Southern Italy Flashcards
Campania climate and soil:
Warm Mediterranean
Spring frost
Limestone/clay in hills
Volcanic/sandy around Naples
Alluvial sediment in large bulk area
Regions in Campania:
Fiano di Avellino DOCG
Greco di Tufo DOCG
Taurasi DOCG
Campi Flegrei DOC
Vesuvio DOC
Sannio DOC
Beneventano IGP
Describe Falanghina:
Good disease resistance, but fruit shrivels at end of season
Mid/late ripening
Med intensity
Apple/white peach, grass
Med+ acid
Grown in Falanghina del Sannio (84hL/ha) and Campi Flegrei (84hL/ha)
Describe Greco:
Low vigor
Grey rot, both mildews
Heat + drought resistance
Greco di Tufo DOCG (70hL/ha)
Deep lemon
High alcohol
Oily texture
Floral, stone fruit, smoky
Describe Fiano:
Rescued by Mastroberardino family
Late ripening
Thick skins (Botrytis resistant)
Both mildews
Med+ body
Med/Med+ acid
Waxy texture
Floral, peach, hazelnut
Fiano di Avellino DOCG (70hL/ha)
Describe Aglianico:
Early budding
Late ripening
Needs long season for tannins to ripen
Vigorous
Prone to botrytis
Pronounced rose, red plum, blackberry
High acid
High tannin
Describe Taurasi DOCG:
Min. 85% Aglianico
70hL/ha
3 years aging, min. 1 in wood
Riserva: 4 years/18mo
Pick at end of October/early November
Min. 20 day maceration
Describe Piedirosso:
Pale ruby
Med+ acid
Med tannins
Red plum, red cherry
Campi Flegrei DOC and Vesuvio DOC - min. 50% but often 100%
Heat and drought resistant
Open bunch with thick skins
Both mildews
Softens Aglianico - adds perfume and freshness
Wine business in Campania:
La Guardiense - 1000 member co-op that produces 15%
Mastroberardino and Feudi di San Gregorio
Export increasing more than Italian average in past decades
Describe Basilicata:
Mostly IGT
Aglianico del Vluture DOC
1/3 Aglianico
Clay, limestone, volcanic
Adequate rainfall
Warm Mediterranean
50% export - USA, Japan, China, Northern Europe
Elena Fucci - significant producer
Describe Aglianico del Vulture:
100% Aglianico
70hL/ha
DOC: 1 year aging
Superiore (DOCG): 3 years aging, 1 in oak
Superiore Riserva: 5 years aging, 2 in oak
Describe Puglia:
Hot mediterranean
Moderating breezes
Low rainfall - irrigation permitted
Fertile soils
Grapes in Puglia:
Bulk: Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Trebbiano
Primitivo
Negroamaro
Nero di Troia
Describe Primitivo:
High yielding
AKA Zin
Early ripening
Early budding
Spring frost/Drought
Poor flowering/fruit set - rainy and humid years
Loose bunches with small berries (different from Cali Zin)
Uneven ripening by bunch - need strict sorting
Accumulates sugar easily
Bush trained
Low density
Primitivo DOCs?
