Northern Italy Flashcards
In which region/appellation was the very first Italian school for wine growing and oenology created?
Veneto / Conegliano
Does Italy produce more red wine or white wine?
White
On the banks of which lake are Valpolicella wine grapes grown?
Lake Garda
Which wine region is the most northerly in Italy?
Alto Adige
Valpolicella DOC is from which region?
Based on which 4 grapes?
Veneto
Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara
What’s this Ripasso all about then?
Literally meaning ‘re-passed’ wine.
The skins from a Amarone/Recioto make are added to a vat of finished Valpolicella or vice versa.
The residual sugar in the Amarone/Recioto skins re-start fermentation and the skins give more colour, flavour and tannin to the wine. The finished wine has a med/full body, med to hi tannin with flavours of stewed cherries and plums and is labelled Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
What are the characteristics of Pinot Grigio:
At altitude? On the plains?
Altitude - dry, light to med body, hi acid, citrus and green fruit
On the plains - Med body, med acid with ripe stone fruit flavours
Where is Friuli - Venezia Giulia, what is the climate like and what grapes are mainly grown there and what is the style like?
NE corner of Italy, stretches from foothills of Alps to near the Adriatic coast.
Near the Alps - Moderate continental, cooled by mountain air
Nearer the coast - Warm Maritime
Mainly white grapes; Pinot Grigio, Friulano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc - med to full body, juicy peach and tropical fruit
Also some Merlot
Besides schiava, which Italian black grape is mainly used in Trentino?
What are its characteristics (color, tannin, acid, flavors)?
Teroldego
Deep colour, med~hi tannin, hi acid, aromas of black fruit, normally matured in oak.
What are IGT wines?
PGI wines of Italy IGT = Indicazione Geographica Tipica
What does ‘Riserva’ on an Italian wine mean?
Wine with both higher alc and longer ageing than the minimum for the appelation
Which red grape dominates in Alto Adige?
What types of wine are produced (body, tannin, flavors)?
Vernatsch (Schiava) - Produces light fruity wines, low ~ med tannin, flavors raspberries and plums.
Where are the vineyards of Alto Adige situated and what is the climate like?
NE Italy in foothills of Alps. Vineyards on SE and SW facing terraces on valley sides of River Adige. Climate - Moderate with short summers and little rain thru growing season. Large diurnal range due to altitude
Which is Italy’s most northerly wine region and what is mainly produced there?
Alto Adige
60% Aromatic whites mainly from Pinot Grigio but also Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc
40% pale red wines from Schiava, Pinot Noir
In Northern Italy how were grapes traditionally trained and, increasingly, how are they trained now? What is a major benefit of this change?
Traditionally - high yield vines planted with low density. Pergola, vine canopy with grapes hanging down = good airflow = less rot and shade against grape sunburn. Still used for high acid, low sugar grapes e.g. For sparkling wine. Modern - VSP training allows higher density but fewer grapes per vine = better quality grapes. Overall increased prodn per hectare
Generally, what is the climate of Northern Italy? What role do the Alps play? What is the influence of rivers e.g. River Po and lakes e.g. Lake Garda? What happens in areas nearer the sea and name one risk
Moderate climate with dry, short, summers The Alps provide a Northern barrier providing shelter from Northerly rain Rivers and glacial lakes give a moderating influence to hotter inland areas Nearer the sea, higher rainfall increasing the risk of fungal disease = more spraying
Where is Veneto? What are its two most famous appellations? What else does it produce What is the climate like and are there any risks?
NE Italy, from S end of Lake Garda to Venice in the east Soave and Valpolicella Also produces bulk wines from Pinot Grigio, chardonnay, merlot, corvina, gargenega and trebbiano labelled as Veneto IGT Climate - Warm with moderate rain, cooler at altitude with diurnal diff, also W cooled by breezes from Lake Garda Flat plain - warm air and for from R. Po = RISK disease and rot = more spraying
What is the soil like in Valpolicella (foothills/plains)?
What is the main grape grown there?
How is the wine labelled?
What is sweet Valpolicella called?
Foothills - Limestone and clay = Cool + altitude = slow ripen = higher acidity
On the plain - Sandy alluvial = warmer = fruitier and med acidity
Corvina
Hills - Valpolicella Classico / Plain - Valpolicella
Recioto Della Valpolicella DOCG
What is Passito and what is the most famous wine made from it in Valpolicella? There’s also a sweet wine made using the same method, what’s that called?
A process whereby grapes picked early when still have high acidity, dried indoors to concentrate colour, sugars and flavour Most famous - Amarone Della Valpolicella Sweet - Recioto Della Valpolicella DOCG
Where is Chardonnay largely grown Veneto, and what is it used for?
Largely grown on Veneto plains and used in IGT wines
What is the soil like in Soave?
What is the main grape grown there?
How is the wine labelled?
What is sweet Soave called?
Foothills - Limestone and clay = Cool + altitude = slow ripen = higher acidity
On the plain - Sandy alluvial = warmer = fruitier and med acidity
Gargenega
Hills - Soave Classico / Plain - Soave Recioto di Soave DOCG
What are the 3 main DOCs of Friuli - Venezia Giulia and what is the style of wine from each?
Friuli Grave DOC
- wines from the plain, white, simple, fruity
- varieties are Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, Sauv. Blanc, can be named by single varietal name
Collio DOC and Colli Orientali DOC
- Hills, higher diurnal range, more concentrated whites
- lower maximum yields
- Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Sauv. Blanc, Chardonnay, can be name by single varietal name
What are the acronyms for Italian PDO wines, what do they mean and what conditions are attached?
DOC - Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Subject to: Geographical boundaries, Limits on grape varieties and rules on production methods.
DOCG - Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita.
As above plus Must be bottled in area of production and subject to Ministry of Agriculture tasting
What is Corvina like and where is it mainly used?
Black grape, thin skin, moderate colour, low~med tannin with hi acidity (more at altitude) giving red cherry flavour. Mainly used in Valpolicella
