IT: Piemonte Flashcards

Question

Sant'Agata Fossili Marls: describe this soil type. Name some communes that they dominate in?

Answer 1

Limestone, clay and blue-grey marls from the Tortonian Age. Found in: Barolo, La Morra Verduno, Novello, Grinzane Cavour, Castiglione Falletto

Answer 2

Verduno, G.B. Burlotto * 220-310M; full southern exposure, close to the Tanaro * Vietti, Luigi Einaudi, Oddero

Answer 3

- Barolo: 170M - 540M - Barbaresco: 0 - 550M - Alta Langa: min 250M - Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG: max 650m - Diano d'Aba: hills only, max 550M. No north slopes.

Answer 4

Elio Altare Giorgio Rivetti Robert Voerzio Bruno Ceretto Chiara Boschis Matteo Correggia (though in Roero, no Barolo) .. to name a few

Answer 5

13% (12.5% potential at harvest) *for all levels, includes Normale, Riserva, and "menzioni geografiche aggiuntive" NORMALE: 38months + 18m in wood from Nov 1 of year of harvest RISERVA: 62m, 18 in wood, from November 1 of the year of harvest Compare to: - Brunello: 2yrs oak/6m bottle; cannot be sold until Jan 1 of 6th year - Barbaresco: 50m w 9m in wood

Answer 6

3 entirely in DOCG: 1. Barolo 2. Serralunga d'Alba 3. Castiglione Falletto + the other 3 main villages: 4. Monforte d'Alba 5. La Morra 6. Novello the others: 7. Cherasco 8. Roddi 9. Verduno 10. Diano d'Alba 11. Grinzane Cavour The hills cluster in three main groups, thus forming two valleys that run north-south: the Central Valley, on the west side of the DOC, and the Serralunga Valley, on the east side.

Answer 7

- VIGNARIONDA: Luigi Pira, Oddero, Guido Porro, Massolino - LAZZARRITO - CERRETTA: Elio Altare, Giacomo Conterno, Azelia, Luigi Baudana - FRANCIA: G. Conterno monopole - ARIONE: G. Conterno owns most - GABBUTI: Cappellano - FALLETTO: B. Giacosa monopole - MARENCA: Gaja, Luigi Pira - FONTANAFREDDA (mga) SOILS: Serravallien. Limestone and clay marls with sandstone and sand. Cappellano Ettore Germano Guido Porro Luigi Baudana Fontanfredda Massolino

Answer 8

NAME: "bas reul" = Celtic for "low areas" - Cannubi - Bricco delle Viole - Coste di Rose Has parts of Brunate, Cerequio, Sarmassa, Ravera Tortonian Soils Giacamo Borgogno E. Pira (Chiara Boschis) Bartolo Mascarello Giuseppe Rinaldi Francesco Rinaldi Luciano Sandrone Brezza Vajra

Answer 9

11 crus - but big crus. 20% of Barolo production, 2nd only to La Morra. - GINESTRA - BUSSIA - PERNO SOILS: soils, exposure, altitude are pretty varied. like everywhere here, there's limestone. Just not as much as Serralunga. Aldo Conterno Giacamo Fennochio Elio Grasso Podere Colla Gianfranco Allessandria Conterno Fantini

Answer 10

25% of Barolo production. - **Cerequio** (shared with Barolo) - **Rocche dell'Annunziata** - **Brunate** (shared with Barolo) - Arborina (Elio Altare built the reputation; Bovio, Mauro Veglio) - Ascheri - Fossatti (e-facing) SOILS: least limestone, most sand and more clay. Thus, more floral and less tannic expressions. Good for dry vintages, bad for wet vintages. Elio Altare Oddero Renato Ratti Roberto Voerzio Trediberri Macarini Lorenzo Accommasso (super culty, Verset of Barolo?) Bovio

