Topography, soils,climate Flashcards
Which 4 countries border Italy?
Switzerland and Austria to the north, France to the west and Slovenia to the east.
What main features characterise the topography of Italy?
Mountains, Hills, Rivers, Lakes, Seas, Plains
What are the most significant topographical features in Italy?
Mountains and hills cover over 3/4s of Italy.
Which mountains influence the Italian wine regions?
Alps and the Appenines.
Where are the hills mainly found in Italy?
Mostly on the sides of the Alps and the Appenines.
Where are the vast majority of Italy’s vineyards found?
The vast majority are found on the hills at elevation.
Which is Italy’s largest plain? Which major river transverses it?
The flat and fertile Padan Plain which is crossed by the longest river the River Po.
What are the four major basins of the Mediterranean Sea?
Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenian, Ligurian.
What influence do the four basins/seas have on the vineyards?
They have a significant role in moderating the climate of the regions they border.
What influence do the rivers of Italy have on the vineyards?
Because they are shorter and not volumetrically big they have limited influence.
What influence do the lakes of Italy have on the vineyards?
The larger lakes such as Garda, Como, Iseo and Maggiore all influence the vineyards they are close to. They moderate the cooling influence of the Alps.
What is the key factor in determining the climate of Italy’s vineyards?
Although Italy stretches over 10 degrees of latitude and is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea, elevation is the key factor.
What does elevation provide to vineyards and grapegrowing?
It means that the growing season is extended, resulting in later harvests. Grapes can ripen slowly and natural acidity is maintained.
What is the unifying feature of Italys climate?
The interplay between mountains and seas is the fundamental and unifying feature.
What are the three general categories of soils found in Italy?
Sedimentary, Metamorphic and volcanic.
What is sedimentary soil derived from?
Bedrock of alluvial or marine origin, or deposited from Glaciers, eg glacial moraines.
What is metamorphic soil derived from?
It is derived from foliated metamorphic rocks such as gneiss, schist and slate. They occurred during the formation of Italy’s mountain ranges.
What is volcanic soil derived from?
Volcanic activity which created soils which because of the presence of ash, are rich in nutrient and water retentive.
