Tuscany

Question 1

Tuscany Climate

Answer 1

-Temperate to warm with a Mediterranean influence

Question 2

Tuscany Location

Answer 2

the sun-drenched coastline of Tuscany runs up into gently sloped hills leading to the Apennine Mountains far into the interior

Question 3

Tuscany top red grapes

Answer 3

• Sangiovese

- Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 4

Tuscany other grapes of note

Answer 4

white
-Vernaccia
red
-Canaiolo
-Merlot

Question 5

Tuscany top regions/wines

Answer 5

• Chianti DOCG
• Chianti Classico DOCG
• Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
• Toscano IGT–the super Tuscans

Question 6

Clonal name for Sangiovese

Answer 6

• Brunello (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG)
• Prugnolo (Vino nobile di Montepulciano DOCG)
• Morellino (Morellino di Scansano DOCG)

Question 7

Chianti DOCG

Answer 7

-70-100% Sangiovese
Max. 30% combined other grapes authorized for Toscana
Max 10% white grapes
Max 15% combined Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
-this appellation is made up of seven zones

Question 8

Chianti DOCG subzones

Answer 8

• Rufina (Firenze)
• Colli Fiorentini (Firenze)
• Montespertoli (Firenze)
• Montalbano (Prato, Pistoia, Firenze)
• Senesi (Siena)
• Colli Aretini (Arezzo)
• Colline Pisane (Pisa)

Question 9

Chianti DOCG: Aging Requirements:

Answer 9

• Chianti: May not be released until March 1 of the year following the harvest
• Chianti Superiore: May not be released until September 1 of the year following the harvest
• Chianti Riserva: Minimum 2 years aging from January 1 of the year following harvest

Question 10

Chianti Classico DOCG

Answer 10

80-100% Sangiovese

Question 11

Chianti Classico DOCG: Aging Requirements

Answer 11

• Chianti Classico: May not be released until October 1 of the year following the harvest
• Riserva: Minimum 24 months aging from January 1 of the year following the harvest, including 3 months in the bottle
• Gran Selezione: Wines must be produced from estate fruit. Minimum 30 months aging from January 1 of the year following the harvest, including at least 3 months in the bottle (new category introduced in 2013)

Question 12

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Answer 12

100% Sangiovese (locally known as Brunello)

Question 13

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG: Aging Requirements

Answer 13

• Brunello: Minimum 2 years in wood plus 4 months in bottle, may not be sold before January 1 of the 5th year following the harvest
• Brunello Riserva: Minimum 2 years in wood plus 6 months in bottle, may not be sold before January 1 of the 6th year following the harvest

Question 14

Toscano IGT: The Super Tuscans; history

Answer 14

• Style first produced in the 1960s and early 1970s when several winemakers rebelled against the strict DOC regulations in place at the time
• this helped winemakers in recognized appellations to use large percentages of inferior grapes in their wine to help stretch production
• deciding to focus on quality production, some producers made wine the way they wanted to, not following DOC regulations, as a result they lost DOC status and went to vino da tavola

Question 15

Toscano IGT: The Super Tuscans; Piero Antinori

Answer 15

• in 1970s he released a vino de tavola called Tignanello, a chianti-style wine that used Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as main blending grapes in a Sangiovese grape.
• He had been influenced by a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine made by relatives, Marquis Mario Rocchetta, in the coastal area of Bolgheri called Sassicaia

Question 16

Toscano IGT: IGT classification

Answer 16

• the success of the Super Tuscan wines in 1980s, forced a change in the Italian wine laws in 1992 when a new category called Indicazione Geografica Tipica(IGT) was created.
• this elevated super tuscans from vino de tavola to Toscano IGT

Question 17

Super Tuscans DOC designations of note

Answer 17

• DOC Bolghery Sassicaia

- DOC Bolgheri Superiore

Question 18

Super Tuscans: producers of note

Answer 18

-Tenuta San Guido
"Sassicaia" (DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia) 
-Tenuta dell'Ornellaia
"Ornellaia" (DOC Bolgheri Superiore)
-Antinori
"Tignanello" (IGT Toscana)

Question 19

Other DOCG appellations in Tuscany dedicated to Sangiovese

Answer 19

• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG
• Carmignano DOCG
• Morellino di Scansano DOCG

Question 20

Tuscany dry white wine

Answer 20

• Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG

- grape Vernaccia di San Gimignano

Question 21

Tuscany: vin santo

Answer 21

• style of dessert wine
• made with grapes that have been dried out to concentrate their sugar content and flavor
• white: mostly Trebbiano Toscano and/or Malvasia Bianca
• red: mostly Sangiovese