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Home , Albana (grape), Aleatico, Bardolino, Brachetto, Breganze, Chianti

A Tour Through the of

Presented by BANFI VINTNERS

The Etruscan Legacy Video

1 Italy

• ITALIAN FACTS

•Wine has been produced in Italy for over 4000 years •Ancient dubbed it “Enotria” - land of wine •Romans propagated the cult of Bacchus - establishing a flourishing wine trade thousands of years ago •Largest producer of wine in the world •Today over 4000 different are produced in Italy’s 20 regions •Hundreds of different varieties

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HOW ITALIAN WINES ARE NAMED

•Grape Variety •, , , etc.

•Area/Zone of Production •, , Gavi, , etc.

•Grape Variety and Area/Zone •, di , d’Acqui, etc.

•Fantasy /Proprietary names Excelsus, Sassicaia, Summus, , etc.

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ITALIAN WINE LAWS •Denomination of Origin Laws •Created in 1963 •Patterned after the Controllee of •Updated in 1992, 1996, etc. •85% rule •Four categories emerged:

•DOCG •First DOCG awarded to Brunello and then Barolo in 1980

•DOC •First DOC awarded to Vernaccia di San Gimignano in 1966

•IGT

•VDT

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2 VINO da TAVOLA

• Simplest wines • Can be blended from many areas (not allowed in IGT, DOC, DOCG) • May not be labelled with area/zone/region of production or carry a date or variety name - may only list red, white, on label. • Few government controls

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IGT Indication of Typical Geographic Origin Over 120 wines from 18 regions - no IGT’s in and Valle d'Aosta

• Appellation was instituted in 1992 • Par with French Vin du Pay and German Landwein • Wine must be from a specific area/zone/region (usually less delimited than DOCG/DOC) and must be so labelled • Label may cite variety (however, no more than two varieties may be listed) and vintage • Maximum yields (higher than DOC) are controlled • Wines are required to meet certain production standards • Some examples - Toscana (not every region has a general IGT), Maremma Toscana, Delle Venezie (inter-region /Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige),

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DOC Denomination of Controlled Origin 300 + wines from all 20 regions

• Wines are born in a limited area of production and are registered by the government (vineyards as well) • Only approved methods of planting, cultivating and fertilizing can be used • Maximum yields (higher than DOCG) are controlled as are bottling specifications and ageing • Labels must state their zone of origin, may cite variety and vintage • Wines are required to meet certain production standards • Some examples - d’Alba, Alcamo, Salice Salentino, Lambrusco Reggiano

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3 DOCG Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin 24 Wines - only 9 regions • Most Restrictive Category • Piedmont - Barolo, , • Further guarantee of authenticity Gattinara, Moscato d’Asti/Asti, • Lowest yields Brachetto d’Acqui, Gavi and Ghemme • Embraces all DOC rules • - and • Wine is subject to analysis at any Superiore (Sassella, time Grumello, Inferno and Valgella) • Special, numbered Government • Emilia Romagna - di seal must be affixed to neck of each Romagna . • - Rosso Riserva • - Brunello di Montalcino and di Montefalco (first), Chianti, Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di , • - Taurasi Carmignano Rosso and Vernaccia • Sardinia - di Gallura di San Gimignano • Veneto - Recioto di , • Friuli Venezie Giulia - Bardolino Superiore/Classico Superiore, Soave Superiore

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Some Terms

• ABBAZIA - abbey • CANTINE SOCIALE or CANTINE • ABBOCCATO - lightly sweet COOPERTIVA - owned by group of • ALBERELLO - refers to a free standing or members staked vine that looks like a bush • CASA VINICOLA - privately owned • AMABILE - semi- sweet, off-dry • CASTELLO - castle • - bitter • CERASUOLO - light red (cherry colored) • - means “bitter” as in Amarone della • CHIARETTO - pale red (rose') Valpolicella to differentiate from the sweet dessert • CLASSICO - historic or "classic" growing area • recioto wines of a specific zone • ANNATA - vintage year • COLLE - hill COLLI - hills • ASSAGIO - tasting • CONSORZIO - group of producers of a specific wine • AZIENDA Agricola - farm, estate • BARRIQUE - small • CORDONE - classic system of training vines onto wires - also known as spalliera • BIANCO - white • D.O. - Denomination of Origin Laws passed by • BOTTIGLIA - bottle the Italian Government on 12 July 1963 • BOTTE - large cask or barrel • D.O.C. - Denomination of Controlled Origin • BRICCO - Piemontese term for crest of a hill • D.O.C.G. - Denomination of Controlled and • BRUT - dry () Guaranteed Origin • CANTINA - winery or • DOLCE - sweet • CANTINE SOCIALE - wine cooperative • - wine library, public or commercial • CAPITOLARE - title of merit in Tuscany for • ETICHETTA - label wines which are produced by members of the • FATTORIA - farm or estate private "capitolare" formerly "predicato" group - this use and group were to be disbanded in 1997. • FERMENTAZIONE - fermentation BANFI VINTNERS

