Piemonte Flashcards
The defining River of Piemonte.
Po River
The capitol city of Piemonte?
Turin
What is the “Risorgimento?” When did it take place?
A) Italian unification
B) 1848-1871
Piemonte was annexed from France in this year?
1798
In this year, the Congress of Vienna established Piemonte as an independent kingdom? Which additional territories were included?
A) 1815
B) Sardinia, Nice, Genoa
Barolo and Barbaresco were granted DOC status in?
1966
Barolo & Barbaresco were promoted to DOCG in?
1980
Nebbiolo represents what percentage of plantings in Piemonte?
10%
Muscat Petit à Grains is known as what in Piemonte?
Moscato Bianco
What is Nebbiolo known as in Piemonte? Valle d’Aosta? Lombardy?
Spanna. Chiavanesca. Picontendro.
The most widely planted red variety in Piemonte?
Barbera
Where in Italy would you find Ruche?
Piemonte. Castagnola.
Palaverga is found where in Italy?
Verduno. Piemonte.
The elevation range in which most-prized Nebbiolo vineyards are planted?
150m-400m
Barbera & Dolcetto are typically planted facing in these directions?
East & West
What do you find planted on north-facing slopes in Piemonte?
Chardonnay & Pinot noir
Which classification does not exist in Piemonte?
IGT
How many DOC/DOCGs exist in Piemonte?
42/17
Where would you find the Canavese DOC?
Piemonte
Who invented vermouth? When?
Carpano. 1786.
Alba truffle season is during these months?
October & November
This variety is the first to break bud and the last to ripen in Piemonte?
Nebbiolo
Name the eleven communes within the Barolo DOCG.
La Morra
Castiglione Faletto
Barolo
Monforte d’Alba
Serralunga d’Alba
Novello
Grinzane Cavour
Verduno
Cherasco
Roddi
Diano d’Alba
Name the two common clones of Nebbiolo in the Langhe. List advantages of each.
A) Michet: disease-resistant, small berries
B) Limpia: most widely-planted, more productive, reliable
Discuss the soil type of Barolo/La Morra. In what conditions does it excel?
Tortonian, calcareous marl. Dry and drought years given it’s higher water holding capacity.
Discuss the soils of Serralunga/Castiglione/Monoforte.
Helvetian (Serravalian) Sandstone. Well- drained producing more structured, slowly evolving wines
A historic, dry rose made from the Nebbiolo?
Chiaretto
In 1844, who produced the first dry, Nebbiolo wine of Barolo?
Camillo Benso
Name two of Barolo’s earliest non-negociant producers?
Cavolotto & Bartolo Mascarello
Vineyard designate wines first started to appear in Barolo when? With who?
a)1960s
b) Gaja, Giacosa
Most Nebbiolo vineyards in Barolo are planted within this elevation range?
250-450m
Which is the largest commune in Barolo in terms of planted acreage?
La Morra (479ha)
Give advantages/disadvantageto La Morra’s high clay content.
a) Reliable in drought years
b) Wet vintages complicate ripening and see increased disease pressure
Name an Oddero MGA wine from La Morra?
Bussia
When did Oddero first begin making wine? When did Oddero split? Name the second winery resulting from the split?
a) 1878
b) 2005
c) Figli Luigi Oddero
Talk about Elio Altare. Name two cru wines.
a) Based in La Morra. Pushed father to stop selling fruit in the 60s & 70s. Integrated modern, international winemaking techniques.
b) Cerreta (Serralunga), Arborina (La Morra)
Discuss unique practices at Voerzio.
Heavy green harvesting. Early picking resulting from decreased yields. Shorter macerations. Moves wines to tank 6-8mos before bottling.
Name (3) Voerzio cru wines from La Morra. What is significant about Fossati Casa Nere?
Cerrequio, Brunate, La Serra, Fossati Casa Nere (aged 7 years in bottle), Rocche dell Annunziata
Where did Elvio Cogno make wines before his eponymous estate?
Marcarini
Cantina Mascarello was founded when?
