Southern Italy & Sicily

Question 1

Put the levels of sweetness in Italy from driest to sweetest

Abboccato, Amabile, Secco, Ascuitto, Dolce

Answer 1

Asciutto (bone dry)

Secco (dry) 0-4g/L

Abboccato (off-dry) 4-12g/L

Amabile (demi-sec) 12-45g/L

Dolce (45+ g/L)

Question 2

What are the grape requirements for Taurasi and Aglianico del Taburno?

Answer 2

They are the same minimum 85% Aglianico with max 15% other non-aromatic red grapes of Avellino and Benevento respectively.

Question 3

What are the aging requirements for Aglianico del Vulture Superiore & Riserva DOCG?

Answer 3

Superiore: 12 months in barrel, 12 months in bottle, not to be released before November 1 of the third year following the harvest - 3 Years
Riserva: 2 years in barrel and 2 years in bottle, not to be released before November 1 of the fifth year following the harvest - 5 Years

Question 4

Lacryma Christi is produced in what DOC? What province is this located in?

What is the main white and red grapes?

Answer 4

Vesuvio DOC in Campania

White: Minimum 45% Caprettone and/or Coda di Volpe

^{_{Caprettone was recognized as a separate variety in 2014 from Coda di Volpe}}

Red/Rosato:

Minimum 50% Piedirosso

Question 5

What is the least mountainous region in Italy and what are the three major red grapes here?

Answer 5

Puglia

Primitivo, Nero di Troia, Negroamaro

Question 6

What is the DOCG(s) of Basilicata

Answer 6

Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG

100% Aglianico

Superiore: 12 months in barrel, 12 months in bottle, not to be released before November 1 of the third year following the harvest - min. 3 years
Riserva: 2 years in barrel and 2 years in bottle, not to be released before November 1 of the fifth year following the harvest - min. 5 years

Question 7

What region is Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale DOCG located in, what is the min. RS and what process are grapes in this DOCG usually subjected to?

Answer 7

Puglia

100% Primitivo, Minimum 50g/L RS

Appassimento

Question 8

What are the grape requirements for Faro DOC? Where is it located?

Answer 8

45-60% Nerello Mascalese, 15-30% Nerello Cappucio, 5-10% Nocera

Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Gaglioppo, and Sangiovese making up the rest

Sicily (NE corner)

Rosso Only

Question 9

What is the name of the wine produced on the slopes of Monte Massico that was among the most prominent wines in the world at the height of the Roman Empire? Province? Grape?

Answer 9

Falernian

Campania (Province)

Aminean (Greco) grape

Question 10

What are the DOCGs of Campania (4)

Answer 10

Greco di Tufo (2003)

Aglianico del Taburno (2011)

Fiano di Avellino (2003)

Taurasi (1993)

_{(All min. 85% of varietal)}

Question 11

What is the major white grape of Calabria?

A. Gaglioppo

B. Greco Bianco

C. Guarnaccia Bianca

D. Pecorello

Answer 11

B. Greco Bianco

_{Greco di Bianco DOC solely produces passito wine from Greco}

_{Ciró DOC produces dry whites from Greco}

_{Melissa DOC produces dry white from Greco}

Question 12

What are the grape requirements for Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG? What region is it located in?

Answer 12

50-70% Nero d’Avola, 30-50% Frappato

Sicily

Question 13

What is the major and largest DOC of production in Puglia for Negroamaro?

A. Salice Salentino DOC

B. Castel del Monte DOC

C. Brindisi DOC

D. San Severo DOC

E. All of the above

Answer 13

A. Salice Salentino DOC (this is the major production 2200+ HA)

_{Brindisi DOC: min. 70% Negroamaro (337HA)}

_{Castel del Monte DOC: 0 - 100% Nero di Troia, Aglianico or Montepulciano}

_{San Severo DOC: min. 70% Montepulciano}

Question 14

What are the dominant red and white varietals respectively for Etna DOC?

