Piedmont

Question 1

What does Piedmont translate to?

Answer 1

The foot of the mountain

Question 2

What two mountain ranges cradle Piedmont on 3 sides?

Answer 2

The Apennines and the Alps

Question 3

What River cuts through the heart of Piedmont?

Answer 3

The Po River

Question 4

What is the climate of Piedmont?

Answer 4

Continental

Question 5

Does Piedmont benefit from a “rain shadow”?

Answer 5

Yes, from the Alps

Question 6

What is the name for a southern exposure in Piedmont?

Answer 6

sorí

Question 7

What are the trio of late ripening red grapes in Piedmont?

Answer 7

Dolcetto - 1st to ripen - high tannin, fruity
Barbera - High acid, low tannin, most planted
Nebbiolo

Question 8

What is the most planted red grape in piedmont?

Answer 8

Barbera

Question 9

Name 3 indigenous red grapes in Piedmont

Answer 9

Brachetto
Grignolino
Ruchè
Croatina
Vespolina
Freisa

Question 10

What is Piedmont’s most planted white grape?

Answer 10

Moscato Bianco (muscat à petits grains)

Question 11

Name 3 indigenous white grapes of Piedmont

Answer 11

Cortese
Arneis
Erbaluce
Favorita (Vermentino)

Question 12

What River do the DOCGs of Barolo and Barbaresco run along? In what Province?

Answer 12

Tanaro River, Cuneo Province

Question 13

How many communes of Barolo are there? Which are the most important?

Answer 13

11 Provinces can make Barolo

5 Most Important:

La Morra
Barolo
Serralunga d'Alba
Monforte d'Alba
Castiglione Falletto

Question 14

What is the soil type in La Morra and Barolo?

Answer 14

Tortonian soil

Question 15

Describe Tortonian soil, what two communes is it most commonly found?

Answer 15

• higher proportion of calcareous marl
• produce softer style
• Found in La Morra and Barolo

Question 16

What type of soil is found in Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba?

Answer 16

Serravallian (Helvetian)

Question 17

Describe Serravallian soil, what communes is it most commonly found?

Answer 17

• sandstone soil
• more structured wines
• Found in Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba

Question 18

How long must Barolo be aged? What if it is Riserva?

Answer 18

Barolo 
Normale - 3 years, 2 months from nov 1
(18 months in oak)
Riserva - 5 years, 2 months from nov 1
(18 months in oak)

Question 19

When was the Barolo DOCG established? Barbaresco DOCG?

Answer 19

Both 1980

Question 20

What is the minimum alcohol for Barolo wines? Barbaresco?

Answer 20

Barolo - 13%

Barbaresco - 12.5

Question 21

Name three “traditionalist” Barolo producers

Answer 21

Giacomo Conterno
Bartolo Mascarello
Giuseppe Rinaldi

Question 22

Name three “modernist” Barolo producers

Answer 22

Paolo Scavino
Luciano Sandrone
Elio Altare

Question 23

Name the 11 communes of Barolo

Answer 23

Verduno
Roddi
Grinzane Cavour
Cherasco
La Morra
Castiglione Falletto
Serralunga d'Alba
Diano d'Alba
Barolo
Monforte d'Alba
Novello

(North to South ish)

Question 24

What three towns are Barbaresco production focused in?

Answer 24

Barbaresco
Neive
Treiso

Question 25

How long must Barbaresco be aged? What if it is Riserva?

Answer 25

- Barbaresco normale - 2 years 2 months from nov 1 (9 months in cask) - Barbaresco riserva - 4 years 2 months from nov 1 (9 months in cask)

Question 26

Name the most famous modernist producer of Barbaresco

Answer 26

Angelo Gaja

Question 27

Name the most famous traditionalist producer of Barbaresco

Answer 27

Bruno Giacosa

Question 28

Name the most famous co-op of Barbaresco

Answer 28

Produttori del Barbaresco

Question 29

What are menzioni geografiche aggiuntive and when were they approved in Barbaresco and Barolo?

Answer 29

Crus Barbaresco - 2007 Barolo - 2010

Question 30

What is Barolo Chinato? Top producer?

Answer 30

A DOCG aromatized wine flavored with quinine Top producer - Cappellano

Question 31

What is the moderating influence in Piedmont?