1920
Average maceration legnth at B. Mascarello?
40-50 days
Name the four crus that contribute to Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.
Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Rue, Rocche (La Morra)
Discuss G. Rinaldi’s top wines.
a) Brunate (w/ allowed 15% Le Coste; post MGA assignments in 2010)
b) Tre Tine (Le Coste, Ravera, Cannubi San Lorenzo)
In which commune is Brezza located? Name their two cru bottlings.
a) Barolo
b) Sarmassa, Cannubi
Where did Luciano Sandrone work before starting his eponymous winery?
Borgogno & Marchesi di Barolo
Is Sandrone considered a traditionalist/modernist?
Modernist; short macreations (10-14 days), aging in Tonneaux (500L, 20-25% new)
Where is the Elvio Cogno estate located? Where did he make the wines prior to? Name two Cogno wines.
a) Novello
b) Marcarini
c) Ravera, Bricco Pernice (within Ravera)
Describe the soils of Castiglione Faletto.
Serevellian sandstone layered over marl. Contains Barolo’s highest concentration of sand.
The former monopole of Cavolotto? Found in which commune?
a) Briccho Boschis
b) Castiglione Faletto
Who was the first to begin estate bottling in Castiglione Faletto?
Cavolotto
He was the first to draw up the classification of Barolo’s vineyards?
Renando Ratti
What is significant about Cavolotto’s Bricco Boschis “Vigna San Giuseppe?”
Made from the oldest vines in Briccho Boschis planted in 1971
This winery was the first to introduce roto-fermenters in Barolo? Who followed shortly after?
a) Paolo Scavino
b) Elio Altare
List three Scavino cru wines.
Rocche delle Annunziata (La Morra), Cannubi (Barolo), Fiasco (Castiglione di Faletto)
When was G. Mascarello first founded? When was acreage in Monprivato first purchased?
a) 1881
b) 1904
Discuss G. Mascarello Monprivato “Ca d’Morrisio”
A small section contained within Monprivato, Massale propogation of Michet, made only in top vintages
Aside from Monprivato, name two other G. Mascarello cru wines.
a) Villero (CdF)
b) Perno (MdA)
Which of the communes in Barolo produces the most wine by volume?
La Morra
This is the warmest commune in all of Barolo?
Serralunga d’Alba
How are the best parcels in Serralunga d’Alba situated?
a) High elevation, south-facing (though SE facing sites are becoming more desirable with temperatures rising)
This is the oldest estate in Serralunga? Who now owns the winery?
a) Fontanafredda
b) Eataly
What is “Mezzadria.”
Form of historical sharecropping in Barolo.
This winery was responsible for the invention of Chinato? Roughly when?
a) Cappellano
b) Early 20th century
The two wines from Cappellano in Serralunga? Both come from this cru?
a) Otin Fiorin Pie Franco (ungrafted section of the vineyard planted in ‘89)
b) Otin Fiorin Pie Rustris (80yr old vines)
c) Gabbutti
In which commune is Cascina Francia found?
Serralunga d’Alba
Talk about sourcing for Monfortino. When was the first vintage made? The first vintage from Cascina Francia?
The first five decades in which the wine was produced (1924-1977), fruit was purchased from multiple sources and bottled as Riserva. From ‘78-‘14, the wine was made from Francia. In 2015, neighboring vineyard Arione was purchased and fruit began being used in the blend.
This is the most recent wine to appear in the G. Conterno lineup.
Cerretta (2010)
The relationship between Aldo and Giovanni Conterno.
Brothers
Where aside Italy did Aldo Conterno spend time that was influential in his winemaking style?
Napa Valley
Discuss the Aldo Conterno approach to winemaking.
Shorter maceration times, pump overs, slovenian cask aging
The three MGAs within Bussia that A. Conterno works with? His top wine?
a) Cicala, Colonello, Romarisco
b) Gran Bussia (a blend of the three)
Where is Fernando Principiano found? Making wines from these communes?
a) Monforte
b) Monforte & Serralunga
Where is Dominico Clerico found?
