Piemonte Part 2 Flashcards
What are the sub-regions of Piemonte?
- Northern Piemonte (Novara, Vercelli & Biella) - Nebbiolo and Erbaluce
- Western Piemonte & Torino Hills (covers mountains, Alps foothills east of Torino) - Minor appellations
- Alba (Cuneo province, Langhe & Roero on Tanaro River) - traditional home of Nebbiolo
- Monferrato- (Asit & Alessandria) - largest - traditional home of Barbera and sparkling Moscato Bianco
What moderates the weather in Northern Piemonte?
Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta
Cool air from Alps
Diurnal temp swings
What is Nebbiolo like in Northern Piemonte?
More acidity than southern counter parts
Where is the viticultural heart of Northern Piemonte?
Ivrea glacial moraine basin.
Dora Baltea river flows through this on way to Po River basin
What protects the Northern Piemonte region?
The Alps protects from cold winds and provides high diurnal swings from cool mountain air
Gattinara DOCG
Best longest-lived expression of Nebbiolo Once considered the most prestigious Small vineyards 100ha Must be planted on slopes Higher minimum proportions
Describe the Gattinara Hills
Best natural conditions for exposure
Altitude and soil mix
Grapes can ripen easier here.
Why does Gattinara DOCG require higher minimum proportions of Nebbiolo that its neighbor?
Physiographic advantages
The grape ripens better, so no need to enhance with other grapes (Nebbiolo)
What is the blending partner for Gattinara?
90% Nebbiolo
Vespolina and/or Uva Rara
Describe Gattinara?
More Acidity
Lighter color than Naghe
What are ageing requirements for Gattinara?
35 months total ageing, 24 in oak
Riserva 47 months, 36 oak
Where is Ghemme DOCG?
Opposite Gattinara on the other side of Sessia River
Around Ghemme and Romangnano Sesia within Novara province
Small vineyards, must be on slops 220-400m
What river is Gattinara on?
Sesia River
What are Ghemme’s blending partners and DOCG Rules?
85% Nebbiolo
15% Vespolina and/or Uva Rara
34 months aged, 18m oak
Riserva 46m, 23m oak
What is the style of Ghemme DOCG?
Higher Acidity than Southern Nebbiolo Same Tannic Structure Ability to age Typical flavor profile Tend to be austere and sturdy
How many Nebbiolo regions in Northern Piemonte?
Total 7
2 DOCGs Ghemme and Gattinara
All make distinctive wines
Where is Carema DOC?
In the Dora Baltea Valley around town of Carema
Northern most District in Piemonte
Borders Valle d’Aosta
What is Vino di Montagna and where is it produced?
Mountain Wine - Nebbiolo-based
Carema DOC - Northern most district
What is the climate of Carema DOC?
Cool climate
Alpine
Comparable to Valle d’Aosta
What foothills is Carema situated in?
Mt Maletto
What is unique about Carema DOC?
There was no suitable land for vines
Had to carve out terraces
Back-fill soil from valley floor
Carema DOC Rules
85% Nebbiolo
2 years aged, 1 year oak
Riserva 3 years aged, 1 year oak
Where is Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG
South of Carema, east part of Canavese district
On banks of Ivrea Glacial Moraine
Between Ivrea and Caluso
on Candia and Viverone Lake 200-500m
For what is Caluso DOCG known?
Sweet passito using Erbaluce grape
Highest reputation amongst whites in Piemonte
100% Erbaluce
What are the soils of Caluso DOCG?
Acidic, sandy gravel soils
What types of wines produced by Caluso DOCG?
Dry
Sparkling (traditional method spumante)
Passito
Erbaluce’s high level of Acidity makes it suitable for sweet wines
Describe Western Piemonte
Lies at the Western Alps Province of Torino & Cuneo 3 DOCs 1. Valsusa 2. Pinerolese 3. Colline Saluzzesi
What are the soils in the Torino Hills
Calcareous-marl east of Torino (Colline Torinesi)
Right bank of Po River S/E of CIty
What DOC/Gs located in Novara and Vercelli Hills?
Gattinara and Ghemme
What DOC/Gs are located in Canavese?
Carema and Caluso
What DOCG produces dry, sweet, sparkling with Erbaluce grape?
Caluso DOCG
Where are vineyards planted on very steep, terraced slopes made with Nebbiolo grape?
Carema DOC
What lies on the East bank of the Sesia river
Ghemme
What lies on the Western Bank of the Sesia river?
Gattinara
Which DOCG in Northern Piemonte has higher min Nebbiolo requirement and longer oak ageing?
Gattinara (over Gheme)
What is the primary river flowing through Alba?
Tanaro River Flows into Po River
What is on the Left and Right Bank of the Tanaro River?
Roero Hills on Left
Langhe Hills on the Right
Describe the different between Reoro and Langhe HIlls
Roero on Left Bank, lower elevation, steeper slopes
Naghe on Right Bank, higher elevation, more gradual slopes
What is the climate of Alba?
Moderately continental
Hail a problem with summer rain storms
Cause significant vintage variation
Mild and foggy autumns extends growing season
What are the soils of Alba?