Answer 11

- **Rocche di Castiglione**: top top site. More sand. SE orientation (S = light, E = cool mornings) Bricco Boschis (Cavallotto fam are main owners and responsible for the prestige) - **Villero**: western orientation, more limestone = powerful wines - Fiasco: Scavino - **Monprivato** - **Bricco Boschis**: Cavallotto monopole - Parussi SOILS: diverse - sand up high, lower portions have more high-limestone Helvetian. Paolo Scavino Brovia Giuseppe Mascarello Vietti Cavallotto Scavino

Answer 12

Basically a southern extension of the village of Barolo. RAVERA is the only cru of serious note. Barolo (5ha) + Novello (25ha). ELVIO COGNO is the main producer to know about. Home to Nascetta - white variety revived by Elvio Cogno

Answer 13

Ancient marine sediments. Mix of limestone, sand, clay, sandstone in varying proportions, 5 - 15 million years old. **Tortonian** (Marne di Sant'Agata Fossili): west - La Morra, Barolo. More calcareous clay, blue grey marl. **Serravallien** (Lequio Formation/Arenarie di Diano d'Alba): east - Serralunga d'Alba, Monforte. More sandstone & sand. Less limestone in Tortonian, more limestone in Serravallien. TORTONIAN VS SERRAVALLIEN: Tortonian has higher proportions of calcareous marl. Serravallien are less fertile and tends to have more sandstone. [Helvetian are now called Serravallien]

Answer 14

VILLAGE: La Morra [Brunate, Annunziata, Cerequio are big 3 here] SOILS: Tortonian * Renato Ratti (La Morra) * Roberto Voerzio (La Morra) * Trediberri (La Morra) * Paolo Scavino (Castiglione Falletto) Bartolo Mascarello owns land here but only blends

Answer 15

Barolo (6ha) / La Morra (18ha) * magnesium is 5x higher than any other cru * perfect exposure + altitude - this microclimate is so warm that it can sustain a small grove of olive trees (allegedly the only ones in Barolo) * Vietti (Castiglione Falletto) * Michele Chiarlo (Canelli area) * Roberto Voerzio (La Morra) * Boroli (Castiglione Falletto) * Damilano (Barolo) [one of La Morra's top 3 with Rocche dell'Annunziata, Brunate]

Answer 16

La Morra (19) / Barolo (9). Tortonian soils. * Vietti (Castiglione Falletto) * Robert Voerzio (La Morra) * Oddero (La Morra) * Macarini (La Morra) * Francesco Rinaldi (Barolo) * Damilano (Barolo) * M. Marengo (Novello) * Cerretto (Alba) Middle of a trio of S-facing vineyards.. Cerequio to the south, Rocche Annunziata to the north. Great historical importance, many of the greatest growers in the region have vineyard here. Center section: 250 to 400m. Cerretto and Marcarini. Historic heart. Lower section: further east, one foot in Barolo. Traditional producers prevail here, including both Rinaldi’s. This part can be too warm at times. Upper section: cooler, windier. More modern wineries have holdings here - Vietti, Voerzio, Marco Marengo. Oddero represents the traditionalists.

Answer 17

Barolo * S/SE exposure SOILS: Tortonian - sand, silt clay. Agatha marls meet Diano sandstone. Cannubi Centrale has particularly high sand content and lower clay than the extended hillside Oldest known label in 1752 * Michele Chiarlo (Canelli area) * Ceretto (Alba) * E Pira (Barolo) * Bartolo Mascarello (Barolo) * Marchesi di Barolo (Barolo) SUB-CANNUBIs: 1. Cannubi Moscatel 2. Cannubi San Lorenzo 3. Cannubi Valletta 4. Cannubi Boschis 5. just... Cannubi (all can label just Cannubi)

Answer 18

Cannubi Centrale Cannubi Muscatel Cannubi Valletta Cannubi Boschis Cannubi San Lorenzo

Answer 19

Giuseppe Mascarello NOT a monopole - they own 93% and are the only producer to use the label. Giovanni Sordo also bottles a Monprivato. Castiglione Falletto 7ha of prime SW-facing blue-grey clay soils with high active limestone content sitting at 280M. Named as early as 1666. *1st vintage 1970. Made only in best vintages and from Michet clones (Current release 2019, $349 retail)

Answer 20

Giuseppe Mascarello Subsection of Monprivato in Castiglione Falletto, planted to Nebbiolo Michet. Released as Riserva, 1st vintage in 1993 and only released in outstanding vintages. *1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and ???

