WSET D3 - North West Italy Flashcards
Summarise Piemonte region.
Home to Nebbiolo, some Italy’s most prized, aromatically intense, long-lived wines, especially not exclusively in Langhe (Cuneo province). Also Barbera (most grown), Dolcetto Cortese and Arneis. Brachetto produces rosé sparkling similar to Moscato d’Asti.
What are the top varieties planted?
Barbera
Moscato Bianco
Dolcetto
Nebbiolo
Cortese
Brachetto
What’s the growing environment and grape growing like in Piemonte?
Moderate continental with cold winters hot summers. Protected from cold northern winds and excessive rainfall by Alps to north and from weather systems from Mediterranean by Apennines. Region can subject to thunderstorms, hail and fog. Late frosts. Low rainfall in June - September allows grapes ripen and reduces threat of fungal disease. Rainfall increases in late September and October, threat late ripening varieties eg, Nebbiolo.
Describe Nebbiolo.
Early budding (spring frosts), vigorous, ripens very late. Mainly grown in Cuneo province, especially Langhe, but also northern provinces.
Wines - pale ruby, turning to pale garnet within 3–5 years, pronounced violet, rose, red cherry, red plum, full body, high tannins, high acidity and can be high alcohol. Produce finest, most perfumed wines on calcareous marls. Because of its value in market, tends to given best south and southwest-facing sites in Langhe enable ripen fully. Vines pruned high as first few buds are infertile therefore needs to be pruned with more buds so those further up shoot will bear fruit. Single Guyot most common (mechanical trimming canopy). Excessive exposure to sun can be a problem.
Need regular canopy management (avoid unripe fruit due to shading) and, for best quality, time-consuming cluster thinning.
Clonal research mainly aimed at deeper colours. Some believe new clones lost some variety’s high aromatic intensity. Many growers, including Gaja, prefer mass selection to propagate new vines, seeking vines with low vigour, open bunches and small berries.
Summarise Barolo DOCG.
100% Nebbiolo, goes back to middle 19th century and came to fame through its association with local royal House of Savoy. led to name ‘the wine of kings, the king of wines’.
South and south-west facing slopes, 200–400m, Good sunlight interception with cooling influences. allows ripen fully over long growing season, pronounced aromatic and high acidity.
56 hL/ha (all categories of Barolo).
Barolo DOCG has to be aged 3 years and 2 months from 1 November year of harvest, (18 months in oak). Barolo Riserva DOCG: 5 years and 2 months (min. 18 months in oak). add costs. Very good to outstanding, premium and super premium priced.
Soil complex. A contrast often made between:
* villages with blue-grey marl in north and west (eg La Morra) - lighter more aromatic wines become drinkable after few years in bottle
* villages in south and east with less fertile, predominantly yellow-grey compacted sand and clay (eg, Serralunga d’Alba) - wines that’s closed, tannic in youth and should cellared 10–15 years.
Historically, most top producers blending from number of vineyards, for more complexity, continues done by some (Bartolo Mascarello). However, certain single vineyards long had very high reputation for quality (eg, Cannubi or Vigna Rionda). Significant producers of single vineyard wines in Barolo and Barbaresco: Angelo Gaja and Bruno Giacosa.
2010 an official system of sub-zones introduced, called Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA or MeGA, official additional geographical indications) within rules of Barolo DOCG.
In Barolo sub-zones are:
• entire villages (e.g. La Morra)
• specified single vineyards (Bussia or Cannubi)
• number of specified vineyards now made into a single MGA (eg, Via Nuova vineyard was included within Terlo MGA).
Word vigna – vineyard – can now only appear as labelling term if name of MGA also stated.
Very small amount Barolo Chinato made (Barolo sweetened and infused with herbs and spices).
Summarise Barbaresco DOCG.
100% Nebbiolo. 1/3 size of Barolo DOCG. Vineyards shares many characteristics of Barolo, though most slightly lower altitude and climate slightly warmer. Harvest typically a week earlier. Subtly riper style reflected in shorter min. ageing requirements: 2 years and 2 months from 1 November year of harvest and 4 years and 2 months for Riserva. Both require min. 9 months in wood. add cost. Max. 56 hL/ha. 2007, slightly earlier than Barolo as DOCG area is much smaller, an official system Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive introduced within rules of DOCG. Very good to outstanding , premium and super-premium.
Traditional Nebbiolo involve very long maceration on skins (3-4m), followed by 5-8 years ageing in large old wooden vessels to soften tannins. late 1970s and early 1980s group of young producers ( Elio Altare in Barolo and Angelo Gaja in Barbaresco) sought wines with deeper colour, softer tannins and less need to be aged, and with new oak flavours.
However, while these raised quality and prices, current practice moderated extremes. Most producers seek to pick only grapes with ripe skins and seeds (to eliminate aggressive tannins), macerate for 3–4 weeks for top wines and age wines either large oak (French or Slavonian) or combination of large and smaller oak (barriques and up to 500 L), only small proportion new. Most, not all, now agree overt vanilla and sweet spice from new French oak mask delicate aromas of Nebbiolo.
What are some other denominations made wine with Nebbiolo?
Roero DOCG, north of Tanaro River and in scattered, often-historic denominations in north Piemonte, closer to Milan. Include Gattinara DOCG and Ghemme DOCG - continental climate with greater diurnal than Barolo (higher acidity). South-facing sites at 300m enables ripen and wines are light bodied but intensely perfumed. (Similar wines made at much higher altitudes, up to 750m, in Valtellina in neighbouring Lombardy.)
Nebbiolo often blended with small proportions other local varieties.
