Italy - Prosecco

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

• North east italy (Veneto and Friuli - Venezia Giulia rregions)
• largest DOC by far
• DOCG Conegliano-Valdobiadene
• Wines pulled from 15 communies between Conegliano (creation zone of Prosecco) and Valdobiadene (production zone) in Treviso

Question 2

Production / vinification

Answer 2

• 2013 saw 300 million bottles produced
• high yields permitted
• all by tank method
• max juice yield 70L/100kg
• min maturation including 2nd ferm is 30 days

Question 3

Grapes

Answer 3

• renamed to Glera in 2009

Question 4

Classifications

Answer 4

Prosecco DOCG (13.5 ton / ha)
Prosecco DOC (18 ton / ha)

Question 5

Prosecco DOCG

Answer 5

• Conegliano-Valdobiadene
• almost all vineyards are on hillsides and terraces
• high yields can result in neutral wines where fruitiness is the result of the dosage
• yields are 13.5 tonnes / ha
• Brut versions exist but usually Extra dry(12-17) and Dry (17-32)
• Glera is the main grape at 85% min.
• Additional grapes allowed (up to 15%) Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio
• all help to increase alc and flavor
• superior wines come from Cru of Cartizze in Valdobiadene
• yeilds not lower here but the grapes are much more riper than most
• most are extra dry
• system of cru’s developed in Conegliano-Valdobiadene DOCG (43 communes to be exact)
• all can use on label if yields are below 13 ton / ha

Question 6

Glera

Answer 6

• prosecco grape

Question 7

Prosecco Col Fondo

Answer 7

• use of Glera and other indigenous grapes like Pepera and Verdiso and Bianchetta
• use of organic techniques
• bottle fermented and left undisgorged (Petilant Naturel)
• released with the bottle cap on and the sediment at the bottom (col fondo means w/ sediment)
• wines are bone dry
• mineral in character and could stand for a could years maturation in the bottle
• conventional growers experimenting w/ this because it’s more profitable

Question 8

Colli Asolani Prosecco DOCG

Answer 8

• held to lower yields of 12 ton / ha

- simiarl to Conegliano-Valdobiadene in vineyard area and structure

Question 9

Styles

Answer 9

• Frizzante Prosecco
• Prosecco Spumante
• Brut
• Extra Dry
• Dry
• Demi-Sec

Conegliano - fruitier, tropical with bitter notes
Valdobbiadene - more floral and delicate

Question 10

Prosecco DOC

Answer 10

• PN needs to be made white

- Does not allow production of pink Prosecco Rosato

Question 11

Labelling terms for DOCG

Answer 11

• 90% productin is spumante
• Rive+name of village are wines made from grapes from approved village or municipality / stricter control on yields
• Superiore di Cartizze: small cru of 106ha. Even stricter yields

Question 12

DOCG Rive

Answer 12

• indicates the slopes of the steep hills in the zone
• highlights the diverse expressions of conegliano valdobiaddene
• often obtained from the highest quality vineyards, grapes grown in a single commune or surrounding area thus underlining the characteristics that particular terroir gives to the wine
• there are 43 rive
• yields at 13 ton / ha
• handpicked grapes and vintage always on the label

Question 13

DOCG Superior di Cartizze

Answer 13

• top quality within the denomination
• comes from a sub-zone at 107ha
• lies amongst the steepest of hillsides in the commune of
  Valdobiaddene
• mild microclimate, ancient soils of moraines, sandstone, and clays
• 12 ton / ha

Question 14

Climate

Answer 14

• Conegliano tends to be on the warmer / drier side making more rich wines
• Vladobiaddene is more on the larger diurnal side with wines containing more acidity

Question 15

Soils

Answer 15

• Conegliano: clay and limestone w/ a mixture of alluvial and glacial
• Valdobbiadene: moraines, sandstone, clay