG

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15
Q

Which barbera DOC would most likely produce a fleshier, richer and rounded barbera? Explaine why.

a) Barbera d’Asti
b) Barbera d’Alba
c) Barbera di Monferrato
d) Nizza

A

b) Barbera d’Alba

Unlike d’Asti and Monferrato, Barbera d’Alba is the only one that allows nebbiolo as a blending grape. It also overlaps the langhe region, benefiting from its topography.

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16
Q

What kind of wine is allowed in Nizza DOC?

A

wines made from 100% barbera that must be aged minimum 18 months, 6 of them must be in barrel.

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17
Q

How many denominations of Piedmont are dedicated to Dolcetto?

A

Seven
1) Dogliani DOCG
2) Dolcetto d’Alba DOC
3) Diano d’Alba DOCG
4) Dolcetto d’Asti DOC
5) Dolcetto d’Acqui DOC
6) Dolcetto di Ovada DOC
7) Ovada DOCG

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18
Q

How do Asti DOC sparkling differ from traditional sparkling wines, such as prosecco and francciacorta?

A

Asti DOC sparking undergo a single fermentation, unlike the traditional method and the charmant method.
Also, asti wines are single varietal wines, made solely from the moscato bianco grape.

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19
Q

What is the difference between Asti spumante and Moscato d’Asti?

A

Asti spumante is fully sparkling, while Moscato d’Asti is frizzante (semi sparkling).

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20
Q

What are the three subzones of Asti DOC?

A

Canelli
Strevi
Santa Vittoria d’Alba

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21
Q

What are the typical atmospheres of pressure for Asti wines?

A

4.5 to 5 atmospheric pressure.

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22
Q

Which grape is the base for Canelli DOC wines?

a) Arneis
b) Barbera
c) Moscato Bianco
d) Ruche

A

c) Moscato Bianco (100%)

Canelli is a subzone of Asti DOC, but became its own DOCG in 2023.

Produces on frizzante style wines.

Riserva: min. 30 months of aging, including at least 20 months in bottle

23
Q

Which DOCG is dedicated to Brachetto?

A

Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG

The wines can be made in still, sparkling, and passito styles. Min. 97% Brachetto

24
Q

Which DOCG in Piedmont is dedicated to traditional method sparkling wines?

A

Alta Langa DOCG

-made from a min. of 90% Pinot Nero and/or Chardonnay.
-traditional method
-vintage dated
-min. 30 months of aging

25
Q

Name the varietal associated with the following denominations?

Gavi DOCG
Ovada DOCG
Nizza DOCG
Canelli DOCG
Dogliani DOCG
Colli Tortonesi DOC

A

Gavi DOCG —> Cortese
Ovada DOCG —> Dolcetto
Nizza DOCG —> Barbera
Canelli DOCG —> Moscato
Dogliani DOCG -> Dolcetto
Colli Tortonesi DOC > Timorasso

26
Q

Which of the following are white varietals?

-Ruche
-Timorasso
-Freisa
-Grignolino
-Nascetta
-Pelaverga

A

Timorasso and Naschetta

27
Q

Describe cortese.

A

Cortese is a nonaromatic, highly acidic white grape used to make Gavi DOCG wines.

28
Q

Describe Arneis

A

Arneis is native to the Roero hills of Piedmont; Roero DOCG.

Arneis is an aromatic wine, brimming with the fragrances of pear, apricot, white flowers, chamomile, and almond.

29
Q

Describe Timorasso

A

Timorasso produces highly acidic, rich and powerful body white wines; intensely herbal and mineral character, in the Colli Tortonesi DOC.

30
Q

Describe Nascetta

A

Nascetta is a semi-aromatic white grape with an herbal and saline character, and can only fall under the Langhe DOC.

31
Q

Describe Freisa

A

Freisa is light in color and high in acidity and tannin, with flavors of strawberries and roses.

Very similar to nebbiolo. Two DOC’s; Freisa di Chieri & Freisa d’Asti.

32
Q

Describe Grignolino

A

Grignolino is pale in color, light in body, but high in acidity, structure and tannins. Produced only in Grignolino d’Asti DOC and Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese DOC.

33
Q

Describe Ruchè

A

Ruchè is an aromatic red varietal; intense floral aromas, namely of crushed rose petals but also fragrant purple flowers, w/ pronounced notes of white and black pepper.
Produced only in Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG.

Ruchè was traditionally prepared in sweet wines, or used as a blending grape for other wines. In 1960s, Don Giacomo Cauda, a parish priest, fell in love with the grape. Every sunday after mass, he would go into the fields of Ruche and work on them. Through him, the grape began to be used for dry red wine productions, eventually saving the grape from extinction.

34
Q

Describe Pelaverga

A

Pelaverga is used to describe two varietals; Pelaverga rosso & Pelaverga piccolo. They are light-colored reds with freshness, high acidity, and herbal flavors

35
Q

Which grape is nicknamed Nebbiolo bianco?

A

Arneis, because it was traditionally blended with Nebbiolo to soften the tannins and add some aromatic complexity.

