Northern Italy Flashcards
Piedmont, Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli, Lombardy, Emilia Roagna, Liguria, Valle d'Aosta
1
Q
What does Piemonte mean in English?
A
Foot of the mountain
2
Q
Which 2 mountains surround Piedmont?
A
Apennines and the Alps
3
Q
What is the name of the river that cuts through Piedmont?
A
The Po River
4
Q
What are the 3 main provinces in Piedmont?
A
Asti
Alessandria
Cuneo
5
Q
What are the 2 main vine producing hills in Piedmont?
A
Langhe Hills
Monferrato Hills
6
Q
What are the underlying soils of Piedmont?
A
Calcareous marl and sandstone soils with varying amounts of clay and sand
7
Q
What is the climate of Piedmont?
A
Continental
8
Q
What is considered to be the main risk for the Langhe hills?
A
Autumn hail showers
9
Q
Which grape dominates Piedmont?
A
Nebbiolo
10
Q
Where does the name Nebbiolo come from?
A
Named after the morning fog (La Nebbia in Italian) which prolongs the grapes ripening process
11
Q
What is the typical palate of Nebbiolo?
A
High acid
High alcohol
High tannin
12
Q
When was Nebbiolo first recognised for quality?
A
1431
13
Q
What are the 2 red grapes of Piedmont? (except Nebbiolo)
A
Barbera
Dolcetto
14
Q
Describe Dolcetto wines
A
Very fruity designed for younger consumption
Medium Tannin
Low Acid
Medium Alcohol
15
Q
Describe the palate of Barbera
A
High acidity
Low tannin
Medium alcohol
16
Q
What are the 6 less red grapes of Piedmont?
A
Brachetto
Grignolino
Ruche
Croatina
Vespolina
Freisa
17
Q
What is the most planted white grape of Piedmont?
A
Moscato Bianco (Muscat a Petits Grains)
18
Q
What are the other white grapes of Piedmont?
A
Cortese
Arneis
Erbaluce
Favorita (Vermentino)
19
Q
What are the 5 most planted international grapes in Piedmont?
A
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
20
Q
How many DOCGs and DOCs are in Piedmont?
A
19 DOCGs
41 DOCs
21
Q
What are the 2 most prestigious DOCGs in Piedmont?
A
Barolo and Barbaresco
22
Q
Which DOC are Barolo and Barbaresco sat within?
A
Langhe DOC
23
Q
Which river cuts through Barolo and Barbaresco?
A
Tanaro River
24
Q
Where are the best wines from Barolo and Barbaresco said to come from?
A
Domaine bottled single vineyard crus
25
What is the grape of Barolo?
Nebbiolo
26
How many communes are within Barolo?
11
27
Which 5 communes represent roughly 90% of Barolo's output?
La Morra
Barolo
Serralunga d'Alba
Monforte d'Alba
Castiglione Faletto
28
Which Barolo communes have more Serravallian sandstone, producing wines with more structure?
Monforte d'Alba
Serralunga d'Alba
Castiglione Falletto
29
Which Barolo communes have more Tortonian soils with more calcareous marl?
La Morra
Barolo
30
What are the minimum aging requirements for Barolo?
Minimum 38 months aging from November 1st of the harvest year. Minimum 18 months in wood
31
How long does Barolo Riserva need to age for?
62 months
32
What do traditional Barolo winemakers do when aging Barolo?
They use large neutral casks after extended macerations of 30-50 days. Wines often need to be aged for decades before being approachable
33
Name 2 famous Barolo traditionist winemakers
Giacomo Conterno
Giuseppe Rinaldi
34
What do modernist Barolo winemakers do when aging Barolo?
They use barriques and short macerations to produce a rounder style of wine
35
Name 2 famous Barolo modernist winemakers
Luciano Sandrome
Paolo Scavino
36
What is Barolo Chinato?
A DOCG for aromatised wine, particularly red vermouth such as Cocchi. They are flavoured with quinine, which is a type of bark
37
What is the grape of Barbaresco?
Nebbiolo
38
How does Barbaresco differ from Barolo?
The wines are lighter bodied and more elegant
39
What are the 3 towns of Barbaresco?
Barbaresco
Neive
Treiso
40
What are the aging requirements of Barbaresco?
Minimum 26 months from November 1st of the year of harvest, including a minimum 9 months in cask
41
What are the aging requirements of Barbaresco Riserva?
50 months
42
Name 1 famous modernist producer in Barbaresco
Angelo Gaja
43
Name 1 famous traditionalist Barbaresco producer
Bruno Giacosa
44
What year was Roero granted DOCG status?
2004
45
What are the grape requirements for Roero DOCG?
Minimum 95% Nebbiolo
46
What are the white wines of Roero made from?
Arneis
47
What are the soils of Roero?
Sandy soils
48
Where is Gattinara DOCG and Ghemme DOCG located?
Along the Sesia River
49
What wines are produced from the Gattinara and Ghemms DOCGs?