Answer 14

Red: Nerello Mascalese, (Nerello Cappuccio 2nd)

White: Carricante, (Cataratto 2nd)

Question 15

What are the DOCGs of Puglia (4)

Answer 15

Castel del Monte Bombino Nero (2011): Min. 90% Bombino Nero - Rosato Only

Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva (2011): Min. 90% Nero di Troia (Uva di Troia)

Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva (2011): Min. 65% Nero di Troia (Uva di Troia)

Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale (2011): 100% Primitivo

Question 16

What is the major red grape of Calabria? What is the main DOC?

Answer 16

Gaglioppo

Ciró DOC

_{Melissa DOC produces varietal Gaglioppo also}

Question 17

What are the two major red grapes of Campania? Which is the most important?

Answer 17

Aglianico (most important)

Piedirosso

Question 18

What are the four tiers of wine quality in Italy from highest to lowest?

Answer 18

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)

Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)

Indicazione Geografica Tipica

Vino (formerly Vino da Tavola)

Question 19

What is the Italian name for botrytis?

Answer 19

Muffa Nobile

Question 20

What is the Italian word for dosage?

Answer 20

dosato

Question 21

What is the name of the mountain range that runs north-south through Italy?

Answer 21

Apennine Mountains

Question 22

What is the name of the sea on the west coast of Italy? East Coast? South Coast?

What is the major sea which all are a part of?

Answer 22

Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas on the west side, Adriatic Sea on the east side, and the Ionian sea at the south.

Mediterranean

Question 23

What was the purpose of Goria’s Law in 1992?

Answer 23

To establish a much-needed IGT category.

Question 24

What part of Italy and what DOC would you find the red Magliocco grape as the main varietal?

A. Calabria, Terre di Cosenza DOC

B. Sicily, Vittoria DOC

C. Puglia, Salice Salentino DOC

D. Calabria, Cirò DOC

Answer 24

A. Calabria, Terre di Cosenza DOC

min. 60% Magliocco (aka: Magliocco Dolce/Arvino/Mantonico Nero/Lacrima/Guarnaccia Nera)

high tannin, thick skin, wild berries, savory

^{Cirò DOC: Gaglioppo}

^{Salice Salentino DOC: Negroamaro}

^{Vittoria DOC: 50% - 70% Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), 30% - 50% Frappato}

Question 25

Copertino DOC, San Severo DOC, Squinzano DOC, Gioia del Colle DOC are all located in what region?

A. Campania

B. Puglia

C. Sicily

D. Calabria

E. Shared between Basilicata & Molise

Answer 25

B. Puglia

^{San Severo DOC: Bombino biano, Montepulciano}

^{Squinzano DOC: Chardonnay, Malvasia bianca - Negroamaro, Susumaniello}

^{Copertino DOC: Rosato/Rosso only - Negroamaro}

^{Gioia del Colle DOC: Trebbiano, Primitivo, Aleatico}

Question 26

Brindisi DOC in Puglia is known for what red grape?

A. Nero di Troia

B. Primitivo

C. Negroamaro

D. Aglianico

E. It’s a white wine only DOC

Answer 26

C. Negroamaro

^{Susumaniello red produced also, peppery, smoke, herba, red berries}

Brindisi, Salice Salento, Squinzano and Copertino DOC’s are all in the southern portion of Puglia producing red from Negroamaro

Question 27

Match the following grapes to the appellation in which they can be used.

Negroamaro, Greco, Uva di Troia, Verdeca, Montepulciano

A. Barletta DOC

B. Copertino DOC

C. Locorotondo DOC

D. Melissa DOC

E. Biferno DOC

Answer 27

A. Uva di Troia - Barletta DOC - Puglia

• _{<span>Barletta is abuts Castel del Monte DOC, </span><span>Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva & Rosso Riserva DOCG​’s</span>}

B. Negroamaro - Copertino DOC - Puglia

• _{Copertino is around Nardó DOC Squinzano DOC & Salice Salento DOC, all negroamaro producing DOC’s}

C. Verdeca - Locorotondo DOC - Puglia

D. Greco - Melissa DOC - Calabria

• _{Melissa DOC abuts Ciró DOC, same wines for rosso and bianco}

E. Montepulciano - Biferno DOC - Abruzzo

Question 28

Castel del Monte Bombino Nero, Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva, Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva, Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale are the 4 DOCG’s of Puglia.