36
Q

How does northern Piedmont differ from Southern Piedmont?

A

Northern Piedmont, or Alto Piemonte, is generally cooler, with more alpine influence and higher rainfall than the south. The Sesia River begins in the Alps near the Swiss border and flows south through the region into the Po River. The wine regions to the west of the Sesia, such as Gattinara, have soils that are volcanic in origin, while those east of the Sesia, such as Ghemme, are on gravelly alluvial soils.

37
Q

What two DOC’s in Northern Piedmont, separated by the Sesia river, are dedicated to nebbiolo based wines?

A

Gattinara to the west of the Sesia river

Ghemme to the east of the Sesia river.

38
Q

What is Spanna

A

Spanna is the local name given to Nebbiolo in Northern Piedmont regions, such as Ghemme and Gattinara.

39
Q

Alto Piedmont allows Nebbiolo based wines to be blended with 3 grapes. What are they? Describe how each grape contributes to the wine.

A

In Northern Piedmont, Spanna was historically blended with Uva Rara, Croatina, and Vespolina to balance unripe Nebbiolo in cooler vintages.
Vespolina, an offspring of Nebbiolo, brings spice and pepper to the blend.
Croatina is rounder and fleshier and can soften Nebbiolo’s sharp structure.
Uva Rara, aka Bonarda Novarese, brings deep color, freshness, and softening as well. Alto Piemonte denominations still allow this historic blending, although many examples of 100% Spanna can be found.

40
Q

Which DOCG in Piedmont will you most likely find wines made via the ‘appassimento process’?

A

Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG

The main grape here, Erbaluce, is a lean, acidic and thick skinned grape that is suitable for passito wines.
Lake Viverone is an important natural feature of the area, and the humidity of the lake is key to the appassimento process, as Caluso’s passito wines are among the few Italian examples to show the character of botrytis.

41
Q

What region in Italy produces the least amount of wine and why?

A

Valle d’Aosta
The region is too mountainous for viticulture, hence only has 450 hectares of land dedicated to grape growing.

42
Q

Where is Alta Valle?
Why is there a prevalence of old, ungrafted vines there?

A

Alta Valle is one of the sub regions of Valle d’Aosta.
The region is very high in the mountains, phylloxera was never able to reach it.

43
Q

Valle d’Aosta

A

Has a continental climate.

It is relatively dry due to the rain shadow effect caused by the Alps.

Has glacial morainic soils and deposits of granite, sand, and large stones.

Low Pergola training is normal here to protect the vines from hail and obtain heat from the ground.

44
Q

How many DOC’s are in Valle d’Aosta.

A

One - Valle d’Aosta DOC.
-Many varietal wines and styles.
-Has 7 official subzones.

45
Q

Where is flétri wines made?

A

Valle d’Aosta.
Flétri is the local name for ‘passito’

46
Q

The most planted white varietal of Valle d’Aosta?

A

Prié Blanc

-Tolerates the cold weather of the Alta Valle.
-Yields light-bodied wines w/ high acidity and delicate floral flavors.
-Spumante wines must be traditional method, with a minimum of nine months on the lees.

47
Q

In which DOC is Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle?
What is the authorized grape here?

A

Valle d’Aosta DOC

100% Prié Blanc

Made into a dry white wine or spumante.

48
Q

Name a three of the seven official subzones of Valle d’Aosta DOC?

A

ALTA VALLE
1) Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle
——100% Prie Blanc

MEDIA VALLE
2) Enfer d’Arvier (85% Petit Rouge)
3) Torrette (70% Petit Rouge)
4) Nus (100% Malvoisie)
5) Chambave (100% Moscato B.)

BASSA VALLE
6) Arnad-Montjovet
——(70% Picoutener)
7) Donnas
——(85% Picoutener)

49
Q

Picoutener and Malvoisie are local names in Valle d’Aosta for what two well known italian varietals?

A

Picoutener is Nebbiolo

Malvoisie is Pinot Grigio

50
Q

DOCs on Linguria

A

Val Polcèvera
Golfo del Tigullio-Portofino
Colline di Levanto
Cinque Terre
Colli di Luni
Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC
Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC
Ormeasco di Pornassio DOC

51
Q

What are the most important white grapes of Linguria? and how are they different?

A

Vermentino and Pigato

They are both genetic identical, but with different qualities.

Vermentino is planted mostly in the eastern Levante, which tends to be lower in elevation and closer to the coast.
Pigato is planted in the higher hills of the western Ponente.

52
Q

Describe Vermentino and it’s qualities.

A

Vermentino is…
-late ripening
-tolerant to drought & salty winds
-performs best in seaside and coastal areas.
-Its wines are semi-aromatic, herbal, and saline.

53
Q

What is Pigato?

A

A white varietal, identical to Vermentino, grown in the linguria region of Italy.

Pigato is derived from pigau, meaning “spotted” in the local Ligurian dialect.

54
Q
A

CMS LEVEL 3 FLASH CARDS (4 decks)

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