Primitivo di Manduria DOC: min. 85% Primitivo; 63hL/ha; Riserva - aged 2.5 years, 9mo wood, min. 14% ABV
Gioia del Colle DOC: Min. 50% Primitivo with Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and/or Negroamaro; up to 10% Malvasia; 52hL/ha; Riserva - aged 2 years, min. 14% ABV
Describe Primitivo profile:
Med+/Pronounced intensity
Ripe/jammy red cherry, strawberry
Med acid
Med/med+ tannin
Describe Negroamaro:
High yielding
Good resistance - highly suitable for hot climate
Black plum, black cherry
Med/High alc
Med acid
Med+ tannins
Describe Salice Salentino DOC:
Min. 75% Negroamaro
Min. 90% if Negroamaro listed on label
84hL/ha
Riserva: Min. 2 years, 6 mo in large oak
Describe Nero di Troia:
AKA Uva di Troia
Late ripening
Downy mildew
Red cherry, redcurrant, black pepper
High, fine-grained tannins
Med+ acid
Describe Castel del Monte:
Min. 90% Nero di Troia
DOC:
91hL/ha
DOCG:
70hL/ha
2 years aging, 1 year wood
Puglia wine business:
Less than 10% PDO wine
60% simply “wine”
Co-ops very important
Tormaresca
Describe Sicily:
Warm Mediterranean
Low rainfall - irrigation needed
Varieties in Sicily:
Catarratto
Grillo
Inzolia
Chardonnay
Zibibbo
Carricante
Nero d’Avola
Nerello Mascalese
Describe Catarratto:
High yielding
Disease resistant
Light intensity
High acid
Med alcohol
Lemon, herbal
Describe Grillo:
Cross of Catarratto and Moscato
Moderately high yielding
Heat + disease resistant
Shading needed - loss of aroma due to over-exposure
Prone to oxidation
Full bodied
Medium intensity
Med alc
High acid
Lemon, floral
Describe Inzolia:
AKA Ansonica
Early ripening
Drought resistant
Med- intensity lemon
Med acid
Med body
Describe Zibibbo:
AKA Muscat of Alexandria
Heat/drought resistant
Low bush vines
Made in dry, late harvest, and passito style
Donnafugata makes all 3 styles
Describe Passito wines:
Deep lemon color
Pronounced aromas
Cooked orange, apricot, honey
Sweet
High alcohol
Describe Nero d’Avola:
AKA Calabrese
Late-ripening
Grows close to ground
Very vigorous
Susceptible to powdery mildew
Uneven flowering
Feudo Montoni
Describe Nero d’Avola profile:
Red cherry, black plum
Med/deep ruby
Med+/high tannins
Med/Med+ acid
Describe Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG:
50-70% Nero d’Avola
30-50% Frappato
52hL/ha
Frappato adds strawberry, herbal, freshness
Planeta - sig producer
Describe Nerello Mascalese:
Early budding
Late ripening
Powdery mildew, botrytis
Deleaf timing important - if early, sunburn; if late, unripe flavors and harsh tannins
Describe Nerello Mascalese profile:
Pale/med ruby
High intensity
Red cherry, violet, herbal, earthy
High acid
Med/high tannin
Med/high alc
Describe Etna Rosso DOC:
Min 80% Nerello Mascalese
Nerello Cappuccio is remainder
- adds color and red berry fruit
Often old vine for best wines
56hL/ha
Riserva: 4 years aging, 1 year wood
Describe Carricante:
Prone to fungal diseases
Likes high altitudes
MLF common
Old oak
Med int Lemon, green apple
High acid
Med alc
Describe Etna Bianco DOC:
Min. 60% Carricante (often 100% for top producers)
Catarratto makes up remainder
Describe Sicilia DOC:
Promoted from IGT in 2011
Large range of varieties and combination of varieties
High yields (91W, 84R)
Sicilian Wine Business:
A few large private companies (Planeta)
Co-ops important (Settesoli 7%)
Large producer of bulk wine
Only 20% of wine is bottled
Assovini Sicilia - promotional body
Sicilia En Primeur - organized by Assovini annually
Describe Sardinia:
Warm Mediterranean
Low rainfall - irrigation required
Key varietals: Cannonau, Carignano, Vermentino, Monica (B), Nuragus (W)
Describe Cannonau:
AKA Grenache
DOC Cannonau di Sardegna
77hL/ha, 63 in Classico
Riserva - 2.5 years aging, 6 mo in wood
Riserva Classico - 2.5 years aging, 1 yr wood
Sella & Mosca - sig prod
Describe Vermentino:
Early budding
Spring frost, downy mildew, European grape moth
Mid-season ripening
Needs sunny, exposed sites, poor soils
Vermentino di Sardegna DOC (112hL/ha)
Vermentino di Gallura DOCG (63hL/ha)
Describe Vermentino profile and winemaking:
Med int lemon, acacia, tropical fruit
Light/med body
Med alc
Med+ acid
Short skin maceration (24hrs)
Neutral containers on fine lees
Describe Carignano:
AKA Carignan
Heat/drought resistant
Bush vines - controls vigor
Carignano del Sulcis DOC
-77hL/ha, 52.5 for superiore
-2 years aging
Agricola Punica - sig prod
Sardinia wine business:
Traditionally bulk wine, transitioning to quality
2/3 wine now PDO
Co-ops important - Cantina Santadi