1. Which produces only rosato?
2. Does Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva, Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva produce wine from the same grape?

Answer 28

1. Rosato only: Castel del Monte Bombino Nero: min 90% Bombino Nero
2. Both produce red only wine from Nero di Troia

Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva (min. 90%), Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva (min. 65%)

^{Uva di Troia is synonym with Nero di Troia}

Question 29

What 2 DOC’s of Campania share the same zone of production but one focuses on Falanghina, producing only whites from this grape?

Answer 29

Falanghina del Sannio DOC & Sannio DOC

_{Subzones: Guardia Sanframondi (Guardiolo), Sant’Agata dei Goti, Solopaca, Taburno}

Question 30

What island DOC northwest of Naples west of the Campi Flegrei DOC produces whites from Forastera & Biancolella and reds from Guarnaccia & Piedirosso?

A. Irpinia

B. Elba

C. Lipari

D. Ischia

Answer 30

D. Ischia

^{Bianco/Spumante: 40-70% Forastera, 35-55% Biancolella<br></br>Rosso: 40-50% Guarnaccia, 40-50% Piedirosso}

Campi Flegrei use Falanghina (50% -70%) for white and Piedirosso (min. 50%)
Aglianico (min. 30%) for reds

Question 31

Casavecchia di Pontelatone DOC, Irpinia DOC and Terre del Volturno IGT are all located in what region?

Answer 31

Campania

Question 32

What 3 DOC’s of Campania are south of Vesuvio along the Gulf of Salerno?

Answer 32

North side of Gulf of Salerno

Penisola Sorrentina DOC, Costa d’Amalfi DOC

South of Gulf of Salerno

Cilento DOC

Question 33

What is the island DOC off the coast of Sicily that focuses on Moscato locally known as Zibbibo?

A. Lipari

B. Capri

C. Stromboli

D. Pantelleria

Answer 33

D. Pantelleria

Moscato di Pantelleria/Passito di Pantelleria DOC

^{Malvasia delle Lipari DOC uses Malvasia, Stromboli is part of Lipari DOC, they are part of the Aeolian Islands}

^{Capri DOC is part of Campania and has less than 2HA of production}

Question 34

Etna Bianco Superiore must be produced in what commune on Mt. Etna

A. Randazzo

B. Milo

C. Castiglione

D. Linguaglossa

E. Piedimonte Etneo

Answer 34

B. Milo

^{Etna Bianco Superiore madates 80% Carricante, Etna Bianco only 60%}

^{Randazzo, Castiglione, Linguaglossa, Piedimonte Etneo are on the north side of Etna and produce most of the wines of Etna with many famous Contrade (subzones/crus) 133 in total}

Question 35

The communes of Randazzo & Castiglione on Mt. Etna in Sicily have many of the named Contrade (Crus) name a few?

Answer 35

Randazzo: Feudo, San Lorenzo, Calderara Sottana

Castiglione: Barbabecchi, Feudo di Mezzo, Rampante, Sciara Nuova, Guardiola

^{Passopisciaro is a frazioni (subdivision/hamlet) of Castiglione}

^{Province is Catania}

Question 36

What 2 DOC’s of Sicily are at the southern most point of the island and focus on Nero d’Avola production for red wine?

A. Eloro DOC & Noto DOC

B. Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOC & Etna DOC

C. Faro DOC & Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOC

D. Eloro DOC & Alcamo DOC

Answer 36

A. Eloro DOC & Noto DOC

^{They are south of Cerasuolo di Vittoria}

Eloro DOC is rosso only has a subzone Pachino that mandates Nero d’Avola

Noto DOC : bianco Moscato only, rosso Nero d’Avola only

^{Alcamo DOC is in the NW near Marsala, it uses Calabrese (Nero d’Avola) and itnernational and native varietals}

Question 37

Delia Nivolelli DOC, Menfi DOC, Sciacca DOC and Monreale DOC are all part of what region in Italy?

