Sardegna Flashcards
How long has vine and wine been produced in Sardegna?
since 1500BC
What is the predominant topography in Sardegna?
hills
Which side of sardegna is more mountainous and which side is more hilly?
Eastern side is more mountainous
Western side is more hilly
What is the important river in Sardegna?
Tirso
Describe the climate of Sardegna
Mediterranean, with less influence in the mountainous areas
Very windy, strong maestrale wind moderates summer temps
Cooler in the north, hotter in the south
South receives the lowest rainfall, mountainous areas receive the most
In what area of Sardegna would you find metamorphic and igneous rock(granite)?
in the northeastern corner(gallura) and in the east-central part of the island (oliena, capo ferrato)
In what area of Sardegna would you find callcareous clay and sandstone?
in the northwest around sassari
In what area of Sardegna would you find sandy soils of marine origin?
in the southwestern corner (Sulcis)
In what area of Sardegna would you find alluvial soils?
found on the large campidano plain as well as on the coastal plains around alghero, oristano and sulcis
Sardegna is more than 60% white or red?
red
What is the most widely planted grape in sardegna?
Cannonau
Do international varieties make up the majority of plantings in sardegna?
No, there are barely used, mostly for IGT wines
How did Cannonau(Grenache) arrive in Sardegna?
Brought to sardinia under spanish rule
what two areas of sardegna have the most plantings of cannonau?
Stronghold is the province of Nuoro and also widely planted in sassari
Half of sardnegna’s cannonau is planted in what area?
Nuoro
What are the vineyard characteristics of Cannonau?
Resistant to drought
Late-budding
Mid-late ripening
Performs well in warm, dry conditions and in granitic soils, where is can produce high sugar whilst maintaining medium acid
What are the important structural charcteristics of cannonau?
full body and high alcohol
What is cannonau called in toscana and central and southern italy?
Alicante
What is cannonau called in veneto?
Tocai rosso
What is cannonau called in Umbria?
gamay del trasimeno or gamay perugino
Why was Monica the source of boring neutral wines in the 20th century?
It was produced at very high yields
What can be done to monica in the vineyard to improve the quality of the wine?
restricting yields
What grape is sometimes called ‘uva di spagna’
Carignano
How did Carignano arrive in Sardegna?
most likely from spanish rule
Where are most of the plantings of Carignano located in Sardegna?
Sulcis
What are the vineyard characteristics of Carignano?
Late-budding and late-ripening
Needs heat to fully ripen and prefers warm, dry conditions
Vigorous
resistant to drought and winds
Prone to powdery mildew
What are the structural characteristics of the Carignano?
Deep colour, high acid and tannin
Where do the best vermentinos come from in Sardegna?
From the granitic soils of Gallura
what are the vine characteristics of vermentino?
Thrives in warm sunny climates and does well near the sea
Resistant to wind and drought
early-budding and mid-ripening
What are the structural characteristics of Vermentino?
Full bodied, high alcohol and high acid