Northern Italy Flashcards
Where are the vineyards of Northern Italy located?
in the foothills of the alps and on the extensive plains of the River Po
what is the climate of Northern Italy
overall it has a moderate climate with short summers.
how do the Alps benefit vineyards in N. Italy
they form a barrier that extends the length of the N. Italian border and shelter the vineyards from rain
How do rivers benefit the vineyards?
Rivers like the Po or Lake Garda provide moderating influence to inland areas.
What do areas that are close to the sea in Italy cause?
due to the high levels of rainfall fungal disease can be a problem.
what was the complex tressiling system called in Italy
pergola - the canopy was trained high with fruit hanging down below the horizontal canopy of leaves. , protecting the grapes from sunburn and allowing circulation in order to minimize the chances of rot.
When are pergolas still used?
when high acidity and low sugar levels are required (such as sparkling wine grapes) or wines to be made from dried grapes.
what do higher density planting use for training in Italy?
VSP training
Where is Alto Adige located in Italy
centered around the town of Bolzano in the foothills of the Alps - Italy’s most northern vineyard
where are Alto Adige vineyards planted?
on terraces on the south east and south west facing valley sides of River Adige
what type of climate does Alto Adige have?
moderate climate with short dry summers and low rainfall particularly in the growing season. most of the vineyards experience a large diurnal range due to their altitudes
what are Alto Adige climates ideal for?
aromatic whites and elegant light bodied reds
What is the most notable white wine in ALto Adige?
Pinot Grigio
describe a pinot grigio from Alto Adige
made in dry style, with light to medium body, high acidity, citrus and green fruit flavors
besides Pinot Grigio what are other important white grape varieties?
Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc
What is red wine variety that dominates the Alto Adige region?
Schiava
Describe characteristics of Schiava in Alto Adige
light fruity red wines, with low to medium tannins, and flavors of raspberries and plums.
How are Alto Adige wines labelled>
almost all are labelled Alto Adige DOC
Where is Trentino located in Italy?
directly south of Alto Adige. valley is wider than further north and vines are planted in the valley floors as well as the slopes on both sides of the valley
Describe the climate of trentino?
dry summers, and low rainfall during the growing season, climates experience slightly more warmth than Alto Adige
When is Trentino slightly warmer than Alto Adige
Trentino’s southerly latitudes and greater number of vineyards in lower altitudes and mountains to the west side of he valley to protect the region from cooling influences of Lake Garda
What are the main varieties in Trentino?
Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio
Describe wines made in Trentino
wines made from valley floor tend to be med bodied, with med acidity, and ripe stone fruit.
wines made from higher altitudes are more similar to whites from Alto Adige
What are the two most important black varietals in Trentino?
Merlot and Teroldego
Where are Merlot and Teroldego grown in Trentino
mainly on mid slopes and valley floors.
What type of wine does Teroldego produce?
deep color, med to high tannins, high acidity, and a med to full body with aromas of black fruit. normally matured in oak and best ones have ability to age
what are wines most often labeled in Trentino?
Trentino DOC
Where is Friuli-Venezia Giulia located?
northern Italy’s eastern corner. the most northerly vineyards in the region are located in foothills of the Alps. vineyards in the south are based on flat plains near the Adriatic Sea
What is the climate of Friuli-Venezia Giulia
in the north: moderate and continental, cooled by cold air from the mountains.
in the south: warm maritime climates
What is the most prevalent wine produced in Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Pinot Grigio and Merlot
Describe a PInot Grigio from Friuli-Venezia Giulia
one of the richest Pinot Grigio’s in italy, medium to full bodied wines, displaying juicy peach, and tropical fruit flavors.
Describe a Merlot from Friuli-Venezia Giulia
most planted variety in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, medium bodied, med acidity and tannins, and ripe red fruit flavors, often with a hint of spice from oak.
What other white is grown in Friuli-Venezia Giulia besides Pinot Grigio?
Friulano
Describe a Friulano wine
high acidity, med body, and aromas of pears, red apple, and herbs
what are the wines from the plains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia labelled?
Friuli Grave DOC made with simple fruity style
Describe Collio DOC and Colli Orientali DOC wines/
both located in the hills are known for premium, more concentrated white wines. Colli Orientali DOC also noted for reds.
