Level 2, Part 2: Italy

Transcription

1 Level 2, Part 2: Italy An overview Wine in Italy is nearly as essential as eating or sleeping. It is so abundant there that there are about one million producers of wine in the country and nearly one thousand varieties of wine grapes are grown there. There are vineyards in all of Italy s regions from the Alps in the north to the islands in the south totaling over two million acres. Adding to sheer quantity and domestic enthusiasm for wine, Italy also boasts every possible microclimate that could be desirable for fine wine production. From the cold foggy mountains of Piedmont to the blazing heat of the south, Italy combines all major wine growing climates within a single country. If Italy s wine has a weakness, and most would argue it does, the problem lies not in the winemakers themselves but in the complex system of naming, organization and classification of wines. Italian Wine History Italy was first planted with wine grapes during the Roman Empire rule, and was maintained after the fall of the empire by the Christian church. However, the phylloxera epidemic that devastated much of Europe in the late nineteenth century did not spare Italy, and its wine production was devastated. Winemakers could not afford to replant from expensive American roots and cuttings (like most of France) so many opted to produce other cheap, hardy, and high-yield varieties. Unfortunately, this trend spread throughout the country, and continued into the 1970s. DOC/DOCG/IGT- Italian Wine Classification System The appellations of Italy are somewhat disorganized and quite confusing. It is often hard to tell whether the name on an Italian wine is its region or grape variety. Often, it is both! Italy has so many regions, wines, and styles, that it would take a lifetime to know them all. In 1963, Italy first introduced the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) system, which classified wine regions according to the type of wine produced. There are four major categories of Italian wines: Vino Da Tavola: is the lowest class of wine, a wine made by the producer as he sees fit to make it. There are few rules, other than that the stuff not be poisonous. Most made now is insipid, thin, weak, and acidic, the sort of wine that used to be sold in jugs. Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT): This designation was created a little after the DOC and DOCG designations in order to accommodate growers who couldn't meet all the DOC or DOCG regulations for one reason or another, but were still producing great wines. Most super-tuscans fall in this category. Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) is the Italian answer to the French AOC. DOC wines are produced in specific well-defined regions, according to specific rules designed to preserve the traditional wine-making practices of the individual regions. For example, the rules for making Barolo differ markedly from those for making Chianti Classico. The winery can state the vineyard that the grapes came from, but cannot name the wine after a grape type (doing so would cause confusion, because there are some DOCs named after grape types, for example Brunello di Montalcino). Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): Similar to the DOC but more stringent (strictest category). Allowable vineyard yields are generally lower, and DOCG wines must pass an evaluation of a tasting committee before they can be bottled. The establishment of DOCG wines has again resulted in an overall improvement in the quality of Italian wines -- it doesn't make sense for a producer whose vineyards are in a DOCG area to produce wines that aren't good enough to qualify, so they typically strive to follow the strict restrictions. 1

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3 Grape Varieties and Some Major Regions of Italy Region/Red Wine White Wine Grape Varieties Piedmont Barolo Barbaresco Gattinara Dolcetto d'alba (d'asti) Tuscany Gavi Nebbiolo Nebbiolo Nebbiolo/Bonarda Blend Dolcetto Cortese Chianti, Chianti Classico Brunello di Montalcino Vine Nobile di Montalcino Carmignano "Super Tuscan" Veneto Valpolicella Amarone Bardolino Soave Sangiovese Grosso A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and maybe others Garganega, Trebbiano and others Corvina (70%), Rodinella, Molinara Corvina (70%), Rodinella, Molinara (same as valpolicella, but semi-dried Corvina (70%), Rodinella, Molinara 3

4 Major Regions: Piedmonte Known for the big, burly wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, Piedmont sits high and tight in Italy's northwest corner. Home to some heavy duty red wines and the ever popular, light-hearted bubbles of Moscato, this particular Italian wine region is dominated by three key grapes: Barbera, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto. The cuisine of the region is often rich and creamy with lots of meat, risotto, and most famously, white truffles, which make for natural pairings to wines from this region. Piedmont, or Piemonte in Italian, means the foot of the Mountains. Lying at the base of the Alps, this name fits quite well. Piedmont has a cool continental climate with a hot growing season and often very foggy conditions. The great Nebbiolo wines of Piedmont are named for his fog, or nebbia. The proof of Nebbiolo s nobility is seen in the great Barolos and Barbarescos from the Alba region in Piedmonte. While Barbaresco is considered the more feminine expression of Nebbiolo and Barolo the more masculine and powerful, they do have many similarities in flavor. They are both robust reds which are high in tannin, alcohol and acidity and are very dry. They have aromas and flavors of tar, violets, roses (flower shop), ripe strawberries and even truffles (the mushroom). Piedmont produces more wine than any other Italian region and makes the highest percentage of quality wines in Italy. Tuscany One of Italy s top wine producers, the Tuscany region is rivaled in prestige only by Piedmont in the north. Tuscany contains a number of very fine DOC and DOCG appellations within its geographical borders, and it also is the home to some very good or vini da tavola wines. By far the most important Tuscan Appellation is Chianti. Chianti is in the heart of Tuscany, centrally located within the region. Of Tuscany s 157,000 acres of vineyards and 57 million gallons of wine, almost half of it is from Chianti. Much is exported to the US and most of it is pleasant wine meant for immediate drinking. However Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Superiore DOCGs can produce some incredible wines that compete at the highest level. Chianti Riservas are particularly fine, coming from warm, dry vintages. These conditions transform the wine, giving it layers of ripe plums and cherries, earth, truffles, and other complexities. Many of these top Chiantis will age for over twenty years. Chianti shares Tuscany with Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, both of which produce wines of great quality. Brunello is a local variety of the Sangiovese grape, which makes wines so thick and harsh that they should age at least ten to twenty years before opening. What is Super Tuscan Wine? A wine that Supersedes Italian wine law. The term Super Tuscan was coined in the 1970 s by Italian wine producers and wine writers to describe a wine from Tuscany produced with grapes that did not meet appellation law (ie DOC and DOCG). Before 1992 wine from Toscana, made from grapes like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, were placed under the low quality Vino da Tavola classification. Producers like Antinori and his wine called Tignanello and Tenuta San Guido s Sassicaia rebelled against the system by creating high-priced quality wines with the unsanctioned grapes. Super Tuscan wines now fall under a wine appellation called IGT. Common Label Terms- Tuscany: Riserva is a word describing a wine that has been aged for longer periods of time. Classico refers to a geographic region in which the proportion of fine wines is higher than elsewhere. Superiore is also often seen on labels, and usually refers to a higher alcohol content, and sometimes to extra aging. 4

5 The Northeast, Tres Venezie : Veneto, Alto Adige, Friuli Veneto in the North East of Italy, part of the collective called the Venetian Republic along with the Alto Adige and Fruili (which we won t really touch on). Veneto is the home of Prosecco (Italy s Champagne) and also a white wine called Soave. Veneto is also famous for their ride wines produced from the Corvina, Rodinella and Molinera grapes. These famous blends are known as Valpolicella, Amarone and Bardolino Alto Adige: Tucked into the base of the Italian Alps, locally dubbed the Dolomites, the wine region of Alto Adige has to be home to the world's most stunning vineyard views. White wines reign in this DOC with Pinot Grigio leading the charge. Cool, crisp nights and warm sunny days allow for impressive temperature changes between day and night and give rise to excellent acidity in the grapes. Most Common Italian Wines Amarone (ah mah RO nay): Lusty, full-bodied wine from partially-dried Corvina grapes, in the Veneto region. Dry and firm wine, but its ripe, concentrated fruitiness suggests sweetness. Needs rich, savory foods or flavorful cheeses. Barbaresco (bar bah rehs co): Similar to Barolo, from the same grape, Nebbiolo, in a nearby area, but generally a tad lighter in body and slightly more approachable. Drinks best at 8 to 15 years of age, depending on the producer. Barbera (bar behr ah): Varietal wine produced mainly in the Piedmont region. Dry, light- or medium-bodied, with intense berry flavor, mouth-watering acidity, and little tannin. Particularly versatile with food. Many of the best wines are from the Alba or Asti zones. Barolo (bah role oh): Dry, full-bodied, magisterial wine from Nebbiolo grapes in the Barolo area of Piedmont. Has complex aromas and flavors of strawberries, tar, herbs, and earth, as well as a firm, tannic structure. Drinks best at 10 to 20 years of age, depending on the producer. Brunello di Montalcino (brew NELL oh dee mahn tahl CHEE no): Full-bodied, intense, concentrated wine from Sangiovese grapes grown in the Montalcino zone of Tuscany. Dry and quite tannic, it drinks best when it's at least 15 years old. Chianti (key AHN tee): Very dry, medium-bodied, moderately tannic wine with lovely tart-cherry flavor, mainly from Sangiovese grapes grown in the Chianti area of Tuscany. "Chianti Classico" is often the best. Some wines are good young; wines labeled riserva, and pricier wines, are generally more concentrated and age-worthy. Montepulciano d'abruzzo (Mahn tay pool CHAN oh dee Ah brew tzo): Generally medium-bodied and flavorful with red fruits and a slightly vegetal note. Lighter examples are smooth and easy to drink; the best wines are concentrated and denser in texture. From the Montepulciano grape, in the Abruzzo region. Prosecco (Pro seck oh): A Frizzante/sparkling wine made just outside of Venice, this wine is extremely popular in the Veneto region. Valpolicella (vahl pole ee CHELL ah): Medium-bodied wine mainly from Corvina grapes in the Valpolicella area of Veneto region. Dry, lean, and only moderately tannic, with more or less intense cherry aromas and flavors. Some versions, such as single-vineyard wines, are particularly good. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (vee noh No bee lay dee Mahn tay pool CHAN oh): Medium-bodied, dry, and lean, with red cherry flavor, similar to Chianti but slightly fuller. Made from Sangiovese grapes in Montepulciano, in the Tuscany region. 5