Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

WSET D3 2023 > Ch17 NW IT > Flashcards

Ch17 NW IT Flashcards

(58 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Where is the primary area (although not exclusive) for growing Nebbiolo?

A

Piedmont/ Piemonte
Langhe, part of Cuneo province

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the main grapes of Piedmont?

A

Nebbiolo (4th)
Barbera (most grown variety)
Dolcetto (3rd)
Cortese
Arneis
Moscato (mainly sparkling, 2nd most planted)
Brochetto (mainly rosé sparkling)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Describe the climate of Piedmont

A

Moderate continental
Cold winter, hot summer
Protected from cold N winds and excessive rain by Alps
Protected from weather systems coming from Mediterranean by the Apennines
Can have thunderstorms, hail, fog
Late frost a threat
Low rain June-Sept —> good ripening, low disease
HOWEVER, rain increase Sept-Oct —> threat to late-ripening varieties such as Nebbiolo

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Describe the Nebbiolo grape in Piedmont
Budding & ripening —> implications
Vigor
Where grown

A

Early budding —> spring frost risk
(Very) Late ripening —> fall fungal risk
Vigorous
Mainly grown in S Piedmont (Cuneo province) but also in N provinces
Mainly on best S & SW facing sites to encourage full ripening

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Describe wines made from Nebbiolo in Piedmont

A

pale ruby, turning pale garnet w/ in 3-5 yr
Pronounced intensity
Violet, rose, red cherry, red plum
High acid, tannin, can be high alcohol
Full body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What soils are said to produce the finest, most perfumed Nebbiolo wines?

A
  • calcareaous marl
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How are Nebbiolo vines pruned?

A

pruned high b/c the first few buds are infertile
Therefore, it needs to be pruned w/ more buds so that those further up the shoot will bear fruit
Single Guyot is most common form b/c facilitates mechanical trimming of the canopy
Excessive exposure of grapes can cause problems (sunburn?)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Describe the canopy management of Nebbiolo

A

Often trained single Guyot to facilitate mechanical canopy trimming
Excessive exposure of grapes to sun a problem
Vigor req’s reg canopy management to avoid un-ripe fruit from shading
Cluster thinning to manage vigor (time-consuming & expensive)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What has research into clones of Nebbiolo that can produce deeper color wines found?

A

Some believe that the new clones have lost some of the variety’s high aromatic intensity
Many producers — particularly Gaja — prefer mass selection to propogate new vines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How are many producers choosing to propagate Nebbiolo? Why?
What are they looking to achieve?

A

Many prefer Mass Selection
Research into producing darker wines resulted in lower aromatic int
Desire is for vines w/ …
low vigor (for increased concentration)
Open bunches (to reduce fungal disease)
Small berries (good depth of color)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the key denominations for growing Nebbiolo?

A

Barolo DOCG
Barbaresco DOCG
Roero DOCG
Gattinara DOCG in N of Piemonte —> continental climate w/ higher acid
Ghemme DOCG in N of Piemonte —> continental climate w/ higher acid
As well as regional denominations Langhe Nebbiolo DOC & Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC
Note, some denominations, such as Valtellina in Lombardy also grow it, where it is often blended w/ small amount of other local varieties

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How did Barolo come to fame?

A

It was associated w/ the royal House of Savoy
Came to be known as “the wine of kings, the king of wines”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe Barolo DOCG
Where are vineyards
What effect

A

S & SW facing slopes
Typically 200-400M —> good sunlight interception + cooling influences
Allows grapes to fully ripen over long growing season

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What rules apply to Barolo DOCG

A

100% Nebbiolo
Max 56 hL/ha for all categories
Aged 3 yr & 2 mo from Nov 1 of harvest yr
Min 18mo oak

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What rules apply to Barolo Riserva DOCG

A

100% Nebbiolo
Max 56 hL/ha (same for all categories)
Aged 5 yr & 2 mo from Nov 1 of harvest yr
Min 18mo oak

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the key soil types of Barolo DOCG and how are they associated w/ styles of wine?

A

Blue-grey marl in N & W (such as La Morra) = lighter, more aromatic wines that are drinkable after a few yrs in bottle
Yellow-grey compacted sand and clay in S & E, less-fertile (ex: Serralunga d’Alba) = closed and tannins wines in youth, req 10-15 yrs in cellar

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Is Barolo typically blended or single vineyard?

