Piemonte: Sub-Regions and Appellations Flashcards
What are the four major sub-regions of Piemonte?
1) Northern Piemonte (Alto Piemonte=upper Piemonte)
2) Western Piemonte and Torino Hills
3) Alba
4) Monferrato
Where is the Northern Piemonte sub-region located?
This sub-region includes the northernmost appellations of Piemonte. Most are situated in the provinces of Novara, Vercelli and Biella.
The wines are largely based on Nebbiolo and Erbaluce.
Where is the Western Piemonte and Torino Hills sub-region located?
It covers the western and mountainous part of Piemonte at the very foothills of the Alps, as well as the hills to the east of Torino. It includes minor appellations of local importance.
This is the smallest and least productive sub-region.
Where is the Alba sub-region located?
This sub-region surrounds the city of Alba in the eastern section of the province of Cuneo. It includes the hills of Langhe and Roero which flank the banks of the Tanaro River.
This is the traditional home of Nebbiolo, and it is where some of Italy’s greatest red wines are produced.
Where is the Monferrato sub-region located?
Monferrato is a large, hilly area in the province of Asti and Alessandria. It is situated to the south of the Po River and stretches down to the Ligurian Apennines.
This is the largest of the sub-regions and is considered the traditional home of Barbera and sparkling Moscato Bianco.
Which of Piemonte’s sub-regions is the smallest and least productive?
Western Piemonte and Torino Hills
Which of Piemonte’s sub-regions is the largest?
Monferrato
Which of Piemonte’s sub-regions is the traditional home of Nebbiolo?
Alba
Which of Piemonte’s sub-regions is the traditional home of Barbera and sparkling Bianco?
Monferrato
What is the Nebbiolo grape called in Northern Piemonte?
Spanna
What are the two wine districts in the sub-region Northern Piemonte?
-Novara and Vercelli Hills
-Canavese
How much of Piemonte’s total wine production does Northern Piemonte account for?
5%
Where is the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district located?
These hills are in the very northeastern portion of Piemonte, bordering Lombardia. They are situated to the north of the cities of Novarra and Vercelli and are home to the prestigious Nebbiolo-based DOCG appellations of Gattinara and Ghemme.
They lie at altitudes between 650-1,600ft/200-500m.
Where is the Canavese wine district located?
This wine district surrounds the city of Ivrea, north of Torino. The Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG and the Carema DOC are located here.
What soils are found in the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district?
Soils of glacial, marine, volcanic origin. These soils tend to be acidic and are composed of different proportions of sand, clay and gravel. Often, a layer of red, iron-rich clay is also present. The sub-soils are largely volcanic, containing igneous porphyry rocks and granite.
During the last ice age, the entire area was covered in glaciers. When these glaciers retreated, they left a series of moraines, which now form a topographical link between the Alps and the plains.
What topographical feature divides the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district into two halves?
The Sesia river which flows from the Alps southward into the Po river. It separates the Vercelli province in the west from the Novara province in the east.
Name the 7 prominent appellations within the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district.
On the west bank of the Sesia River, in the province of Vercelli and Biella:
-Gattinara DOCG
-Bramaterra DOC
-Lessona DOC
On the east bank of the Sesia River, in the province of Novara:
-Ghemme DOCG
-Boca DOC
-Sizzano DOC
-Fara DOC
There are also 2 large catch-all appellations:
-Colline Novaresi DOC (covering the entire east bank of the Sesia)
-Coste della Sesia DOC (encompassing the entire west bank)
What grapes are found in the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district?
All seven appellations focus on Nebbiolo.
What is the climate in the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district?
The climate is milder than the hot and humid Po plain to the south.
The proximity to Lake Maggiore and the smaller Lake Orta (to the north) help to moderate the climate as well.
The hills benefit from the cool air descending from the Alps and from the diurnal temperature swings.
For these reasons, Nebbiolo wines from this area have more acidity than their southern counterparts.
What are the challenges of growing Nebbiolo in the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district?
Proximity to the Alps creates significant vintage variation. Growing the late-ripening Nebbiolo this far north and at such elevation is challenging. It is difficult to achieve full ripeness.
What winemaking technique has been incorporated in the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district as a solution for cooler vintages?
Nebbiolo has been traditionally softened by blending it with a small proportion of other red grapes such as:
-Vespolina
-Croatina
-Uva Rara (locally called Bonarda Novarese)
What vine-training system is used in the Novara and Vercelli Hills wine district?
Traditionally, vines were trained using different types of pergola systems; today the great majority of vineyards are trained to Guyot.
The wines produced in Novara and Vercelli Hills had the best reputation in all of Piemonte until the end of the 19th century. How did they lose favour?
They were eclipsed by the Nebbiolo-based appellations to the south. Following the industrial boom during the 1950s-1960s and the declining demand for the wines of Northern Piemonte, vineyards were abandoned, but this is turning around. Thanks to a group of inspired producers. the area has been experiencing a 21st century renaissance.
