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CMS - Certified > Piedmont > Flashcards

Piedmont Flashcards

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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) flashcards
1
Q

Describe Piedmont’s geography

A

Cradled on 3 sides by mountains: alps & apennines
Broad Po River Valley too fertile for viticulture
Vines planted south on foothills
Spread between Asti, Cuneo, & Alessandria

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2
Q

What is the climate of piedmont?

A

Continental, with slight rain shadow effect from Alps.

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3
Q

On which hills are vines planted between the Cuneo, Alessandria, & Asti?

A

The Monferrato & Langhe hills

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4
Q

What is the dominant soil type of Piedmont?

A

Thin, calcareous marl & sandstone with varying degrees of sand & clay.

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5
Q

What’s the biggest weather hazard in Piedmont & how did barbaresco producers historically attempt to thwart it?

A

Autumn hail - by firing cannons into threatening cloud formations to disperse them!

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6
Q

What is the prized aspect in the Langhe & Monferrato hills, and what’s most planted there?

A

South-facing exposures, or “sori”
Nebbiolo

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7
Q

What is nebbiolo named after?

A

Little fog, either for the grape’s ashen thin skin or the morning fogs that help the grape slow its ripening into autumn.

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8
Q

Describe nebbiolo

A

thin-skinned, high tannin, high alcohol, with high aromatic complexity & ageability.

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9
Q

What was the 1431 Statute of Mora & why does it matter?

A

It decreed that uprooting grape vines in Langhe was punishable from losing one’s right hand to losing one’s life. It demonstrates that nebbiolo has long been recognized as very valuable in Piedmont.

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10
Q

What are the 3 important red grapes of piedmont and in what order do they ripen?

A

Dolcetto, Barbera, & Nebbiolo, in that order.

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11
Q

What is dolcetto named for and what are its qualitites?

A

“Little sweet one”, is a sweet, tannic, lower-acid, young wines.

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12
Q

What is piedmont’s most planted grape and what are its characteristics?

A

Barbera, typically high acid but low tannin.

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13
Q

What are piedmont’s secondary red grapes?

A

Brachetto, Grignolino, Ruchè, Croatina, Vespolina, Freisa

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14
Q

What is the most planted white grape of piedmont? For what production?

A

Moscato bianco (muscat a petit grains), most of which goes into asti wines, often sparkling.

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15
Q

What are the secondary white grapes of Piedmont?

A

Cortese, Arneis, Erbaluce, Favorita

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16
Q

What is Favorita a Piedmont synonym for?

A

Vermentino

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17
Q

Are international grapes grown in Piedmont?

A

Yes, but they’re limited to obscure DOCs

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18
Q

How many DOCs and DOCGs are there in Piedmont? Why is this significant?

A

41 DOCs and 19 DOCGs, the most of any region of italy.
DOC & DOCG wine makes up nearly half of Piedmont’s production, making it a prestige region.

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19
Q

Where are Barolo & Barbaresco located within Piedmont?

A

In the Cuneo province, along the Tanaro river, within the Langhe DOC.

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20
Q

What are the hallmark characteristics of Barolo & Barbaresco?

A

Aromas of tar, roses, truffle, & dried fruit. Moderate color concentration with orange tinge even in youth.

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21
Q

Broadly, how do Barbaresco & Barolo differ in taste profile?

A

Barolo is more powerful & ageworthy, Barbaresco softer & more feminine

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22
Q

How many communes of Barolo? Which are the big 5 that make up 90% of DOCG land?

A
  1. La Morra, Barolo, Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto
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23
Q

Why is aspect crucial in Barolo?

A

You need an ideal aspect to get Nebbiolo fully ripe.

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24
Q

What are the two main soil types of Barolo? Which of the big 5 contain which?

A

Tortonian Soils: more calcareous marl, resulting in softer wine.
La Morra & Barolo.

Serravallian (Helvetian) Sandstone Soils: resulting in more structured wines of Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba, & Castiglione Falletto.

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25
Q

What were the aging rules prior to and after 2010 for Barolo?

A

Old: 3 years aged, 2 in oak or chestnut casks.

New: 38 mo total aging (starting Nov 1 after harvest), 18 in oak

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26
Q

What are the additional requirements for Barolo Riserva?

A

62 mo total aging prior to release

27
Q

What winemaking change of the 1980s caused a split between traditionalist and modernist producers?

A

Modernists opted for shorter mascerations and barriques for rounder, more approachable, younger-drinking styles, while traditionalists continued to do 30-50 days extended maceration and extended aging in big neutral casks that meant wine should be cellared for years before enjoyed.

28
Q

Who were the modernists vs the traditionalists in Barolo?

A

Modernists: Paolo Scavino, Luciano Sandrone, Elio Atare

Traditionalists: Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello, Giuseppe Rinaldi

29
Q

What 4 towns make Barbaresco? Which one is only a minor player?

A

Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso, & Alba, but Alba is minor.

30
Q

What are the rules for aging Barbaresco?

A

26 mo total from Nov 1 after harvest
9 mo minimum in oak

31
Q

What is the additional requirement for Barbaresco riserva?

A

50 mo total aging

32
Q

Is Barbaresco an historic wine? Why or why not?

A

No, it’s a 20th century phenomenon thanks to modernist Gaja’s gorgeous wines & to a lesser extent, those of traditionalist Bruno Giacosa.

33
Q

What’s a great way to experience Barbaresco terroir without buying Gaja?

A

The Produttori del Barbaresco is a cooperative that offers great value and highlights terroir.

