Northern Italy Red Wines

Question 1

Are you doing an amazing job?

Answer 1

Hell yeah you are!

Question 2

What are the four need-to-know red wines located in Piemonte?

Answer 2

1. Dolcetto d’Alba DOC
2. Barbera d’Asti DOCG
3. Barolo DOCG
4. Barbaresco DOCG

Question 3

In which region is Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG produced?

Answer 3

Veneto

Question 4

In which region is Dolcetto d’Alba DOC?

Answer 4

Piemonte

Question 5

Which grape variety makes the traditional, everyday red wines of Piemonte?

Answer 5

Dolcetto

Question 6

What is the largest red wine appellation in Piedmont?

Answer 6

Barbera d’Asti DOCG

Question 7

In which region is Barbera d’Asti DOCG located?

Answer 7

Piemonte

Question 8

What grape variety is Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG famous for?

Answer 8

Nebbiolo

Question 9

In which region is the town of Verona located?

Answer 9

Veneto

Question 10

Dolcetto d’alba DOC overlaps which two other appellations entirely?

Answer 10

Barolo DOCG and Barberesco DOCG

Question 11

TRUE OR FALSE

In Langhe, Dolcetto is well respected for its ability to thrive in cooler and less ideal sites

Answer 11

True - its is planted in areas where Nebbiolo and Barbera would be unable to ripen successfully

Question 12

Which grape has always been given the best vineyard sites in Langhe?

Answer 12

Nebbiolo

Question 13

Which grape has always been given the best vineyard sites in Monferrato?

Answer 13

Barbera

Question 14

How many villages are there in Barolo DOCG?

Answer 14

11

Question 15

How many villages are there in Barbaresco DOCG?

Answer 15

3

Question 16

What are the two official subzones of Valpolicella?

Answer 16

Classico and Valpantena

Question 17

Deriving from the Latin “Vallis-polis cellae” Valpollicella translates to…

Answer 17

The valley of many cellars

Question 18

Which grape is known as “little sweet one”

Answer 18

Dolcetto

Question 19

Which Italian red grape is often compared to Pinot noir for its ability to manifest the nuances of different terroirs

Answer 19

Nebbiolo

Question 20

Valpolicella is made from which three grape varieties?

Answer 20

Corvina, Corinone, Rondinella

Question 21

Which grape variety makes deeply coloured, soft, succulent, mouth-filling wines with fragrant, vinous aromas and a signature bitter-sweet finish?

Answer 21

Dolcetto

Question 22

Which grape variety is hallmarked by deep colour, crisp acidity, soft tannins and bright cherry fruit. It also pioneered ageing in new oak, showcasing the grape’s natural affinity for maturation in wood.

Answer 22

Barbera

Question 23

In which regions is Nebbiolo able to achieve alluring perfume, impressive structure, great complexity and long ageing potential

Answer 23

Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG

Question 24

Which style of wine is dry and strong with soft, velvety tannis, made by appasimento of the grapes.

Answer 24

Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG- it is Valpolicella’s most prestigious and expensive wine.

Question 25

Which red grape often undergoes less than one year of ageing and is usually meant for early drinking?

Answer 25

Dolcetto

Question 26

Which grape ripens the earliest out of Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto?

Answer 26

Dolcetto - it ripens significantly earlier than the other two grapes and the wines are releasaed to market in advance of the other two, making it a welcome source of income while Nebbiolo and Barbera ripen in the cellar.

Question 27

Superior vineyard sites are called what in Piemonte?

Answer 27

Sori (or bricco)

Question 28

Name the two other highly regarded Dolcetto appellations

Answer 28

Dogliani DOCG and Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba DOCG

Question 29

What is the minimum percentage of Barbera required in Barbera d'Asti?

Answer 29

90% - although most examples are 100%

Question 30

Nizza DOCG has a long standing reputation for which high quality wine?

Answer 30

Barbera

Question 31

Which DOC hails from Monferrato and is usually lighter than wine from other Barbera appellations?

Answer 31

Barbera del Monferrato DOC - however, the Superiore DOCG wines tend to be more structured and fuller-bodied.

Question 32

Which wine requires a minimum of 38 months ageing with at least 18 months in oak barrels?

Answer 32

Barolo

Question 33

Which wine requires a minimum of 26 months ageing with at least 9 months in oak barrels?

Answer 33

Barbaresco

Question 34

TRUE OR FALSE | Barbaresco is traditionally considered slightly more approachable, lighter and earlier maturing than Barolo

Answer 34

TRUE

Question 35

Amarone must be aged for at least how long?

Answer 35

2 years

Question 36

Amorone can be produced as Riserva if it is aged for a minimum of how long?

Answer 36

4 years

Question 37

Which wine is a light, zippy, juicy style, redolent of sour red cherry responsible for putting Valpolicella on the map?

Answer 37

Valpolicella DOC

Question 38

Which wine uses a local production technique in which freshly vinified Valpolicella wine is poured through the pomace (vinacce) of Amarone to initiate a re-fermentation

Answer 38

Valpolicella Ripasso DOC

Question 39

Which wine is an ancient, sweet passito red wine made from air dried grapes. It is an intense and complex sweet wine with aromas of ripe berry, dried fruit, maraschino cherry and chocolate.

Answer 39

Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG

Question 40

TRUE OR FALSE | Amarone can be considered a dry version of Recioto

Answer 40

True