Which DOCG from Northern Piemonte represents the best and longest-lived expression of Nebbiolo?
Gattinara DOCG
For a very long time, Gattinara was considered the most prestigious wine of Piemonte. The appellation suffered a long period of decline, but today, the best examples deserve the fine reputation they enjoyed in the past.
How long have vines been planted in Gattinara?
Gattinara was planted to the vine long before the Romans arrived and the wines have been exported since the 14th century. In the 16th century, Cardinal Mercurino Arborio, a native of Gattinara, introduced the wines of his hometown to the Imperial Court of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. As a result, the wines acquired a fame that lasted until the end of the 19th century.
When was Gattinara elevated from DOC to DOCG?
1990; more by virtue of its ancient reputation than by the intrinsic quality of the wines at the time. However, huge qualitative leaps have been made in the last two decades.
Today, Gattinara proudly leads Alto Piemonte’s renaissance and produces some of the finest examples of Nebbiolo from this winegrowing area.
How much area in Gattinara remains under vine?
The area under vine remains small; about 250ac/100ha).
Where in Gattinara are vines planted?
Vineyards are planted on the steep hillsides behind the town of Gattinara to the north of the city of Vercelli on the Sesia River’s west bank.
By law, the vineyards must be planted exclusively on slopes with optimal exposure (facing west or southwest) at elevations of 800-1,800ft/250-550m.
What is the soil in Gattinara?
The soil is the result of the decomposition of the volcanic porphyritic sub-soil.
What natural conditions aid Gattinara in being the finest producer of Nebbiolo-based wines in northern Piemonte?
Exposure, altitude and soil mix.
This makes it easier to ripen the grapes and explains its past (and presently climbing) reputation.
Note: Because Gattinara enjoys these physiographic advantages, the required minimum proportion of Nebbiolo is higher here than it is in other neighboring Nebbiolo-based appellations.
Historically, the best vineyard parcels were well-known by growers and today several producers craft single-vineyard bottlings in Gattinara to celebrate these terroirs. Name some of the most prestigious.
-Osso San Grato
-San Francesco
-Castelle
-Molsino
-Valferana
How much Nebbiolo is required in a Gattinara wine?
Minimum 90% Nebbiolo.
Authorized blending partners include (one or both; cannot excede 10% in total):
-Vespolina (limited to 4%)
-Uva Rare
What are the aging requirements of Gattinara wines?
The wines are austere and hard when young, For this reason, the disciplinare requires:
-minimum of 35 months of total aging
-minimum 24 months in oak
Riservas require:
-minimum 47 months of total aging
-minimum 36 months in oak
How does Gattinara age in the bottle?
Gattinara benefits from longer bottle aging and tends to be slower maturing than other northern Nebbiolos. The best examples develop a silky texture with complex tertiary aromas.
What are the characteristics of Gattinara wines?
Gattinara shows the typical profile of Nebbiolo, with aromas of violet, bright red berry fruit, tar, spices, forest floor and leather. The wines are notoriously long-lived, thanks to the high tannin and acid levels.
With bottle age, the best examples developp a silky texture with complex tertiary aromas.
How do Nebbiolos from Gattinara compare with those from Langhe?
Gattinara tends to show more acidity but lighter colour and body, and slightly lower alcohol levels.
Where is the Ghemme DOCG appellation located?
It is situated opposite of Gattinara, on the other side of the Sesia River.
Ghemme is produced around the towns of Ghemme and Romagnolo Sesia, both within the province of Novara on the east bank of the Sesia River.
Which DOCG was historically overshadowed by the fame of its neighbor Gattinara, but enjoyed a fine reputation until the end of the 19th century?
Ghemme DOCG
The appellation gradually fell into decline until Ghemme was granted DOCG status in 1997. From that moment forward, quality has steadily improved.
In Ghemme, how much area is under vine?
A small area; 125ac/50ha.
What are the soils like in Ghemme?
The soils here are mostly formed by alluvial and glacial deposits.
Where are vineyards planted in Ghemme?
By law, vineyards must be planted on hillsides at elevations between 720-1,300ft/220-400m above sea level.
What varietals are used to make Ghemme DOCG?
- Minimum 85% Nebbiolo
- up to 15% Vespolina and/or Uva Rara can be add to a blend.
What are the aging requirements for Gemme DOCG?
-minimum 34 months
-at least 18 months in oak
Riservas:
-minimum 46 months
-minimum 24 months in oak
What are the characteristics of wines from Ghemme DOCG?
Like Gattinara, Ghemme is higher in acidity then Nebbiolos of the south. It also shares the same tannic structure, the ability to age, and the typical Nebbiolo flavour profile. The wines of Ghemme, however, tend to be more austere and sturdy. The wines need sufficient time in the bottle in order to mature and develop their complex bouquet.
