Sicily (Sicilia)

Question 1

Sicily

Most planted grape

Answer 1

Cataratto

• 3rd most cultivated grape in Italy, despite only vineyards in Western Sicily

Question 2

Who is credited with the discovery of Marsala?

Answer 2

John Woodhouse

• Englishman
• Discovered on Sicily’s western edge
• 1773, first to fortify to ensure safe shipment to his home country

Question 3

Marsala

• Styles
• Grapes

Answer 3

• Oro/Ambra:
  
  • Grillo, Ansonica (Inzolia), Catarratto, Damaschino
• Rubino:
  
  • Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Nerello Mascalese
  • max. 30% white grapes

Question 4

Malvasia delle Liparia DOC

• Location
• Styles
• Grapes

Answer 4

Malvasia delle Lipari DOC

• Small group of islands off the northern coast of Sicily
• Bianco, Passito, Liquoroso

Question 5

Narrow waterway that separates Sicily from Calabria

Answer 5

Straight of Messina

Question 6

Sicily

Producers that have led the resurgence of higher quality / lower yields in recent years

Answer 6

• Marco de Bartoli (Marsala)
• Planeta
• Palari
• COS

Question 7

Faro DOC

• Location
• Style
• Grapes

Answer 7

• Sicily’s extreme NE coast
• Rosso only
  
  • 45-60 Nerello Mascalese
  • 15-30 Nerello Cappuccio
  • 5-10 Nocera
  • max 15, alone or comb, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Gaglioppo (Montonico Nero), Sangiovese

Question 8

Marsala

Sweetness levels

Answer 8

• Secco: max. 40 g/l rs
• Semisecco: 40-100 g/l rs
• Dolce: min. 100 g/l rs

Question 9

Sicily

Major white grapes

Answer 9

• Cattaratto
• Carricante
• Inzolia
• Grillo
• Grecanico
• Zibbibo

Question 10

Zibbibo synonym

Answer 10

Muscat of Alexandria

Question 11

Nero d’Avola synonym

Answer 11

Calabrese

Question 12

Sicily

Most planted red grape

Answer 12

Nero d’Avola

Question 13

Sicily

Sole DOCG

Answer 13

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

• Normale and Classico

Question 14

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Grapes

Answer 14

• 50-70% Nero d’Avola
• 30-50% Frappato

Question 15

Cerasuolo di Vittoria

Soils

Answer 15

Iron-rich clay over limestone

Question 16

DOC contiguous with Cerasuolo di Vittoria

Answer 16

Vittoria

• Rosso: 50-70% Nero d’Avola, 30-50% Frappato
• Novello: 80% Nero d’Avola and Frappato
• Varietal: Calabrese, Frappato, Ansonica (Inzolia)

Question 17

Sicily

Sweet wine DOCs

Answer 17

• Moscato di Noto DOC & Moscato di Siracusa DOC (SE; east of Vittoria)
• Malvasia delle Lipari DOC (N; off the coast)
• Moscato di Pantelleria DOC & Passito di Pantelleria DOC (SW; off the coast)

Question 18

Etna DOC

Styles

Answer 18

• Bianco: 60% Carricante, + Catarratto Bianco Comune, Catarratto Bianco Lucido, +
• Bianco Superiore: 80% Carricante, +
• Rosato/Rosso/Riserva: 80% Nerello Mascalese, plus Nerello Mantellato, +
• Spumante: rosato or bianco, 60% Nerello Mascalese, +

Question 19

Etna Rosso Riserva aging

Answer 19

• 4 yrs, 1 yr wood

Question 20

Etna Spumante aging

Answer 20

• Metodo Classico
• 18 mos on the lees

Question 21

Besides Etna, another DOC based on Nerello Mascalese

Answer 21

Faro DOC

• Rosso only
• 45-60% Nerello Mascalese, 15-30% Nerello Mantellato, 4-10% Nocera

Question 22

Sicily

DOC that covers the island

Answer 22

Sicilia DOC

Question 23

Hottest, driest region of Italy

Answer 23

Sicily

Question 24

Political event that created the original demand for Marsala

Answer 24

The War of the Spanish Succession

(England v. France)

Question 25

Sicily’s other major grape-derived product

Answer 25

Concentrated grape musts, made by vacuum-evaporating or cooking down unfermented juice

Question 26

latifondo

Answer 26

• System of land ownership in Italy
• Overturned by the Agrarian reforms of the 1950’s

Question 27

mezzadria

Answer 27

Sharecropping

• More prevalent in the NORTH than the south of ITALY

Question 28

Two biggest wine producers in the latter part of the 20th century (accounting for nearly all production other than Marsala)

Answer 28

• Corvo-Duca di Salaparuta
• Conte Tasca d’Almerita / Regaleali