Tuscany Flashcards
When were with boundaries of Chianti first drawn?
By whom?
1716
Cosimo III de Medici
What is the traditional bottle used in Tuscany?
Fiasco
Who is attributed with developing the modern ‘formula’ for Chianti?
What was it?
Bettino Ricasoli
Primarily Sangiovese with Canaiolo as a blending partner and a recommendation of an addition of Malvasia Bianca Lunga for younger drinking wines
What were some changes that Bettino Ricasoli made to winemaking in Chianti?
Encépagement
Shortened post fermentation maceration periods
Switch from open top to sealed fermentation vessels
Advocated for lower vine training systems
Transitioned to Bordeaux shapes bottles
What are the Subzones of Chianti? (8)
Chianti Classico
Rùfina
Montalbano
Colli Fiorentini
Colli Senesi
Colli Aretini
Colline Pisane
Montespertoli
When did Niccolò Antinori blend Cabernet Sauvignon into his Tignanello wine, defaulting to the VdT label rather than Chianti Classico Riserva?
1971
What was the 1st monovarietal Sangiovese Super Tuscan in Chianti?
San Felice Vigorello in 1968
**today it is a Cabernet Merlot blend
List 3 famous monvarietal Sangiovese Super Tuscans
Isole e Olena Ceparello
Fontodi Flaccionello della Pieve
Montevertine Le Pergola Torte
Felsina Fontalloro
When was Chianti granted DOCG status?
1984
When was Chianti Classico granted DOCG status?
1996
When were regulations reformatted for Chianti to allow for 100% Sangiovese wines?
1996 (same year that Chianti Classico is granted DOCG status)
When are white grapes no longer permitted in Chianti Classico DOCG?
Are they permitted in Chianti DOCG?
2005
Yes, up to 10%
Which DOC lies entirely within the Rufina subzone of Chianti?
What kind of wine is made there?
Pomino DOC
Bianco, Rosso, Spumante Bianco/Rosato, Vin Santo
What River runs through the Rufina subzone of Chianti?
Sieve River
What is the minimum % Sangiovese permitted for Chianti?
Which subzone is an exception?
70%
In Colli Senesi the minimum of 75%
What is the max % of CS and CF allowed in Chianti DOCG? Which subzone is different?
15%
In Colli Senesi it is 10%
What are the minimum alcohol requirements for Chianti DOCG?
Normale - 11.5%
Superiore / Riserva - 12%
w/ Subzone - 12.5%
Colli Senesi - 13%
What are the aging requirements for Chianti DOCG?
March 1st of the year following harvest - Chianti, Colli Aretini, Colli Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano
June 1st of the year following harvest - Montespertoli
September 1st of the year following harvest - Chianti Superiore, Colli Fiorentini, Rufina
Min 2yrs from Jan 1st following harvest - Chianti Riserva. Colli Fiorentina Riserva and Rufina Riserve require 6m in wood. Colli Senesi Riserva requires 8m in wood and 4m in bottle
Which subzone of Chianti encompasses both Montalcino and Montepulciano?
Colli Senesi
What are the two important soil types of Chianti?
Galestro - friable schistic clay Alberese- a marlstone analogous to limestone
What word is used to describe the grayish-blue sandstone found in the South of Chianti Classico?
Macigno
What are the UGAs of Chianti Classico located in Florence?
Greve
Barberino Tavarnelle - part of San Donato
San Casciano Val di Pesa
What are the UGAs of Chianti Classico located just South of Siena?
Radda
Gaiole
Castellina
Castelnuovo Barardegna
Poggibonsi - Part of the San Donato UGA
List the UGAs of Chianti Classico that lie outside of Florence or Siena
Lamole
Vagliagli
Panzano
Montefioralle
Which UGA of Chianti Classico is home to the highest elevation vineyards?
Radda
In which subzone of Chianti Classico will you find the Conca d’Oro?
What is it?
Panzano
A Galestro rich, south-facing, concave slope
What native red grapes may be used as blending partners to Sangiovese in Chianti?
Canaiolo
Colorino
Ciliegiolo
Malvasia Nera
Mammolo
What is the governo technique in Chianti?
Where is it permitted?
What must be stated on the label?
Partially dried grapes or fresh grapes or must is added midway through fermentation (particularly in a stuck fermentation)
Chianti DOCG
Governo all’uso Toscano
What is the min % of Sangiovese for Chianti Classico?
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione?
80%
90%
What are the aging requirements of Chianti?
Classico- October 1st of the year following harvest
Riserva- 24m from Jan 1st following the harvest. 3m in bottle
Gran Selezione - 30m from Jan 1st following harvest. 3m in bottle.
When was the Gran Selezione category introduced? When did it go into effect?
2013
It went into effect retroactively for the 2010 vintage
What additional requirements are there for Gran Selezione wines in Chianti
All estate fruit (or acquired through long term contracts)
Harvested from a single vineyard or a selection of top parcels
90% Sangiovese
Pass a tasting panel
What are the traditional aging vessels for Vin Santo?
Chestnut Caratelli
What are the styles permitted in Vin Santo di Chianti Classico DOC?
Vin Santo
Vin Santo Occhio de Pernice
What grapes is Vin Santo made from?
Min 60% Trebbiano Toscana or Malvasia Bianco. Max 40% other Tuscan white varietals
What grapes is Vin Santo Occhio de Pernice made from?
Min 80% Sangiovese. Max 20% other Tuscan red or white varietals
What is the minimum aging for Vin Santo di Chianti Classico DOC?
3yrs following Nov 1st of harvest with 24m in wood following Jan 1st after harvest
What are the defining geographic characteristics of Brunello?
Mount Amiata
Orcia river
What does Brunello mean?
Small dark one
Who is credited with bottling the first Brunello?
When?
Clemente Santi
1865
When was Brunello di Montalcino granted DOC status?
DOCG?
1966
1980 (the 1st one!)
Who isolated the Sangiovese Grosso biotype in Brunello?
Ferruccio Biondi Santi
What are the aging requirements for Montalcino?
Rosso di Montalcino DOC- Sept 1st of the year following harvest
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG- 2yrs in wood. 4m in bottle. Jan 1st of the 5th year following harvest
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG - 2yrs in wood. 6m in bottle. Jan 1st of the 6th year following harvest
What is the DOC for “Super Tuscan” Montalcino?
Sant’Antimo DOC
What is the DOC in Montalcino for Moscato Bianco wines?
Moscadello di Montalcino DOC
Where is Montepulciano?
What subzone of Chianti does it lie within?
NE of Montalcino near the border with Umbria
Colli Senesi
What is the local name for Sangiovese in Montepulciano?
Prugnolo Gentile
What are the aging requirements for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG?
Min 2yrs aging from Jan 1st of the year following the harvest.
With either:
1. 24m in wood
2. Min 18m in wood and 6m in an alternative container
3. Min 12m in wood and 6m in bottle with the remainder in an alternative container
What is the minimum % of Sangiovese in Montepulciano?
70% for Rosso, Vino Nobile, and Riserva
Which regions of Tuscany have separate DOCs for Vin Santo?
Chianti
Chianti Classico
Montepulciano
Carmignano
How are the grapes for Vin Santo dried?
Either hung as garlands from rafters or laid out on bamboo shelves in an appassitoio
What is unique about Vin Santo fermentation?
The fermentation is started by a madre, essentially a sludgy mass of yeast and old wine left in the barrel
What was Italy’s first DOC?
Vernaccia di San Gimignano in 1966
What is the min % of Vernaccia in Vernaccia di San Gimigniano DOCG?
Min 85%
What would 100% Sangiovese wine made in Vernaccia di San Gimignano be labeled as?
San Gimigniano DOC
What is the story of Marchesi Mario Incisa della Rocchetta?
Originally from Piedmont he married into Tuscan royalty and with the dowry came Tenuta San Guido. He was a Bordeaux enthusiast and found the gravely soils to be similar to those in Bordeaux so he planted BDX varietals from his friends at Chateau Lafite in 1944.
Who was the winemaker that introduced the permanent Sassicaia blend?
What is it?
Giacomo Tachis
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% CF
What were a couple other estates that followed the example of Sassicaia?
Grattamacco from Melletti Cavallari
Ornellaia from Antinori
When was the Bolgheri DOC established?
1984
When was Bolgheri Sassicaia established as a subzone of Bolgheria and when was it elevated to DOCG status?
1994
2013
What is the min CS for Bolgheri Sassicaia DOCG?
80%
What styles of wine are made in Bolgheri DOC?
Bianco (Vermentino, SB, Viognier)
Varietal Vermentino or SB
Rosso / Rossato / Rosso Superiore (CS, CF, and Merlot with max 50% Sangio, Syrah and max 30% other)
What varietal is used in Le Macchiole Scrio?
100% Syrah - must be labeled at Toscana IGT
What varietal is used in Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso?
100% Cabernet Franc
What varietal is used in Le Macchiole Messorio?
100% Merlot
What rivers run through Brunello?
Cecina and Cornia rivers
What are the soils found at Tenuta San Guido?
Ancient marine deposits or rounded stones rich in limestone
What soil type is found at Masseto?
Blue clay
Which regions are extensions of Bolgheri to the South?
Rosso di Val di Cornia DOCG and Suvereto DOCG
Both part of Val di Cornia DOC prior to 2011
Why were grapes not grown in Maremma DOC until relatively recently?
It was swampland until Mussolini ordered its drainage in the 1930s
What grape varietal is Costa del’Argebtario DOC dedicated to?
Where is it?
Ansonica
The island of Gigilio
What DOC does Tuscany share with Liguria?
Colli di Luni
List the DOCG that fall within Maremma
Montecucco Sangiovese
Morellino di Scansano
What is Sangiovese called in the South of Maremma?
Morellino
What is Ansonica called in Sicily?
Inzolia
Where is Elba Aleatico Passito DOCG? What kind of wine is made here?
Off the coast near Bolgheri on the island of Elba
Sweet red wine from dried Aleatico grapes
**A favorite of Napoleon during his banishment here
What DOCG uses to be a part of the Montalbano subzone of Tuscany?
Carmignano
What grapes are used to make Carmignano DOCG?
Min 50% Sangiovese
Min 20% CS & CF
Who makes L’Apparita? From what varietal?
Castello di Ama from 100% Merlot
Who makes Fontalloro? From what varietals?
Felsina from 100% Sangiovese
Who makes Lamaione? From what varietals?
Frescobaldi from 100% Merlot
Who makes Ceparello? From what varieties?
Isole e Olena from 100% Sangiovese
What is Frescobaldi’s 100% Cabernet Sauvignon called?
Maestro Raro