Dry red wines based off Nebbiolo
50
What are the 3 main grapes used for Gattinara and Ghemme DOCGs?
Nebbiolo
Vespolina
Bonarda
51
What are the 3 DOCGs in Piedmont which produce Barbera based wines?
Barbera d’Asti
Barbera del Monferrato Superiore
Nizza
52
How long does Barbera d’Asti have to be aged for?
4 months
53
How long does Barbera del Monferrato Superiore have to be aged for?
14 months, including 6 months in wood
54
When was Nizza given its own DOCG status?
2014
55
What is the grape used for Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG?
Ruche
56
When was Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato given DOCG status?
2010
57
What are the 3 DOCGs for Dolcetto based wines?
Dogliani
Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore (Ovada)
Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba (Diano d’Alba)
58
For all 3 Dolcetto DOCGs, what is the minimum aging requirements for the Superiore label?
10 months
59
What is the grape of Gavi DOCG?
Cortese
60
What styles of wine are produced in Gavi?
Normally still wines, though frizzante and Spumante wines are permitted
61
Where is Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG located?
Just south of the Carema province in northeast Piedmont
62
What is the grape of Erbaluce di Caluso?
Erbaluce
63
What is the grape of Erbaluce di Caluso?
Erbaluce
64
What is the best regarded wine style from Erbaluce di Caluso?
Passito
65
How much wine does Moscato d’Asti roughly produce annually?
650000 hectolitres. The highest producing DOCG in Italy
66
What is the wine style of Moscato d’Asti?
Spumante (sparkling)
67
What is the only grape of Moscato d’Asti?
Moscato Bianco
68
What happens to the grape must after pressing for Moscato d’Asti?
It is chilled and stored for batch fermentation throughout the year on demand
69
What is the sparkling wine method for Moscato d’Asti?
Charmat
70
Why is the Charmat method used for Moscato d’Asti?
It preserves floral notes and fruitiness on the wines as the wines only go through one fermentation and avoid autolysis
71
What is the maximum bottle pressure for Moscato d’Asti?
2.5 atmospheres
72
What are the alcohol boundaries for Moscato d’Asti?
4.5%-6.5%
73
What former subzone of Asti was promoted in 2023 with its own DOCG appellation?
Canelli DOCG
74
What style of wine is produced from Alta Langa?
Methode Traditionelle Spumante from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
75
What are the aging requirements for Alta Langa and Alta Langa Riserva?
30 months for normal Alta Langa
3 years for Riserva
76
What style of wine is Brachetto d’Acqui?
Usually sweet and frizzante
77
What 3 wine regions fall under the Tre Venezie?
Trentino-Alto Adige
Veneto
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
78
Where is Trentino-Alto Adige located?
Northeast Italy
79
What is the topography of Trentino-Alto Adige?
Mountainous
80
What are the 2 provinces of Trentino-Alto Adige and what are their cultures?
Alto-Adige in the north is German speaking, often referred to as Suditrol
Trentino is Italian speaking to the south
81
What is Val d'Adige DOC?
A multiregional DOC encapsulating Trentino-Alto Adige and Verona in Veneto, though is rarely used
82
What are the 6 main white grapes of Trentino-Alto Adige?
Chardonnay
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Bianco
Muller-Thurgau
Sauvignon Blanc
Gewurztraminer
83
Where is Valle Isarco?
Northeast Alto Adige
84
What wines is Valle Isarco known for?
High quality white wines made from Austrian and German grapes such as Sylvaner, Veltliner, and Kerner
85
What is Trentino-Alto Adige's most prominent red grape?
Schiava
86
What are the typical blends of Casteller DOC in Trentino?
Schavia, Merlot, Lambrusco
87
What is Legrein?
A red grape variety founnd in Trentino-Alto Adige
88
How many DOCGs are in Trentino-Alto Adige?
0
89
How much of Trentino-Alto Adige's production is DOC status?
99%
90
Where is Veneto located?
Northeast Italy, bordered by Trentino in the north, Friuli in the east, and Lombardy to the west
91
Roughly how much of Veneto's production is DOC?
25%
92
What are the 2 DOCG zones within Valpolicella DOC?
Amarone della Valpolicella
Recioto della Valpolicella
93
What are the grapes varieties for Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella?
Corvina (45% - 95%)
Rondinella
94
When was Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella granted DOCG status?
2010
95
What winemaking method is used to make Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella?
Appassimento method
96
Describe the appessimento method
The grapes are dried for 3 months in lofts and then fermented to concentrate sugars
Recioto is often dried for longer to make a semi-sweet wine whereas Amarone is fermented to dryness
97
What aromas and flavours does the appessimento method give the wine?
Dried fruit aromas
Mouthfeel is warm and glycolic
98
How long is Amarone della Valpolicella aged for?
2 years
99
How long is Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva aged for?
4 years
100
When did Valpolicella Ripasso gain DOC status?
2010
101
What wines does Valpolicella Ripasso DOC make?
