Northern Italy Flashcards

1
Q

What are two mountain ranges in Italy?

A

Capped in north by the Alps.

Defined lengthwise by Apennine Mountains.

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2
Q

What does DOP stand for?

A

Denominazione di Origine Protetta?

Includes DOC and DOCG

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3
Q

When was the Denominazione di Origine Controllata system introduced?

A

1963

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4
Q

What does Classico mean?

A

Traditional, theoretically superior vineyard area within a DOC or DOCG

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5
Q

What does riserva mean?

A

“Reserve” legally defined. Appellation specific but can indicate longer oak aging, lower yields, or higher alcohol.

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6
Q

What does superiore mean?

A

Appellation specific.

Denotes higher level of alcohol or longer aging.

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7
Q

What is spumante?

A

Sparkling

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8
Q

What is frizzante?

A

Lightly sparkling

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9
Q

What is secco?

A

Dry

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10
Q

What is Amabile?

A

Off-Dry

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11
Q

What is Dolce?

A

Sweet

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12
Q

What is Recioto/Passito?

A

Wine made from dried grapes that is often sweet

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13
Q

What are the appellations of Northern Italy?

A

Liguria, Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta, Lombardy, Trentino Alto Adige, Fruili-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna

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14
Q

What is the Nebbia?

A

Pervasive fog that often settles over the vineyards during harvest time. Block sunlight to the grapes

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15
Q

Where is Piedmont located?

A

Northwestern Italy, bordering France and Switzerland.

Cradled by Alps to the north and west and the Apennines to the south and east.

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16
Q

What does Piedmont mean in French?

A

“foot of the mountain”

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17
Q

Why are hilltop sites preferred in Piedmont?

A

Avoid the Nebbia fog

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18
Q

What is the climate of Piedmont?

A

Continental with a rain shadow effect from the Alps protecting the wine region

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19
Q

What is the topography of Piedmont like?

A

Mountains and rolling foothills

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20
Q

What is the soil in Piedmont?

A

Limestone and sandstone

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21
Q

Serravallian soil

A

Helvetian sandstone soils.

Common in Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba.

Provide more structure.

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22
Q

Tortonian soil

A

High proportion of calcareous marl and limestone.

Common in La Morra and Barolo.

Provide a softer style of wine

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23
Q

What are the white grape varieties in Piedmont?

A
  • Moscato
  • Cortese
  • Arneis
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24
Q

What are the red grape varieties in Piedmont?

A
  • Nebbiolo
  • Barbera
  • Dolcetto
  • Brachetto
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25
Q

What are the regions of Piedmont?

A
  • Barolo
  • Barbaresco
  • Moscato d’Asti
  • Gavi
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26
Q

What is a major river that begins in Piedmont?

A

Po River

Drains the semi-circle of Apennine and Alps that surround the region

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27
Q

What river do the communes of Barolo and Barbaresco lie?

A

Tanaro River

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28
Q

What region has the most DOC zones in Italy?

A

Piedmont

17 DOCGs
42 DOCs

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29
Q

What are the requirements for Barolo?

A
  • 100% Nebbiolo
  • 18 months in oak
  • 38 months total (from November 1 of harvest year)
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30
Q

What are the requirements for Barbaresco?

A
  • 100% Nebbiolo
  • 9 months in oak
  • 26 months total (from November 1 of harvest year)
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31
Q

Traditionalists vs Modernist styles of Barolo

A

Traditionalists: preferred older winemaking techniques. (long macerations, large foudres)
- i.e. Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello, Gieseppi Rinaldi

Modernists: use of barriques, shorter macerations, and rounder style of wine,.
- i.e. Paolo Scavino, Luciano Sandrone, Elio Altare

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32
Q

What are the requirements for Barolo Riserva?

A
  • 100% Nebbiolo
  • 18 months in oak
  • 62 months total (from November 1 of harvest year)
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33
Q

What are the requirements for Barbaresco Riserva?

A
  • 100% Nebbiolo
  • 9 months in oak
  • 50 months total (from November 1 of harvest year)
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34
Q

What is Barolo Chinato?

A

DOCG aromatized wine that is flavored with quinine.

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35
Q

Can the Roeroo DOCG produce red and white wine?

A

Yes.

Red: 95% Nebbiolo.

White: Arneis

Sandy soil creates more lifted and lighter style.

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36
Q

What style of wine is made in Ghemme and Gattinara?

A

Nebbiolo based reds. Can be blended with Vespolina and Bonarda di Gattinara.

Lighter and more focused acidity

37
Q

What is Spanna?

A

Nebbiolo

38
Q

Are Bonarda di Gattinara and Bonarda di Argentina genetically related?

A

No

39
Q

When did Barbera attain DOCG status?

A

2008

40
Q

What are the two regions that produce Barbera?

A

Barbera d’Asti DOCG

Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG

41
Q

What was the first still white wine promoted to DOCG level in Piedmont?

A

Gavi DOCG

100% Cortese

42
Q

Moscato d’ Asti DOCG vs Asti DOCG

A

Asti DOCG: 100% Moscato Bianco sourced from across Piedmont before undergoing secondary fermentation via Charmant Method. Can also make still wines.

Moscato d’ Asti DOCG: Artisanal product crafted from the ripest grapes and is always frizzante and typically off-dry.

43
Q

What style of wine is made in Brachetto d’ Acqui DOCG?

A

100% Brachetto

Typically a sweet sparkling wine, but dry styles do exist.

