Southern Italy

Question 1

What is Southern Italy Best known for ?

Answer 1

Full-bodied red wines made from Aglianico, Primitivo and Negroamaro

Great deal of variety to be found here

Question 2

What are the regions of Southern Italy ?

Answer 2

Campania
Basilicata
Puglia
Sicily

Question 3

Describe the climate of Southern Italy

Answer 3

Hot and dry inland
Humid near the coast

Question 4

Where is located the area of Southern Italy ?

Answer 4

South of Lazio down to the peninsula, including Sicily
Surrounded by the Adriatic sea on the east and the Tyrrhenian Sea on the West

Question 5

What factors are influencing climate in southern italy?

Answer 5

Vineyards are located on slopes within the Appenines
altitude provides some relief from the heat.
Sea breezes coll the vineyards located on the flatter terrain of the Puglian peninsula

Question 6

Describe the grapegrowing of Southern Italy

Answer 6

Agriculture is important, particularly with significant volumes in Puglia and Sicilia

Traditionnally, vines were bush-trained low to the ground with leaf cover
Now, cordon training and trellising are the most common methods to allow mechanisation on puglia’s flat plain.

Question 7

What region is home to more DOCG than any other region of the Southern Italy ?

Answer 7

Campania

Question 8

What grape varieties produce the best white wines in Campania ?

Answer 8

Fiano
Greco

Question 9

What are the two campanian appellations for best white wines ?

Answer 9

Fiano di Avellino DOCG
Greco di Tufo DOCG

Question 10

Describe characteristics of Campania Fiano

Answer 10

medium acidity
medium to full body
stone fruit, melons and mango aroma
To be drunk young
Best examples are matured in oak and can age in bottle with aromas of wax and honey

Question 11

Describe characteristics of Campania Greco

Answer 11

High acidity, leaner in body than Fiano,
green apple, stone fruit, passion fruit flavours
Ferment in stainless steel but some use old oak and techniques as lees stirring to enhance texture
Can age in bottle to develop honey and mushroom aromas

Question 12

What is the most prestigious black grape of Southern Italy ?

Answer 12

Aglianico

Question 13

What are the characteristics of Campania Aglianico

Answer 13

deep colour
high acidity
high tannin
flavours of black fruit
Matured in oack and age in bottle
Develops earthy, forest floor notes

Question 14

What is the DOCG associated with Aglianico in Campania ?
Where is it located ?

Answer 14

Taurasi DOCG

Inland, in the north east of Campania

Question 15

Where is located Basilicata ?
Describe the vineyards locations

Answer 15

Just below campania, west of Puglia
Moutainous region, where vineyards reach 900 metres
Surrounds the extinct volcano of Monte Vulture

Question 16

What is the principal grape of Basilicata and the DOC of the best wine of the region?

Answer 16

Aglianico

Aglianico del Vulture DOC

Question 17

What are the dominating grapes of Puglia ?

Answer 17

The hot climates means the region is dominated by black grapes

Negroamaro
Primitivo (zinfandel)

Question 18

What is the appellation of high yields early-drinking red wines of Puglia ?

Answer 18

Puglia IGT

Question 19

Describe the best example of Puglia Negroamaro wines
Name the principal DOC

Answer 19

Full-bodied, medium tannins , medium acidity, high alcohol
baked red and black fruit

Salice Salentino DOC

Question 20

Describe the best example of Primitivo wines

Answer 20

Full-bodied, medium tannins, medium acidity, high alcohol, pronounced vlaours of ripe berry fruit

Question 21

What grape varieties are grown in Southern Italy?

Answer 21

White varieties
- Fiano
- Greco
- Chardonnay

Black varieties
- Negroamaro
- Aglianico
- Primitivo
- Nero D’avola
- Syrah

Question 22

What are the IGT and the DOC of Sicily ?

Answer 22

IGT Terre di Sicilia / Terre Siciliane (high yields)

Sicilia DOC (slightely lowered yields)

Question 23

What is the dominant black grape of Sicilia ?

Answer 23

Nero d’Avola

Question 24

What are the characteristic of Sicily Nero d’Avola ?

Answer 24

Widely grown
medium to full-bodied
Medium acidity, medium tannins
Plums black cherries aromas

Fruity early-drinking style of concentated and complex

Question 25

Describe the white wine styles of Sicily

Answer 25

Local white grape varieties are sold a varietal or blended wines
Unoaked style, citrus and stone fruit flavours

Question 26

What are the two international grapes grown in Sicily?

Answer 26

Chardonnay and syrah
The later being particularly succesfull

Question 27

From which DOC come the best wines of Sicily?
Describe the vineyards

Answer 27

Etna DOC

Old ,low-yielding vines, at high altitudes

Question 28

Red wines from Etna DOC are primarily made from a blend of what 2 grape varieties?

Answer 28

Nerello Mascalese
Nerello Cappuccio

Question 29

What are the characteristics of Reds from Etna DOC ?

Answer 29

fragrant wines
high acid, high tannin
aromas of sour red cherries , cranberries, and raspberries, with dried herbs
with age, high tannins soften and mushroom like aromas can develop

Question 30

What are the characteristics of whites from Etna DOC ?

Answer 30

medium-bodeid
high acidity, citrus fruit with stony steely caracter
Developing aromas of honey and wax with bottle age