Toscana Flashcards
Communes of Chianti Classico (N-S)
FIRENZE (4) : San Casciano (in Val de Pesa), Greve, Tavernelle (Val de Pesa), Barberino val d’Elsa
SIENA (5) : Poggibonsi, Castellina, Radda, Gaiole, Castelnuovo Berardenga
Only white-wine DOCG of Tuscany?
Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano producers
Poliziano*, Avignonesi*, DEI*, Il Macchione, Le Casalte (*Alliance Vinum member)
Culinary specialties of Tuscany
Bisteca alla Fiorentina (chiannina beef),
Ribolita (bean, cabbage, veggie soup),
Gramugia (soup from Lucca - onions, artichokes, fava beans, asparagus, bacon),
Crostini de Fegatini (bread crust with chicken liver pate), pici pasta,
Pappardelle al Cinghiale (wild boar)
“mangiafagiole” bean eaters - especially good with soups - bread with no salt!
Top 3 Tuscany vintages in the past 20 years
10, ’07, ’06, ’ 04, ‘01
Worst 3 Tuscany vintages in past 20 years
14,
’05,
’03,
‘02
Chianti aging requirements
normale 6 mo,
classico 1 year,
superiore 1 year,
classico riserva 2 years, 3 mo in bottle
gran selezione 30 mo; 3 mo in bottle
What is Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice?
with sangio or malvasia nera, rose vin santo
(50% sangio (prunolo gentile) in montepulciano
min. 6 years aging in Montepulciano
Blend of Sassicaia
85% CS, 15% CF
‘Primum Familae Vini’
12 - Muller, Symington, San Guido, Vega Sicilia, Hugel, Antinori, Baron Rothschild, (Mondavi was booted after being bought)
Where is the Tignanello Estate (Antinori)
Chianti Classico Zone (San Casciano in Val de Pesa)
Sangio, CS, CF
Who makes wine in Pomino DOC?
Frescobaldi,
Selvapiana
Who created the original chianti formula?
Barone Bettino Ricasoli
sangio, canaiolo, colorino, trebbiano, malvasia
What is Al governo?
Refermentation with juice of dried grapes to stabilize the wine
4 original villages of chianti classico
Greve (Firenze),
Castellina,
Radda,
Gaiole
Higher alt. regions: Lamole, Greve, Radda, Gaiole
Producers in Radda
Volpaia, Montevertine, Poggerino
Producers in Gaiole
Badia e Coltibuono, Riecine
Producers in Barberino Val d’Elsa
Monsanto, Isole e Olena
Producers in Castellina
Castellare, Fonterutoli
Producers in Castelnuovo Berardenga
Felsina, San Giusto, San Felice
Which chianti sub zone overlaps with Brunello di Montalcino? and Montepulciano?
Colli Senesi
What are frazzione?
sub communes of Montalcino - geographical units
Torrenieri, Tavernelle, Castelnuovo dell’Abate, Sant Angelo in Colle, Sant Angelo Scalo
Chianti Montalbano overlaps with what DOCG?
Carmignano
Carmignano styles and grapes?
50% sangio, 10-20% CS, CF
(may also include canaiolo, trebbiano, malvasia, merlot, syrah)
6-8 months;
Riserva - 3 years, 1 yr oak
Describe Ornellaia
Ludovico Antinori 1985, now owned by Frescobaldi,
CS 50 cab, 25 merlot, CF, PV,
Mondavi family took ownership, sold half shares to Fresco now it’s all Fresco;
Serra Nuove, Le Volte (merlot dominant), Masseto
Who is Giacomo Tachis
consulting winemaker who made Tignanello, Sassicaia, Castello dei Rampolla
Name the famous Antinori bottling not named after an entire vineyard
“Solaia” - sunniest plot within Tignanello
First “vigna” wine in Brunello di Montalcino
Altesino - Montosoli vyd - 1970
other bottling: Baricci (all in Montosoli), Caparzo, Canalicchio di Sopra
Define Madre in the context of Tuscan winemaking
production of vin santo - must is put into old barrels still containing old slurry (lees, must) “mother”
What is the name for vin santo barrels
caratelli 50 - 225 L
grower’s association in Montepulciano
Alliance Vinum - 100% sangiovese (prunolo gentile)
- DEI, Poliziano, Avignonese, Boscarelli, Salcheto
Who produces Testamatta series?
Bibi Graetz, IGT Toscana wines - usually 100% sangio
parentage of sangiovese?
ciliegiolo x calabrese de montenuovo
brunello-gate or brunell-opoly (2008)
beefing up brunello with nero d’avola - brunellos were practically opaque (Banfi & Argiano)
How much cabernet is permitted in the Carmignano blend?
10-20% cabernet sauv + franc
Carmignano producer?
Piaggia, Capezanna
Who introduced Bordeaux varieties to central Italy?
Catherine di Medici (married to French nobility) - Carmignano
Italy’s most planted reds/whites
sangio, montepulciano, trebbiano, barbera
6 sangiovese DOCGs in Tuscany
Morellino di Scansano 85, Montecucco Sangiovese 90, Carmignano 50, Brunello 100, Chianti 70/80, Vino Nobile 70
Provinces of Chianti DOCG
Firenze, Siena, Pisa, Pisoia, Prato, Arezzo
What DOC in Tuscany is reserved for Syrah-based wines?
