Piedmont

Question 1

On either side of this town, lie the villages of Barolo and Barbaresco

Answer 1

Alba

Question 2

The soil around the town of Alba

Answer 2

Clay, limestone, sand

Question 3

the town of Alessandria is best known for these grapes

Answer 3

Barbera and Dolcetto

Question 4

What is an MGA?

Answer 4

a specific cru (vineyard)

Question 5

Why did Barolo and Barbaresco historically require 15 plus years of aging in bottle?

Answer 5

To allow time for the tannins to soften

Question 6

Why were the tannins in Barolo and Barbaresco historically so harsh?

Answer 6

1) nebbiolo is high in tannins
2) nebbiolo is late ripening - in Piedmont’s cool climate, in some years nebbiolo did not have time to fully ripen
3) in Piedmont’s cool cellars, fermentation often stopped and started - giving lots of time for tannins to soak into the wine
4) extended barrel aging desiccated any fruitness in the wine

Question 7

what did Piedmont’s modernist winemakers start practicing in the 1980s?

Answer 7

they began using temp-controlled tanks so that they could ferment Nebbiolo quicker. they began diving the aging of Nebbiolo between barrel and bottle so that the fruit quality was not sacrificed

Question 8

DOCG is Piedmont that makes trad method sparklers with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Answer 8

Alta Langa DOCG