Piemonte: History, Topography, Grapes Flashcards
Where in Italy is Piemonte located?
Piemonte occupies most of northwest Italy. The region is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The Ligurian Apennines (to the southeast) and the Maritime Alps (to the southwest) separate the region from Liguria and France to the south. The Alps form the border with France to the west and with Valle d’Aosta and Switzerland to the north. The regions of Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna lie to the east.
Piemonte is completely landlocked.
How large is Piemonte compared to Italy’s other regions?
Piemonte is the country’s second-largest region (after Sicily).
How many grape varieties are used to produce wine in Piemonte?
More than 20 different and often unique grape varieties are used to make high-quality and distinctive wines.
The region boasts vinous supremacy, not only by virtue of the fine and prestigious wines it makes but also because of the diversity and quantity of wine that it offers the consumer.
Where are vines exclusively planted in Piemonte?
Hillsides
The vineyard expanse in Piemonte covers how much area?
More than 111,000ac/45,000ha.
How many DOCGs and DOCs does Piemonte lay claim to?
-17 DOCGs
-42 DOCs
(as of 2017)
Piemonte accounts for the largest proportion (%) of DOC/G wines in Italy.
No wine can be bottled as IGT; all of Piemonte’s vineyards have DOC/G status and stands out as a superior winegrowing region.
What are some marks of quality expressed by Piemonte.
-The appellations of Piemonte annually declare some of Italy’s lowest average yields.
-Piemonte was the first region in Italy to highlight the importance of single-vineyard wines & the uniqueness of each site.
-Piemonte regularly claims the highest number of top wine awards each year. (Toscana is the only other Italian region that can rival Piemonte)
Name some of Piemonte’s most well known wines.
-Barolo (nebbiolo)
-Barbaresco (nebbiolo)
-Barbera
-Dolcetto
Piemonte produces some wines in limited quantities made from lesser-known grapes, such as:
-Ruche
-Pelaveraga
-Grignolino
(all red; representing some of the most characterful and interesting wines of Piemonte today. They contribute to the rich and variegated heritage of this region.)
Despite Piemonte being considered red wine country, what white wines are produced in this region?
-Gavi
-Asti (sparkling)
Emerging from the shadows more recently:
-Arneis
-Erbaluce
-Timorasso
Why is Piemonte notably considered to be a conservative and traditional region?
-There is an insignificant presence of international varieties.
-The fierce opposition to modern winemaking techniques found in some of the most traditional growing areas.
Much of this sentiment has to do with the strong sense of history and tradition that characterizes this land. Producers respect the vines and their respective terroirs and have done so for centuries.
What is cucina Piemontese?
Translated to English, it means “Piedmontese cooking” and is a cuisine considered to be among the best in the country. The reliably food-friendly wines of Piemonte are a perfect match to the earthy character of the regional dishes. Food and wine are almost inseparable elements in Piemonte. This combination is a major attraction, contributing to the regions infrastructure for wines and food tourism.
Who were the first people to inhabit the region of Piemonte?
The Taurini and Salassi tribes, descendants of the Ligures, settled in the area around the 1st millennium BC. They cultivated the grapevine having acquired the skill from the Etruscans.
What group of people merged with the Taurini and Salassi tribes?
In approximately 400 BC, Celtic tribes arrived from northern Europe and merged with the Taurini and Salassi, giving birth to a strong, proud and independent people. Together they stood in fierce resistance against the might of Rome. It took more than a century for the Romans to conguer Piemonte (circa 100BC).
What part did the Romans play in the development of Piemonte?
The Romans founded most of the modern-day principal cities such as Ivrea, Asti, Alba, Novarra and Vercelli.
Even though viticulture was already in practice before their arrival, the Romans developed it further.
Note: Curiously, the wines of Piemonte never achieved the same level of prestige among Romans as did the wines produced in other Italian regions.
What happened in Piemonte after the fall of Rome?
While most of northern/central Italy was subject to waves of barbarian invasions that disrupted agriculture and viticulture, Piemonte was able to maintain a certain level of autonomy and did not have to weather the deep social and economic decline experienced by some of Italy’s other wine regions.
When did the Lombards arrive in Piemonte?
The Lombards arrived in the 6th century, conquered Piemonte and divided the region into several duchies (ruled by dukes) and counties (ruled by counts).
When did the Franks arrive in Piemonte?
In the 8th century (200 years after the Lombards first conquered Piemonte), the area was conquered by Charlemagne and his Franks. The territory was incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire.Despite being incorporated into a larger whole, Piemonte remained quite divided.
During the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, how were the territories of Piemonte divided up?
In addition to duchies and counties (introduced by the Lombards), marquisates (marchesati or marche, territories ruled by marquis) and city-states (comuni) emerged during this time.
During the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, which were some of the most powerful entities?
Among the most powerful and independent of the political entities were the marquisates of Monferrrato and Saluzzo and the city-states of Asti, Alessandria and Novara.
These seats of power lasted for centuries and set the foundation for diversity that still characterizes the different sub-regions of Piemonte today, in terms of culture, traditions and language.
What happened to viticulture in Piemonte during the Middle Ages?
During the Middle Ages, viticulture flourished thanks to the work of the Catholic monks. The wines of Piemonte began to acquire a reputation.
-The city of Asti was recognized for its prestigious wines.
-Monferrato was known for being an important center for wine production; their viticultural practices were considered among the most advanced and efficient in the region and were chronicled in historical texts.
When did traditional grapes of Piemonte, such as Nebbiolo and Moscato Bianco become codified and part of a historical record, indicating the importance of the agricultural sector on the regional economy?
These traditional varieties began to appear in official documents during the Middle Ages.
When did the House of Savoy (Savoia) attain jurisdiction over an important part of Piemonte?
In 1045, the Count of Savoy Oddone married Adelaide of Susa, the Marquise of Torino. The union gave Oddone jurisdiction over an important part of Piemonte and tied that ruling house to the Italian peninsula. Over time, the House of Savoy expanded its control over northwest italy.
When the House of Savoy acquired power over Piemonte, what city was appointed the capital?
Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy moved the capital from Chambery in Savoy to Torino in Piemonte. In a smart series of international political alliances the Savoy gradually acquired all of Piemonte.
When was the Kingdom of Sardegna established?
In the 18th century, the Savoy acquired the island of Sardegna and the duchy of Savoy became the Kingdom of Sardegna, one of the most powerful and influential kingdoms in Italy.
When did the Kingdom of Sardegna lose power over Piemonte for a brief period?
The Kingdom of Sardegna was briefly occupied by Napoleon and his troops at the end of the 18th century, but Savoyard powers were reinstated in 1815 with Napoleon’s defeat.
What happened to Piemonte under the vision and leadership of the Kingdom of Sardegna’s Prime Minister Cavour?
The Kingdom became the center of the Risorgimento, the unification movement that was growing through the peninsula.
This influenced the eventual unification of most of the independent states and political entities of the peninsula into the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
What did the House of Savoy bring to Piemonte?
They brought prosperity and economic development to Piemonte and the agricultural sector was modernized.
-Grapes were subject to ampelographical study, and the wines of Barolo began to make a name for themselves as a result.
-In 1872, two viticultural and enological stations for monitoring and experimentation were established - one in Asti, one in Gattinara.
-In 1875, the first Italian enological congress was held in Torino; its goal was to share and discuss best practices in both vineyard and winery and roundtable the challenges facing the wine industry at the time.
-In 1885, the Enological School of Alba was founded to train highly technical viticulture and winemaking professionals.
Which automaker was founded in Torino?
Fiat (Fabbrica Italiano Automobili Torino) in 1899.
What influence did the drive to improve and succeed have on Piemonte?
Piemonte was an epicenter for the Italian Industrial revolution in the late 19th century. This transformed the region into one of the most industrialized areas of Italy; it became a major immigration destination from the poorer areas of the newly formed country.
What unfortunate event befell viticulture during Piemonte’s industrial leap?
First oidium, then phylloxera and downy mildew brought the wine sector to its knees. Viticulture and wine production did not completely recover until after WWII.