Nebbiolo for early drinking made within regional denominations, such as Langhe Nebbiolo DOC or Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC. typically from young vines or less favoured sites.
Maceration 7-10 days only and aged up to a year in neutral containers. Some top producers use Nebbiolo Langhe DOC bottle parcels from Barolo or Barbaresco that do not meet quality in their top wines and offer wines at more accessible prices.
Cheaper to produce (shorter maturation) Typically mid to premium priced.
Describe Barbera.
Most grown in Piemonte. Concentrated around towns Asti and Alba and area Monferrato. Best quality from Asti and its sub-zones, including Nizza, now DOCG. Also grown around Alba, but best sites reserved for Nebbiolo.
In Langhe can be high quality as is less sensitive to site than Nebbiolo.
Relatively early budding (spring frosts). Very vigorous and disease-resistant, though susceptible to fan leaf virus. Grow on range of sites and aspects. Can produce very high yields therefore grower can choose high yields for acceptable to good quality or prune hard for highly concentrated wines. Ripens relatively late, but before Nebbiolo.
Generally high acidity, low tannin. range of styles including traditional lightly sparkling style. Most now still wine for early drinking with M to deep ruby colour, M red plum and red cherry sometimes black pepper, high acidity, M tannins and M alcohol.
Good to very good, inexpensive to mid-priced. Some very good to outstanding premium priced. However, highly concentrated Barbera also made. Lower yields, often from old vines, aged in barriques, pioneered by Giacomo Bologna. Oak tannins from barrels adds to body and gives further capacity to age. Where aged in barriques, adds costs, especially new oak.
Barbera d’Asti DOCG - max. 63 hL/ha and aged min. 4 months. Superiore category must aged min. 14 months , 6 must in oak.
Nizza DOCG - 49 hL/ha and must aged for 18 months, 6 must in oak.
Piemonte DOC - 84 hL/ha - low concentration.
Describe Dolcetto.
Ripens early, can be grown on cooler sites. Susceptible to fungal diseases, fragile (buds easily broken), low vigour and ripening can be blocked by prolonged spells of cold weather. These contributed to reduction in vineyard area, also due to higher prices can be obtained for Nebbiolos.
Reductive in winery, requiring frequent pump overs or rack-and-return. To retain fresh fruit requires mid-range temperatures, short times on skins (7–15 days) and soft extraction avoid extracting naturally high tannins. typically aged in stainless steel or cement vats to preserve fruit. Most Good to very good, inexpensive to mid-priced. Some very good - outstanding, premium prices.
Best areas for Dolcetto are Alba (Dolcetto d’Alba DOC, max 63 hL/ha), Dogliani (Dogliani DOCG) and Ovada (Dolcetto di Ovada DOC and Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG), last two lower max yields. Typically deep ruby colour, M (+) intensity red cherry with floral notes, M (–) acidity and M (+) tannins. Significant producers - Marcarini (Alba) and Marziano Abbona (Dogliani). Dolcetto can also made at higher yields as Piemonte DOC (77 hL/ha).
Summarise other local black varieties.
With growing interest in indigenous varieties and rising prices for Nebbiolo, renewed attention paid to other local varieties like Freisa, related to and highly aromatic like Nebbiolo, but without its high tannins.
Describe Cortese.
High yielding, light intensity lemon, apple/pear and white flowers with high acidity and M body. thin-skinned, susceptible to grey rot in rainy conditions. Fermented at mid-range temperatures. (Top quality wines may undergo few hours pre-fermentation maceration to increase aromatic intensity.) Typically aged in stainless steel to preserve primary fruit. Most for early drinking, though some top wines can be aged in bottle for tertiary notes. Good with some very good, inexpensive to mid-priced, with some premium and ageable examples.
Wines made as Gavi (or Cortese di Gavi) DOCG must entirely from Cortese, max 67 hL/ha. (Gavi del commune di Gavi DOCG made from grapes grown within municipality of Gavi) Riserva 45 hL/ ha and must aged for 1 year in any vessel before release. Significant producers - Castellari Bergaglio and La Scolca.
Describe Arneis.
Most grown in Roero. Light intensity but complex white flowers, chamomile, white peach and lemon. M (–) acidity. Good some very good , inexpensive to mid-priced, with some Must be picked soon as desired ripeness reached as acidity drops very rapidly. Care must taken in winery minimise oxygen as oxidises easily.
Roero Arneis DOCG must min. 95% Arneis and yields up to 70 hL/ha. Became popular from 1980s on, despite difficulties growing it. Significant producers - Vietti and Bruno Giacosa.
Wine law and regulations.
Piemonte does not have any PGI (IGT) wines. Wines either within simple ‘wine” or DOCs/DOCGs. Piemonte DOC has provision for wide range local and international varieties.
Wine business.
Langhe and Piemonte - small family-owned farms. By comparison with other leading regions, especially Tuscany, little consolidation of vineyard holdings. In past, small growers sold grapes to larger producers, eg, Fontanafredda. Today, with much higher prices for Nebbiolo, many small estates bottle and market own wines. Very high proportion Barolo and Barbaresco exported (85 & 75%) top markets: USA, Germany, UK, Scandinavia.
With prices for top quality Bordeaux and Burgundy rising rapidly since 2010, 5 wine merchants, collectors and buyers have been looking for alternative wines can be aged in bottle and collected. Nebbiolo attracted increased interest due to capacity to develop tertiary flavours in bottle. New focus on named sub-zones within Barolo and Barbaresco, at least for better known sub-zones. A comparison can be made with vineyard names in Burgundy. In turn, as prices of Barolo and Barbaresco begun to rise, attention also turned to less expensive Nebbiolo from other DOCGs.
