Piedmont & Northern Italy

Question 1

Discuss the DOC/DOP laws and the quality levels for Italian wine

Answer 1

Created in 1963
−Based on the French AOC laws
−Created to provide much-needed structure and standards of production

Regional laws established to define:
−Yields
−Grape varieties
−Geographical boundaries
−Viticultural Practices and vinification techniques
−Max/min alcohol levels
−Aging requirements  

Total DOCs: 333 and counting

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita(DOCG)
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)
Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)
Vino da Tavola (VdT) now known as Vino d’Italia

DOC and DOCG wines are now under the EU category of:
DOP(Denominazione di Origine Protetta) or PDO,
IGT wines are under the EU category of:
IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta) or PGI

DOCG

First conceived of in 1963, enacted in 1980

Garantita: wines must be approved by a government tasting panel on an annual basis

Wines follow a > stringent production criteria, including: lower yields, higher planting density, longer aging & higher min. ABV levels

Carry a golden seal label called fascetta or sigillo with an alphanumeric ensuring authenticity
•Initially 3 appellations upgraded to DOCG (Brunello, Barolo & Vino Nobile di Montepulciano)
•Total DOCGs: 75 and counting…

Question 2

Describe the background and impact of the Goria Laws

Answer 2

DOC/DOCG Flaws
Few easily identifiable wine regions (i.e. France) each with recognizable names and wine styles
Geographical boundaries too generous
Permitted yields too high
Prevents experimentation with viticultural techniques, new grape varieties and new wine styles
Over-regulation created wide-scale mediocrity
Ossification results in the Vino da Tavola revolt

Goria Laws enacted in 1992 to address shortcomings of the DOC system
•Introduction of the IGT -Indicazione Geografica Tipica–to address the Vino da Tavola issue
•Producers can petition for DOC status using the IGT designation as a springboard
•Riserva terminology tightened and some marginal vineyard zones axed
•Did not address yield issue

Question 3

Describe the principal grapes of Piedmont and their practical uses at the dining table

Answer 3

White
•Erbaluce
•Cortese (Gavi)
•Arneis (Roero)
•Favorita (Vermentino)

• Chardonnay
• Timorasso
• Moscato Bianco (Moscat a petit grains) (most planted white) Regione di Asti for sparkling

Red
•Nebbiolo (Spanna) (late ripening)
•Barbera (everyday wine for Italians)
•Dolcetto (earliest to ripe)

• Brachetto
• Bonarda

Question 4

Describe the production method of Moscato d’Asti

Answer 4

Made out of Muscat a Petits Grains. Only 5.5% ABV permitted, fermentation halted by cooling the must. No secondary fermentation in the bottle. Filtered before bottling.
Charmant Method.

Question 5

Identify the local synonym for Nebbiolo in the DOCGs of Gattinara and Ghemme

Answer 5

Spanna

Question 6

Note the main quality sparkling wine appellations of Piedmont and their grape

Answer 6

Asti/Moscato d’Asti (largest DOCG producer in Italy)

Grape is Moscato Bianco and can be blended from vast vineyards across the southern provinces of Piedmont. Once pressed, the must is reserved and chilled for batch fermentation throughout the year on demand to offer the freshest bottlings to market. Unlike many sparkling wines, these will only see a single fermentation using the Charmat (or Martinotti) method to avoid any autolytic character from interfering with this wine’s delicate primary fruit and floral aromas.

Question 7

Discuss the important white wine appellations of Piedmont

Answer 7

Gavi (Cortese di Gavi) was the first still white wine in Piedmont to be promoted to the DOCG level.

The appellation is located in the extreme southern portion of Alessandria province and shares its western border with Ovada. Gavi’s dry, mineral-tinged whites are produced from the Cortese grape. Although the wines are generally still (tranquillo), spumante or frizzante versions are sometimes encountered.

Question 8

State the minimum aging requirements in wood and bottle for both Barolo and Barbaresco, respectively

Answer 8

Barolo
Denominazione (Rosso)
Aging requirements:
−Barolo: 38 mos. from Nov. 1 of the harvest year, including 18 in wood ( ≈ 3 years)
−Barolo Riserva: 62 mos. from Nov. 1 of the harvest year, including 18 in wood ( ≈ 5 years)

Barbaresco
Denominazione (Rosso)
Aging requirements:
−Barbaresco: 26 mos. from Nov. 1 of the harvest year, including 9 in wood (≈ 2 years)
−Barbaresco Riserva: 50 mos. from Nov. 1 of the harvest year, including 9 in wood ( ≈ 4 years)

Question 9

Barbera

Answer 9

Barbera, Piedmont’s most planted red grape, demonstrates high acidity but low tannin and is now subject to a range of stylistic interpretations.