What occurred in Piemonte following WWII?
The poverty and devastation of war was soon followed by an economic and industrial boom. Good paying jobs were to be found in the cities during the 1950s and 1960s. Many vineyards were abandoned. This exodus reversed itself in the 1970s and 1980s when people returned to family holdings, in the hopes of resuscitating what had long lain dormant.
What does Piemonte mean?
“At the foot of the mountain.”
What is the capital of Piemonte?
Torino; and it is the major industrial and financial center of the region.
Most of the winegrowing districts within Piemonte can be found within which provinces?
-Novara
-Vercelli
-Asti
-Alessandria
-Cuneo
How can Piemonte’s landscape be loosely describe?
Comprising three concentric topographical rings:
-The external rim is the widest and consists of the Alpine-Apennine mountain ranges. This rim is thickest to the south, west and north. Mountains account for 43% of the total territory.
-The eastern portion gives way to the plain; making up 27% of the region.
-The middle band is a hilly zone, which in turn surrounds an internal plain; hills account for 30%.
Where will you find most of the mountain peaks in Piemonte?
In the western and northern portions of the region. They include some of the highest massifs in the Alps, such as Gran Paradiso and Monte Rosa.
Where is Lake Maggiore?
It is on the northeastern border with Lombardia and is shared between the two regions.
Which lake is the largest in Piemonte?
Lake Maggiore
What mountainous feature does Piemonte lack?
Piemonte’s western side lacks the intermediate range of mountains or Prealps that usually link the Alps to the plain - an otherwise common feature to all the northern regions of Italy. High-elevation mountains descend (with a very steep gradient) directly to the plain.
Where are the great majority of Piemonte’s winegrowing districts?
Hills; vineyards are planted on the slopes at elevations between 500-1,300ft/150-400m. Since these hills offer sun exposure in all directions, the various aspects are planted to different grapes with different ripening requirements.
What is Monferrato?
The largest network of hills in Piemonte and is found within the provinces of Asti and Alessandria.
Other important hill clusters include:
-Langhe and Roero in the province of Cuneo.
-Novara and Vercelli in the provinces of the same names.
-Tortona (Colli Tortonesi) in the province of Alessandria.
What is primarily grown in the plains of Piemonte?
The plain is considered too flat and fertile to grow the vine; the principal crop here is rice. The plains of Novara and Vercelli (especially) represent the major centers of rice cultivation.
Italy is the largest producer of rice in Europe and Piemonte is the largest in Italy (followed by Lombardia) The Arborio rice grown here is named for the town of Arborio in the province of Vercelli and is considered the highest quality & one of the best to produce risotto.
Where would you find the flat plain in Piemonte?
It is situated to the east and corresponds to the upper portion of the large Po Valley (Pianura Padana) that stretches from Piemonte, through Lombardia and Emila-Romagna to Veneto.
Where in Piemonte is the Po River?
It rises in the western Alps of Piemonte, centrally bisecting the region as it flows east.
What are the tributaries of the Po River in Piemonte?
Some rise in the northern and western Alps and flow south into the Po:
-Ticino
-Sesia
-Dora Baltea
-Dora Riparia
Others rise in the Ligurian Apennines and flow north before emptying into the Po:
-Tanaro
-Bormida
What is the climate in Piemonte?
It can broadly described as continental, however the varied geographical and topographical features within the region generate different macro- and meso-climates that vary off of the “norm.”
The average annual temperature for most winegrowing districts is 53F/12C. This increases to 55F/13C in the southern portion of Piemonte along the Ligurian border, due to the influence and proximity of the Ligurian Sea.
There is a wide diurnal and seasonal temperature swing, specifically in the hills and on the plain.
What is typical for weather in Piemonte?
-During winter, snow is frequent and ubiquitous - from plain to mountain peak.
-Fog is very common especially during autumn and winter.
-Hail is a problem in late summer and early autumn.
-In summer, the plain becomes quite hot and muggy; the hills usually benefit from more air circulation, combined with higher altitude results in slightly cooler conditions, both in day and at night.
