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 and the Adriatic sea.
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, inexpensive, 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?
Mid to late budding
Late ripening
Vigorous, very productive.
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 grapes are allowed in 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.
Where is Valpolicella located?
North of Verona, spanning 34 km east to west and 15 km north to south. The Classico zone is located in the western most part and nearest to Lake Garda.
What are the topography and soils of Valpolicella?
There are alpine foothills in the north and a flatter plain in the south.
The plains contain more fertile gravel and sand soils.
The foothills contain less fertile, better draining volcanic (basalt), limestone, and clay soils.
Where did the volcanic (basalt) soils of Valpolicella and Soave originate from?
Underwater volcanoes that were active in the tertiary period when the region was underwater.
What is the general quality and character of the wine produced in the plains of Valpolicella? How does this compare to those produced in the foothills?
The gravel and sand soils of the plains are warm and fertile, which generally produce wines with less acidity and concentration, and greater fruitiness.
Wines from the foothills have more concentration and acidity due to the limestone/clay or volcanic soils - which are cooler - and the effect of altitude on the grapes.
True or False
The western part of Valpolicella is cooler than the eastern part.
True. Lake Garda provides a cooling influence on the region which gradually diminishes the farther from the lake one gets.
What varieties are important to the production of Valpolicella?
Corvina Veronese
Corvinone
Rondinella
Molinara
International and other Italian varieties are permitted to be up to 25% of the blend with no single variety being more than 10%.
What are the viticultural characteristics of Corvina?
Late budding
Mid to late ripening.
Vigorous and dependable in ripening. It is high yielding and has thick skins - so appassimento works here!
Prone to botrytis, esca, downy mildew, and is sensitive to drought.
What makes Corvina suitable to appassimento?
It has thick skins.
What is the traditional vine training method for Corvina?
Is this a good system for growing healthy grapes?
Corvina does not develop fruit on the first few buds of its cane, so a long-cane system like Pergola works well for Corvina.
Temperatures within Pergola systems are typically lower as the leaves are shading the fruiting zone from excess sunburn (to which Corvina is prone) and the system promotes air circulation as a whole.
These systems lose more water through evaporation.
Pretty good system for Corvina!
Is Corvina suitable for trellising?
Yes, if carefully managed.
Is Corvina typically produced as a varietal or blended wine? What are its aromatic and structural attributes?
It is predominantly used in blends, though some varietal wines are appearing after the success of Allegrini’s ‘La Poja.’
- violet, red cherry, red plum, and herbal character
- high acidity
- low to medium tannins
Where does the name Corvina and Corvinone come from?
Corvo is the Italian word for Raven. The berries are dark colored and named after the bird’s feathers.
Corvina produces small, darkly colored berries while Corvinone has larger berries and bunches. The two are not related.
What is Corvinone susceptible to? What must be done to it at harvest?
Corvinone is susceptible to downy mildew but may not ripen berries uniformly, the principle problem with the variety.
At harvest, bunches must be picked over by hand, bunch by bunch.
Adds cost & time.
Why is Corvinone a good blending partner for Corvina?
It has thick skins and therefore can also be made in an appassimento style.
It supplies tannins and similar red cherry aromas.
What are the viticultural characteristics of Rondinella?
Reliable at ripening and very productive.
It can grow on a range of soils and has good disease resistance due to thick skins
Prone to esca.
What are the aromatic characteristics of Rondinella?
Is it suitable for Recioto production?
Rondinella produces fairly neutral wines with light, simple cherry fruit aromas.
It does, however, quickly accumulate sugar and thus makes it ideal for producing Recioto.
What is the goal in producing inexpensive Valpolicella? What winemaking techniques are used to achieve them?
To create a fresh, fruity wine for early consumption.
The grapes are fermented at 20-25°C in order to retain primary aromas. Macerations are typically 5-7 days (short) and maturation takes place in stainless steel or large neutral oak for 6-8 months.
Describe the appassimento process.
After harvest, the grapes are stored in well ventilated storage zones for 3-4 months to dry. The traditional method is to hang the berries in a house or to place bunches on straw (or bamboo, today) mats in lofts above the winery or in fruttaio, special houses with open walls that encourage wind to blow though.
Modern “fruttaio” are climate controlled rooms with fans that keep air circulating.
What is the name of the style of wine produced from the appassimento method?
The style of wine produced is called “passito.”
How does the appassimento method affect grapes?
It concentrates
- sugars (and therefore pot alc),
- acidity
- anthocyanins (color_)
- tannins
- flavors
When may the grapes for appassimento style wines be picked? Why?
At 11-11.5% potential alcohol to ensure the bunches are healthy, perfect, and high enough in acidity to tolerate the concentration of sugars from appassimento.
What is the common “recipe” regarding varietal usage in Valpolicella wines?
45-95% Corvina and/or Corvinone, though Corvinone cannot be more than 50% of the blend
5-30% Rondinella
25% (max) other approved red grapes, none of which may exceed 10%
What is the maximum yield permitted in Valpolicella DOC? What effect does this have on the character of the wines?
84 hL/ha, leading to lower concentration
What is the typical character of Valpolicella DOC wines?
Bright purple tints in youth
Aromas/flavors of red cherry and rose.
Low to medium tannins,
medium to medium (+) acidity,
and no oak influence.
What is the typical quality and pricing of Valpolicella DOC wines?
Good with some very good examples
Inexpensive to mid priced
How much of their weight do appassimento grapes lose?
Generally around one third, though it depends on the length of drying and how quickly it occurs.
How does the loss of water in appassimento grapes affect the structure of the resulting wine?
These are more concentrated / higher:
- sugars (alcohol),
- acidity
- anthocyanins (color),
- tannins
- flavors
Compared to Valpolicella DOC, these wines are more complex, structured, and deeper colored
Where is the Classico zone of Valpolicella located?