Question 10

Dolcetto

Answer 10

Dolcetto, the “little sweet one,” is the earliest to ripen and provides tannic, fruity wines that are lower in acid and are generally designed for youthful consumption.

Question 11

Name Italy’s first mandatory Metodo Tradizionale sparkling wine DOCG

Answer 11

Franciacorta DOCG (Lombardy)

Italy’s first mandatory Metodo Classico sparkling wine DOCG
Franciacorta Satèn: Blanc de Blanc from chardonnay & max. 50% Pinot Bianco, made only Brut with max. 5 atmospheres of pressure and 24 months on lees

Aging Requirements:
Minimum 18 months on lees, total of 25 months after harvest
Millesimato (vintage) 30 months on lees, total of 37 months after harvest
Reserva 60 months on lees, total of 67 months after harvest

Question 12

Recommend a Prosecco DOCG and identify its region and grape

Answer 12

Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG (Veneto)

Sparkling wine made from 85% min. Glera (Prosecco) grape
− Produced in and around the villages of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene
− 43% exported, 10% of which to the US
− Italian Method
− 2nd fermentation in pressurized tanks (Autoclaves)
− Frizzante, and spumante versions
− Brut –up to 12 g/l residual sugar
− Extra Dry –12-17 g/l residual sugar
− Dry –17-32 g/l residual sugar
− Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze “Cru”
− 107 ha of steep hillside vineyards
− Rive
− Indicates steep sloped vineyards
− Hand picked from a single commune

Question 13

Recommend a producer of Franciacorta

Answer 13

Berlucchi

Question 14

Where do you find Amarone della Valpolicella?

Answer 14

Veneto

Question 15

Ripasso and Appassimento?

Answer 15

VENETO

Ripasso

• “re-passed” –the traditional winemaking technique in the Veneto
• Young Valpolicella is refermented over the pressed skins of a previous Amarone and/or Recioto della Valpolicella wine
• Increases alcohol content and gives a dried fruit character to the finished wine

Appassimento
Grapes harvested and dried for several weeks (or as many as 3 months) in special lofts called fruttai
Used to produce passito, recioto and Amarone Wines
Quintarelli–Traditional style
New technology: use of ventilators and dehumidifiers makes process more reliable
Dal Forno Romano – Modern Style

Question 16

difference between Amarone and Recioto

Answer 16

Recioto della Valpolicella is an intensely flavored, sweet red wine made from dried (passito) grapes in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy. … When the drying process is complete, the grapes are gently pressed and the must is fermented until it reaches the desired balance of alcoholic strength and sweetness.

The difference in the production process is in the final part: in Amarone, in fact, all the sugary part contained in the must is transformed into alcohol. The wine is separated from the skins when it finishes fermenting.

In Recioto, fermentation is interrupted halfway in order to obtain a well-structured wine with a lower alcohol content than Amarone but with an important sugar residue so as to have a sweet, dessert wine.

Question 17

Comment on the grapes of Valpolicella, Bardolino, and Amarone

Answer 17

Red wine from (CCRM)

1. Corvina
2. Corvinone (clone)
3. Rondinella
4. Molinara

Question 18

Amarone Producer

Answer 18

Tommasi

Question 19

Describe the main grapes of Soave and Valtellina

Answer 19

Soave -Veneto
Garganega

Valtellina -Piedmont
Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca)

Question 20

Discuss the grape(s) and styles of Lambrusco (various DOCs)

Answer 20

Red and rose sparkling wines from Lambrusco grape
−Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Salamino, Lambrusco Grasparossa
−Dry, amabile and sweet versions

Question 21

Where would you find Ribolla Gialla?

Answer 21

Friuli Venezia Giulia

Question 22

Lombardy Grapes

Answer 22

White
Chardonnay
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Bianco
Lugana (Trebbiano)

Red
Nebbiolo
Pinot Nero (Chievennasca)

Question 23

Friuli Venezia Giulia location

Answer 23

Northeast corner of Italy adjacent to Austria and Slovenia

Question 24

Name one region of Italy where German grapes are common

Answer 24

Trentino Alto-Adige

Over 30% of total production is DOC
Known for high quality varietal wines
Area known for whites but Merlot most widely planted variety
Grape varieties: Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon [Blanc], Chardonnay, Tai (Friulano), Ribolla Gialla and Merlot

Question 25

Trentino Alto-Adige Location and Grapes

Answer 25

Northernmost region in Italy with steep alpine valleys

White
Pinot Grigio
Gewurztraminer
Muller Thurgau
Sauvignon Blanc

Red Grapes
Merlot
Cabernet Franc
Pinot Nero

Question 26

Liguria

Answer 26

Northwest Italy below Piedmont and above Tuscany

Question 27

Valle d’Aosta

Answer 27

Northwest corner of Italy at Swiss/French Border

•Zero DOCGs and only 1 DOC:
Valle d’Aosta DOC