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Master Somm Exam Italy > Sicily > Flashcards

Sicily Flashcards

1
Q

Why is much of Sicily ideal for organic viticulture?

A

The climate is very dry and very little spraying is necessary.

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2
Q

In the mid 1990s Sicily competed with what other region in Italy as the country’s most productive wine region?

A

Puglia

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3
Q

What is Sicily’s wine focus now in the 21st century?

A

Quality over quantity using more indigenous varieties that imports.

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4
Q

What red grape is responsible for Sicily’s reputation for quality wine? What is

A

Nero d’Avola

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5
Q

What three DOCs in the southeast of Sicily around Avola make red wines largely from Nero d’Avola?

A

Eloro DOC
Noto DOC
Siracusa DOC

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6
Q

Eloro “Pachino” must contain what min % of Nero d’Avola? What other grapes make up the blend?

A

Min 80% Nero d’Avola

Max 20% Frappato and/or Pignatello

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7
Q

What is Sicily’s only DOCG and what are the grape requirements? Min alcohol?

A

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

50-70% Nero d’Avola (Calabrese)
30-50% Frappato

13% min alcohol

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8
Q

What is the star red grape found on the slopes of Mt. Etna? Up to what altitude can it grow?

A

Nerello Mascalese

3300ft (1,000m)

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9
Q

Why has Mt. Etna become a magnet for terroir-minded wine producers?

A

Due to its rich mix of different altitudes and exposures and densely planted centenarian vines sprouting from soils that include congealed magma.

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10
Q

Who is responsible for re-igniting Etna’s wine reputation while working with the long-established Benanti family? What label does he bottle his wines under? Where on Etna does he bottle wines from?

A

Salvo Foti

Bottles wines under the label “I Vigneri”

Easter slopes

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11
Q

Who makes Rosso del Conte? What’s significant about this wine? What is the name of the vineyard that this wine comes from? Grapes? How is it produced? Aged?

A

Tasca d’Almerita

Was the first serious Sicilian red of the modern era

Comes from Vigna San Lucio

made from mostly old bush-trained Nero d’Avola, Perricone, and other Sicilian grapes.

Stainless steel fermentation and aged for 18 months in Allier and Tronçais barriques.

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12
Q

What DOC does Rosso del Conte bottle under?

A

Contea di Sclafini DOC

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13
Q

What US wine importer is credited with an increase in interest in Sicilian wine?

A

Marc de Grazia

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14
Q

What is the ultra naturalist wine maker form Belgium who uses no sulphur in his wines that makes wine in Sicily?

A

Frank Cornelissen

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15
Q

What is the grape most commonly blended with Nerrello Mascalese that’s considered to produce softer wines?

A

Nerello Cappuccio

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16
Q

Faro DOC is on the far northeastern end of the island is created by a blend of what three red grapes primarily? What other grapes may be blended in?

A 
Nerello Mascalese (45-60%)
Nerello Cappuccio (15-30%)
Nocera (5-10%)

Max 15% alone or combined Sangiovese, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Gaglioppo (Montonico Nero)

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17
Q

What does Faro mean?

A

Lighthouse

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18
Q

What is the synonym often encountered for Nero d’Avola in Sicily?

A

Calabrese

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19
Q

What is the star white grape of Etna known for producing crisp wines?

A

Carricante

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20
Q

Who makes Pietramarina? What is the grape? What is the DOC?

A

Benanti

100% Bush-trained Carricante

Etna DOC Bianco Superiore

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21
Q

What is the name for free standing “bush-trained” in reference to vine training in Sicily?

A

alberello

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22
Q

Carricante is the star grape of the eastern part of the island. What is the star workhorse grape of the western part? What are the other two major white grapes often blended or produced varietally?

A

Catarratto

Inzolia (Ansonica) and Grillo

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23
Q

What is the distant cousin of cream sherry produced around the town of Trapani?

A

Marsala

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24
Q

What are the three styles of Marsala produced? What are the grapes allowed in each?

A

Oro
Ambra
Rubino

Oro/Ambra:
Primary: Grillo, Ansonica (Inzolia)
Secondary:Catarratto, Damaschino

Rubino: Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), and Nerello Mascalese with up to 30% white grapes

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25
Q

What are the three RS designations for Marsala and what are there g/L values?

A

Secco: max 40g/L
Semisecco: 40-100g/L
Dolce: 100g/L

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26
Q

What are the 5 aging designations for Marsala in order from least to most in regards to time aging prior to release? What are the min alcohol requirements after fortification for each?

A 
Fine
Superiore
Superiore Riserva
Vergine/Solera
Vergine Riserva/Solera Riserva/Vergine and Solera Stravecchio

17% abv for Fine
18% abv for the rest

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27
Q

What are the two authorized aging vessels for Marsala?