In the western most part of the zone where Lake Garda provides a significant cooling influence.
What is usually the difference in character, quality, and pricing between Valpolicella Classico DOC and Valpolicella DOC wines?
Valpolicella Classico DOC wines typically have more concentration and can be good to very good in quality. Valpolicella DOC wines are most typically good.
Both are inexpensive to mid priced.
What is Valpolicella Valpantena?
A valley that is a DOC subzone within Valpolicella located in the middle of the region.
It stretches from the Alpine foothills in the north to the beginning of the plains in the south.
What is Valpolicella Superiore DOC? How is it often produced?
Not a separate geo.
A classification of wine with a minimum 12% ABV, compared to the minimum 11% required in standard Valpolicella DOC wines.
Must be aged for 1 year - released no sooner than Jan 1 in 2nd year after harvest.
OFTEN aged in large oak for 1 year
How long must the grapes for Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG be dried before fermentation can begin?
100-120 days
What is the maximum yield permitted for Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG?
48 hL/ha after drying and pressing. The initial harvest may be higher.
What is the typical character of Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG wines?
Alcohol and sweetness levels may differ as Recioto is a small batch, artisanal product. Generally, the wines are
Medium (+) to high tannins
Pronounced fresh and dried red fruit aromas
What is the typical quality and pricing of Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG wines?
Very good to outstanding
Premium priced, though they generally do not match Amarone
What is the maximum yield permitted in Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG?
48 hL/ha after drying and pressing. The initial harvest may be higher.
How long must the grapes for Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG be dried before fermentation can begin?
100-120 days
What is the minimum ABV for Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG and Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG? What are the minimum residual sugar levelss required?
12% minimum ABV with a minimum 50 g/L RS for Recioto.
14% minimum ABV with RS of 5-9 RS g/L for Amarone,
Typically 15% or higher.
What are the maturation requirements for Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG?
2 years; 4 years for Riserva.
Large casks or Barriques must be used.
What is the typical character of Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG wines?
High acid
Medium to high tannins
High alcohol
Pronounced cherry and dried fruit aromas with spice and wood notes. New oak, nutty, or volatile aromas are specific to the producers.
What is the quality and pricing of Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG wines?
Quality can range from good to outstanding
Prices similarly range from mid priced to super premium
Describe Valpolicella Ripasso DOC.
A baby Amarone.
Valpolicella DOC wines that have been enriched with unpressed grape skins that have undergone fermentation for Amarone and Recioto DOCG wines.
Remaining yeasts and sugar in the skins and wine are refermented, which increases
- alcohol.
- tannins,
- color, and
- aromas from the skins
Which adds body and complexity to the base wine.
15% of the final product may also include finished Amarone wine.
What is the minimum alcohol required for Valpolicella Ripasso DOC? How does this compare to Valpolicella DOC?
Vapolicella Ripasso wines must be at 12.5% ABV, or 13% for Superiore.
Valpolicella DOC wines must be 11% minimum ABV, or 12% for Superiore.
When can Valpolicella Ripasso DOC be released to the consumer?
1 January in the second year after harvest.
The same release date as Valpolicella Superiore.
What is the typical character of Valpolicella Ripasso DOC?
Medium (+) tannins
Medium to full body
Fresh and stewed cherry and plum aromas
What is the typical quality and pricing of Valpolicella Ripasso DOC?
Good to very good
Mid to premium
What effect has the popularity of Valpolicella Ripasso wines had on IGT Veneto wines?
Many producers are releasing blends of wines from semi dried and normally harvested grapes. These are being labelled and released as IGT/IGP wines.
What percentage of Valpolicella producers is represented by the Valpolicella Consorzio? What does the organization do for its members?
80% of producers.
The Consorzio conducts marketing and promotional activities, as well as research and sustainability initiatives.
Are there any limits on the production of Valpolicella Ripasso DOC? What effect does this have on Vapolicella production?
Beyond the syllabus but very important
Yes. Yields for Valpolicella Ripasso cannot exceed 12 tons per hectare and must be a minimum potential alcohol of 10%.
Ripasso production was getting out of hand, sometimes more than 50% of a producer’s release (a little extreme!). This helped check Ripasso production and encourages higher quality basic Valpolicella wines, in turn developing better Ripasso as well.
What effect has the popularity of Amarone and Recioto had on Valpolicella wine production?
Recioto production has remained a niche market, but the 600% increase in Amarone production has increased the cost of grapes for Amarone to three times the cost of normal grapes.
Valpolicella DOC production has lowered to 40% of its levels in 2006.
When did Amarone della Valpolicella wines become popular?
The mid 1990s.
What percentage of Amarone della Valpolicella is exported? What are the important markets?
65% is exported.
Germany, USA, Switzerland, and UK are the important markets.
When was Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC established? What did it replace and what effect did it have on wine production?
In 2017 to replace the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGP with stricter requirements and eliminate the Trevenezie IGP.
Maximum yields were reduced from 152 hL/ha (!!!) to 126 hL/ha (!!!!) and gives producers an option to use more delimited local DOCs (which definitely have lower maximum yields) and the overarching delle Venezie DOC.
What area is covered by Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC?
The entirety of Veneto, Trentino, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
What percentage of Italy’s Pinot Grigio wine is produced under Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC? What percentage of the world’s Pinot Grigio wines?
85% of Italian Pinot Grigio and more than 40% of the world’s Pinot Grigio is released as Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC
What is the typical character of Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC wines?
Light to medium (-) intensity apple and lemon aromas
Medium (+) acidity
Medium alcohol
Light to medium (-) body
What is the typical quality and pricing of Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC wines?
Good, with some very good examples
Inexpensive to mid priced
