North-West Italy - Piemonte Flashcards

1
Q

Where is Pimonte

A

North-West corner of italy

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2
Q

What is the weather?

A

Mountains in north = rain shadow, protects region from winds and precipitation

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3
Q

What is the climate in Piemonte

A
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4
Q

What is the climate in Piemonte? Threats? Rainfall?

A

Moderate and continental with long, cold winters and summers,
thunderstorms, hail and fog and frost
low rain in June-Sept = good ripening
higher rain in autumn, threat to Nebbiolo

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5
Q

What are the moderating influences in Piemonte?

A

Po River in southern part of region
Lake Maggiore in the North

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6
Q

Describe the terrain in Piemonte

A

Area noted for foothills
100-600m
Different aspects and altitudes for viticulture

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7
Q

Describe the Nebbiolo grape/ vineyard

A

Until recently only grown in Piemonte
Early budding (frost)
Vigorous = canopy management - to avoid unripe fruit due to leaf shading
Single guyot
High Trained/Pruning due to first few buds infertile, pruned with more buds
Best quality require time-consuming cluster thinning
Late ripening
South/southwest facing sites

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8
Q

Describe a wine made from Nebbiolo

A

Typically pale, ruby to pale garnet (3-5 yrs) pronounced intensity aromas and flavours: violet, rose, red cherry, red plum, herbs, dried flowers
Full Bodied, hi tannins, hi acidity, hi alcohol

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9
Q

What soil does the finest, most perfumed wines grow on?

A

Calcareous Marls

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10
Q

What is the disadvantage of new clones?

A

producing a deeper colour, but have lost some aromatics

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11
Q

Which producer prefer mass selection to propagate new vines?

A

Gaja (seeking vines with low vigour = higher concentration, open bunches (less fungal disease) and small berries (good depth of colour)

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12
Q

Where is Barolo DOCG?

A

Named after village Barolo, incorporates a number of villages south west of the city of Alba.

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13
Q

Describe Barolo?

A

Dry, tannic wine made from 100% Nebbiolo

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14
Q

What is it also known as?

A

The King of Wines, the Wine of Kings (House of Savoy)

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15
Q

Where are the vineyards planted for Barolo? height? result? effect on grapes? effect on wines?

A

South and South-West facing slopes, 200-400m high = good sunlight interception with cooling influences = slow ripening, long growing season, produces wines of pronounced aromatic intensity and hi acidity

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16
Q

What are the max yields for Barolo DOCG?

A

56 hL/ha

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17
Q

How much have plantings increased in the last 30 years?

A

doubled to 2,000 ha

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18
Q

What are the ageing requirements for Barolo DOCG?

A

Aged for 3 years and 2 months from 1 November of the year of harvest, incl 18m in oak

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19
Q

What is the effect of the ageing requirements?

A

Add to costs of production
resulting in v good-premium wines, outstanding quality and premium and super-premium priced

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20
Q

Describe the 2 different types of soil in Barolo DOCG

A

Villages with blue-grey marl in north and west = La more = wines lighter and more aromatic
Villages in South and east = Serralunga d’Alba = closed wines, tannic and require cellaring for 10-15 years

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21
Q

Why might producers blend their wines

A

for complexity
Bartolo Mascarello

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22
Q

why might producers use single vineyards?

A

high reputation for quality
Gaja and Bruno Giacosa

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23
Q

What are the sub-zones of Barolo DOCG? (2010)

A

Entire village (ie, La Morra)
Specified Single Vineyard
Number of specified vineyards

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24
Q

Describe Barolo Chinato

A

a Barolo wine, sweetened and infused with herbs and spices

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25
Q

How was Barolo made traditionally?

A

Very long maceration on the skins (3-4 months) followed by 5-8 yrs ageing in old wooden vessels to soften tannins

26
Q

What is the more modern way to make Barolo? Why some agree less oak

A

Pick only grapes with ripe skins and seeds (to eliminate aggressive tannins), maceration 3-4 weeks
Gentler extraction, shorter maturation times, some new oak (Fr or Slav) and bottle ageing = still continues to soften tannins and adds complexity = truffles, tar and leather
Overt vanilla and sweet spice from Fr Oak masks delicate aromas of Nebbiolo

27
Q

Where is Barbaresco DOCG? size vs Barolo?

A

village called Barbaresco, incorporates a number of villages to the east of the city of Alba
1/3 size of Barolo

28
Q

Why is Barbaresco different to Barolo?

A

slight warmer, lower altitude = harvest 1 week earlier

29
Q

What are the ageing requirements for Barbaresco?

A

2 years and 2 months from 1 November after harvest for Barbaresco DOCG
4 years and 2 months for Riserva
Both require min 9 months in wood

30
Q

What do these maturations times mean?

