Southern Italy

Question 1

What is the climate like in Southern Italy - coast and inland.

Answer 1

Inland - hot and dry
Coast - hot and humid - sea breezes help cool vineyards located on flatter terrain. Also many vineyards planted on the slopes of the Appenines.

Question 2

Vine training in Southern Italy

Answer 2

Traditionally bush trained low to the ground with leaves to prevent sunburn.
Now more cordon trained with trellising most common now.

Question 3

Campania DOCG’s/DOC’s

Answer 3

Home to more DOCG’s than any other southern region.
Most well known: Fiano di Avellino DOCG
Greco di Tufo DOCG
Taurasi DOCG

Question 4

Campania landscape

Answer 4

Varied with mountains, valleys, and coastal plains.

Question 5

Campania varietals

Answer 5

Fiano - medium acidity, med-full body, stonefruit, melon, mango. Most meant to be drunk young though better examples may see time in oak developing wax and honey notes.

Greco - higher acidity and leaner than Fiano. Green apple, stone fruit, and passion fruit. Mostly stainless steal but some use old oak and lees stirring. This can develop honey and mushroom notes when aged.

Aglianico - high acidity, high tannin, flavors of black fruit. With oak aging and time it will develop earthy forest floor notes.

Question 6

Basilicata landscape and varietal

Answer 6

Mountainous/ vineyards can reach 900m/3000ft. Extinct volcano Mount Vulture.
Aglianico main varietal - Aglianico del Vulture DOC

Question 7

Puglia climate/varietals

Answer 7

Hot climate good for red varietals
Negroamaro
Primitivo (Zinfandel) 

Both can be made as simple styles
With yield control
Negroamaro - full body, med. tannin and acid, high alcohol, baked red and black fruit. Salice Salentino DOC
Primitivo - full body, med. tannin and acid, high alcohol, ripe berry fruit notes

Question 8

Sicily wines/varietals/DOC’s

Answer 8

Most wines fall into IGT Terrie di Siccilla/Terre Siciliane.
Lower yields Sicilia DOC
Nero d’Avola dominant black grape. Med/Full body, med. tannin and acidity. Plum and black cherry notes. Most made as early drinking style.
Syrah and Chardonnay also planted.
Etna DOC are some of the best wines from the island. Produced from old, low yielding vines at high altitudes. Reds mostly from Nerollo Mascalese and Nerollo Cappuccio often blended together. Results in wine high in acid and tannin, aromas of sour cherry, cranberry, raspberry, dried herbs.
With time more mushroom notes. High quality whites med. body, high acid, citrus and stony notes