Cortona DOC (producer - Stefano Amerighi)
subzones of Chianti (8)
Classico, Montalbano, Fioretini, Pisane, Montespertoli, Senesi, Rufina, Aretini
sangiovese requirements for chianti
70% for regular, 80% for classico
As of 2021 Gran Selezione 90%
what are the accessory grapes for chianti
canaiolo, colorino, malvasia nera, ciliegolo, merlot, cab,
are white grapes allowed in classico? normale?
NO (disallowed 2006 - led to vin santo bump); YES
galestro & albarese soil types
galestro - rocky, schistous clay
albarese - compact clay/limestone
3rd type of soil in Tuscany?
“macigno” - grayish blue sandstone in the south, also calcareous tufa found in the south
min. abv for brunello di montalcino
12.5%
Brunello di Montalcino best 90s vintage
‘99, ‘97, ‘90
DOC for Carmignano
Barco Reale
min. abv for Chianti Classico, Riserva, GS?
Classico - 12%
Classico Riserva - 12.5%
Gran Selezione - 13%
Montalcino - Northern sites (Montosoli)
Northern exposures, cool air ventilation
altitude 300-400m
calcareous clay/limestone
Soils of Montosoli
marl, loam, quartz, shale, limestone - Grand Cru of Montalcino
South hill of Montalcino
southern exposrues, 400-500 m altitude, high diurnals, galestro soils with mixes of clay and rock, well-drained soils but tough for drought
Tavarnelle situation in Montalcino
lower lying, up to 350m altitude, rocky terrain
Castelnuovo dell’Abate situation
varied altitudes but warmer and drier, moderated by Orcia River and shielded by Mount Amiata
Sant Angelo in Colle
warmest and driest, less steep, clay and silt
Which Chianti Normale sub zone requires a higher percentage of sangiovese?
Colli Senesi (75% vs 70%)
name for sangiovese grape in Scansano
Morellino (little cherry)
traditional vin santo pairing
almond biscotti (contucci)
What are the mountains between the Maremma Coast and inland Tuscany?
Matellifere
Where are Aleatico Passito wines made in Tuscany?
from Elba
Producers of Vin Santo
Isole e Olena
Badia e Coltibuona
Avignonesi
White grapes outlawed in Chianti formula when?
2006
Who created the original chianti formula?
Barone Bettino Ricasoli (Castello di Brolio in Gaiole) - later became Prime Minister of Italy; sangio, canaiolo, colorino, trebbiano, malvasia - he also adapted Bordeaux winemaking processes to improve quality (shorter macerations, sealed fermentation vessels)
What producer makes 70% of all Carmignano?
Capezzana
What is Al governo?
Refermentation with juice of dried grapes to stabilize the wine (restart a stuck ferment)
Classico Communes in the province of Florence
Greve,
Barberino Val d’Elsa,
San Casciano Val de Pesa,
Tavernelle Val di Pesa
Classico Communes in the province of Siena
Radda, Gaiole, Castellina, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonsi
Chianti Montalbano overlaps with what DOCG?
Carmignano
What are the three quality tiers for Chianti DOCG
Chianti (March release),
Superiore (September release),
Riserva - 2 years (from Jan 1)
T or F there is no minimum wood aging requirement for Chianti Classico?
TRUE
Aging requirements for chianti classico, riserva, gran selezione
classico - 1 yr (Oct),
riserva - 2yr (Jan - 3 bottle),
GS- 30 mo (Jan - 3 bottle)
Quality producer of Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG?
Montenidoli (skin maceration)
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara
When was the Chianti region demarcated?
1716 by Cosimo III di Medici (Grand Duke of Tuscany) - First region ever to be officially demarcated
- at this same time Pomino, Carmignano, and Valdarno (all before Douro and Tokaj)
What is the ‘Conca d’Oro?’
A south-facing, concave slope in Panzano (hamlet in Greve) with abundant galestro
Panzano has its own grower’s association (Panzano wineries - Casaloste, Fontodi, La Massa)
What is the difference between Annata and Riserva Brunello?
Annata is normale - 2 years in wood, 4 mo in bottle, released after 5 years;
Riserva is aged 2 years in wood, 6 months in bottle, released after 6 years - sometimes criticized for being oxidative and no better in quality than annata
T or F Rosso di Montalcino production is less (by about half) than Brunello production?
TRUE
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano fits within the boundaries of which Chianti zone?
Colli Senesi
Most famous wine from Morellino di Scansano area?
Fattoria Le Pupille ‘Saffredi’ - IGT - cab/merlot
What are the names of Antinori’s 3 big Super Tuscans?
Tignanello (sangio),
Solaia (CS),
Guado al Tasso (CS)
Ansonica (del’Argentario) is a identical to what grape from Sicily?
Inzolia
Where does the best vermentino come from in Tuscany?
Colli di Luni - North of Maremma close to Liguria
What are the forces behind the quality revolution in Chianti?
Employing better clones, reducing yields, increasing planting density, employing stainless steel, sealed tank fermentations
What is the name for Antinori’s Brunello Estate? Gaja’s?
Pian delle Vigne;
Pieve di Santa Restituta
What are the flagship wines of Frescobaldi from Rufina?
Nipozzano,
Montesodi
2 Rivers in Toscana
Arno flows through Firenze,
Orcia makes the southern border of Montalcino