A

Oak or Cherry Wood

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28
Q

What does the term “Vecchio” indicate on a bottle of Marsala?

A

That the wine has met the minimum requirements for Marsala Superiore which are min 18% abv after fortification and min 2 years aging in oak or cherry wood

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29
Q

If seen on a bottle of Marsala, what do the following abbreviations stand for?

IP
SOM
GD
LP

A

IP: Italy Particular
SOM: Superior Old Marsala
GD: Garibaldi Dolce
LP: London Particular

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30
Q

What style of Marsala must include min 1% mosto cotto? What styles forbid the addition of mosto cotto (concia)?

A

Ambra must include a min 1%

Oro and Rubino may not include mosto cotto

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31
Q

What is mosto cotto?

A

cooked grape juice

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32
Q

What does Vergine on a bottle of Marsala indicate?

A

It has not been sweetened and it has seen a minimum of 5 years of aging in oak or cherry wood.

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33
Q

What are the two agents used for sweetening wines in Marsala?

A 
Mosto cotto (cooked grape must)
Sifone (mistelle created by fortifying the unfermented grape must of overripe grapes)
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34
Q

What is the addition of mosto cotto to sweeten Marsala called?

A

Concia

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35
Q

What is the system called that is similar to the sherry solera system that’s used to produce Marsala?

A

In perpetuum

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36
Q

Name three producers of Marsala

A

Marco De Bartoli
Donnafugata
Cantine Florio

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37
Q

What are three DOCs for Moscato? Which are made from Muscat Blanc and which is made from Muscat of Alexandria?

A

Muscat Blanc
Noto DOC “Moscato di Noto”
Siracusa DOC “Moscato di Siracusa”

Muscat of Alexandria
Pantelleria DOC “Moscato di Pantelleria”

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38
Q

Pantelleria is closer to what country than to Sicily?

39
Q

What is Moscato known as in Pantelleria and other parts of Sicily? What is Zibbibo synonymous with?

A

Zibbibo

Muscat of Alexandria

40
Q

The island of Eioli (Lipari) and the Aeolian Islands are known for the production of wines from what grape?

41
Q

Who is the Englishman responsible for reviving Sicily’s wine industry at the end of the 18th century with the discovery of Marsala?

A

John Woodhouse

42
Q

What is the largest wine-growing province in Sicily?

A

Trapani, located on the western part of the island.

43
Q

What does liquoroso indicate in regards to style?

A

The wine is strong, usually sweet and fortified

44
Q

What is the main white grape of Alcamo DOC? Red?

A

Catarratto for white

Calabrese (Nero d’Avola) for Red

45
Q

When was the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG established?

46
Q

What is the name of the largest cooperative in Sicily?

47
Q

Who makes Vecchio Samperi? Grape?

A

Marco de Bartoli

100% Grillo

48
Q

When during the meal is Marsala appropriate to serve?

A

As an aperitif or an accompaniment to dessert

49
Q

What are the two large umbrella designations that most Sicilian wines are bottled under?

A

Sicilia DOC

Terre Siciliane IGT

50
Q

Vines in Syracuse are planted on the slopes of what mountains?

A

Iblei Mountains

51
Q

What does Cerasuolo mean?

A

“Cherry-like”

52
Q

What are the two main white grapes used in Marsala?

A

Grillo

Inzolia (Ansonica in Tuscany)

53
Q

Name 8 producers making quality wine in Sicily

A 
Planeta
COS
Corvo
De Bartoli
Donnafugata
Tasca d'Almerita
Tenuta di Fessina
Tenuta Rapitalà
54
Q

What are the aging requirements for Fine Marsala?

A

Min. 1 year in oak or cherry wood (first 4 months may be in alternative containers)

55
Q

What are the aging requirements for Marsala Superiore? Superiore Riserva?

A

Superiore:
min 2 years in oak or cherry wood

Superiore Riserva:
min 4 years in oak or cherry wood

56
Q

What are the aging requirements for Vergine/Solera Marsala? Vergine Riserva/Solera Riserva/ Vergine and Solera Stravecchio?

A

Vergine/Solera:
Min 5 years in oak or cherry wood

Vergine Riserva/Solera Riserva/ Vergine and Solera Stravecchio:
Min 10 years in oak or cherry wood

57
Q

What is the name of the sweet Sicilian wine that was famous during the Roman empire and said to be the favorite wine of Julius Caesar?

58
Q

What is the star indigenous white grape of Etna? Star international white grape here?

A

Carricante (Indigenous)

Riesling (international)

59
Q

Who makes MunJebel Bianco? Grape?

