Piedmount And Northwest Italy Flashcards
Describe the region of Piedmont.
Situated in the foothills of the Alps, just south of France, Piedmont is a hilly region where only 5% of vines are grown in vineyards that have officially been designated as flat. The slopes face in all directions creating multiple microclimates with their own elevation and aspect. The region is dominated by small family farms and producers.
What are the most distinguished sites in Piedmont referred to as? What does this mean?
Sori or Bricco: Used to note an exceptional vineyard with a south-facing slope allowing for additional sunlight to fully ripen grapes.
What are the main varietal(s) of Piedmont?
Nebbiolo
Barbera
Dolcetto
Describe the nine characteristics of Italy’s Nebbiolo grape
Late ripening varietal that requires warmer, better exposed sites to fully ripen. The best wines tend to come from slopes with a southern tilt that are not to high in elevation- about 490- 1,150 feet.
Produced at its best, is capable of producing the biggest, most full bodied wines in the world with intense concentration and firm tannins. Nebbiolo also contains wonderful acidity, therefore a tremendous food wine, pairing wonderfully with hearty red meats and heavy sauces.
Due to the massive tannins that Nebbiolo may display in its youth, wines made from this varietal are often described as big and robust though, they have more in common with top Pinot Noir from Cote de Nuits than Bordeaux, Chateunuef-du-Pape, or Cote Rotie and very different from bold Napa Cabernet or Australian Shiraz.
Nebbiolo is particularly well suited to Piedmontese fare of robust meats, hearty pastas, and rich risottos.
The flavor and aroma profiles include dark fruit, primarily blackberry and loads of complex flavors including smoke, tar, licorice and rustic notes.
The only grape permitted in DOCG wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, and the Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC.
It is known as Spanna in Gattinara and Ghemme where some blending is allowed.
The Langhe designation has been used by producers such as Gaja to get around strict DOCG requirements in Barolo and Barbaresco.
Nebbiolo is rarely grown outside of the Piemont region.
Describe the seven characteristics of the Barbera grape.
Peidmont’s most widely planted red grape (3rd in all of Italy), Barbera is a vigorous vine that grows well in many locations. Generally planted on sites too cool or underexposed for Nebbiolo.
Outside of Piedmont it is typically used for blending, adding lively acidity.
Though relatively rare, Barbera is grown internationally including significant planting in California’s Central Valley into the Sierra Foothills.
Generally produced in a light to medium body style with aromas and flavors cherry and red berries. Typically possesses high- acidity with low tannins making it a terrific wine for everyday foods such as pizza and pasta with tomato based sauces.
Examples from top producers may be produced in a medium-to-full bodied style with some oak aging.
DOC wines will be labeled with the varietal and region such as Barbera d’Alba and Barbera d’Asti.
Varietal labeled wines may come from any region.
Describe the four characteristics of the Dolcetto grape.
Early ripening varietal characterized by low acidity and soft tannins.
Dolcetto means “little sweet one” though the origin of the name is not clear. They are rarely produced in a truly “sweet” style.
DOC wines will include varietal and the village of origin such as Dolcetto d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Alba and Dolcetto d’Acqui.
Three villages focus only on the Dolcetto grape and have received DOCG status- Dogliani DOCG, Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG, and Diano d’Alba DOCG.
Describe the three characteristics of the Arneis grape.
Mostly produced in the hills of Reoro northwest of Alba.
Means rascal in the Piedmontese dialect.
Dry, lively whites, medium to full bodied, with pear and apricot flavors.
Describe the two characteristics of the Cortese grape.
Native to Piemont, Cortese is the grape used to produce the wines of Gavi (including Gavi di Gavi).
Very dry and crisp. With citrus and mineral notes.
What are the main varietal(s) in the Barolo DOCG?
Nebbiolo
Where is Barolo DOCG located?
In the Langhe hills, southwest of Alba in Piedmont.
What is the Barolo DOCG known as? Who else may hold claim to that title?
The king of wines, the wine of kings
Brunello di Montalcino
Barolo DOCG wines display what characteristics?
Wines display massive tannins and matching acidity that historically required 10- 15 years of aging to arrive at its optimal state of balance.
What were the so called “Barolo Wars”?
The so called Barolo Wars in the 70s- 80s led some winemakers (Ceretto, Altare and Ratti were among the leaders) to begin employing modern/ international techniques and temperature controlled fermentation, shorter maceration periods and smaller and smaller french barriques to ameliorate the natural tannins of the Nebbiolo grape. This led to a dived between modern and traditional producers though over the years more of these methods have been universally adopted in the region, narrowing the differences between these groups.
What does the new modern approach to producing Nebbiolo do for the wine?
Allows them to be drunk earlier while still aging gracefully.
What is the history of the Barolo zone in the context of DOC/G designation?
Originally established in 1896 to include the communes of Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione, Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba and the northern half of Monforte d’Alba. This was expanded to 11 villages, townships or communes when the region was established as a DOC in 1966 and remained unchanged when granted DOCG status in 1980. The vast majority of Barolo production (-87%) is still centered in the original zone, often described as the heart of the Barolo zone.
