Piedmont

Question 1

What is the river that cuts through the hear of Piedmont?

Answer 1

Po River; flows eastward from its headwaters in the Western Alps, creating a fertile alluvial plain well-suited for agriculture but too rich for viticulture

Question 2

Where does Nebbiolo take its name?

Answer 2

la nebbia; the morning fog that prolongs the grape’s ripening process in the fall

Question 3

What does Dolcetto mean?

Answer 3

Little sweet one

Question 4

What grape is the earliest to ripen, Barbera, Dolcetto, or Nebbiolo?

Answer 4

Dolcetto

Question 5

What is Piedmont’s most planted red grape?

Answer 5

Barbera

Question 6

Besides Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto, name 6 other lesser indigenous red grapes of Piedmont.

Answer 6

Brachetto
Grignolino
Ruché
Croatina
Vespolina
Freisa

Question 7

What is Piedmont’s most planted white grape?

Answer 7

Moscato Bianco (Muscat à Petits Grains)

Question 8

Besides Moscato Bianco, name 4 other white varieties in diminishing order of importance.

Answer 8

Cortese
Arneis
Erbaluce
Favorita (Vermentino)

Question 9

Barolo and Barbaresco are located along what river?; within what province?

Answer 9

Tanaro River; Cuneo Province

Question 10

Barolo and Barbaresco are encapsulated by what larger DOC?

Answer 10

Langhe DOC

Question 11

Barolo may be produced in how many communes?; name the 5 communes that represent almost 90% of the DOCG’s demarcated land.

Answer 11

11 communes

La Morra, Barolo, Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto

Question 12

What is the main soil type of La Morra and Barolo?

Answer 12

Tortonian

Higher proportion of calcareous marl; provide softer style of wine

Question 13

What is the main soil type of Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba?

Answer 13

Serravallian (Helvetian)

Sandstone soils; supply more structure

Question 14

How long must Barolo be aged before release?; how much time in oak?

Answer 14

38 months from Nov 1 of the harvest year
18 months in oak
prior 2010: 3 years, 2 years in oak

Question 15

How long must Barolo Riserva be aged before release?

Answer 15

62 months

18 months in oak

Question 16

Name 3 “traditionalists” of Barolo?

Answer 16

Giacomo Conterno
Bartolo Mascarello
Giuseppe Rinaldi

Question 17

Name 3 “modernists” of Barolo?

Answer 17

Paolo Scavino
Luciano Sandrone
Elio Altare

Question 18

What are common winemaking practices for “traditionalist” producers of Barolo?

Answer 18

Longer periods of aging in large neutral casks, extended macerations of 30-50 days

Question 19

What are common winemaking practices “modernist” producers of Barolo?

Answer 19

Barrique aging, shorter macerations, rounder style of wine

Question 20

How is Barabaresco typically described when compared to Barolo?

Answer 20

slightly lighter body, more elegant

Question 21

Barbaresco production is concentrated in what three towns?

Answer 21

Barbaresco
Neive
Treiso

Question 22

How long must Barbaresco be aged before release?; Barbaresco Riserva?

Answer 22

min 26 months, 9 months in cask

Riserva: min 50 months, 9 months in cask

Question 23

Name 3 quality producers of Barbaresco.

Answer 23

Angelo Gaja - modernist
Bruno Giacosa - traditionalist
Produttori del Barbaresco - local cooperative

Question 24

Name a single vineyard of Barolo.

Answer 24

Cannubi

Question 25

Name a single vineyard of Barbaresco.

Answer 25

Rabaja

Question 26

What is menzioni geografiche aggiuntive?

Answer 26

geographic area

Question 27

What is Barolo Chinato?; name a producer.

Answer 27

DOCG for aromatized Nebbiolo that is flavored with quinine | Cappellano

Question 28

Is Roero DOCG located north or south of the Tanaro River?

Answer 28

northwest; opposite of Barolo and Barbaresco

Question 29

What are the white and red grapes of Roero DOCG?

Answer 29

white: min 95% Arneis red: min 95% Nebbiolo

Question 30

What are the soils of Roero?; how does that affect the wine's style?

Answer 30

sandy soils; provides lighter style of Nebbiolo than Barolo or Barbaresco

Question 31

Name 2 DOCGs for Nebbiolo in the Alto Piemonte region.

Answer 31

Ghemme, Gattinara

Question 32

What is the river that runs through Gattinara and Ghemme?

Answer 32

Sesia River

Question 33

What is Nebbiolo known as in Gattinara and Ghemme?

Answer 33

Spanna

Question 34

Nebbiolo is often blended with what two grapes in Gattinara and Ghemme?

Answer 34

Vespolina Bonarda Ghemme: Bonarda Novarese, or Uva Rara Gattinara: Bonarda di Gattinara

Question 35

Name 3 DOCs in Alto Piemonte based on Nebbiolo.

Answer 35

Lessona DOC Sizzano DOC Carema DOC

Question 36

What were the 1st two DOCGs for Barbera?; what year were they recognized?

Answer 36

Barbera d'Asti | Barbera del Monferrato Superiore

Question 37

What are the aging requirements of Barbera d'Asti vs Barbera del Monferrato Superiore?

Answer 37

Barbera d'Asti: 4 monts, normale | Barbera del Monferrato Superiore: 14 months, 6 months in cask

Question 38

What's the grape of Nizza DOCG?; what year was the region elevated to DOCG?; it was formerly a subzone of what other DOCG?

Answer 38

Barbera 2014 formerly a subzone of Barbera d'Asti

Question 39

Name the 3 DOCGs produced from 100% Dolcetto.; what are the aging requirements for all 3 superiore styles?

Answer 39

Dogliani Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore (Ovada) min 1 year aging for all 3 superiore styles

Question 40

What was the 1st still white wine DOCG in Piedmont?; what's the grape?; what are the permitted styles?

Answer 40

Gavi (Coretese di Gavi); Cortese; still (tranquillo), spumante, frizzante

Question 41

Which is further north, Gavi DOCG or Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG?

Answer 41

Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG

Question 42

What is the largest producer of DOCG wine in Italy?

Answer 42

Asti DOCG; 650,000 hl each year

Question 43

How is Asti usually produced?

Answer 43

2nd fermentation via the Charmat Method

Question 44

Which is frizzante, Asti DOCG, or Moscato d'Asti DOCG?

Answer 44

Moscato d'Asti DOCG; min 2 atmospheres (min 1.7 atm prior 2011)

Question 45

What's the alcohol level of Moscato d'Asti?

Answer 45

between 4.5% and 6.5%

Question 46

What are the grapes and wine style of Alta Langa DOCG?

Answer 46

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay; traditional method sparkling

Question 47

What are the aging requirements for Alta Langa DOCG?

Answer 47

normale: 30 months before release, after date of harvest riserva: 36 months before release

Question 48

In what year was Alta Langa elevated to DOC?; DOCG?

Answer 48

2002 DOC; only 20 ha of experimental planting in 1994 | 2011 DOCG

Question 49

Name two producers of Alta Langa DOCG.

Answer 49

Fontanafredda | Enrico Serafino

Question 50

What's a DOCG for sparkling reds in Piedmont?

Answer 50

Brachetto d'Acqui DOCG | usually sweet, but both dry and still versions exist, very rare

Question 51

How many DOCs/DOCGS are in Piedmont?

Answer 51

17 DOCGs/42 DOCs

Question 52

What are the DOCGs for Barbera?

Answer 52

Nizza DOCG, Barbera d'Asti DOCG, Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG

Question 53

What are the aging requirements for Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG?

Answer 53

Must be superiore, spends 14 months aging before release, including 6 months in cask

Question 54

What is the minimum aging for superiore styles of Dolcetto?

Answer 54

Minimum 10 months

Question 55

Which DOCGs for Dolcetto may be release as normale or superiore?

Answer 55

Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba, Dogliani. (Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore must always be superiore)

Question 56

What DOCGs may include MGAs on their labels?

Answer 56

Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba DOCG

Question 57

How many MGAs are in Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba DOCG?

Answer 57

75

Question 58

What style of wines are produced in Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG?

Answer 58

spumante, still, passito from high acid, herbal scented Erbaluce