Answer 31

The Tanaro River flows through Piedmont, dividing the Roero from the Langhe and providing a moderating influence

Question 32

What DOCG lies on the NW bank of the Tanaro River

Answer 32

Roero DOCG Elevated in 2004

Question 33

What is the make up of the leading red and white wines in Roero?

Answer 33

Red wines from min 95% nebbiolo White wines from Arneis

Question 34

What are the soils like in Roero and what does this lead to?

Answer 34

Sandy soils leads to lighter style of Nebbiolo than Barolo or Barbaresco

Question 35

Name two Nebbiolo based DOCGs in the hills north of the Po river

Answer 35

Gattinara DOCG | Ghemme DOCG

Question 36

What river do Gattinara and Ghemme DOCGs straddle?

Answer 36

Sesia River

Question 37

What is the name for nebbiolo in Gattinara and Ghemme?

Answer 37

Spanna

Question 38

What grapes are used for blending in Ghemme?

Answer 38

Up to 15% Vespolina and Bonarda Novarese (Uva Rara)

Question 39

What grapes are used for blending in Gattinara?

Answer 39

Up to 10% Vespolina and Bonarda di Gattinara

Question 40

What grapes are blended with into the nebbiolo based DOCGs Ghemme and Gattinara?

Answer 40

Vespolina and Bonarda

Question 41

Three other nebbiolo based DOCs in Northern Piedmont

Answer 41

Lessona DOC Sizzano DOC Carema DOC (borders Valle d'Aosta)

Question 42

DOCGs of the Monferrato Hills | 4

Answer 42

- Barbera d'Asti DOCG (2008) - Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG - Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG - Nizza DOCG (2014)

Question 43

3 DOCG zones for Barbera in the Monferrato hills? Which requires 100% Barbera?

Answer 43

- Barbera d'Asti DOCG (2008) - Barbera del Monferrato SUPERIORE DOCG (2008) - Nizza DOCG (2014) Nizza DOCG requires 100% Barbera

Question 44

3 DOCGs for 100% Dolcetto

Answer 44

- Dogliani DOCG - Dolcetto di Ovada SUPERIORE (Ovada) DOCG - Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba

Question 45

Who is Luigi Einaudi?

Answer 45

Elected 2nd President of Italian Republic in 1948 | -responsible for Dogliani's fame

Question 46

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

Answer 46

Gavi (Cortese di Gavi) - `1998

Question 47

Permitted styles of Gavi DOCG?

Answer 47

- Gavi/Cortese di Gavi (Tranquillo) - Gavi/Cortese di Gavi Riserva - Gavi/Cortese di Gavi Frizzante - Gavi/Cortese di Gavi Spumante - Gavi/Cortese di Gavi Spumante Metodo Classico Riserva

Question 48

What is the DOCG for Erbaluce?

Answer 48

Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG 2010 passito styles evoke most praise

Question 49

What DOCG produces the most DOCG wine in Italy?

Answer 49

Asti/Moscato di Asti DOCG

Question 50

Is Asti/Moscato di Asti DOCG frizzante or spumante?

Answer 50

Asti is always fully sparkling - spumante Moscato di Asti is usually lightly sparkling - frizzante

Question 51

Grape of Asti DOCG?

Answer 51

100% Moscato Bianco

Question 52

What method is usually employed for 2ndary fermentation in Asti DOCG sparkling wines?

Answer 52

Charmat | traditional method would be labeled Asti Metodo Classico DOCG

Question 53

What is the max atm allowed in Moscato di Asti DOCG and what is the abv range?

Answer 53

max 2 atm (up from 1.7 in 2011) alc between 4.5-6.5

Question 54

Where would you find more serious traditional method sparkling wine in Piedmont? Grapes?

Answer 54

Alta Langa DOCG Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, made in same way as champs or franciacorta

Question 55

Notable Alta Langa DOCG producers?

Answer 55

Fontanafredda | Enrico Serafino

Question 56

DOCG for sparkling red wines in Piedmont?

Answer 56

Brachetto d'Acqui DOCG usually sweet, can be: - Rosso (maximum pressure 2 bars) - Rosso Spumante (Traditional or Charmat Method) - Rosso Passito (min RS 50g/L)