44
Q

Where is the Valle d’Aosta?

A

Northern Italy nestled in western Alps.

Smallest and most populous region

45
Q

What is the climate in Valle d’ Aosta

A

Continental.

Long cold winters, short hot summers

46
Q

Where is Lombardy?

A

Northeast of Milan in the foothills of the Alps and near Lakes Como, Iseo, and Garda.

east of Valle d’Aosta

47
Q

What is the climate of Lombardy?

A

Cool, continental

48
Q

What is the topography of Lombardy?

A

Mountainous and rolling foothills

49
Q

What are grapes that are used in Lombardy?

A

White: Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco

Red: Pinot Nero and Nebbiolo

50
Q

What style of wine is made in Franciacorta DOCG?

A

Metodo Classico sparkling wines

White: Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco

Red: Pinot Nero

51
Q

What are the aging/lees requirements for Franciacorta DOCG?

A
  • 18 months on lees
  • 25 months total

Bottled at 5-6 atm

52
Q

What does a bottle of Franciacorta labeled Saten indicate?

A

Wine is made from all white grapes.

Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco

Bottled at less than 5 atm

53
Q

What percentage of grapes from stated vintage are required to label it as a vintage wine in Franciacorta?

A

85%

54
Q

What is the region that still wines from Franciacorta are released under?

A

Curtefranca DOC or Sebino IGT

55
Q

What are the aging/lees requirements for vintage Franciacorta?

A
  • 18 months on lees
  • 37 months total

Bottled at 5-6 atm

56
Q

What are the aging/lees requirements for rose Franciacorta?

A
  • 18 months on lees
  • 25 months total
  • bottled at 5-6 atm
  • 25 % Pinot Nero
57
Q

What is chiavenneasca?

A

Nebbiolio

58
Q

Where is Vallentina Superiore in relaton to Franciacorta?

A

Directly north

59
Q

What is the climate of Valtellina Superiore?

A

High altitude and alpine

Abundant sunshine allows for slow growing season

60
Q

What are the aging requirements for Valtellina Superiore?

A
  • 12 months in cask

- 24 months total

61
Q

What are the aging requirements for Valtellina Superiore Riserva?

A
  • 12 months in cask

- 36 months total

62
Q

What type of wines are made in Moscato di Scanzo?

A

Sweet, red passito wines made from red Moscato grape

Must be aged for 2 years–no wood allowed

63
Q

What is a futura?

A

slender 500mL bottle that Moscato di Scanzo is bottled in

similar to shape of Inniskillin’s ice wine

64
Q

What varietal is famous in Liguria?

A

Vermentino

65
Q

Where is Trentino Alto Adige located?

A

Alpine border of Switzerland and Austria>

Region of two distinct cultures with two nearly autonomous regions . Germany to the north, Italy to the south.

66
Q

What is the climate of Trentino Alto Adige?

A

Continental with cold winters and warm summers

67
Q

What is the topography of Trentino Alto Adige?

A

Mountainous and rolling foothills

68
Q

What grape varietals are grown in Trentino Alto Adige?

A

White: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Sylvaner

Red: Merlot, Lagrein, Teroldego

69
Q

What is Sudtirol?

A

Trentino Alto Adige

70
Q

Where is Fruili-Venezia-Giulia?

A

Northeaster Italy–extending eastward to the border of Slovenia.

71
Q

What are the grape varietals are grown in Fruili-Venezia-Giuila?

A

White: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Friulano, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla

Red: Merlot, Rofosco, Schipettino,

72
Q

Where is Veneto located?

A

Northeastern Italy in the foothills of the Alps extending eastward to the border of the Adriatic Sea

73
Q

What is the climate of Veneto?

A

Continental with warmer maritime near the coast

74
Q

What region produces the most wine in Italy?

A

Veneto

75
Q

What are the subzones of Veneto?

A
  • Soave DOC
  • Soave Superiore DOCG
  • Prosecco DOC
  • Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
76
Q

What are the grapes used in Soave?

A

Garganega (70%)

Trebbiano di Soave
Chardonnay

77
Q

What are the grapes used in Prosecco?

A

Glera

78
Q

What is the highest regarded cru of Prosecco by the consorzio?

A

Cartizze

79
Q

How much of the wine is from the vintage if listed on a bottle of Prosecco?

A

85%

80
Q

Where is Fruili-Venezia-Giulia located?

A

Northeastern Italy, extending eastward to the border of Slovenia

81
Q

What is the climate of Fruili?

A

Continetal

82
Q

What are the grape varieties in Fruili?

A

White: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Fruilano, Chardonnay

Red: Merlot

83
Q

Where is Emilia-Romagna located?

A

A large region extending from the heart of north-central Italy out toward the Adriatic Sea

84
Q

What is the climate of Emilia Romagna?

A

Continental

85
Q

What is the topography of Emilia Romagna?

A

Broad and vast plains with intensive agricultural and viticulture elements

86
Q

What famous foods are from Emilia Romagna?

A

Parmigiano Reggiano
Prosciutto di Parma
Modena Balsamic Vinegar

87
Q

What is the primary style of wine produced in Emilia Romagna?

A

Charmant/tank method red sparkling wine

88
Q

Is Lambrusco dry or sweet?

A

Varying levels of sweetness from dry to dolce

89
Q

What is the grape in Lambrusco?

A

Lambrusco!

There are over 60 sub-varieties of the grape used.