What is one of Italys largest wine producing regions?
Veneto
What types of wines are produced in Veneto?
Soave and Valpolicella
Where is Veneto?
extends from southern end of Lake Garda in the west to Venice in the east and ranges from the foothills of the alps in the north to the flat plains of the PO in the south.
what is the climate of Veneto?
warm with moderate rainfall. cooling influences come from the altitude exposing the vineyards in the foothills to a large diurnal temp range. breezes from Lake Garda cool the vineyards from the west region
how are the flat plains effected in Veneto?
by moist air and fog from the River Po which increases the number of sprays needed for fungal disease and rot control
Describe wines that are planted in flat plains in Veneto
inexpensive high volume wines made that grow varieties such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Merlot as well as Italian varietals such as Corvina, Garganega, and Trebbiano - labelled Veneto IGT
Where is the Prosecco sparkling DOC?
most of it is in Veneto with some in Fruili Venezia Giulia.
Where is Soave in Italy?
east of Verona
Describe Soave’s two distinct parts
foothills to the north and flat plain in the south near RIver Po
Describe soils on the foothills of Soave
made up of limestone and clay with some volcanic rock - these are naturally cool
how do Soils and altitudes in foothills of Soave affect grapes
the soil type and influence from altitude slows ripening down leading grapes to full flavor ripeness and yet high acidity. wines are capable of maturing for a number of years
describe soils on plains of Soave
sandy alluvial that aid ripening so grapes are fruitier with med acidity, and wines are meant to be drunk young.
what is the main white varietal that is grown in Soave?
Garganega, but small amounts of other white varietals can be added to the blend
describe a wine from SOave
typically med to high acidity levels, med body, and display flavors of pear, red apple, stone fruit and sometimes white pepper. they typically do not display aromas of new oak. best examples can age and display aromas of almonds and honey
what are wines made in the foothills of SOave labelled as?
Soave Classico DOC
what are wines made from entire region of Soave labelled?
Soave DOC
Where is Valpolicella?
northwest of Verona and has similar topography as Soave
Describe the foothills in the north of Valpolicella
limestone, clay and volcanic soils which slow down ripening so the grapes have more acidity
Describe the soils in the plains of flatter south region of Valpolicella
gravel and sand so the grapes are fruitier and less acidic
what is the main grape in Valpolicella?
Corvina- italian grape native to the region - with thin skin , moderate color, low to med tannins, and high acidity
what is done to increase color and tannins in Corvina wines in Valpolicella?
other local grape varietals can be added to the blend
What are wines made from the entire region of Valpolicella labelled?
Valpolicella DOC
What are wines made from the foothills of Valpolicella labelled?
Valpolicella Classico DOC
Describe Valpolicella Classico DOC wines?
simple, fruity, red cherry, rarely oaked and made for immediate drinking
What is the passito method used?
widely used in Veneto
why is passito method used?
to increase structure and flavor concentration (and color in the case of red wines)
describe the passito method
grapes are picked early when they are still high in acidity and dried indoors, concentrating the sugars and flavors. Fermentation does not start until winter months
What are the two types of passito wines in Valpolicella
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG and Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
Describe Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG wines
dry or off dry. full bodied, with high alcohol, med to high tannins, and intensely concentrated red berry and spice flavors. usually ages in large oak casks
Describe Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG wines
made from grapes that are so sweet they stop fermenting naturally. intense red fruit flavors, high alcohol, full body, med to high tannins,
What is the Soave equivalent of Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG wines
Recioto di Soave DOCG
what is the ripasso method
uses grape skins from a fermenting Amarone della Valpolicella. shortly before fermentation finished the Amarone is drained off the skins, which remain unpressed and are added to a vat of Valpolicella that has finished its fermentation. Yeasts have also been transfererd in this process now fermetn the remaining sugar on the Amarone grape skins - giving more color flavor and tannins to the wine they have been added to
what can wines be labelled which have gone through the ripasso method in Valpolicella
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC - which are med to full bodied wines with med to high tannins and flavors of stewed red cherries and plums
Where is Piemonte
north-west corner of Italy
How to mountains effect vine growth in Piiemonte
mountains to the north provide a rain shadow protecting the region from northerly winds and precipitation
describe Piemonte climate
moderate and continental with long cold winters and summers that can be subject to thunderstorms, hail and fog. some moderating influences come from the Po River in the southern part of the region and LAke MAggiore in the north.
what is the area of Piemonte noted for?
its foothills which raneg 150-600 m which provider different altitudes and aspects for vines to grow.