A

Ultra naturalist winemaker Frank Cornelissen

Carricante

60
Q

Nerello Mascalese is believed to be a progeny of what major Tuscan grape?

A

Sangiovese

61
Q

Which wine growing island off the Sicilian mainland has been compared to Sanorini? Why?

A

Pantelleria

Vines are trained low to the ground in shallow basins to protect them from the fierce winds the island is subjected to.

62
Q

What Sicilian wine is produced in a manner similar to Tokaji aszú? How is it similar? How is it different?

A

moscato passito di Pantelleria

Freshly harvested grapes are pressed and the juice is set aside while the rest of the grapes are dried for several weeks. These sugar-rich raisenated grapes are crushed and the pressed juice is mixed with the juice from the original press then fermented.

Difference is that in Tokaji the other grapes aren’t dried, they’re botrytized

63
Q

Who makes Bukkuram? What is it?

A

Marco de Bartoli

moscato passito di Pantelleria

64
Q

Who makes Ben Ryé? What is it?

A

Donnafugata

Moscato passito di Pantelleria

65
Q

What chain of volcanic islands is famous for being covered in obsidian?

66
Q

Name two producers of Malvasia delle Lipari

A

Carlo Hauner

Lantieri

67
Q

Of the three colors that Marsala is produced in, which is the most rare?

68
Q

Sicily is separated from Calabria by what?

A

the Straight of Messina

69
Q

What is Marsala considered a great alternative to? Why was it so popular in the 1700s?

A

Great alternative to oloroso sherry, tawny port, and madeira.

Popular due to the taxes at the time on Bordeaux that stifled the trade between England and France

70
Q

Why is Sicily so prime for quality viticulture despite its sweltering hot climate?

A

Higher altitude sites exist which get cooler at night creating an ideal diurnal shift.

71
Q

What major white grape did the Greeks bring to Sicily?

72
Q

What is the most planted white grape in Sicily and the third most planted white grape in Italy despite only being planted on the island’s western end?

A

Catarratto

73
Q

What are the main white and red grapes of Etna DOC?

A

Carricante for white

Nerello Mascalese for red

74
Q

What is the most planted red grape on Sicily?

A

Nero d’avola (Calabrese)

75
Q

What international grape is Nero d’Avola most often compared to?

76
Q

Moscato di Siracusa is planted to how many acres?

77
Q

What percentage of wine produced in Sicily is of DOC or IGT quality?

78
Q

Who makes Montecarrubo?

A

Peter Vinding Dier

79
Q

What province in Sicily is establishing a strong reputation for Syrah?

80
Q

When was IGT Sicilia promoted to DOC? What IGT took the place of this?

A

2012

Terre Siciliane IGT

81
Q

Who resuscitated the Faro DOC in the mid 1990s?

A

Palari estate

82
Q

What DOC is prized for its volcanic terroirs and high concentration of ungrafted centenarian Nerello Mascalese bush vines?

83
Q

What is the vine training system where vines are planted to a single stake and planted in a square called?

84
Q

Name two of the top producers of Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG. Which is known for biodynamic farming?

A 
COS
Arianna Occhipinti (biodynamic)
85
Q

What DOC is said to be the birthplace of Nero d’Avola? What sub zone in particular?

A

Eloro DOC

Pachino is the sub zone

86
Q

What is sifone?

A

Mistelle created by adding 20-25% of pure alcohol to a must of late-picked, overripe grapes.

Used for sweetening Marsala

87
Q

What style of Marsala is considered the best?

A

Dry (Vergine)

made by the solera system

88
Q

What is Marsala Speciale?

A

Cloying Marsala wines that have been flavored with coffee, chocolate, strawberries, almonds, or eggs which all were permitted by the DOC until 1984. These damaged the name of Marsala and largely gave it its “kitchen wine” stigma. The name Marsala is banned now on the bottles from 1984 onward.

89
Q

Marsala Ambra gets its color from what?

A

the addition of mosto cotto

90
Q

What grapes are used to produce Marsala Rubino?

A

Nero d’Avola
Perricone
Nerello Mascalese

91
Q

The addition of Mosto Cotto was allowed for all three colors of Marsala until 1984. Which is still allowed to sweeten Marsala with it? Which are not?

A

Ambra permits the addition of mosto cotto (except for Vergine versions)

Oro and Rubino forbid it

92
Q

Why is Marco de Bartoli not allowed to use the name Marsala on the labels of his high quality Marsala Vergine, Vecchio Samperi?

A

Because it is made without the required addition of alcohol, although it has the mandatory 18% alcohol by volume.

93
Q

What is the name of the traditional bottle of Marsala and how much volume does it hold?

A

Marsalina

500mL

Master Somm Exam Italy (16 decks)

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