Piemonte Flashcards
What are the most well known MGAs in Barolo (up to 12)?
- Brunate
- Bussia
- Cannubi
- Cerequio
- Francia
- Ginestra
- Monpirvato
- Rocce dell’Annunziata
- Rocce di Castiglione
- Sarnassa
- Vigna Rionda
- Villero
How many MGAs originally recognized as cru sites (sori) in Diano ‘dAlba as Italy’s first attempt to acknowlege sites of superor quality?
76 MGAs that each site can be included on the label
The only minor Nebbiolo-based appellation that can have up to 100% Nebbiolo with required minimum of 85%.
Lessona DOC(!)
True or False: Piemonte is broadly considered as having Mediterranean climate
False
(it is continental)
True of False:
Ghemme DOCG is lcoated on the east bank of the Sesia River.
True
What are typical characteristics of Asti (spumante)? (up to seven)
- Pale in color
- Dense mousse composed of tiny bubbles
- Pronounced floral and fruity aromas
- Sweet moderate in acidity and alcohol (7%)
- Sealed with mushroom cork
- Should be consumed young
- Vintage year is not required on the label
Two white grapes earned reputation by gaining DOCG status in their own specific area in Piemonte
1. Arneis
2. Erbaluce
How many MGAs (additional geographic designations) in Gavi?
18 (11 communes + 7 hamlets)
Name seven prominent appellations within the Novara and Vercelli District
- Gattinara
- Bramaterra
- Lessona
- Ghemme
- Boca
- Sizzano
- Fara
What year Barolo and Barbersco made DOC and what year to DOCG?
DOC: 1966
DOCG: 1980
Native grape in and around Caluso in the Canavese district of northern Piemonte with its own appellation.
Thick skin and very high level of acid levels make this grape suitable and traditionally passito wine
Now dry style is also attracting attention
Erbaluce (!)
What is the minimum Nebbiolo percentage for Barbaresco?
100%
What is the requirements of the fruits and ageing for Alta Langa DOCG metodo classico sparkling wine including Riserv ?
90-100% Pinot Nero and/or Chardonnay
Bianco or Rosato
Vintage dated
Minimum of 30 months on lees
Riserava: Minimum of 36 months
Which producers started production of Arneis in Roero in 1970s (4) for the wine to attract widespread attention?
- Bruno Giacosa
- Vietti
- Negro
- Ceretto
What two rirvers flow through the hills of Acqui Terme where Brachetto d’Acqui wine is produced?
- Belbo River
- Bormida River
What is the minimum Barbera percentage and ageing for Barbera d’Asti and superiore?
90%
Minimum of 4 months
Superiore: 14 months with minimum of 6 months in oak
What percentage of Dolcetto is in Dolcetto d’Alba DOC?
100%
The appellation considered to deliver the highest and most powerful expression of the Nebbiolo grape.
Barolo DOCG (!)
What are three classic grapes in Alba?
- Nebbiolo
- Barbera
- Dolcetto
What is typical gradient (slope angle) and elevation of Asti DOCG?
30-50% gradient
650 - 1,600 ft/ 200 -500 m
The hills of Monferrato can be divided into three types geologically. Name the three.
- Terre Bianceh (literally white lands)
- Sabbie Astiane (Asti sands)
- Terre Rosse (red lands)
One of Piemonte’s principal white grapes.
Performs especially well around the town of Gavi
Characterized by acidity, minerality and a striking lemon zest.
Cortese (!)
True or False:
The average vineyard holding in Piemonte is small.
True
About 2.5-5 ac / 1-2 ha
Most growers sell to cooperatives especially for Asti sparkling wines and vermouth
What parallel can be made with Langhe to Burgundy (up to five)?
- Importance pladed on village origin
- Single vineyard wines
- Estate bottling
- Small parcels of land on slopes with mulitple owners
- Tremendous diversity of terroir
Name appellations that include Roero hills (4)
- Barbera d’Alba DOC
- Nebbiollo d’Alba DOC
- Langhe DOC
- Alba DOC
Barbera wine characteristics (3)
- High acidity
- Low tannin
- Bright red cherry fruit
Grape variety of Caluso DOCG and the promient style
Erbaluce
Passito style
One of the smaller Dolcetto appelations in Piemonte and the only Dolcetto appellation in the Asti wine growing area.
Dolcetto d’Asti DOC
Who was one of the leading figures of the Italian unification and helped advance Barolo (from sweet to dry wine)?
Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour (!)
What does “Piemonte” mean?
“At the foot of the mountain”
What is broad regional DOC covering the entire Piemontese winegrowing area to give a home to all the vineyards falling ouside of the existing DOC and DOCG zones of production?
Piemonte DOC
is the great majority of the wines produced in Piemonte Single Varietal or Blends?