Monforte d’Alba
Name two producers in Verduno.
Comm G.B. Burlotto, Castello di Verduno, Fratelli Allesandria
Name a winery that utilizes vineyards in Grinzane Cavour.
La Spinetta
The smallest commune of Barolo?
Cherasco
Which commune in Barolo was the last to be included within its geographic confines?
Diano d’Alba
The last commune(s) added to the Barbaresco DOCG. When?
Treiso (1957), San Rocco Seno d’Elvio (1957)
Roughly how many ha is the Barbaresco DOCG?
700ha
Discuss aging requirements for wines from the Barbaresco DOCG.
26mos in total (from 11/1), 9mos in wood, 50mos for Riserva
Which country is the leading consumer of wines from Barabersco?
United States
Who was Domino Cavazza?
Director of Alba’s Royal Enology School (1880s), founder of the Cantine Sociale del Barbaresco (1894)
This in 1925 had a devastating effect on viticulture in Barbaresco?
Mussolini “Grain Campaign”
This cooperative helped to revitalize the reputation of Barbaresco in the 1950s? The managing director?
a) Produttori (1958)
b) Aldo Vaca
The Po is to Barolo as the _______________ is to Barbaresco?
Tanaro
When does Barbaresco riper relative to Barolo?
About a week earlier.
The elevation range in which most Barbaresco vineyards are found within?
200-350m
The MGA classification of Barbaresco took place between?
2007-2009
The most productive commune in Barbaresco DOCG?
Barbaresco (35%)
The oldest winery in the Barbaresco DOCG?
Angelo Gaja (1859)
In what vintage did the Gaja “Sori” wines first appear?
1967 (released in 1970)
What is “Rittocchino?”
The practice of planting vineyard rows that run up the slope as opposed to across them.
Angelo Gaja pulled his cru expressions out of the Barbaresco DOCG in? Reasoning?
a) 1996
b) Small additions of Barbera were made to the wines which the DOCG prohibited
Name four Produttori cru wines.
Ovello, Montesetfano Riserva, Rio Sordo, Asilli, Rabaja, Paje
Three features of Roagna viti/vini-culture that contribute to their lauded wines?
a) Vine age averages 60+ years
b) Macerations last between 70-100 days
c) Minimum cask aging for wines is 5yrs though most spend far beyond even that
Roagna’s top wine made in only the best vintages?
Crichet Paje
Name Roagna’s cru wine from Barolo DOCG.
La Pira
Name three Roagna cru wines in Barbaresco DOCG.
Paje, Asilli, Montefico
In which commune would you find Cantina del Pino?
Barbaresco
The most-planted variety in Nieve?
Moscato Bianco
The soil composition of Neive?
Calcareous marl
Talk about the early beginnings of Bruno Giacosa.
Began work as a negociant with his father in 1944. Created the Bruno Giacosa firm in 1960. Produced first Barbaresco in ‘61; first Barolo in ‘64. Purchased Faletto (Serralunga) in ‘82.
Three Giacosa cru bottlings. One Barolo cru bottling.
a) Rabaja, Asilli, Santo Stefano
b) Faletto
Where is the Pajore vineyard?
Treiso, Barbaresco
Which commune are the following MGAs found in?
a) Ovello
b) Asilli
c) Albesani
d) Paje
e) Santo Stefano
f) Montestefano
g) Rabaja
h) Rio Sordo
i) Martinenga
j) Starderi
k) Gallina
l) Pajore
m) Marcarini
a) Barbaresco
b) Barbaresco
c) Neive
d) Barbaresco
e) Neive
f) Barbaresco
g) Barbaresco
h) Barbaresco
i) Barbaresco
j) Neive
k) Neive
l) Treiso
m) Treiso
Which commune are the following MGAs located in?
a) La Serra
b) Briccho Boschis
a)
b)
Which commune is Sottimano located in?
Neive
This commune has the highest average elevation in Barabresco DOCG?
Treiso
Where is Pio Cesare found?
Treiso
This is Piedmont’s largest appellation by volume?