A. Campania

B. Calabria

C. Puglia

D. Sicily

E. They don’t exist

Answer 37

D. Sicily

They are all small production DOCs in the NW of Italy near Marsala along with Salaparuta DOC, Sambuca di Sicilia DOC, Contessa Entellina DOC, Erice DOC, Alcamo DOC

Question 38

Noto DOC and Siracusa DOC in southern Sicily are know for making whites from ____ only?

A. Carricante

B. Malvasia

C. Moscato

D. Grillo

Answer 38

C. Moscato

^{Planeta family rescued Moscato di Noto and Nino Pupillo did the same for Moscato di Siracusa}

^{dry, spumante and passito styles}

^{_{(World Atlas of Wine)}}

Question 39

Marsala DOC wines are produced in 3 colors, name them and the grapes used? List 2 grapes for each category? Which is the lower quality and is the only style that permits the practice of concia?

Answer 39

Oro, Ambra: Grillo, Ansonica (Inzolia), Catarratto, Damaschino

Rubino: Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), and Nerello Mascalese; plus a max. 30% white grapes

Ambra: is of lower quality and is the only style that permits the practice of concia: the addition of mosto cotto (sifone)

_{^{Mosto Cotto is cooked grape must}}

Question 40

Fine, Superiore, Superiore Riserva, Vergine/Solera, Vergine Riserva/Solera Riserva/Vergine and Solera Stravecchio are the aging indicattion for Marsala, what is the min. aging for each category? What are the Marsala sweetness categories (3)?

Answer 40

Fine: Min. 1 year
Superiore: Min. 2 years
Superiore Riserva: Min. 4 years
Vergine/Solera: Min. 5 years
Vergine Riserva/Solera Riserva/Vergine and Solera Stravecchio: Min. 10 years

^{(All aged in oak or cherry wood, Vintage Marsala does exist and the vintage refers to the year of fortification)}

secco indicates a maximum 40 grams per liter of residual sugar, semisecco indicates 40 to 100 g/l of residual sugar, and dolce indicates a minimum 100 g/l of residual sugar.

Question 41

What is the most prominent DOC of Molise and what are the major red and white grapes here?

Answer 41

Biferno DOC

Red/Rosato: Montepulciano (70%-80%) + Aglianico (10%-20%)

White: Trebbiano Toscano (70%-80%)

^{Molise DOC has most production}

^{Tintilia del Molise DOC: rosso/rosato only - min.95% Tintilia, deep dark wines}

Question 42

The Locorotondo DOC in Puglia produces wine based on what grape variety?

A. Monica

B. Verdeca

C. Primitivo

D. Gaglioppo

E. Cataratto

Answer 42

B. Verdeca

bianco only: min. 50% Verdeca, min. 35% Bianco di Alessano

still, spumante, passito

Varietal Fiano & Bianco di Alessano (85%) produced also

Question 43

What winery in Campania helped revived the Aglianico grape in the 1970’s creating their flagship wine Radici since 1986?

Answer 43

Mastroberardino

Radici is 100% Aglianico grown in their Montemarano vineyard

Radici means Root

Mastroberardino has 14 estates

Question 44

_____ DOCG is the only DOCG in Italy producing solely rosato wines.

Answer 44

B. Castel del Monte Bombino Nero DOCG

Min. 90% Bombino Nero - max. 10 g/l RS

^{Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo only produces rose but it’s not a DOCG}

Question 45

A de-classified Taurasi would likely be released under which of the following appellations?

A. Aglianico del Taburno DOCG
B. Irpinia DOC
C. Sannio DOC
D. Avellino DOC
E. Beneventano IGT

Answer 45

B. Irpinia DOC

^{Bianco/Spumante/Passito: 40-50% Fiano, 40-50% Greco}

^{Rosato/Rosso/Rosso Novello: min. 70% Aglianico}

^{Subzone: Campi Taurasini: rosso only - min. 85% Aglianico}

^{Varietal wine 85% stated varietal authrorized for production}