Which wine in the $50-$60 is good for someone who likes dry Riesling or Kerner?
Lugana I Frati
Ca’ Dei Frati
$56
Lombardia
What is the varietal in Lugana?
Turbiana
AKA Trebbiano di Lugana (although not the same grape as regular Trebbiano)
Where is Erbaluce di Caluso ‘Misobolo’ from?
Peidmonte
The wine maker is Cieck
What is the Syrah from Fontodi called?
Syrah ‘Case Via’
$158
Which Super Tuscan contains Syrah?
Bolgheri ‘Promis’
Gaja Ca’Marcanda
Syrah, Sangovese, and Merlot
$95
Which wine from Veneto is made by a small producer with geeky fans?
Veneto Rosso Kairos
from Zyme
Blend of 4 whites and 11 reds
What is a good alternative to Fratelli Alessandria Barolo?
Roero Riserva ‘Valmaggiore’ from Cascina Chicco
$95
Which mature Barbaresco is in the $150 range?
Pertinace
Which Barolo is underpriced in the $150 range?
Oddero
$155
Traditional complex and dry Barolo
Name 3 Chiantis on the list
Fontodi Chianti Classico $84
Campriano Chianti Classico $62
Riecine Chianti Classico Riserva $115
Volpaia Chainti Classico
Which winery produces both Solaia and Tignanello?
Antinori
Which winery produces ‘Le Pergole Torte’, one of the first super Tuscans?
Montevertine
How does Emidio Pepe age his wines?
In glass lined tanks.
When a wine is ordered, it’s decanted and then returned to the bottle with a new cork before being sent out.
Name 3 Brunellos on the list
Caparzo $90 Collemattoni $130 'Rennina' Gaja-PSR $358 Sesti $175 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 'Case Basse' Soldera $750 Valdicava $260
Where the name Roero come from?
A family of bankers and traders who were prominent in the political life of Asti and dominated this area (Cuneo, in Piedmont) in the Middle Ages.
In Piedmont, what river divides Roero from Langhe?
The Tanaro River
What bounds Roero on the North East?
Monferrato
What bounds Roero on the North West?
The Province of Turin
What is considered the capital of the Langhe region of Piedmont?
Alba
What are the main varietals of the Roero region?
Arneis
Nebbiolo
What does the designation “Roero” mean for a red wine?
The name “Roero” lacking any further specification is reserved for red wines made from 95-98% Nebbiolo grapes with the addition of 2%–5% of Arneis.
What are the aging requirements of Roero Riserva?
32 months total aging
At least 6 months in wood
Which Roero Riserva wine is on the list?
Roero Riserva ‘Valmaggiore’ from Cascina Chicco
$95
What spurred demand for table wine in Italy in the early 1900s?
The demand for table wine grew as people increasingly abandoned farming to work in the newly born factories.
Prior to industrialization, many families grew grapes and made their own wine.
Who runs the Vallana winery?
Giuseppina Vallana
The Gattinara Cuvee Bernardo is named for her father.
In what year did Giuseppe Mascarello (1830-1902) begin the family winemaking business?
1881 in Monforte d’Alba
In what year did Giuseppe Mascarello’s son, Murizio, by a farm in the Monprivato area of Castiglione Falletto?
1904
When did Giuseppe Mascarello (1897 - 1983) replant his Monprivato Barolo with his father’s Nebbiolo Michet clone?
1963
Who makes wine in the Mascarello tradition now?
Mauro Mascarello
He made his first wine in 1968
In what year did Mauro Mascarello first make Monprivato Barolo using only grapes from Monprivato?
1970
Describe the Monprivato vineyard site
Approximately 15 acres in size on a soutwest-facing slope in Castiglione Falletto, Monprivato’s chalky and gray marl soils offer textbook conditions for Nebbiolo.
What does the ‘aspect’ of a vineyard denote?
A vineyard’s aspect refers to the direction that the slope faces (e.g., east, southeast, etc.). Aspect affects the angle that the sunlight hits the vineyard and thus its total heat balance. Aspect is more important in higher latitudes where radiation is weaker, due to the angle of the sun, and light interception may be limiting to growth.
What are the warmer aspects?
Southern and Western
What are the cooler aspects?
Northern and Eastern
What is a benefit of an eastern facing vineyard?
Access to the morning sun, which dries the dew on the vines
Which kind of wines benefit from a western facing vineyard?
Western-facing slopes are a popular choice for late-maturing varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, promoting fruit ripening in the waning heat and daylight of fall.