Section II: Wine Regions of Europe Chapter 7: Italy

Italian Wine—Historical Perspective Evidence of grape growing and wine consumption dates back to the late Stone Age near Venice. Colonizing Greeks brought viticulture in 1000 BC. Romans dominated Italy between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. As Rome’s population grew, it became the single most important market for wine. Wine production came to a standstill in AD 200 when the Roman Empire fell. Monasteries became the owners of vineyard land.

Italian Wine—Historical Perspective (cont.) As Europe emerged from the Dark Ages into the later Middle Ages, wine became important for trade again. Because wine from Italy’s warm climate was hardy, sweet, and high in alcohol, it could travel well. Techniques improved during the 16th century. Tuscany became the center of Italy’s wine trade in the 17th and early 18th centuries. Vintners in Tuscany formed their first wine laws in the 1700s. By the 1800s, provinces of the Italian peninsula began to emergence into the modern wine trade.

Italian Wine—Historical Perspective (cont.) Italian winemakers became more conscientious in their viticulture and vinification methods. When Italy finally united as one country in 1860–1861, progress toward a modern wine trade gathered real momentum. Serious setback in late 19th century due to phylloxera Italy acquired a reputation over the ensuing decades into the 1970s as a producer of large quantities of undistinguished, affordable wines. This has begun to change due to quality control laws, leadership and conscientious, dedicated vintners.

The Denominazione d’Origine Controllata (DOC) Laws Became effective in 1966 Guarantees the place of origin of any wine bearing the name of a region that held the DOC designation Established basic standards of quality for DOC regions The laws specified: Which varietals could be grown What the yields could be Minimum alcohol levels Acidity levels

The Denominazione d’Origine Controllata (DOC) Laws (cont.) Opposition to the DOC laws by vintners Legitimacy of wine laws further eroded after 1980. Wine laws revised in 1992. Laws must be respected as a reliable indicator of quality. New designations were created. Existing regulations were tightened. Tougher, fairer laws earned respect and support of landowners and businesspeople within the industry. Italy has improved its wine quality by government and vintners working together.

Quality Designations Vino da Tavola “Table wine.” At this level no geographic place of origin can be named. Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) Wines that were made in a DOC region, but not according to the laws of that region. Denominazione d’Origine Controllata (DOC) Wine must be made from specified grape varietals grown within a delimited geographic area, according to prescribed methods of viticulture Denominazione d’Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) The most prestigious subregions within the DOC regions

DOC and DOCG Factors Grape varietals allowed and the percentage of each that must be used, usually listed as a minimum and maximum allowed Yield per hectare that can be harvested and allowable pruning methods Total amount of wine to be produced Vinification methods (for instance, chapitalization is not allowed in any Italian DOC) Aging requirements and methods (the use of the term riserva is carefully controlled)

Naming of Italian Wines At the vino da tavola level a label will carry only a brand name (or the producer’s name) and the color of the wine. No geographic location, no vintage date, and no grape varietal can be named. At the indicazione geografica tipica level A brand or proprietary name is often used. The label can provide information on the varietal used and the geographic region.

Naming of Italian Wines (cont.) At the classified levels (DOC and DOCG) The name of the wine could be just the geographic region of origin. The name could be region of origin and varietal. Some terms that can be incorporated into a wine’s name are the following: Classico Riserva Amabile Secco Superiore

Piedmont Large region, nestled in the Alps Variety of mesoclimates Produces highest percentage of classified wines Home of two of Italy’s most esteemed wines Site-specific grape, the Nebbiolo

Piedmont Wine Regions Barolo Barbaresco Barbera Gattinara and Gheme Dolcetto

Barolo Produces the most powerful expression of the Nebbiolo grape Big, aggressive wines 1990s move toward estate-bottled and vineyard-designated wines Movement among younger winemakers: Better vineyard management Avoiding too much extraction of phenols during the crush Limiting the fermentation and maceration periods Investing in more new oak barrels each year

Barbaresco Softer, less tannic, more refined and subtle More flowers and less spice in the bouquet Released younger than Barolo Made in the current dry-style after the mid-1980s Usually at its best between 5-10 years after the vintage date

Barbera “The region’s workhorse” Produces majority of wine consumed by locals Barbera is made into an incredible variety of styles, from light and fizzy to dense and complex. Characteristics include: Deep ruby color, fairly full body but low tannins, and, most characteristic, very high acid levels Three DOC zones: Alba, Asti, and Monferrato

Gattinara and Gheme Gattinara and Ghemme are big, sturdy, fragrant wines that show strong Nebbiolo character, even though their blends include two lesser red grapes. Without the addition of the fruitier, less tannic grapes, the wines would be too harsh and thin.