Answer 21

Castiglione Falletto [Bricco Boschis, Rocche de Castiglione, Monprivato] 230 - 350M asl. SW / W-SW. Saint Agatha Marls meet Diano Sandstone. High clay/limestone, low sand. Broad, powerful expressions. * Vietti * Giuseppe Mascarello * Brovia * Cordero di Montemezolo * G. Fenocchio * Poderi Oderro

Answer 22

Bruno Giacosa Serralunga d'Alba *exceeds 400M, noted for its high elevation *source of Giacosa's Le Rocche del Falletto - a section of oldest vines in the vineyard. White label normale, red label riserva

Answer 23

**Climate & Harvest Time**: Barbaresco is lower and warmer. It has the Tanaro's influence. Harvests 1 week earlier. Barbaresco achieves ripeness with more acidity; Barolo achieves ripeness with more phenolic maturity. [Barolo is more exposed to weather - more hail, rain, etc. Ex: 2014 - Barbaresco saw ~750mm rain, Barolo got washed out with 1400mm] **Exposures**: Barbaresco tends to have more east or west-facing sites; Barolo has more South-facing **Soil**: Barbaresco generally has less limestone. Barolo has a larger range of soil variation - from light to heavy. Barbaresco is more solidly on the light end of the spectrum. Neive has just a bit more limestone than La Morra, but the whole place has less overall. **Size**: Barolo is ~2k hectares, Barbaresco is ~700ha. Barbaresco has much smaller holding and small growers in general. Barolo is more "Napa Valley". [good read](https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/opinion/jefford-on-monday/barolo-barbaresco-taste-myth-reality-378495/)

Answer 24

1. Barbaresco 2. Neive 3. Treiso (a frazione of Barbaresco) 4. San Rocco Seno d'Elvio (part of Alba) * Neive and Treiso are part of Moscato / Asti Max. 550M; no northern exposures can plant Continental climate. ~31 - 33in of rain per year. Little wind. Humid growing / harvest season. The **Tanaro** moderates the climate. Storms comes from the west.. Barbaresco is sheltered by the high lands of La Morra. Barbaresco is also more open to the **Pianura Padana** Plain's warming effects.

Answer 25

Based in Barbaresco proper. Est. 1894 by **Domizio Cavazza**, director of wine school in Alba. His knowledge and efforts founded Barbaresco. Closed in 1920's, reopened in 1958 with efforts from a priest who wanted to convince growers to stay and not go to factory work in Turin. Aldo Vacca, previously with Gaja, led since 1991. Today: 54 members, 117ha. 1/7th of entire DOCG. They either make all 9 crus or none (as in 2012 and 2018). Crus - according to Aldo Vacca: Pora (approachable) Rio Sordo (elegant) Asili (austere) Paje (bright) Ovello (lively) Moccagatta (floral) Rabaja (complete) Montestefano (powerful) Montefico (austere)

Answer 26

26 months with 9 months in wood from Nov. 1 of harvest * May be released on January 1 of 3rd year post harvest RSVA 50m months from Nov. 1 of harvest with at least 9 months in wood * May be released on January 1 of 5th year post harvest 12.5% minimum ABV

Answer 27

12ha plot of blue marl soils facing south. Owned by Marchesi di Gresy since 1797. **Camp Gros**: Marchesi do Gresy’s top wine, made only in best vintages since 1978. Eastern portion of Martinenga with the most perfect exposure **Gauin**: western side of amphitheater

Answer 28

Located in Barbaresco (village). 210 - 290M, a uniform ring around a hill - surrounded by other great crus. Shares a ridge wtih Martinenga and Rabaja. SOILS: Tortonian - blueish clayey marls Cantina dei Produttori Bruno Giacosa Michele Chiarlo Cerretto Ca' del Baio [ good read](https://academieduvinlibrary.com/blogs/vinosity/barbaresco-asili-no-more-refined-barbaresco?srsltid=AfmBOoqa4bPBRLL1L3iMIJaDyEjWPmPTE3R61aXHYD-G_h-wTCazCqQa)