A

added cost of production

31
Q

What is the quality of Barbaresco DOCG wines?

A

Good to Outstanding Quality
Premium - Super Premium in price

32
Q

Where else is Nebbiolo grown?

A

Roero DOCG, north of Tanaro River, close to Milan

33
Q

What other DOCGs near Roero?

A

Gattinara DOCG and Gemme DOCG

34
Q

What is the different in these climates/wines?

A

continental climate, higher diurnal variation = higher acidity
South facing 300m = ripe fruit, light bodied but intensely perfumed
often blended with small proportion other local varieties

35
Q

A similar wine is made in Lombardy - where?

A

Valtellina

36
Q

What are the DOCs producing early drinking Nebbiolo wines?

A

Langhe Nebbiolo DOC
Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC
made from young vines, less favoured sites

37
Q

Describe the Barbera grape?

A

Most widely planted black variety in Piemonte (x 3 of Nebbiolo)
early budding (frost)
Vigorous and disease resistant
can grow on range of sites/aspects
High yields

38
Q

Describe the Barbera wines

A

high acidity, low in tannin,
range of styles incl lightly sparkling

39
Q

What is the style of most Barbera wines

A

still wine
easy drinking
med to deep ruby colour
med int of red plum, red cherry, some black pepper aromas
high acidity
med tannin, med alcohol

40
Q

What is the quality level of Barbera wines?

A

good to v good, inexpensive to mid-priced, some outstanding wines command premium prices

41
Q

Highly concentrated wines also made - how?

A

lower yields, old vines, aged in Fr Oak barriques
Oak tannins add body, capacity to age = add to cost

42
Q

DOCG requirements for Barbera d’Asti? Superiore

A

Max yield 63 hL/ha, aged for min 4 months
Superiore = aged min 14m, 6 in oak

43
Q

DOCG requirements for Nizza?

A

49 hL/ha, aged 18m, 6 in oak

44
Q

Piemonte DOC?

A

made using Barbera, 84 hL/ha = low concentation

45
Q

Describe the Dolcetto grape

A

Black grape
ripens early
grows on cooler sites
low vigour and ripening blocked by cold weather
Reduced vineyards due to popularity of Nebbiolo

46
Q

What does Dolcetto require in winery

A

frequent pumpover to introduce oxygen and avoid off-flavours, needs mid-range fermentation temp (17-25℃), short time on skin, soft extraction. Aged in S/S to preserve primary fruit

47
Q

What are the DOC/Gs for Dolcetto?

A

Dolcetto d’Alba DOC (64 hL/ha)
Dogliani DOCG
Dolcetto di Ovada DOC
Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG

48
Q

Style of these Dolcetto wines?

A

Deep ruby
med+ intensity red cherry fruit with floral notes
med- acidity, med + tannins

49
Q

What are the 2 white grapes grown in Piemonte?

A

Cortese
Arneis

50
Q

Describe the Cortese grape

A

high yielding
light intensity aromas has lemon apple pear white flowers
hi acidity, med body

51
Q

Cortese in the winery?

A

pressed, must fermented at mid range (17-25℃)
aged in S/S - preserve fruit
Some top wines undergo pre-fermentation maceration = increased aromatic intensity and these can be bottled aged for tertiary notes

52
Q

Describe Gavi DOCG

A

must be made entirely from Cortese grapes with max yield of 67 hL/ha

53
Q

Describe Gavi location/wine/vineyard planting where?

A

Located south-eastern Piemonte, White Wine region
grown in hills, altitude and sea breezes result in slow ripening of Cortese grape

54
Q

Describe the style of wine Gavi ? use of oak

A

pale, light-bodied, high acidity and aromas/flavours of citrus, green apples and pears
some producers use old oak to add complexity, can age in bottle

55
Q

Describe the Arneis grape/wines

A

grown in Roero, light intensity, complex aromas of white flowers, camomile, white peach and melon
med- acidity
good quality, some v good examples

56
Q

What special requirements made from Arneis

A

Picked at desired ripeness as acidity drops rapidly
in winery, oxidises easily

57
Q

Describe Roero Arneis DOCG

A

Made from min 95% arneis
up to 70 hL/ha
Popular in 1908s onwards.

58
Q

What is unique about Piemonte wines?

A

No PGI/IGT wines

59
Q

Wine Biz in Piemonte?

A

remained as mostly small family farms
Hi proportion of Barolo and Barbareso exported (85/75%)
USA, Germany, UK and Scandinavia

60
Q

Why are Barolo/Barbaresco wines popular with investors?

A

Bordeaux/Burgundy wines now v expensive, buyers looks for alt investment wines. Popular to due ability to age in bottle and develop tertiary flavours.
Now Barolo prices are rising, less expensive DOCGs have more attention.