Veneto Flashcards
Where is Veneto located?
In northeastern Italy from the southern end of Lake Garda to Venice, and from the Alpine foothills to the Po River Valley.
True or False
Veneto is Italy’s largest wine producing region
In most years, true.
What wines are Veneto known for?
Prosecco
Pinot Grigio
Valpolicella and its numerous denominations
Soave DOC
What is the climate in Veneto? How much rainfall does it receive?
Warm and moderate continental with moderate rainfall (??? 1,152mm on average. Compared to 1,200mm in Friuli, which is high according to WSET ???)
Valpolicella sees 900-1,100 mm of annual rainfall, which is still pretty high. Maybe the quality wine regions are moderate?
What are the climatic influences in Veneto?
Cool air descending from the Alpine foothills and from Lake Garda
Moist air and fog from the River Adige and the plains of the Po River
What risks are there in the flat areas of Veneto? Why?
Mildew and disease due to the moisture found there. Esca is becoming a significant problem.
True or False
Soils in Veneto are relatively low in fertility
False. Veneto is known for fertile soils, especially in the plains.
What distinguishes the hillside sites of Veneto from vineyard sites in the plains?
Better drainage and less fertile soils.
What are the six most planted varieties in Veneto (in order)?
Glera Garganega Merlot Corvina Pinot Grigio Cabernet Sauvignon
What wine is Glera typically made with in Veneto?
Prosecco. The Prosecco delle Venezia DOC includes Veneto, Trentino, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. This is covered in D4.
How is Merlot typically used in Veneto?
As a blending component with other local varieties for inexpensive wines for the local market.
What varieties are typically found on the more fertile plains of Veneto? What types of still wine are produced there?
International varieties such as Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot. Corvina, Garganega, and Trebbiano can also be found here.
The wines are usually simple, fruity, inexepensive, and high volume and labeled Veneto IGP.
Where is Soave located? What is its geography?
East of Verona with foothills in the northern part of the region and the plain of the Adige River in the south.
What type of soils can be found in the foothills of Soave? What effect do they have on viticulture?
Limestone and clay, generally in the western part of the region
Volcanic (basalt) rocks, generally in the eastern part of the region
These soils are cool and, alongside the effects of higher altitude, help to slow down ripening while preserving acidity.
What is the principle grape variety of Soave?
Garganega
What are the viticultural characteristics of Garganega?
Vigorous, very productive, and late ripening. It is sensitive to winter frosts, mildew, and botrytis.
What is the typical training system used for Garganega in Veneto? How is it harvested?
Pergola is the traditional training system but now may be trellised. It is hand harvested in the foothills and machine harvested in the plains.
What is the typical character of Soave wines?
Dry white wine with high acid, medium body, and medium intensity lemon, apple/pear, and white pepper aromas.
Very ripe examples can show stone fruit.
The best examples can age and develop almond and honey aromas.
What is the typical quality and pricing of Soave wines?
Good to very good and inexpensive to mid-priced.
Top productions are very good to outstanding and mid to premium priced.
What types of soil may be found in the plains of Soave? What quality of wine is produced there?
Fertile sandy and alluvial soils. The wine is fruity with medium acidity and intended to be drunk young.
What are the DOC/DOCG denominations within Soave?
Soave DOC
Soave Classico DOC
Soave Superiore DOCG
Recioto di Soave DOCG
What are the production requirements for Soave DOC?
70% (min) Garganega, 30% (max) of Trebbiano di Soave (Verdicchio) or Chardonnay. Up to 5% of the 30% may be any other approved white variety.
These requirements extend to all of the wines produced for Soave DOC/DOCG appellations.
What is the maximum yield permitted in Soave DOC wines?
105 hL/ha
When may Soave DOC wines be released to consumers?
After December 1 of the same year of harvest.
Where do the grapes for Soave DOC come from? What percentage of production of the entire Soave region does Soave DOC comprise?
These grapes come from across the entire denomination. Soave DOC is around 80% of all Soave wine production.
Where is the Soave Classico DOC region located? What type of soils are found there?
Around the town of Soave which has more dominant volcanic rocks than other parts of Soave.
What is the maximum yield permitted in Soave Classico DOC?
98 hL/ha
What percentage of Soave wine production is comprised of Soave Classico DOC?
Around 20%
Where are Soave Superiore DOCG and Recioto di Soave DOCG located?
In a delimited northerly part of the Soave zone located along the Alpine foothills.
How does the Soave DOC catchment compare to the Soave Classico DOC catchment?
Soave DOC is three times the size of the Soave Classico DOC zone.
What are the maximum yields permitted for Soave Superiore DOCG?
70 hL/ha
When can Soave Superiore DOCG wines be released to consumers?
September 1 in the year after harvest
What percentage of production does Soave Superiore DOCG and Recioto di Soave DOCG comprise of overall Soave winemaking?
Less than 1%.
What are the maximum yields permitted for Recioto di Soave DOCG?
36 hL/ha
How is Recioto di Soave DOCG produced? What style of wine is made?
It is made from appassimento grapes to produce a sweet wine.
What is the typical style of Soave Superiore DOCG wines?
Dry, white wine with greater concentration and intensity than other dry Soave wines.
What is the typical style of Recioto di Soave DOCG?
Sweet white wine with high acidity and rich, floral, honeyed aromas.
True or False
Vineyard holdings in the Soave zone are generally large and many producers bottle their own wines.
False. Average vineyard holdings are around 2 ha and there are many large bottlers of wine.
What is the largest cooperative in Veneto? What percentage of production are they responsible for?
Cantina di Soave, producing just under half of all Soave
What has been the trend in Soave consumption? How has this affected plantings in Soave?
Demand has fallen from its peak in the 1960s and 1970s. Lower quality Garganega vines are being replanted with Pinot Grigio to compete with demand for the wines that have destabilized Soave.
Nonetheless, international interest in Soave remains as 80% is exported.
What are the most important export markets for Soave?
Germany and UK
What has been the trend in value and volume for exports of Soave?
Value has remained steady while volume has decreased.
How has the quality of Soave been conveyed to the consumer via wine labels?
Traditionally by indicating whether the wine came from the Classico zone or not. Today, single vineyards are eligible for labelling following an in-depth soil analysis by the Soave consorzio.
Most of these vineyards are in the Classico zone and all of them are on hillside sites.