Answer 29

Barbaresco (village) SOILS: sant'agata marls with high proportion of calciuma and active limestone. "the Barolo of Barbaresco". Produttori del Barbaresco Michele Chiarlo Luigi Giordano Serafino Rivello La Ca'Nova

Answer 30

Barbaresco (village) S/SW. 260 - 350M (RA-BAI-YA) Cascina Luisin Bruno Giacosa Produttori del Barbaresco Giuseppe Cortese Bruno Rocca Michele Chiarlo

Answer 31

Roero DOCG Terre Alfieri DOCG

Answer 32

90 - 100% Barbera SUBS: Colli Astiano, Tinella SOILS: clay, silt, sand, limestone Top Bottles: Braida Ai Suma Braida Bricco dell'Uccone [Nizza was formerly a subzone, elevated to DOCG in 2014. Monferratto Sup. is 85%, Nizza is 100%]

Answer 33

1. Nizza DOCG *100% Barbera. 18 (6in barrel) for normale; 30/12 for RSVA 2. Barbera del Monferratto Superiore DOCG *min. 85% Barbera; 14 months with 6 in barrel 3. Barbera d'Asti DOCG *min 90% Barbera, ages 4 months for Normale, 14 for Superiore, and 24 for Superiore + Subzone

Answer 34

GRAPES: Min. 95% for Arneis + Nebbiolo [Bianco / RSVA, Rosso / RSVA, Spumante Bianco] SOILS: sand! Clay, marl, sandstone. Result of erosion from Langhe Hills over millions of years. North of Tanaro, on left bank, across from Barolo. The name refers to an old noble family that ruled the area in the past. **Main challenge** to viti is lack of water in the sandy soils and semi-arid hillsides. Growers in region have 3 options for Nebbiolo - Nebbiolo d'Alba, Langhe Nebbiolo, and Roero DOCG... and in some places, Terre Alfieri DOCG Matteo Correggia, Angelo Negro, Malvira

Answer 35

Top Nebbiolo UGA in the Roero Bruno Giacosa, Sandrone, Grimaldi all have land here - but bottle them as Nebbiolo d'Alba

Answer 36

Dogliani DOCG Diano d'Alba DOCG Ovada DOCG **all require 100% Dolcetto **Dogliani and Diano d'Alba both have MGA

Answer 37

Hills of Tortona aka Derthona SUBZONES: Monleale, Terre di Libarna, maybe soon... Derthona [SE Piemonte, butts up to Liguria, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, very big area - nearest neighbor is Gavi] Plantings: 1. Barbera (star of Monleale subzone) 2. Timorasso (soon to gain its own subzone) 3. Cortese 4. Dolcetto Ezio Poggio, Walter Massa, Claudio Mariotto, La Colombera

Answer 38

Min. 90% Nebbiolo Max. 10% Uva Rara + max. 4% Vespolina SOILS: Volcanic with iron and granite (Bramaterra, Boca, Gattinara are the 3 to feature porphyric soil) Min. 35 months with 24 in barrel for normale Min. 47 with 36 in barrel for Riserva [single commune DOCG; one well-exposed SE / SW facing slope - protected from Monte Rosa's bad weather] Travaglini, Antoniolo, Nervi Conterno, Mauro Franchino, Chiosso

Answer 39

Mostly grouped around the **Sesia River** at the foot of **Monte Rosa**. Alto Piemonte is the product of a super volcano explosion and shifting of continents - plus some glacial activity. Soils vary. Costa della Sesia covers the west bank, Colline Novaresi covers the east. [10 DOC/Gs north of the flat Po River Plain. Contiental; A little bit cooler than the Langhe and a bit rainier too. All 10 account for about 520ha - 1 denomination would have sufficed, but the Piemonte loves the local.] DOCG's: Ghemme, Gattinara DOCs: Lessona, Bramaterra, Boca, Fara, Sizzano Colline Novaresi, Costa della Sesia, Valle Ossalane

Answer 40

GRAPES: Min. 85% Nebbiolo + max. 15% Uva Rare and/or Vespolina NORMALE: 34m, including18m wood + 6m bottle RISERVA: 46m, including 24m wood + 6m bottle [only ~50ha claimed. Eastern side of Sesia River. Clay, decomposed granite and quartz soils from retreat of glaciers from Monte Rosa. 250 - 400M elevation] Cantalupo, Ioppa, Mirú

Answer 41

100% Erbaluce - bianco / spumante / passito / passito rsva. Grape takes name from goddess Albaluce, born on hill in Caluso. 200 - 500M. Located in foothills of Alps just before the Po Plain. Lake Viverone * the lake's humidity is key to the appassimento process. Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG is one of Italy's few passito wines to show botrytis character

Answer 42

Gattinara DOCG Ghemme DOCG

Answer 43

Top of the hillside or ridge Where the snow melts first The best translation for the term bricco or bric is crag (“a steep or precipitous rugged rock,” equivalent to the Italian dirupo

Answer 44

ROCCHE: cliffs POGGIO: small hill DIRUPI: alto piemonte term for bricco - top of hill or ridge where snow melts first SERRA: greenhouse in Italian. It is possible the name comes from the fact that temps are milder here and diurnal shifts are slightly less drastic

Answer 45

South-facing slope that catches the most sun and where snow melts first [in Asti, min 50% gradient to be called Sori] BENEFITS: - lower humidity.. therefore less botrytis, healthier fruit, less need to spray - sunlight interception - poorer soils contribute vine balance

Answer 46

1982 1985 [considered a turning point - the 1st modern "warm" vintage with higher ABVs. Wines were open from the start and stayed accessible] 1989

Answer 47

1993 were passable, 1995 were good - otherwise the first half of the [decade](https://flatiron-wines.com/blogs/the-latest/the-best-barolo-vintages-from-1961-to-today#:~:text=In%20a%20sign%20that%20things,to%20have%20turned%20out%20well.) were tough. 1996 to 2000 were decent - but only **1996** was truly great.

Answer 48

BEST: 2001 2004 2005 2006 2008 2010 WORST: 2002 was a washout due to rain 2003 was too hot/ripe 2007 and 2009 were good not great not bad

Answer 49

BEST: 2010 (legendary) 2013 2016 2019 (classic) WORST: Too warm! 2011: ok but early harvest, high ABV, uneven ripening 2014: decent Barbaresco, not good for Barolo - too much rain, big summer hailstorms 2017: April hail and frosts then drought, heat. Much smaller vintage. Worst vintage in 50 years. 2018: hit or miss weather. Barbaresco saw hail. HAIL 2012: moderate; hail in Barolo / La Morra 2014: Significant rain and hail in Barolo; Barbaresco escaped 2018: Barbaresco, not Barolo [2015 was hot, people worried about that but wines ended up largely fine.

Answer 50

Only 1 The listed MGA must be at least 85%; max 15% MGA #2

Answer 51

100% of grapes must be from stated Vigna Vigna is registered with the consorzio. Must include an MGA + Vigna on label

Answer 52

Monforte d'Alba, est 1908. TOP: **[Monfortino](https://www.polanerselections.com/producers/giacomo-conterno/)** (1924), much acclaim. Made at a time when most Barolo was sold in cask or demi-john, this was the first of the "classic style" long maceration, long fermentation with no temp control, long time in botti. Monfortino Riserva was made from 100% Francia in 1978 fruit until 2014; 2015 on, Arione is used. If fruit didn't merit, Monfortino grapes would go into **Francia** bottling. VINEYARDS: Monfortino was made from purchased fruit until they bought Francia in 1974. * Francia (1978) * Cerretta (2008) * Arione (2015) (all Serralunga d'Alba) [bought Nervi in Gattinara DOCG]

Answer 53

Giacomo Conterno (MONOPOLE), 1974 * Serralunga d'Alba * 16ha, SW facing, 400M * was Monfortino from 1974 until 2014 - now Monfortino is blend of Francia, Cerretto, Arione