Single varietal
While Barbera d’Asti and Barbera del Monferrato share most of the same territory, what does Barbera del Monferrato differ from Barbera d’Asti geogrpahically?
The majority of Barbear del Monferrato is grown in the province of Alessandria.
Number of IGT in Piemonte
None
What is the minimum ageing requirement for Ghemme DOCG wine and Riserva
- 34 months of which at least 18 months in oak
- Riserva: 46 months in total with a minimum of 24 months in oak
Which Gavi commune makes more wine than any of the others i.e. which MGA produces most Gavi wine?
Gavi
True or False:
Around 20% of wine in Piemonte comes from the southern and eastern part.
False
More than 80%
What is minimum ageing requirement of Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC and for superiore?
At least one year
Superiore: 18 months with at least 6 months in oak
A variety that is considered by many to be Italy’s most noble red grape and one of the oldest
Nebbiolo
Which appellation produces Dolcetto wine considered to be the most prestigeous?
Dogliani DOCG
True or False:
Roero is one of the most arid sections of southern Piemonte.
True:
The western Alps and the Ligurian Apennines block most of the rain.
A widely planted white grape, finds best expression in Gavi DOCG
Cortese
What is the ininimum percentage of Grignolino grape variety in Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese DOC(!)?
90%
up to 10% Freisa as legal blending partner
Appearence, aromas, flavors and attributes of Nebbiolo
- Pale, ruby garnet in color, turns orage with bottle age
2. Intense aroms of red cherry, rose, violet, tar, licorice and underbrush
3. High levels of acid, tannin, alcohol and extract
4. Longevity
What is the minimum percentage of Grignolino in Grignole d’Ast wine?
90% Grignolino
With up to 10% Freisa as a blending partner
What appellation represents the best and long lived expression of Nebbiolo from northern Piemonte?
Gattinara DOCG (!)
What percentage of Dolcetto is in Dolcetto d’Asti DOC?
100%
What is the percentage of Dolcetto in Dogliani DOCG wine?
100%
What areas does Dolcetto d’Alba covers?
On the right bank of the Tanaro River, encompassing the entire Lower Langhe, including Barolo and Barbersco and the land between them.
Name the largest network/cluster of hills found in Asti and Alessandria
Monferrato
A broad catch all appellation that covers the entire sub-region including the districts of Langhe and Roero as well as more than 90 communes within the province of Cuneo.
Langhe DOC (!)
What are two sub-zones of Colli Tortonesi DOC?
- Monleale - Barbera based sub zone occupies northern half of the appellaiton
- Terre di Libarna - wine made from 95-100% Timorasso in the southern half of the appellation. Aslo Barbera based blend and Tiromorasso based white blend
What is a dry verision of Asti Spumante called?
Asti Secco
An Italian enologist and a former military general, who helped create a dry styled Barolo in the 1830-40s.
Paolo Franceso Staglino
What is Pianura Padana
The Po Valley
What biotype is considered to be the principal biotype of Nebbiolo and widely planted?
Lampia (high quality clone and very reliable)
Grape considered to be red equivalent to Moscato Bianco
The aromatic character finds its best expression in sweet red fizzy and sparkling wines.
Brachetto (!)
A specific appellation for metodo classico (traditional method) sparkling wines made in southern Piemonte.
Alta Langa DOCG (!)
What is “rocche” in Roero Hills?
- Precipitious rocky cliffs running southwest to northeast
- La rocche separates the alluvial soils of the western plain from the sandier soils in the east central hills where the vineyards are planted
Name the classic area for Grignolino proudction in Monferrato.
Grginolino del Monferrato Caselse DOC (!)
What is known in Monferrato as “infernotti (infernot)”?
Underground cellars dug in the marly-sandstone soils.
Traditionally used to store the best bottles.
What is the style of Brachetto d’Acqui wine?
Sweet aromatic typically sparkling red wine by Martinotti method (tank).
What is the restriction placed on Barbera d’Asti vineyards in Monferrato?
- Can be only planted on hillsides
- Altitude not exceed 2000 ft/650 m
What is the minimum percentage of Nebbiolo in Gattinara wine
90%
What is the percentage range of Nebbiolo in Boca DOC wine?
- Minimum 70%
- Up to 90% Nebbiolo
- Rest: Vespolina / Uva Rara
Whiat is the minimum percentage of Arneis in Roero Arneis DOCG?
95%
Which region in Piemonte was considered to be the most efficient wine sub region which received renown in the Middle age.
Monferrato
Aside from Nebbiolo, what other excellent grape (wine) productions Langhe is well known for (3 - two reds, one white)?
- Barbera
- Dolcetto
- Moscato Bianco
What is “Risorgimento”?