Padano Sea left alternating layers of clay, calcareous marl, sandstone, sand and chalk that eroded to form the Roero and Naghe hills
Few pebbles or stones which leads to erosion
What ancient sea covered Alba?
Padano Sea 15-16m years ago
Soils of Langhe Hills?
Terre bianche = compact calcareous marls
Soils of Roero Hills?
Formed only 5m years ago
Softer, sandier and rich in marine fossils
Classic grapes of Alba?
Nebbiolo
Barbera
Dolcetto
Moscato Bianco
How many total appellations are in Langhe and Roero?
12 partly or fully overlap
What does Langhe refer to?
Tongue (of land)
Describes the shape of hills running parallel to each other separated by deep, narrow valleys
Where is one of Italy’s highest concentration of vineyards?
Langhe Hills
Where is the classic home to Nebbiolo?
Langhe Hills
How is Langhe HIlls divided?
Alta Langa (Higher Langhe)
Bass Langa (Lower Langhe)
About altitude and increases going south
Monforte d’Alba separates Higher and Lower
South of Monforte becomes cooler more appropriate for Dolcetto
Tananro river moderates
How are grapes planted in Langhe HIlls?
Top and bottom slopes & East/West aspects for Dolcetto and Barbera
Dolcetto as early ripening gets highest and coolest sites
Nebbiole best mid-slope south facing
How many villages can grow Barolo? What are the main?
11 but 5 villages account for 90% production
- La Morra
- Barolo
- Castiglione Falleto
- Monforte d’Alba
- Serralunga d’Alba
Describe the Barolo DOC
NW part of Langhe Tanaro makes 90° turn east 11km long/8km wide Small but densely planted 11 towns - 5 towns produce 90% 170-540m (most planted at lower end midslope)
Describe Soil differences Tortonian and Serravallian in Barolo?
2 different geological formation
Tortonian (younger) - covers West Barolo, Calcareous marl, more fertile and compact (Morra and Barolo)
Helvetian/Serravalian (older) sandstone, silt marls, sand poorer, less compact (Monforte, Serralunga and part of Castiglione Falleto)
What was the traditional production method for Barolo?
Produced by merchants (Commercianti)
Blended from different vineyard and/or communes
But changed in the 1970s
What is a Commercianti?
Wine merchant in Barolo
What are the Barolo superior sites acknowledged as?
Crus
Best were snow melted first
How many UGAs in Barolo?
181
Serves as a list of delimited vineyards areas allowed to appear on Barolo’s label
Aside from 181 UGAs, how else is Barolo labeling?
By commune
There are 11 which maybe labeled in additional to UGA label
What towns are associate with Tortonian soil? And what about the wines
Most Western Barolo
La Morra and Barolo
Perfumed, Elegant, Fruitier, Softer, Mature faster
What towns are associated with Helvetian/Serravalian soil? And what about the wines
Monforte d'Alba Serralunga d'Alba past of Castiglione Falletto Fuller Body, Powerful, Depth, Robust, Structured Longer-lived, require more bottle ageing
Barolo Style?
Never Deep Color Light Rub to Garnet (Orange over time)
Intense Rose, Violet, Red Berry, Cherry, Tar, Earh
Refine with time, smooth and soft
Benefit from extended ageing for tertiary
What is Barolo Chinato?
Fortified wine - Local Speciality Quinine, Aromatic Herbs, Spices added to base wine Used as digestif (or chocolate) Only produced in Barolo Under DOCG appellation
Barolo wine production
Once macerated long in botti
To preserve delicate Nebbiolo flavors cut maceration
Fruit driven in “international style”
Sofer Tannins, More Concentration and more Oak
What are the ageing requirements for Barolo?
38 months and 18m in oak
Riserva 62 months and 18m in oak
Who is Domizio Cavazza?
Director of Royal School of Enology 1894
Acquired Barbaresco Castle and vineyards
Founds 1st coop “Produttori del Barbaresco”
What producers brought Barbaresco prominence in the ’50s and ’60s?
Gaja
Giacosa
Where is Barbaresco?
Right Bank of Tanaro River
E/NE of Alba
What is % of Nebbiolo for Barolo and Barbaresco
100%
What are the communes of Barbaresco?
Barbaresco
Neive
Treiso
What commune accounts for the majority of production in Barbaresco?
Barbaresco
What is the key difference from Barolo vineyards and Barbaresco?
50m lower (150-350m) Closer to the Tanaro so warmer Mostly Tortonian soils More Homogeneous Nebbiolo ripens earlier and more consistent than Barolo
Barbaresco soils?
Tortonian formation similar to W Barolo but with more sand
Is Barbaresco ageing requirement more or less than Barolo?
Less
26m and 9m in oak
Riserva 50m and 9m in oak
How many UGAs in Barbaresco?
66
Single bottling new
UGAs intro’d in 2007
Barbaresco traditional versus modern production?
Once long macerations
Gaja and other adopted shorter, age in small French, new oak
Lead to rise in prestige
Where is the finest Piemonte Dolcetto?
Langhe Hills
Describe Dolcetto from best Langhe region?
Ripe Black Fruit Licorice Moderate Acidity Mouth filling Body Smooth Texture Bitter Sweet Finish