Moscato d’Asti DOCG
Who was Carlos Gancia?
Credited with bringing secondary fermentation in bottle to Piemonte (1870s)
Which two series of hills is the Asti DOCG nestled between?
Langhe & Monferatto
What is unique in the way by which Moscato d’Asti is released?
Press juice is sterile-filtered. Secondary fermentation only ignited upon demand to maintain the wine’s freshness.
Federico Martinetti can be credited with?
Tank fermentation
Minimum potential must weight for Asti DOC? What is the finished ABV of the wines?
a) 20 Brix (11.5% ABV)
b) 6-9.5%
Minimum potential must weight for Moscato d’Asti DOCG? What is the finished ABV of the wines?
a) 19.3 Brix (11.0% ABV)
b) 4-6.5%
Are Asti DOC wines vintage dated? Moscato d’Asti DOCG wines?
a) No
b) Yes
On which bank of which river does the Roero DOCG sit?
North bank of the Tanaro river
What kind of exposure is Arneis usually planted?
North-facing
Around when does Roero begin to focus on Arneis?
1970s
This is the only DOCG in Piemonte to produce both red and white wines?
Roero DOCG
Why does Nebbiolo tend to ripen earlier in Roero DOCG?
Lower average elevation, sandier soils, generally warmer climate
Requirements for Nebbiolo in the Roero DOCG (Normale & Riserva)?
a) 95% Nebbiolo, 20mos (6mos in wood)
b) 95% Nebbiolo, 32mos (6mos in wood)
The largest red wine appellation by volume in Piemonte?
Barbera d’Asti DOCG
The two subzones contained within the Barbera d’Asti DOCG?
Tinella, Colli Astiani
Minimum percentage of Barbera in the Barbera d’Asti DOCG?
90%
Permitted styles of Cortese within the Gavi DOCG?
Dry, Tranquilo, Riserva, Frizante, Spumante
The river that bisects the Alta Piemonte?
Sesia River
The two regional designations for the Alta Piemonte? Wine style permitted?
a) Costa della Sesia, Colline Novaresi
b) Whites from 100% Erbaluce, reds with a min of 50% Nebbiolo
The three DOC/Gs on the left bank of the Sesia arranged in order of size?
a) Gattinara (DOCG), Brammatera, Lessona
Gattinara DOCG blend regulations?
90% Nebbiolo, up to 10% Vespolina + Uva Rara
Uva Rara is also know as?
Bonarda
Aging requirements for Gattinara DOCG normale? Riserva?
a) 35mos (24mos in oak)
b) 47mos (36mos in oak)
Blend requirements for Bramaterra DOC?
Min 50% Nebbiolo, max 30% Croatina, max 20% Uva Rara + Vespolina
What does “Vigna” refer to in Bramaterra DOC?
A wine made from vines no less than 7yrs old unless yields are restricted
Blend requirements for Lessona DOC?
85% min Nebbiolo with max 15% Uva Rara + Vespolina
The four DOC/Gs on the east bank of the Sesia River?
Ghemme DOCG, Boca DOC, Fara DOC, Sizzano DOC
Aging requirements for Ghemme DOCG normale? Riserva?
a) 34mos (18mos in wood, 6mos in bottle)
b) 46mos (24mos in wood, 6mos in bottle)
Blend requirements for the Boca DOC?
70-90% Nebbiolo, 10-30% Uva Rara + Vespolina
Diano d’Alba DOCG permits red wines from?
100% Dolcetto
Diano d’Alba DOCG Vigna Superiore has a min ABV of?
12.5%
Dogliani DOCG Superiore requires?
100% Dolcetto, min ABV of 13.0%
Discuss the requirements of the Alta Langa DOCG? Riserva?
a) Traditional method from Chard & Pinot, 9mos on lees, 30mos total aging
b) “ “ 36mos total aging
Styles permitted in the Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG?
Frizzante, Spumante, Passito
The northernmost growing region for Nebbiolo in Piemonte?
Caremma DOCG
Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG permits which styles?
Spumante, dry white, passito
Vintage guide:
