Tuscany (Toscana) Flashcards

1
Q

fiasco

A

Historically, due to the inferior quality of Italian glass, Chianti was sold in squat, straw-covered bottles (fiascos) that came to epitomize the rustic, cheap nature of Italian wine in the late 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s

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3
Q

Year legislation first delimited the Chianti zone

A

1716

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4
Q

Tuscany

Number of hl produced annually

A

3 million hl

  • Forefront of quality and large-scale comm winemaking in Italy
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5
Q

Tuscany

% of wine at DOC/DOCG level

A

45%

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6
Q

Tuscany

Climate

A

dry, maritime-influenced

  • Can be harsh winters, long hot summers
  • Wide variation in mesoclimates
    • Montalcino - S province Siena, more arid
    • Montepulciano - further inland, more seasonal, continental
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7
Q

Italy’s most planted red varietal

A

Sangiovese

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8
Q

Sangiovese clone of Montepulciano

A

Prugnolo Gentile

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9
Q

Italy’s most planted white grape

A

Trebbiano Toscano

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10
Q

Tuscany

Regions for Vernaccia

A

San Gimignano

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11
Q

Tuscany

% of vineyards devoted to red wines

A

70%

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12
Q

Year Chianti was elevated to DOCG status

A

1984

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13
Q

Chianti

7 original subzones

8th subzone

A
  • Classico
  • Rufina
  • Colli Fiorentini
  • Colli Senesi
  • Colline Pisane
  • Colli Aretini
  • Montalbano
  • 8th subzone, Montespertoli, 1997 decree
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14
Q

Chianti

Year boundaries of the modern zone were established

A

1932

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16
Q

Chianti

Major firm of Rufina subzone

A

Frescobaldi

  • Rufina, exception of Classico, most consistent subzone in quality
  • Frescobaldi, Fattoria Selvapiana - only producer of tiny Pomino DOC w/in Rufina
  • Red and white w/ higher % international grapes than Chianti DOCG
  • Range of varietal bottlings
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17
Q

governo

A

refermentation with juice of dried grapes

  • Strengthen wine, initiate malolactic fermentation
  • Traditional practice, legally permitted Chianti DOCG, most quality-minded avoid it
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18
Q

governo

label indicaton

A

Governo all’uso Toscano’

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19
Q

Chianti Normale

Aging requirements

A

March 1 year following harvest

  • Florentine subzones Rufina, Montespertoli, Colli Fiorentini require additional aging
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20
Q

Chianti riserva

Aging requirement

A

2 years

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21
Q

Chianti Superiore

A
  • Extra 1/2 degree alcohol
  • Lowered yields
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22
Q

Chianti DOCG

min % Sangiovese

A

70%

  • June 2009 DOCG regulations
  • Colli Senesi subzone - min 75%
23
Q

Chianti Classico DOCG

min alcohol %

A

12%

  • vs 11.5% Chianti DOCG
24
Q

Chianti Classico DOCG

Aging requirement

A

1 year

25
Q

Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva

Aging requirement

A

24 months

26
Q

Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva

Min alcohol %

A

12.5%

vs

  • Chianti Classico: 12%
  • Gran Selezione: 13%
27
Q

‘Gran Selezione’

Year category was introduced for Chianti Classico

Aging requirements

A

‘Gran Selezione’

  • 2013
  • Aged 30 mon
28
Q

First to release Brunello

A

Clemente Santi of Tenuta Greppo’s Biondi-Santi

  • First to isolate Brunello clone and bottle it alone in 1865
29
Q

Year Biondi-Santi first released Brunello Riserva

A

1888

30
Q

Brunello di Montalcino

Aging requirements

A

2 yrs cask, 4 mon bottle, Jan 1st 5th yr

  • riserva - min 2 yrs cask, 6 mon bottle, Jan 1st 6th yr
31
Q

“junior” Brunello

Aging requirements

A

Rosso di Montalcino DOC

  • 1 yr, cask not required
  • 100% Sangiovese
32
Q

Montalcino

DOC for “Super-Tuscan” wines

Year Est

A

Sant’Antimo DOC

  • Est 1996
  • Any grape authorized in Tuscany may be used for Sant’Antimo DOC
  • Red or White
33
Q

Montalcino

DOC for white wines

A

Moscadello di Montalcino DOC

  • Moscadello (Moscato Bianco) grape
  • Often sweet, may be still or sparkling
34
Q

Vintage of Antinori’s ‘Tignanello’ 1st release

A

1971

35
Q

Montalcino

Soil in higher altitude vineyards

A

galestro - marl and limestone

  • In many of the best vineyard sites of Tuscany
36
Q

Antinori’s Cabernet-based “Super Tuscan”

A

Solaia

38
Q

Vin Santo

Barrels used for aging

A

caratelli barrels

(small wooden barrels, 50 liters)

39
Q

Vintage for Marquis Mario Rochetta’s Tenuta San Guido first release of ‘Sassicaia’

A

1968

  • Sassicaia, barrique-aged Cabernet blend from Bolgheri in Northern Maremma
40
Q

Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC

Year established

A

Beginning with the 1994 vintage

41
Q

Trebbiano Toscano

a.k.a.

A

Ugni Blanc

42
Q

Trebbiano di Soave

a.k.a.

A

Verdicchio Bianco

43
Q

Why is Brunello production in Torrenieri controversial?

A
  • The heavy clay soils are considered unsuitable for quality production
  • Originally included only because it falls with the Montalcino municipality
  • Called the Crete Senesi, until the 1990’s nothing was planted there
  • Similar soils in the chianti classico zone have been excluded from the DOCG boundaries
44
Q

Montosoli

A
  • A hill of 280-350M north of the town of Montalcino, which is spared the autumnal fog of lower altitudes
  • Generally produces wines with the power and concentration of vineyards in the southern part of the appellation
45
Q

Montalcino

Highest elevation point for vineyards

A

500 m

(total elevation 667M)

46
Q

Montalcino

Main type of vine training

A
  • Spurred single cordon, to increase competition between vines and encourage smaller bunches with thicker skins
  • Previously (1970’s/80’s) Guyot was popular, but created too much production/vigor and diluted the wines
47
Q

“Brunellogate”

Main firms involved

A
  • Scandal involving the seizure of many bottles of Brunello by the Italian government under the allegations that other grapes were being blended into the wine
  • Wines seized were the 2003 vintage, in 2008
  • Antinori, Argiano, Banfi, Frescobaldi
48
Q

Major producer responsible for pushing Brunello onto the world stage in the 1970’s

A

John and Harry (pictured) Mariani, founders of Villa Banfi (Lambrusco)

  • Landed in Brunello in 1978
49
Q

Rosso di Montalcino DOC

Grape and aging requirements

A
  • 100% Sangiovese
  • 1 year aging
50
Q

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

3 Rivers that delimit the region

A

3 Rivers:

  • Ombrone (N)
  • Asso (E)
  • Orcia (S)
51
Q

What was revolutionary about the creation of the Rosso di Montalcino DOC?

A
  • 1st instance of two controlled appellations applying to the same vineyards (Brunello and Rosso), paving the way for Rosso di Valtellina, etc.
  • Vineyards must be registered with the consorzio; you may declassify your brunello to rosso, but not vice versa
  • DOC was established in 1983