A

Historically, producers prided themselves on blending from a # of vineyards to get more complexity; Some continue to do so (ex: Bartolo Mascarello)
Certain single vineyards have long had a very high rep for quality (ex: Cannubi, Vigna Rionda); Single vineyard champions include Angelo Gala and Bruno Giacosa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is the name for the system of sub zones that was introduced in Barolo? When?

A

Intro’d in 2010
Menzioni Geograpfiche Aggiuntive (MGA or MeGA, official add’l geo indications)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are the different types of MGAs in Barolo? What are they?

A

MGAs — Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive — are sub-zones that were intro’d in 2010
Can be…
Entire villages (e.g. la Morra)
Specified single vineyards (e.g. Bussia or Cannubi)
A # of specified vineyards naw made into a single MGA (for ex: Via Nuova vineyard was included w/in Terlo MGA)
The term “Vigna” — vineyard — can now only appear as a labelling term if the name of the MGA is also stated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is Barolo Chinato?

A

Barolo wine, sweetened and infused w/ herbs and spices
A very small amount made

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How does the size of Barbaresco DOCG compare to Barolo DOCG?

A
  • Barbaresco is only abut 1/3 the size of Barolo
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

How do Barbaresco DOCG and Barolo DOCG compare?
Size
Altitude
Harvest timing

A

Barbaresco is only abut 1/3 the size of Barolo
Barbaresco is generally slightly lower altitude than Barolo’s 200-400M
Barb is slightly warmer and harvest is typically 1 week earlier
Barb is subtly riper allows for lower min aging reqs = 2 yr 2 mo from Nov 1 yr of harvest for DOCG, 4 yr 2 mo for Riserva; both req 9 mo wood
Barb = Max yield 56 hL/ha (same as Barolo)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How was Nebbiolo traditionally made into wine?

A

Used to involve very long maceration on skins (3-4 mo)
Followed by 5-8 years of aging in old wooden vessels to soften the tannins

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How did winemakers of Nebbiolo shift from the traditional winemaking style in the 1970s and 80s?

Study These Flashcards
A

a group of young producers (incl Elio Altare in Barolo and Angelo Gaja in Barbaresco) sought wines w/ deeper color, softer tannins and less need to be aged, with new oak flavors
This raised quality and prices
However, current practice has moderated these extremes

