Veneto Flashcards
Describe Veneto’s wine industry
-14 DOCG, 29 DOC
-25% of Italy’s total production
-Largest producer by volume
-3rd largest area under vine
-Well known for Valpolicella, Soave, and mass-produced/price-conscientious
-Bordeaux varieties for 200 years
-Western portion mainly native (Glera, Garganega, Corvina)
Name the key historical point for Venice’s wine development
-Veneti people learned winemaking from Rhaeti & Eustraceans 9th c BC
-Alliance with Rome
-Lombard and Byzantine control, decline of wine
-Byzantine independence, vine most cultivated crop
-Ottoman Empire and phylloxera, major decline 17th cent
-Not until 1960s with commerce rebuilding wine resumed
-Became largest wine producing region in a few decades
How is Veneto’s winegrowing areas divided typographically?
- Plains - 60% of winegrowing region; 56% of total area
- Alpine - 2% of winegrowing region; 29% of total area
- Hills - 40% of winegrowing region; 15% of total area
What is the climate and 4 zones in Veneto?
Overall moderate continental
-Alpine - cool, rainy summers, cold snowy winters
-Semi-continental: hilly area. Trapped alpine air, warm plain air, sea & lake air moderate. Rain at harvest, hail in the summer
-Continental: plains - hot, humid summers, cold humid winters. Fog & mist
-Mediterranean: coastal plain - warm, humid summer. Sea breezes
Name the most widely planted grapes in Veneto and where they’re grown
Garganega (13%) Corvina Veronese (8%) - western Veneto: Bardolino, Lugana, Valpolicella, Soave
Glera ( 28%), Merlot (9%), Cab Franc, Pinot Grigio (12%) Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco - central and eastern
What does Salato refer to?
Spicy- salty characteristic associated with Classico red wines from Bardolino
Name the 3 Prosecco appellations
- Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG
- Asolo Prosecco DOCG
- Prosecco DOC
Who was Antonio Carpene?
Marked for rise of Prosecco
Refined tank method for Prosecco
Found school of Eonology
Describe Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
-85% Glera (min)
-Fully sparkling/spumante
-Made in tank method
-Extra-dry or brut (10 - 12g/l RS)
-Labeled Superiore
What is Cartizze?
“Grand Cru” of Cong-Val processeco
Only official sub one for sparkling wines
Dry - 17 - 32 g/l RS
Can be vintage or non-vintage
What is Rive?
Specific Prosecco vineyard
Vineyards on steep slopes”
Names can be put on labels, “Rive” must appear
Special designation for sparkling wines from 43 top sites
Must be hand-picked
Vintage dated, spumante
Similar to Premier Cru
What are the wines made from Colli de Conegliano DOCG?
White blend: Manzoni blend
Red: Marzemino, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Merlot
Sub-zones: Refrontolo (r) Torchiato de Fregona (w)
Describe Asolo Prosecco DOCG
-Glera based
-Most spumante but frizzante allowed
-Spumante will be labeled as Superiore
-Smaller production than C-V
What DOC is exclusive to Soave?
Colli Scaligeri. Outside of Classico zone
Define picai
Tying clusters and hanging from clusters
Traditional in Gambellara
Produces great concentration due to more air flow
What is the training system used in Veneto?
Pergola
Pergola Veronese doppia (double pergola)/tendone outlawed in 2003 due to too high of yields
Name the 4 appellations of Valpolicella
Recto to Della Valpolicella DOCG
Amazone Della Valpolicella DOCG
Valpolicella DOC
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
All can append classico
What are the requirements for making Recioto Della Valpolicella?
Sweet, red passito style (ancient version)
Air dried 3 - 4 mo (appassimento)
Dried on Arele or Graticci placed in Frutai (lofts)
Vinifiés after Dec 1
Noble rot may affect but up to producer
What are the aging requirements for ripasso della Valpolicella?
On vinacce (pumace/skins) 3 - 4 days
Aged 1 year before release
What are the main grapes of Bardolino?
Corvina
Rondinella
Molinara
-All wines can only be Rosso or rosato
-Chiaretto is Bardolino rosato
Which white grape is associated with Breganze ?
Vespaiola (wasps) - dry, white version
Also called Torcolato - sweet passito version
What grape is used in Colli Eugeni Fior d’Arancio?
Moscato Giallo (made in Passito style)
What are the Veneto DOC/G for Raboso Piave?
Piave DOC
Piave Malanotte
Bagnoli Friulano
What is the grape in Lison DOCG?
Tai (Friulano) white only
Interregional w/ Friuli Vénétie and Veneto
What are the main grapes in Valpolicella?
Corvina
Corvenone
Molinara
Rondinella
Describe the characteristics of Bardolino Chiaretto, Novello, Classico and Superiore
Bardolino Chiaretto - rose
Bardolino Novello - Made with carbonic macération
Bardolino Classico - historic center
Bardolino Superiore - aged for 1 year
What characteristics do Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara bring to a Valpolicella blend?
Corvina - Aromatic complexity (45 - 90%)
Corvinone - Tannin & structure (can replace some or all of Corvina up to 45%)
Rondinella - easy to cultivate, resistant to botrytis
Molinara - lightness & freshness
What are the geographical differences between eastern and western Soave?
Eastern: low volcanic hills, decomposed basalt. Structured wines with almond notes (reciotos)
Western: Steep limestone hills. Finesse and delicate wines
Tre Venezia refers to which 3 regions
- Veneto
- Fruili Venezia Giulia
- Trentino Alto Adige
What are the least likely grapes in a Valpolicella blend?
Oselata
Molinara
(Most likely Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella)
What grapes would be in a Rosso Breganze?
Bordeaux blend - Merlot & Cab
(Rosso = red)
Describe the appassimento method
- Whole bunches healthy, ripe grapes picked
- Air dried on arele or graticci and stored in fruttai (lofts) or modern humidity controlled rooms
- Vinified after Dec 1 after harvest (or later)
- Some noble rot may develop
- Slow fermentation
- Once desired sweetness achieved, chilled and yeast filtered if needed
7 - Optional - aging with oxidation (traditional) or not (modern)
Where does recioto get its name and origin?
Recia- ear. Practice of collecting lateral/ripest berries
Roman times
Describe how amarone is made
Amaro- bitter
- Whole bunches healthy, ripe grapes picked
- Air dried, usually shorter time than recioto
- Vinified after Dec 1 after harvest (or later)
- Some noble rot may develop
- Fermented to dry - 14% ABV or higher
7 - Optional - aging with large old oak (traditional) or small oak (modern)
Describe how ripasso is made
- Freshly made Valpolicella wine poured through vinacce = leftover, unpressed skins and lees - of Amarone or Recioto grapes
- Left in contact with solids for 1 - 2 weeks.
Residual fermentation takes place
Optional to add 15% freshly made amarone
Optional to add semi-dried grapes - Aged for 1 yr minimum
What are the blending and winemaking requirements for Soave, Superiorie and Recioto?
Soave: 70% Garganega, 30% Trebbiano di Soave and/or Chardonnay. Still and spumante
-Classico
Superiore: Same blending but lower yields and higher max planting density, higher min ABV
Released after April 1. Covers same area as Recioto
Recioto: 70% Garganega, 30% Trebbiano di Soave - no Chardonnay allowed. Sweet wine from semi-dried grapes. Will undergo muffala noible
What is the blending and style of Recioto di Gambellara?
100% Garganega
Classico area only
Appassimento via piccai
Can be spumante but not classico
Describe grapes and styles of Breganze DOC
Reds: Marzemino and international - Cabs, Carmenere
Whites: Tai, Vespaiola
Style -Torcolato 100% Vespaiola made appassimento using torlato (twine tying method)
What is the grape in Colli Euganei Fior d’Arancio?
Moscato Giallo
Dry to passito
What are the styles of Colli Conegliano DOCG, Refrontolo and Torchiato di Fregona?
Bianco: Manzoni Bianco, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay blend.
Rosso: Marzemino, Merlot, Cab blend. 2 years/6 in oak
Refrontolo: sub-zone - air-dried Marzemino (r) grape. Passito allowed
Torchiato: Rare white passito from Glera, Boschera, Verdiso blend
What are the grapes in the Piava regions?
-Merlot
-Piave Rosso
Tai (w) aka Friulano
Verduzzo
What style is Paive Malanotte made in?
15 - 30% must be air-dried
70% Raboso Piave
30% Raboso Veronese
What labeling terms can be used indicates a sparkling Prosecco in Veneto?
Superiore
Cartizze
Rive
Verdicchio is a synonym for
Trebbiano di Soave
What two provinces can list their names on Prosecco?
Trieste
Treviso
What are the northern regions that are Vini Vulcani (volcanic wines)?
Veneto:
Soava
Gambellara
Colli Euganei
Describe the geography and climate of Congeliano Valdobbiadene
-Treviso province, north of Piave river east-west slopes in hilly region
-From Valdobbiadene in east to Conegliano in west
Moderate continental: Vald. - further west, more alpine impact
Cong. closer to sea
What areas can append classico in Veneto? (12)
Valpolicella and styles (4)
Lago di Caldaro (1)
Bardolino & superiore (2)
Soave, superiore, recioto (3)
Gambellara and recioto (2)
What is the max % of grape yield used in amarone production?
65%