Red wines which sit between the fruitiness of Valpolicella and depth of Amarone
The wines are refermented with the unpressed grape skins previously fermented for Amarone or Recioto
102
Where is Bardolino DOC located?
The west of Veneto near Lake Garda
103
What grapes dominate the Bardolino DOC blends?
Corvina and Rondinella
104
What DOCG lies within Bardolino DOC?
Bardolino Superiore DOCG
105
What are the aging requirements of Bardolino Superiore DOCG?
1 year prior to release
106
What are the grape requirements of Soave DOC?
Minimum 70% Garganega
Maximum 30% Trebbiano (di Soave) and/or Chardonnay
107
What are the 2 DOCG zones of Soave?
Soave Superiore DOCG
Recioto di Soave DOCG
108
What are the 2 subzones of Soave Superiore?
Classico
Colli Scaligeri
109
What are the aging requirements for Soave Superiore to be Riserva?
1 year
110
How is Recioto di Soave produced?
From grapes dried for 4-6 months from the same area as Soave Superiore
111
Which of the following 3 appellations are allowed to be spumante?
Soave DOC
Soave Superiore DOCG
Recioto di Soave DOCG
Soave DOC
Recioto di Soave DOCG
112
What are the grape requirements of Gambellara DOC?
Minimum 80% Gargenaga
113
What are the grapes of Recioto di Gambellara DOCG?
100% dried Gargenaga
114
What is the winemaking method used to make Prosecco?
Charmat
115
What is the main tasting note of the Prosecco (Glera) grape?
Peach
116
What are the required pressures for Prosecco spumante and Prosecco frizzante?
3.5 atmospheres for spumante
1-2.5 atmopsheres for frizzante
117
Which vessel to the Prosecco wines undergo secondary fermentation in?
Stainless steel
118
What are the 2 DOCG zones of Prosecco?
Congelliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
Asolo Prosecco DOCG
119
What are the required sweetness levels for Superiore Prosecco?
Between Brut and Demi-Sec
120
How much of a Prosecco blend must be from a single vintage in order for the label to declare a vintage bottling?
85%
121
What countries does Friuli-Venezia Giulia border?
Austria and Slovenia
122
What is the name of the overarching DOC covering all of Friuli-Venezia Giulia?
Friuli DOC
123
How many DOCGs does Friuli-Venezia Giulia and what are they?
4 DOCGs
Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG
Lison DOCG
Ramandolo DOCG
Rosazzo DOCG
124
Which DOCG of Friuli-Venezia Giulia lies partly within Veneto?
Lison DOCG
125
What is the main white grape of Friuli?
Friulano
126
What are the main red grapes used in Friuli?
International grapes of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot
127
What is the major sparkling wine DOCG of Lombardy?
Franciacorta DOCG
128
What are the still wines of Franciacorta released as?
Curtefranca
129
What is the method used to produce Franciacorta?
Methode Traditionelle
130
When was the Franciacorta DOCG created for methode traditionelle sparkling wines?
1995
131
What are the grape varieties of Franciacorta?
Chardonnay
Pinot Nero (Noir)
Pinot Bianco (max 50%)
132
What are the aging requirements of NV Franciacorta?
18 months on the lees
Cannot be released until 25 months after harvest
133
What are the aging requirements for vintage Franciacorta?
Minimum 37 months aging after harvest
134
What are the aging requirements for Franciacorta Riserva?
Minimum 5 years on the lees
Released after 67 months from harvest
135
How much of a Franciacorta blend must be from a single vintage in order for the label to declare a vintage bottling?
85%
136
What styles of wine are made in Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG?
Methode Traditionelle sparkling wines
137
What are the grape requirements for Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG?
Minimum 70% Pinot Nero
138
What are the aging requirements of Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG?
15 months on the lees for NV
2 years on the lees for Vintage
139
What are the still wine of Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG released as?
Oltrepo Pavese DOC
140
What style of wine does Valtellina DOC produce?
Still red wines based off Nebbiolo
141
What are the DOCG in Valteillina?
Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG
142
What are the aging requirements for Valteillina Superiore and the Riserva?
Non-Riserva is minimum 2 years aging, with 1 in cask
Riserva is minimum 3 years aging
143
What style of wine comes Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG?
Appessimento method wines based off Nebbiolo
144
What style of wines does Moscato di Scanzo DOCG produce?
Sweet passito red wines based off red Moscato
145
Which Emilia Roagna appellation was the first to receive DOCG status for white wines in Italy?
Romagna Albana DOCG
146
What is the grape of Romagna Albana DOCG?
Albana
147
Which DOCG in Emilia Roagna produces white wines based off the Grechetto grape?
Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG
148
What is the famous frizzante red wine to come from Emilia Roagna?
Lambrusco
149
What are the 4 Lambrusco DOCs?
Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro
Lambrusco di Sorbara
Lambrusco Salamino di Croce
Lambrusco Mantovano
150
What is the main white grape of Liguria?
Vermentino (Pigato)
151
What is the main red grape of Liguria?
Rossese
152
How many subzones does Valle d'Aosta DOC have?
7
