Southern Italy Flashcards
Altitudes in Campania
200-600m
Three signature white grapes in Campania
Falanghina, Greco, Fiano
Signature black grape (and its key DOCG) in Campania?
Aglianico
Taurasi DOCG
Campania climate
Warm Mediterranean
Cooling influence in Campania?
Altitude
Inland vines planted on slopes up to 600m
Most grapes in Campania ripen early or late?
Late ripening
Sometimes threatened by cold and rainy early autumns
Three main soil types in Campania?
Limestone and clay (hills)
Volcanic and sandy (volanic areas)
Alluvial sediments (between Naples and Benevento)
Benefit of limestone and clay soils in the hills of Campania?
Good balance between fast drainage and water retention
Limestone and clay soils in hilly area of Campania contains which three important DOCGs?
Fiano di Avellino DOCG
Greco di Tufo DOCG
Taurasi DOCG
Two key DOCs in volanic/sandy soil area around Naples
Campi Flegrei DOC
Vesuvio DOC
Campi Flegrei DOC: soil types and types of wine
Tuff, pumice and sandy soil, fast draining
Whites: Falanghina
Reds and rosés: Piedirosso
Vesuvio DOC also includes wines labelled with what weird term?
Lacyrma Christi
Soils in Vesuvio DOC
similar to Campi Flegrei DOC: tuff, pumice and sandy soil, fast draining
Key grapes in Vesuvio DOC
Red wines: Piedirosso
White wines: Coda di Volpe
Campania: alluvial sediments in the large area between Naples and Benvento, what kind of denominations will you find here?
Beneventano IGT
Sannio DOC
Campania wines tend to be single varietal or blends?
Mostly single varietal
Mostly 100% that variety, or 85% plus authorised blending variety
Most planted grape in Campania?
Aglianico
Most planted black grape, most planted white grape in Campania?
Black: Aglianico
White: Falanghina
Why is timing of harvest important for Falanghina?
Grapes can shrivel at the end of the season
Falanghina style
Medium intensity apple, white peach, herbaceous, grass
Medium (+) acidity
Most unoaked
Largest DOC in Campania for Falanghina?
Falanghina del Sannio
Why is Greco challenging to grow?
Prone to grey rot, both mildews
Low vigour, low productivity
What makes Greco suitable for a warm region (eg Campania)?
Toelrant of heat
Drought-resistant
Soils for Greco di Tufo DOCG
Limestone and clay
NB “tufo” not referring to soil - it’s the name of the nearby town
Max yield for Greco di Tufo
70hl/ha
Greco di Tufo style
Deep lemon High alcohol Oily texture Floral, stone-fruit, smoky Unoaked
Who rescued Fiano from neglect?
Mastroberardino
Fiano di Avellino DOCG style
Medium (-) to medium intensity floral, peach, hazelnut
Medium (+) body
Medium to medium (+) acid
Waxy texutre
Aglianico buds early or late
Early - frost
Aglianico ripens early or late?
Late
Requires a long season for tannins to ripen
Aglianico style
Medium (+) to pronounced intensity
Rose, red plum, blackberry
High acid
High tannin
Taurasi DOCG: what % of Aglianico?
Min 85%
Ageing requirement for Taurasi DOCG?
Three years ageing, minimum one year in wood
Riserva: four years with 18 months in wood
When is Aglianico harvested for Taurasi?
End of October, early November
Maceration for Aglianico for Tarausi?
Long maceration, min 20 days
Piedirosso style
Red wines Pale ruby Fresh, medium (+) acid Medium tannins Red plum Red cherry
Islands in Campania where Piedirosso grows
Ischia
Capri
What are Ischia and Capri?
Two islands in Campania
Piedirosso grown here
Why does Piedirosso resist botrytis well?
Open bunches, thick skinned berries
What is Piedirosso used for in Campania (2)?
- Early drinking varietal wines
2. Soften Aglianico-based wines, add perfume and freshness
Irpinia DOC covers what province?
Avellino
Sannio DOC covers what province?
Benevento
Significant companies in Campania
Mastroberardino
Terredora (offshot of Mastroberardino family)
Feudi di San Gregorio
Important co-op in Campania
La Guardiense
1,000 member co-op, makes 15% of wine from Benevento province
What is La Guardiense?
Large, 1,000-member co-op in Campania
Benevento provicne
Most of Basilicata’s production is what quality level of wine?
IGT or “wine”
Most important denomination in Basilicata?
Aglianico del Vulture DOC
Aglianico del Vulture named for/located beside what
Mount Vulture, an inactive volcano
Aglianico accounts for what % of plantings in Basilicata?
33%
Aglianico del Vulture must be what % Aglianico?
100%
Vulture DOC: soils? So what?
Clay, limestone and volcanic
Volcanic gives excellent drainage
Clay and limestone holds water
Climate in Basilicata/Vulture?
Warm Medietrranean
Cooling from altitude, breezes from Balkans
=> retain acidity, extend growing season => high aromatic intensity
Aglianico del Vulture DOC style
Red plum and blackberry Full body high acid High alcohol High tannins
Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG. What’s different?
Max yield lower (52hl/ha vs. 70hl/ha)
Min three years ageing, one in oak
Is Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG a popular category with producers?
Some use it (eg d’Angelo)
Others (e.g Elena Fucci) don’t, they just sell their DOC 2 years or whatever after harvest
Significant producers in Aglianico del Vulture?
Paternoster (now owned by Tommasi)
d’Angelo
Elena Fucci
Climate in Puglia
Hot Mediterranean
Moderating breezes from sea
What makes Puglia well suited to volume wine production?
Hot climate
Low rainfall => low disease pressure
Fertile soils
Irrigiation permitted
Most planted grape in Puglia?
Sangiovese