Answer 54

Submerged cap maceration: traditionalist technique that holds the cap of the seeds and skins within the fermenting wine as a form of prolonged maceration - 30+ days

Answer 55

NEIVE/BARBARESCO **Barbaresco**: - Santo Stefano di Neive #1.. 1964 - 2011 (Castello di Neive monopole) * Asili, Rabaja **Barolo**: - Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba, made into Falletto (white) and Rocche del Falletto (red, white labels) Red labels = RSVA Died 2018. Daughter Bruna took over. * "Casa Vinicola Bruno Giacosa" label = purchased grapes

Answer 56

Castiglione Falletto *Monprivato is their primary holding - near monopole ownership *also bottle Villero, Santo Stefano Ca d'Morrissio is the special Monprivato Riserva

Answer 57

Barbaresco. Est 1859, Barbaresco's 1st. * introduced: green harvest, barriques, malo, temp control, grand cru prices * Barbaresco sites: Sori Tilden, Costa Russi, Sori San Lorenzo (2 in Albesani) * Barolo: Sperss * Pieve Santa Restituta: Rennina, Sugarille Langhe Rosso from 96 to 12. 2013 was the first vintage back to 100% Nebbiolo when the kids took over and decided to rejoin (for inclusion of Barbera) [est 1859, oldest winery in Barbaresco denomination. Angelo took over in 1961 at age 21.]

Answer 58

Bartolo Mascarello Giuseppe Rinaldi

Answer 59

Barbaresco (commune) Barbaresco: Rionda, Pajé, Montefico Barolo purchased in 89 - Rionda, Pira in Castiglione Falletto *Very traditional

Answer 60

Monforte d'Alba *Granbussia is top - blend of Cicala, Romirasco, Colonello *Bussia only! nothing else Vigna Cicala, Vigna Romirasco, and Vigna Colonello

Answer 61

Verduno *1st producer to sell Barolo in bottle rather than cask or demijohn *Monvigliero, Acclivi, Nierane

Answer 62

Barolo (commune) * Aleste = Cannubi Boschis (renamed in 2013, named for Stefano and Alessio... grandchildren) [bought piece of Cannubi Boschis in 1978 with his life savings while working as cellar master for Marchesi di Barolo. Embraced technology and small new barrels. Luciano passed in 2023. Winery sits at foot of Cannubi hill. Has holdlings in other villages and Roero.]

Answer 63

Most credit seems to go to: 1961 Vietti Rocche (Castiglione Falletto) 1961 Prunotto Bussia (La Morra) Though.... 1958 Marcarini Brunate gets a mention?

Answer 64

Monforte d'Alba (292ha) + Barolo (7ha) - Prunotto (1st to label Bussia under Beppe Colla’s leadership for 1961 vintage) - Parusso - Aldo Conterno **** - Fantino - Oddero - Fenocchio ** [Bussia was the 1st of Barolo's crus to be labeled - Prunotto/Beppe Colla, 1961. Great site, but too big - 17% of Barolo DOCG area. 220 - 460M, soil variation, exposure variation.. there is no clear identity] Historic plots: - Bussia Soprana (Cicala, Colonnello, Romarisco, Gabuttti are here) - Bussia Sottana - Arnulfo - Dardi (and Mondoca) - Fontanile - Pian della Polvere - Pugnane

Answer 65

**Serralunga d'Alba** Fontanafredda [Vigna La Delizia] Vietti Ettore Germano Guido Porro

Answer 66

Bricco San Pietro (380ha) (Bussia #2 @ 290ha) Monforte d'Alba loves the big MGA's Ovello is biggest in Barbaresco... 78ha

Answer 67

- Bussia Soprana (home to A Conterno’s Romarisco, Cicala, Colonello) - Bussia Sottanna - Arnulfo - Dardi (and Mondoca) - Fontanille (Munie) - Pian Della Polvere - Pugnane

Answer 68

Uva Rara Vespolina

IT: Piemonte Flashcards

Needs - vintage updates, more on Barbaresco villages (95 cards)