Calabria,

Question 1

Who are the key figures/producers associated with the native grapes of Calabria?

Answer 1

Librandi, others?***

Question 2

Where are the “need to know” appellations situated within Calabria?

Answer 2

Cirò DOC, located along the central eastern Ionian coast; Greco di Banco, located on the southern Ionian coast

Question 3

What are the “need to know” grape varieties in Calabria?

Answer 3

Gaglioppo, Greco Bianco

Question 4

What are the factors that influence Calabria’s climate?

Answer 4

interior mountains, extensive coast line

Question 5

Describe Calabria’s topographical structure.

Answer 5

most balanced with mainly hills and mountains; hills 49%, mountains 42%, plains 9% (similar to Campania 51/34/15, Toscana 67/25/8, Lazio 54/26/20, Sicilia 62/24/14)

Question 6

What are the principal vine training systems in Calabria?

Answer 6

traditional training of alberello predominates, newer vineyards use cordone speronato or guyot

Question 7

What was the first Italian region to called “Oentria?”

Answer 7

Calabria, the term later referred to much of southern Italy

Question 8

What is the etymology of Oentria?

Answer 8

name given by Greek settlers to the land of ancient people who inhabited a territory from Campagnia to Calabria A likely derivation of the ethnonym Oenotrian would be the Greek word for “wine,” as these people inhabited a territory rich in vineyards

Question 9

What are the Riace Bronzes?

Answer 9

ancient Greek bronze statues of naked bearded warriors cast about 460–450 BCE, found underwater near Reggio Calabria in 1972; now considered a symbol of the region

Question 10

What is the significance of the producer Librandi?

Answer 10

Calabrian producer that focused on the movement to quality wine and use of native grapes

Question 11

What regions border Calabria?

Answer 11

Basilicata is the only land border

Question 12

What is the climate in Calabria?

Answer 12

Mediterranean on the coast and Mediterranean with continental influences in the interior.

Question 13

What is the rainfall in Calabria?

Answer 13

abundant in the mountains and low along the coast, driest along Ionian coast, but not drought levels

Question 14

What is the soil in the hills of the Ionian Coast in Calabria?

Answer 14

sandy gravels and clay of marine origin

Question 15

What is the soil in the hills of the plains of Calabria?

Answer 15

alluvial

Question 16

What is the soil in northern Calabria?

Answer 16

limestone, sandstone and sandy gravels of marine origin

Question 17

What separates Campania and Sicilia?

Answer 17

Straits of Messina

Question 18

What is the mix of red and white grapes in Calabria?

Answer 18

90% red grapes (>80% production is red wine)

Question 19

What is the most planted grape in Calabria?

Answer 19

Gaglioppo

Question 20

What is the most planted white grape in Calabria?

Answer 20

Greco Bianco

Question 21

Historically Gaglioppo was first mentioned when?

Answer 21

records date to the 13th century, one of Italy’s most ancient grapes

Question 22

What is the meaning of Gaglioppo?

Answer 22

beautiful foot, referring to symmetric grape cluster

Question 23

Which appellation is most closely associated with Gaglioppo?

Answer 23

Cirò DOC

Question 24

What are the synonyms for Greco Bianco?

Answer 24

Malvasia di Lipari, Malvasia di Sardegna

Question 25

What is the most recognized style of wine made from Greco Bianco?

Answer 25

passito style of sweet dessert wine

Question 26

How many acres of vineyards are in Calabria?

Answer 26

25,000 acres [about 1/2 the amount planted in Napa]

Question 27

What is the quality pyramid in Calabria?

Answer 27

0/30/10/60 [mostly bulk like Basilicata]

Question 28

What is the major IGT in Calabria?

Answer 28

Calabria IGT and Val di Neto IGT [do not confuse with Val di Noto in Sicilia]

Question 29

What are the principal rivers in Calabria?

Answer 29

the Crati and the Neto [CalabRIA and important IGT]

Question 30

What is Calabria's oldest appellation?

Answer 30

Cirò DOC

Question 31

What is Calabria's most productive appellation?

Answer 31

Cirò DOC

Question 32

Where is the Cirò DOC located?

Answer 32

central part of the Ionian coast, north of Crotone, Calabria

Question 33

What is significance of Krimisa?

Answer 33

famous ancient Greek wine made in Calabria (in what may now be Cirò DOC) and presented to winners of the Olympic games

Question 34

Where is the principal grape in Cirò DOC?

Answer 34

Gaglioppo

Question 35

Where is the principal grape in Greco di Bianco DOC?

Answer 35

Greco Bianco [not di]

Question 36

In Calabria what is the difference between Greco di Bianco, Greco Bianco and Bianco?

Answer 36

Greco di Bianco is the DOC, Greco Bianco is the grape variety and Bianco is the village

Question 37

What are the principal wine styles of Cirò DOC?

Answer 37

most important is rosso, but also rosato and bianco; rosso can be done in classico, riserva, superiore

Question 38

What are the principal wine styles of Greco di Bianco DOC?

Answer 38

whites, medium-sweet to sweet, high alcohol

Question 39

What are the typical tasting notes for Greco Bianco?

Answer 39

aromas of orange blossom, tropical fruit and honey with a rich mouth feel that balanced by fresh acidity

Question 40

What are the typical tasting notes for Gaglioppo?

Answer 40

medium-intensity ruby-colored wines with noticeable acidity and high tannin levels; they have floral notes, red berry fruit and a touch of underbrush

Question 41

How is the passito style achieved in Greco di Bianco DOC?

Answer 41

grapes are air dried on graticci in the sun for appassimento

Question 42

What is the difference in sweetness between Greco di Bianco and Greco Bianco?

Answer 42

Greco di Bianco is the DOC where wines are made from the grape Greco Bianco in a semi-sweet to sweet style; wines made from Greco Bianco in the Cirò DOC are done in a dry style.

Question 43

What are the 3 most planted grapes in Calabria?

Answer 43

Gaglioppo, Magliocco, Nero Cappuccio [not Primitivo]

Question 44

What are the closest genetic relatives of Gaglioppo?

Answer 44

parent-offspring of Sangiovese, sibling of Nerello Mascalese and Frappato (Robinson)