Piemonte Flashcards
Bricco
Indicates highest part of an elevation in the landscape, as a vineyard with a steep gradient at the top of a hill
Bricco 1st used
Luciano de Giacomi for 1969 Bricco del Drago. a blend of Dolcetto and Nebbiolo from Alba
Sorì
Vineyard sites of the highest quality, particularly with SE exposure (morning sorì). Evening sorì has a SW exposure
Sorì 1st used
Angelo Gaja for Sorì San Lorenzo Barbaresco 1967
Gaja
Established 1856. Angelo Gaja introduced small barrel maturation, IV in 1960s. Now labels as DOC Langhe Nebbiolo
Renato Ratti
Based in La Morra. Part of modernist Barolo producers, but keen to promulgate terroir. In 1979 drew up first maps of best Barolo vineyards
Piemonte climate
Continental. Rain shadow. Autumn hail worry in Barbaresco. Long summers and warm autumns
Piemonte soil
Thinner, calarous marl, sandstone with varying % of sand and clay. Mountains create distinct mesoclimates
Piemonte varieties
Red-Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto. White-Moscato Bianco (#1 planted), Cortese, Arneis, Favorita (Vermentino), Erbeluce. IV-CS, CH, ML, SY, SB
Langhe DOC soils
Clay, marl
Langhe DOC varieties
Langhe DOC used for IV. Other wines can use Langhe to declassify. ex Langhe Dolcetto, Langhe Rosso (Barbera), Langhe Nebbiolo
Barolo subzones
- Important-Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione Falletoo, Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba
La Morra, Barolo soils, style
Calcareous marls of Tortonian. Compact, fresher, more fertile, give fruitier, aromatic wines which age relatively rapidly for Barolo
Castiglione Falleto, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba soils, style
Helvetian epoch, more compressed sandstone, less compact, poorer, less fertile give more intense, structured wines that mature slower
Barolo viti
56 hl/ha. Can reach 14-15% abv. Lower yields lead to riper tannins
Barolo aging
Min 2 yrs cask (previously 3). 38 m from 11/1 of harvest year, w 18 in oak. Riserva-62 m from 11/1 of harvest year, 18 m in oak
Barolo viti
Traditional fermentation as long as 2 mths. Modern 10-14 day fermentations, shorter time in wood and longer in bottle, pumping over rather than submerged cap
Barolo traditionalists
Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Macarell, Giuseppe Rinaldi
Barolo modernists
Paolo Scavino, Luciano Sandrone, Elio Altare
Barolo good vintages
96, 01, 99, 00, 98, 97
La Morra crus
Rocche, Cerequio
Barolo crus
Cannubi, Sarmazza, Brunate
Castiglione Falletto crus
Rocche, Villero, Monprivato
Monforte d’Alba crus
Bussia, Ginestra, Santo Stefano di Perno