The unification movment started by the Kingdom of Sardegna Prime Minister Cavour which eventally led to the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
How much acrage is covered by Asti DOCG?
25,00 ac / 10,000 ha
Name the five most well known towns and considered the most significant for producing Barolo.
- La Morra
- Barolo
- Castiglione Falletto
- Monforte d’Alba
- Serralunga d’Alba
Name one traditional and one modern training systems in the Navara and Vercelli sub region
- Traditional: Pergola
- Modern: Guyot
What is a commonly held brief of the word “Langhe” refers to?
“Tongues” (of land)
Ancient rare high quality grape from the hills of Torrona in the southwestern corner of Piemonte
Today, considered some of the most distintive white grape in Piemonte
Producer Walter Massa put the grape and the wine back on the map after decline due to phylloxera
High in acid, intensely mineral, ages well.
Timorasso (!)
State four major sub-regions in Piemonte
- Northern Piemonte (provinces of Novara, Vercelli, Biella mostly for Nebbiolo and Erbaluce)
- Western Piemonte and Torino Hills (the smallest and least productive sub-region at the foothills of Alps as well as the hills to the east of Torino)
- Alba (Includes the hills of Langhe and Roero, flank the banks of Tanrao River. Traditional home of Nebbiolo)
- Monferttato (In the provincres of Ast and Alessandra. South of the Po River. Traditional home of Barbera and Moscato Bianco)
Name the tributaries flow into the Po River (5)
- Ticino (North/West Alps)
2. Sesia (North/West Alps)
3. Dora Baltea (North/West Alps)
4. Tanaro (from Liguria Apennines)
5. Bormida (from Ligurin Apennines)
Along with Count of Cavour, Camillo Benso, who helped advance Barolo wine as the last Marquise of Barolo?
Guilia Falleti (!)
Which three communes and a hamlet surround hillside where Barabaresco wine is produced from?
- Barbaresco
- Neive
- Treiso
- A hamlet of San Rocco Seno d’Elvio
What is the grape varitety compostion of Barbera d’Alba DOC?
Minimum 85% Barbera (often 100%)
Up to 15% Nebbiolo
What is the main difference between Barbera d’Asti DOCG and Nizza DOCG as to the percentage of Barbera required and ageing requirments for the wine and Riserva.
Nizza DOCG
Must be 100% Barbera
Minimum 18 months with six months minimum in oak
Riserva: 30 months minimum with 12 minimum in oak
Principal grape variety of Carema DOC and miniumim percentage required.
Nebbiolo
85%
An appellation, previously sub-zone of Barbera d’Asti Superiore DOCG.
Considered an historic area for the production of Barbera.
Nizza DOCG
Who (body of adiministration) did move the capital to Torino that transformed Piemonte’s importance?
The House of Savoy
What are three main areas of Monferrato?
- Basso Monferrato (Lower Monferrato) also known as Monferrato Casalese
- Monferrato Astigiano
- Alto Monferrato (High Monferrato)
What is the grape used for Asti (Spumante) DOCG?
Moscato Bianco
Percentage of Piemonte’s total wine production of DOC or DOCG.
Almost 90%
Which well known Barolo vineyards are covered by the Serravallian age soil formation (3)?
- Monforte d’Alba
- Serralunga d’Alba
- Part of Castiglino Falletto
What are two grape varieties be added to Nebbiolo in Gattinara wine?
- Vespolina
- Uva Rara
For the most part, the soils of Barolo belong to which formation of the two?
Torotonia Formation
Name the grape variety cultivated in Langhe, on the southern hills of Monferrato as well as in the areas around Acqui Terme, Ovada and Tortona. Boasts three DOCGs and four DOCs expressly dedicated to it.
Dolcetto
Where is Barolo DOCG located?
On the right bank of the Tanaro River in the northwestern part of Langhe - Alba is a few miles to the north east of Barolo separating it from Barbaresco.
What is the viticultural heart of Canavese district named after the city that lies within it.
Ivrea glacial moraine basin
What are the tradtional sytle of Barolo until 1970s?
Long macerations (one to two months)
Extended in large neutral Slavonian oak or chesnut casks (botti)
What is another name for Nebbiolo known in the Northern Piemonte?
Spanna
What appellation is situated opposite of Gattinara on the other side of the Sesia River
Ghemme DOCG (!)
What river bisects the Canavese district from north to south from Valle d’Aosta towards the Po River?
The Dora Baltea River
What are the main grape varieties grown in Roero? (4)
- Arneis
- Nebbiolo
- Barbera
- Favorita (related to Vermentino/Pigato of Liguria)
Why do grape growers highly value Dolcetto?
It ripens on cooler higher sites where Nebbiolo nor Barbera won’t grow well
It results in Dolcetto wines to be released sooner becoming a welcome source of income while other wines are still in the cellar