25
What are the current practices related to winemaking of Nebbiolo?
Pick only grapes w/ ripe skins and seeds (to eliminate excessive tannins) Macerate on skins for 3-4 weeks (much less than traditional 3-4 mo) for top wines Age in either large format oak (FR or Slavonian) or combo of large and smaller format oak (barriques and up to 500L), only a small portion being new Most (but not all) agree that overt vanilla and sweet spice from NFRO mask delicate aromas of Nebbiolo
26
What are the DOCGs for Nebbiolo in the N of Piedmont? How do they differ from Barolo & Barbaresco?
Gattinara DOCG and Ghemme DOCG Continental climate w/ greater diurnal variation This results in wines of higher acidity
27
Where would you expect an early drinking style of Nebbiolo to come from ?
Regional denominations Such as Langhe Nebbiolo DOC or Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC
28
How are early drinking styles of Nebbiolo made?
typically from young vines or less favored sites Maceration 7-10 days (vs 3-4 weeks) Matured for up to 1 yr in neutral containers Sometimes used to declassify Nebbiolo Langhe, Barolo or Barbaresco
29
Describe Barbera in Piemonte Vineyard area as compared to Nebbiolo Main places grown and where is best quality
About 3x vineyard area as Nebbiolo, #1 grape of Piemonte Widely grown throughout IT but concentrated around towns of Asti & Alba, as well a area known as Monferrato Best quality comes from Asti and its sub-zones such as Nizza DOCG
30
Why doesn’t Barbera get the best sites around Alba?
Because the best sites are reserved for Nebbiolo However, it is less sensitive to site than Nebbiolo, so it can still be good quality
31
Describe the Barbera grape in Piedmont Budding & ripening Vigor Susceptibilities Site selection
relatively early budding —> prone to frost Ripens late, but before Nebbiolo Very vigorous Disease resistant, although susceptible to fan leaf virus Can be grown on a range of sites (not as sensitive to site)
32
What can be done to increase quality of Barbera
Can produce very high yields, so control vigor Prune hard for more concentrated wines
33
Describe typical Barbera wines in Piedmont
M to deep ruby M int Red plum and red cherry, sometimes black pepper High acid Relatively low tannins (can be M) M alcohol Range of styles from traditional lightly sparking to still wine for early drinking G to VG, $ to $$, w/ some VG to O that command premium price
34
How are highly concentrated Barbera wines made?
fruit grown at lower yields, from old vines Wines matured in FRO barriques (pioneered by Giacomo Bologna) —> oak tannins add to body of wines and gives them capacity to age
35
What rules apply to Barbera d’Asti DOCG How does this compare to Superiore category? How about Nizza DOCG
Barbera d’Asti DOCG max yield 63 hL/ha Must be aged for min 4 mo (only!) Superiore aged min 14 mo, 6 of which in oak Nizza max 49 hL/ha 18 mo age, 6 of which must be oak
36
What rules apply to Piemonte DOC? Grape(s) Yield implication(s)
Barbera 84 hL/ha (vs Barbera d’Asti DOCG at 63) Wines can be low concentration, although less expensive to make
37
What key difference(s) between Dolcetto vs Nebbiolo and Barbera?
Dolcetto ripens early and can be grown on cooler sites Has low vigor
38
What susceptibilities does Dolcetto have?
fungal diseases Fragile (buds are easily broken) Ripening can be blocked by prolonged spells of cold weather
39
What accounts for the decrease in Dolcetto plantings in Piemonte?
it is susceptible to fungal disease, is fragile, has low vigor, and ripening can be blocked by prolonged spells of cold weather Higher prices of Nebbiolo have led growers to switch to it
40
What is common for winemaking with Dolcetto? Why?
highly reductive in winery This req’s frequent pump overs or rack-and-return to intro O2 and avoid off-flavors To retain primary fruit character, ferment temps generally mid-range Short skin maceration (7-15 days) Soft extraction methods to avoid extracting naturally high tannins Most aged in SS or cement to preserve primary fruit
41
What is the typical quality level and price for Dolcetto?
G to VG $ to $$ Some VG to O w/ premium price
42
What are the best areas/denominations for Dolcetto
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC Dogliani DOCG Dolcetto di Ovada DOC Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG
43
Describe a typical Dolcetto wine from Piemonte
deep ruby color M+ int Red cherry fruit, floral notes M(-) acid M(+) tannins G to VG, $ to $$
44
What are the typical yields for Dolcetto in Piedmont
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC max 63 hL/ha Dolcetto di Ovada DOC and Superiore DOCG are slightly lower
45
What is Freisa?
an indigenous variety from Piemonte Related to Nebbiolo Highly aromatic like Nebbiolo, but w/o its high tannins
46
Describe a wine made from Coretese
light intensity Lemon, apple/ pear, white flower High acid M body Most are made for early drinking G w/ some VG, $ to $$ w/ some premium age-able examples
47
Describe the Cortese grape in Piemonte Skins susceptibility (s)
thin skinned Susceptible to grey rot in rainy conditions
48
Describe the typical winemaking for Cortese
After pressing, must fermented at mid range temps Top qual wines may get a few hrs pre-ferment maceration for > int Typically aged in SS to preserve primary fruit Most made for early drinking (some top can be aged for tertiary)
49
What are the key denominations in Piemonte that use Cortese grape? What rules?
Gavi or Cortese di Gavi DOCG must be entirely Cortese Max yield 67 hL/ha Gavi del commune di Gavi DOCG grapes grown entirely w/in municipality of Gavi Riserva max 45 hL/ha Must be aged 1 year in any vessel before release
50
Name significant producers of Gavi wines
Castellari Bergaglio La Scolca
51
Where is most Arneis grown
- around Roero, in Piemonte
52
Describe a typical Arneis wine
light int Complex aromas of white flowers, chamomile, white peach, lemon M(-) acid G w/ some VG $ to $$ w/ some premium examples
53
What is critical for harvesting Arneis?
must be picked as soon as desired ripeness is achieved b/c acidity drops very rapidly Care must be taken to minimize O2 contact as it oxidizes easily
54
What is the key denomination for Arneis? What rules?
Roero Arneis DOCG Min 95% Arneis Yields up to 70 hL/ha
55
Key producers of Arneis?
Vietti Bruno Giacosa
56
What is notable about the designations w/in Piedmont?
There are no PGI/ IGT wines Wines are either simple “wine” category, or are DOC/DOCG
57
Describe the wine biz in Piedmont
small family-owned farms predominantly Compared to other parts of IT, little consolidation In past, many sold to larger producers Now, w/ rising prices for Nebbiolo wines, many estate bottle and mkt their own wines
58
What % of Barolo and Barbaresco is exported? Top markets?
Barolo 85% Barbaresco 75% USA, GER, UK, Scandinavia

WSET D3 2023 (24 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions