Northern Italy Flashcards
What is the Italian term for a PDO?
DOP (Denominazione di Origine Poretta) but the term is seldom used.
What is a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)?
Wines are subject to geographical boundaries as well as limitations on varieties and production methods.
What is a DOCG?
In addition to all DOC requirements they must be bottled in the area of production and are subject to a Ministry of Agriculture tasting.
What is the Italian designation for PGI wines?
IGP
What does Classico designate?
Over time, boundaries of appellations have expanded. Classico acknowledges wines that have been made solely from the original classified land.
What is Reserva?
Acknowledges wines with higher alcohol levels and longer aging requirements.
What natural boundaries define the vineyards in Northern Italy?
They are located on the foothills of the Alps and on the extensive plain of the River Po. Local rivers, including the Po, and glacial lakes, such as Lake Guarda, provide a moderating influence.
What trellising system was traditionally used in Northern Italy?
Pergolas in which a vine canopy was trained high with fruit hanging down below a horizontal canopy of leaves protecting the leaves from sunburn as well as allowing air circulation and minimizing the risk of rot. Now, high density plantings with VSP is more common.
What is Italys most Northerly wine region?
Alto Adige, centered around the town of Bolzano.
Where are the vineyards planted in Alto Adige?
Terraces on the south-east and south-west facing sides of the River Adige.
What is the climate in Alto Adige?
Moderate with short dry summers and low rainfall during the growing season. It has a large diurnal range due to the altitude making it ideal for aromatic whites and elegant, light-bodied reds.
What white wine is Alto Adige known for?
Pinot Grigio.
Describe the characteristics of Pinot Grigio.
Dry, with a light to medium body, high acidity and citrus and green fruit flavors.
What white grapes, other than pinot Grigio, are grown in Alto Adige?
Gewurtztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.
What red wine predominates in Alto Adige?
Schiava.
What are the characteristics of Schiava?
A light fruity wine with low to medium tannins and flavors of raspberries and plums. Almost all wines are Alto Adige DOC.
What wine region is located directly to the south of Alto Adige?
Trentino. The valley is wider here and grapes are planted on the valley floor as well as the slopes. It has dry summers and low rainfall during the rainy season as does Alto Adige but it has a slightly warmer climate due to the more southerly latitude and the mountains to the west protecting it from Lake Garda.
What main white varieties are grown in Trintino?
Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.
How do the grapes from the valley differ from those grown on the hillside in Trintino?
Grapes on the valley floor tend to be medium body with medium acidity and ripe stone fruit flavors. Those from higher altitudes are similar to Alto Adige.
What are the main black varieties in Trintino?
Merlot and Teroldego grown mainly on the mid-slopes and valley floor.
What is the character of the Italian grape Teroldego?
Deep color, medium to high tannins, high acidity and a medium to full body with aromas of black fruit. Normally matured in oak and have the ability to age. Most are labeled under Trintino DOC.
What region is located in northern Italys eastern corner?
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in the foothills of the Alps.
What is the climate of Friuli-Venezia Giulia?
Moderate Continental cooled by cold air from the mountains. The vineyards in the south are on a flat plain near the Adriatic Sea and experience a warm maritime climate.
What is the most prevalent white wine in Friuli?
Pinot Grigio. Some of the richest in Italy. Medium to full bodied with juicy peach and tropical fruit.
What is the most planted black variety in Friuli?
Merlot.
Describe a Friuli Merlot?
Medium bodied, medium acidity and tannins. Ripe red fruit often with a hint of spice from oak.
Describe Friulano, another widely grown grape in Friuli.
A white wine with medium to high acidity, medium body and aromas of pears, red apples and herbs.
How are wines from the plains of Friuli labeled?
Friuli Grave DOC. They tend to be white and made in a simple, fruity style.
What are the regions of Collio DOC and Colli Orientali DOC known for?
Located in the hills, they are known for premium, more concentrated white wines. Colli Orientali is also known for its reds.
Where is the Veneto located?
One of the largest regions, it stretches from the southern end of Lake Garda in the west to Venice in the east and from the foothills of the Alps in the north to the flat plains of the Po in the south.
What is the climate of the Veneto?
Warm with moderate rainfall. Cooling influences come from altitude exposing the foothills to a large diurnal temperature range. Lake Garda cools the vineyards in the west. The flat plain is affected by moist air from the River Po so disease and rot can be a problem.
What type of wines are produced from the flat, fertile plain?
Inexpensive, high volume brands growing international varieties such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Merlot and Italian grapes like Corvina, Garganega and Trebbiano. They are usually simple and fruity and labeled Veneto IGT.
What is the sparkling wine DOC, the greater part of which is in Veneto?
Prosecco.
What is the main white grape in Soave?
Garganega. A white wine with medium to high acidity, medium body, and aromas of pears, red apple and stone fruit. Sometimes white pepper. No new oak.
Where is Soave?
East of Verona. It has two parts: foothills to the north and a flat plain to the south.
How do the wines from the foothills and plains differ?
The soils on the foothills are limestone and clay with some volcanic rocks. They are naturally cool and with the altitude, slow down ripening, leading to grapes with full flavor ripeness yet high acidity.
The plain has sandy, alluvial soils that aid ripening so the grapes are fruitier with medium acidity and are meant to be drunk young.
What are the characteristics of Garganega?
Medium to high acidity, medium body, aromas of pears, red apple, stone fruit and sometimes white pepper. No flavor of new oak. Developed they can have aromas of almonds and honey.
How are wines from Soave labeled?
Soave DOC for the entire region, but the foothills can be labeled Soave Classico DOC.
Where is the region of Valpolicella?
North-west of Verona and has a similar topography to Soave.
What is the main grape in Valpolicella?
Corvina, an Italian grape native to the region with a thin skin, moderate color, low to medium tannins and high acidity. In order to increase the color and tannins other local varieties can be added.
How are wines from Valpolicella labeled?
Valpolicella DOC. But wines from the foothills can be labeled Valpolicella Classico DOC.
Describe a Valpolicella.
Simple and fruity with light tannins. Red cherry flavors. rarely oaked and made to drink immediately.
Soave and Valpolicella are part of what region?
Veneto.
Why is the Passito method widely used in Veneto?
To increase structure and flavor concentration (and color in red wine).
When using the Passito method when are the grapes picked and why?
Early when they are still high in acidity, and dried indoors concentrating the sugars and flavors. They are not fermented until winter.
What are the two types of Passito wine in Valpolicella?
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG and Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG.
Describe an Amarone della Valpolicella.
Dry or off dry. Full-bodied, high alcohol, medium to high tannins and intensely concentrated red berry and spice flavors. Usually aged in large oak casks.
Describe a Recioto della Valpolicella.
Made from grapes so sweet the fermentation stops naturally. Intense red fruit flavors, high alcohol, full body, medium to high tannins.
What is a Recioto di Soave DOCG?
A sweet white wine from Soave made in the same style as a Recioto della Valpolicella.
What is the ripasso method?
It uses grape skins from fermenting Amarone della Valpolicella. Shortly before the fermentation finishes the Amarone is drained off the skins. The unpressed skins are then added to a vat of Valpolicella that has finished fermentation. Transferred yeasts ferment the remaining sugar on the Amarone skins, which provide more color, flavor and tannins to the wine.
How are ripasso wines labled and what are their characteristics?
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC. Medium to full bodied with medium to high tannins and flavors of stewed red cherries and plums.
What is the name of the wine region in Italy’s northwest corner?
Piemonte.
What is the climate of Piemonte?
Moderate Continental with long, cold winters and summers subject to thunderstorms, hail and fog. Mountains to the north provide a rain shadow. Moderating influences come from the Po river in the south and Lake Maggorie in the north. It is noted for its foothills.
What are the main black grapes in Piemonte?
Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto.
What are the main white varieties in Piemonte?
Cortese and Moscato (Muscat).
What are the two most prestigious wine regions in Piemonte?
Borolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG, locatd south of Turin around Asti and Alba.
What are the IGT or IGP’S for the region?
They have none. All receive either DOC or DOCG status.
What is the only variety allowed in Barolo?
Nebbiolo.
What are the characteristics of Borolo?
A black variety with high levels of acidity and tannin, but little color. They ripen slowly developing perfumed aromas of sour cherries, herbs, and sometimes dried flowers.
What is required for a village name to appear on the label?
The grapes must be source purely from that area. The name of the Cru (vineyard) may also appear on the label.
When Dolcetto or Barbara are grown, how are they labeled?
The generic Alba DOC.
What are the aging requirements for releasing Borolo?
3 years, 18 months of which must be in oak. Improvements in vineyard management have reduced the length of time Borolos are aged before release.
How does Barbaresco differ from Borolo?
Smaller, south facing slopes at lower altitudes.
Describe the differences between a Nebbiolo grown in Borolo and Barbaresco.
Nebbiolo ripens earlier in Barbaresco due to lower altitude and influence from a local river. Its fruitier and less perfumed, but has similar acidity and tannins.
What are the aging requirements to release a Barbaresco?
Two years, with 9 months in Oak.
What are the characteristics of the Barbara grape?
Late ripening, medium to deep color, low to medium tannins, high acidity. It displays aromas of red cherries and plums, and sometimes black pepper.
Describe the two styles of Barbara wines.
Youthful and fruity with no oak, or barrel aged to give spicy flavor.
Between Barbara d’Alba DOC and Barbara d’Asti DOCG, which is generally regarded as higher quality?
Barbara d’Asti DOCG.
Around Asti and Alba, what other black grape is widely planted?
Dolcetto. It’s earlier ripening than Nebbiolo or Barbera and therefore can be planted in the coolest sites.
What DOC produces the finest Dolcettos?
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC.
Describe a Dolcetto?
Deep, often purple, color, medium to high tannins, medium acidity. Aromas of black plums, red cherries and dried herbs.
Besides Barbera and Dolcetto, what other wine is Asti famous for?
Sparkling wines made from Moscato.
Where is Gavi located?
South-eastern Piemonte, where the altitude and sea breezes result in long, slow ripening.
What is the principal grape of Gavi?
Cortese.
What are the characteristics of Cortese?
High acidity, floral character. Pale and light bodied. Flavors of citrus, green apples and pears.
How are wines from Gavi labeled?
Gavi DOCG or Cortese di Gavi DOCG. If the grapes come from the town of Gavi, Gavi di Gavi DOCG.