34
Q

In what ways are Barolo & Barbaresco like Burgundy?

A

Elegant, complex wines from finicky grape in tricky climate
Complex, diverse soils, and importance of single vineyard terroir.
Negociants outshined by domaine bottlings
In 2007 & 2010, crus in Barbaresco & Barolo became legally official.

35
Q

What are examples of Barolo & Barbaresco Crus?

A

Cannubi in Barolo, Rabajà in Barbaresco

36
Q

What is Barolo Chinato? Key producer to know?

A

a curiosity, an aromatized wine made with quinine that was once looked down on by the wine press but is now surging in popularity with somms. Cappellano.

37
Q

Where is the Roero DOCG located within Piedmont?

A

On the NW Bank of the Tanaro river, opposite Barolo & Barbaresco

38
Q

What rules govern Roero DOCG?

A

Reds from at least 95% Nebbiolo
Whites from at least 95% Arneis

39
Q

When was Roero elevated from DOC to DOCG?

A

2004

40
Q

How does Roero Nebbiolo differ from Barolo & Barbaresco?

A

Sandier soils and modern winemaking techniques are producing lighter wines.

41
Q

Where are Gattinara & Ghemme located within Piedmont?

A

In the hills north of the Po River, on either side of the Sesia River

42
Q

What rules govern the Gattinara & Ghemme DOCG? How does this make for a different expression of Nebbiolo?

A

Nebbiolo may be blended with a little Vespolina and Bonarda, which makes these wines even lighter and more acid-focused.

43
Q

What is a synonym for Nebbiolo in Gattinara & Ghemme?

A

Spanna

44
Q

Is the Bonarda blending partner of Gattinara & Ghemme the same as the Bonarda of Argentina and California?

A

No, it’s 2 clones of an unrelated variety: Bonarda Novarese and Bonarda di Gattinara.

45
Q

What are the 2 similar nebbiolo regions neighboring Ghemme?

A

Lessona and Sizzano DOCs

45
Q

Where is Carema DOC and how are its wines unique

A

Near the border of Valle D’Aosta
Very aromatic especially in warm vintages.

46
Q

What happened to Barbera in 2008?

A

It gained DOCG status with serious, modern wines in Barbera d’Asti & Barbera del Monferrato Superiore.

47
Q

What rules govern Barbera d’Asti?

A

Normale wines aged for 4 months

48
Q

What rules govern Barbera del Monferrato Superiore?

A

14 months aging, 6 in cask.

49
Q

What rules govern Nizza DOCG? Where is it located? Why was its promotion to DOCG in 2014 significant?

A

100% varietal Barbera wines, within Barbera d’Asti.
It was the first DOCG promotion after 3 years of silence post EU reforms.

50
Q

What is the non-Barbera DOCG of the Monferrato Hills? What rules govern this DOCG?

A

Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato. It makes aromatic reds from Ruchè, which either got its name for its resistance to viral roncet or its arrival to Piedmont alongside French Monks who dedicated the region’s medieval monastery to St. Rocco.

51
Q

What are the 3 DOCGs in Piedmont for Dolcetto?

A

Dogliani DOCG
Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba DOCG
Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG

52
Q

What are the superiore requirements for Dolcetto DOCGs? Do all 3 DOCGs allow normale & superiore wines?

A

10 months of aging and higher abv. Normale versions are not allowed in the Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG

53
Q

What’s unique about the Diano d’Alba DOCG?

A

It allows addition of 75 soris on the label, like Barolo & Barbaresco.

54
Q

Who made Dogliani DOCG famous?

A

Former Italian President of 1948, Luigi Einaudi

55
Q

What does dolcetto taste like?

A

Sweet black fruit in a rustic frame, though more polished and denser versions are made.

56
Q

What was the first still white wine to be promoted to DOCG in Piedmont? Where is it located?

A

Gavi, from the Cortese grape, in the extreme southern portion of Alessandria, with Ovada to the West.

57
Q

Where is Erbaluce di Caluso located? What are its DOCG rules and when was it elevated from DOC?

A

Just south of Carema.
Elevated in 2010
herbal, aromatic whites that can be tranquillo, spumante, or passito, but especially praised for passito.

58
Q

What region in piedmont produces the most DOCG wine in Italy? What are its rules?

A

Asti! Only white, spumante wines from moscato bianco sourced all over the region. Juice is kept chilled for asti method bottling throughout the year.

59
Q

What is different about Moscato d’Asti?

A

It’s a rarer, more artisinal Asti wine using riper moscato grapes
It is also low alcohol (4.5-6.5) and low pressure, frizzante.

60
Q

What rules govern the Alta Langa DOCG and what region could you compare it to?

A

Traditional method sparklers from Pinot and Chardonnay.
Can be described as Asti’s more serious neighbor or likened to Champagne or Franciacorta.

Regular Alta Langa spends 30 months en tirage, while riserva versions require a whole 3 years!

60
Q

What is the recently promoted subzone of Asti with the same rules?

A

Canelli DOCG

61
Q

Is Alta Langa an historically significant region? Why or why not?

A

No. While international varieties were first planted in piedmont in the 1800s, Alta Langa went from 20 ha of scarce experimental plantings in 1994, to a new DOC in 2002, to DOCG in 2011. It’s a shooting star heavily influenced by star winemakers like Fontanafredda & Enrico Serafino, who aim to make their bubbles world-renowned.

62
Q
A

CMS - Certified (29 decks)

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