What are the main grape varietals in Piemonte
red varietals of Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto
white varietals: Cortese and Moscato (Muscat)
what are the most prestigous appellations in the region of Piemonte
BArolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG
what is the IGT and IGP for the Piemonte region
there are none
Describe the region of Barolo and where it is located in Italy.
It is a horseshoe shaped valley spanning several villages each having steep south facing slopes (300-500m)
What varietal is Barolo DOCG made from?
It has to be 100% Nebbiolo
Describe the Nebbiolo grape
black grape with high levels of acidity and tannins but little color.
Describe Nebbiolo grapes at this altitude
grapes ripen slowly at these altitudes therefore developing perfume aromas of sour cherries, herbs, and dried flowers. in the best years they are full bodied with high acidity and tannins with the ability to age in the bottle.
When can a village name appear on the bottle in Barolo?
only when all the grapes used have been sourced purely from that area.
Where do best wines in Barolo come from?
villages or crus
How long does Barolo need to be aged before released?
3 years of which 18 months must be on oak. Traditionally. it was aged in large oak barrels to soften harsh tannins. Today vineyard management upgrades allow for smoother riper tannins which means producers might choose to age for shorter periods of time.
Where does oak maturation take place in Barolo?
in small oak barrels (often including some new oak) or larger casks.
why do All Barolo wines benefit from bottle aging?
continues to further soften the tannins and adds further complexity giving aromas of truffles, tar and leather.
What varietal is known in Barbaresco?
Nebbiolo
Describe Barbaresco’s climate/terrior
south facing slopes at lower altitudes than Barolo (200-400m) and influence from a local river means Nebbiolo ripens earlier compared to Barolo.
Describe Barbaresco wines compared to Barolo wines.
Nebbiolo is fruitier and less perfumed in Barbaresco, but with similar acidity and tannins giving the wines ability to age in the bottle.
How long do Barbaresco DOCG wines need to be aged?
for 2 years before release with 9 months in oak.
Describe labels in Barbaresco
fewer villages listed on the label due to a smaller region than Barolo, but high quality wines will come from a single named vineyard or cru
How are appellations in the wider area around Asti and Alba named in Italy?
majority names after grape variety followed by the nearest town
what is the most widely planted variety in the Asti/Alba area?
Barbera a black grape used in production of Babera d’Asti DOCG (often higher quality) and Babera a’Alba DOC.
Describe characteristics of Barbera grape
late ripening with med to deep color, low to med tannins, and high acidity, aromas of red cherry, and plum, sometimes with black pepper. can be made in two styles: youthful and fruity with no oak influence or barrel aged to give spicy flavors.
Besides Barbera what is another widely planted grape in Asti/Alba?
Dolcette - ripens earlier than both Nebbiolo and Barbera and therefore can be planted in the coolest sites.
Describe wines from Dolcetto d’Alba DOC
produces some of the finest wines. deep often purple color, med to high tannins, and med acidity. display aromas of black plums, red cherries, and dried herbs. both Babera and Dolcetto can be drunk young but the best examples can age for several years. Nebbiolo can also be planted here
What other kind of wine is Asti known for ?
Sparkling from Muscato
Where is Gavi located in Italy?
south eastern Piemonte
where are the vines grown in Gavi?
in hills where the altitude and sea breezes result in long slow ripening of the white grape Cortese.
Describe characteristics of Cortese
high acidity, floral aromas. pale light bodied, citrus, green apples. and pears.
what are typical labelling terms on Gavi wines?
Gavi DOCG or Cortese di Gavi DOCG. if grapes come from Gavi itself can be labeled Gavi di Gavi DOCG.
Describe winemaking process in Gavi
protective, cool fermentation in stainless steel. some producers do use oak vessels for fermentation and less stirring to add complexity.
can Gavi wine age?
most Gavi wines are ready to drink on release but wines from the best producers can age well in bottle.