Dolcetto “Sweet little thing” Wine is soft and fruity Best consumed young and fresh Versatile food wines

White Wines of Piedmont The most famous white wine from Piedmont remains the sparkling wine, Asti. This wine was known as Asti Spumante since it was first made in 1850, but after its elevation to DOCG status in 1995, only the word Asti shows on the label. Asti, made from the Moscato grape, often does not go through a second fermentation at all. Asti, with its delicate flavors, is always fresh when bottled.

Tuscany One of the first wine regions in Europe Core is the Sangiovese grape Produces widely appreciated reds and many appealing whites Vast improvement in quality and variety of Tuscan wines in the past 25 years

Tuscan Wine Regions Chianti Brunello di Montalcino Vino Nobile di Monepulciano Carmignano Venaccia di San Gimignano Morellino di Scansano Vin Santo

Chianti Best known Italian wine in the US Elevation to DOCG status in 1984 mandated lowering of yields and vintners improved production. Chianti region is divided into seven subregions. Many of the producers in Chianti Classico have banded together in a consortium that is pledged to maintain the highest standards of winemaking.

Brunello di Montalcino More important to the wine’s superior quality than clonal choice is the climate around the historic town of Montalcino. Temperatures are warmer and precipitation lower than in other sections of central Tuscany The open topography and gentle winds assure cool evenings. Brunello di Montalcino is the fullest, richest, and most long-lived of Tuscany’s Sangiovese-based wines.

Vino Nobile di Monepulciano Montepulciano is a quaint village, due east of Montalcino, across a wide swath of the Chianti DOC. Here vintners for hundreds of years have made a red wine based on their clone of the Sangiovese, called locally Prugnolo. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is often referred to as being somewhere between plain Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino in quality.

Carmignano Wine has been made here since the Middle Ages. The first Tuscan DOC to allow Cabernet Sauvignon as part of the blend.

Venaccia di San Gimignano Became one of Italy’s first white DOCGs in 1993 Little is exported, as tourists consume most of the wine in the cafés of this historic corner of Tuscany.

Morellino di Scansano Tuscany’s newest DOCG, elevated in 2006, comes from the coastal region of Maremma. Morellino is the local name for the Sangiovese grape. The requirements of the appellation state that the wine must be at least 85% Sangiovese. The wine is not required to have oak aging, and can be released the March after harvest. Morellino di Scansano Riserva can not be released until two years after the harvest. The wines are fresh and fruity and easy to drink.

Vin Santo Vin Santo is a sweet dessert wine “holy wine” Vin Santo is made throughout Tuscany. There are 12 DOC zones where production of Vin Santo is controlled. Traditionally Vin Santo is made from the local white grapes, Trebbiano and Malvasia

Tre Venezie In the early Middle Ages, Venice was at the center of cultural and commercial development of northern Italy. By the late Middle Ages, Venice was the richest and most vibrant port city on the whole peninsula. The three wine regions of the northeastern corner of Italy are referred to collectively as the Tre Venezie.

The Tre Venezie Wine Regions Friuli-Venezia Giulia Trentino-Alto Adige Veneto

Friuli-Venezia Giulia White wine plays a more important role than red. Divided into seven DOC subzones Most of Friuli’s wines are named for the varietal and the region. The unique combination of mountain air and maritime breezes and humidity make an ideal situation for viticulture: warm sunny days, cool evenings, and adequate precipitation. This mesoclimate explains why Friuli’s whites are so zippy and flavorful.

Veneto Veneto is the largest of the regions in the northeast and by far the most prolific in wine production. Many of the wines made here are simple, straightforward, and totally unremarkable. Wines made in Veneto: Soave Bardolino Valpolicella Amarone Prosecco Trentino-Alto Adige

Southern Italy Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia have made wines for hundreds of years. The amount of wine coming out of these regions is prodigious. Quantity does not often equal quality. Flood of mediocre wine has created a situation where supply exceeds demand.

Wine Regions of Southern Italy Campania. Puglia Basilicata Sicily and Sardenia