Italian Wine Terms continued

• FERMENTAZIONE NATURALE - natural • RISERVA - wine which has been aged a longer, CO2 in bubbly wine specified time than non-Riserva counterpart. • FIASCO - flask Applies to DOC and DOCG • FRIZZANTE - lightly sparkling • ROSATO - rose’ • I.G.T - Typical Geographic Origin Indication • RONCO - Friuli term for terraced • IMBOTTIGLIATA - bottled (all'origine - at the • ROSSO - source) • SECCO - dry • INVECCHIATO - aged • SORI - Piemontese word for the part of a slope • LIQUOROSO - sweet wine usually fortified best exposed to the midday sun with alcohol • SPUMANTE - sparkling wine, dry or sweet • METODO CHARMAT - sparkling wine • SUPERIORE - in DOC wines this indicates a produced by cuvee close or sealed tank higher level of alcohol or ageing and sometimes • METODO CLASSICO or TRADIZIONALE - a special geographic origin Sparkling wine fermented in the bottle • TENDONE - system of high trellising the vines ( method) • TENUTA - farm or estate • MOSTO - must or grape juice • UVA - grape • ORO - gold • VECCHIO - old (rarely used term) • PASSITO - wine made from semi-dried • VENDEMMIA - or vintage • PERLANTE – pearl-like or with a light sparkle • VIGNA or VIGNETO - Vineyard • PERGOLA - using pole arms or • VDT - VINO DA TAVOLA - table wine arbours VIVACE - synonym for frizzante • RECIOTO - full tasting, sweet wine made from partly dried grapes.

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4 Important White Grapes

Albana Inzolia Tocai Friulano Torbato Bianco Moscato/Moscadello Trebbiano Muller Thurgau Coda di Volpe Damaschino Vermentino Pagadebit (Bombino) Vernaccia di Oristano Falanghina Pinot Bianco Vernaccia di Pinot Grigio San Procanico Gimignano Zibibbo Gewürztraminer (Moscato) Grecanico Italico Riesling Renano Sauvignon Sylvaner

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Important Red grapes

Aglianico Nero d’Avola Barbera Bonarda Lambrusco Brachetto Lancellotta Pinot Nero Cabernet Primitivo Sauvignon Malvasia Nera Rossese Cannonau Ruche’ Cesanese Sagrantino Montepulciano Sangiovese Moscato Nero - (Ribolla Nera) Teroldego Negro Amaro Vernaccia di Nerello Serrapetrona

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TUSCANY

5 Tuscany or Toscana

• Tuscany takes its name from the • Important grapes Etruscans – White - Vernaccia, Malvasia, • Soils were formed millions of years Trebbiano, Chardonnay, Pinot ago leaving rich marine sediments Grigio, Riesling, Moscadello, Sauvignon, Vermentino, Grechetto • Ideal climate – Red - Sangiovese, Canaiolo, • Sharecropping or mezzadria system Mammolo, , , was in use through the 60’s. Cabernet, Gamay, Malvasia Nera, • Chianti most famous of Tuscan Montepulciano, Pinot Nero wines • Important wines • Brunello the greatest – White - Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Moscadello di • Super Tuscans a category (with no Montalcino, Galestro official status) created in the 80’s – Red - Brunello, Chianti, Vino and 90’s - includes both reds and Nobile, Carmignano, Morellino di whites Scansano, Sassicaia, • DOCG’s – Brunello, Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile, – Whites and reds - Bolgheri, Elba, Carmignano Rosso, Vernaccia di Parrina, , Sant’Antimo San Gimignano BANFI VINTNERS

6 7 8 PIEDMONT

9 Piedmont or

• Means “At the foot of the • Important grapes Mountain” – White - Arneis, Cortese (Gavi), Erbaluce, Favorita, Moscato (Asti) • Esteemed for great reds made from – Red - Barbera, Bonarda, Brachetto, the Nebbiolo grape (also called Dolcetto Spanna) Freisa, Grignolino, Nebbiolo or • Barbera is most widely planted red Spanna in the Novara hills • Moscato is the most widely planted (Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, Ghemme), Ruche’ white Important wines • Seven DOCG’s - Barolo, – White - Arneis , Erbaluce di Barbaresco, Gattinara, Ghemme, Caluso, Gavi Moscato d’Asti/Asti – Red - Barbera d’Alba/Asti, Barolo, Gavi, Brachetto d’Acqui Barbaresco, Brachetto d’Acqui, Dolcetto d’Alba/Asti/Acqui, Carema, Gattinara, Ghemme, Grignolino d’Alba/d’Asti/del Monferrato, Nebbiolo d’Alba

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10 VENETO

11 The Veneto or Veneto

• Most important grapes • Leader in DOC production – White - Durella, Garganega, • Premium production can be found Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, in the western province of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, hills between and the Sauvignon, Sylvaner, Trebbiano, town of Soave; in , Padova Verduzzo and ; and on the eastern – Red - Corvina, Rondinella, plains of the and Molinara, Negrara, Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Lambrusco, Tagliamento River basins Schiava, Lagrein • Soave is the region’s most popular • Most important wines wine abroad – White - Bianco di Custoza, Soave • Italy’s heaviest concentration of (including Recioto), Lessini, Merlot is in the eastern plains , , Prosecco di • Standards for Italian - have been set at the research station – Red - Valpolicella (including at Conegliano Recioto and Amarone), Bardolino – White and red from Lison- • DOCG’s Recioto di Soave, Pramaggiore, Breganze, Colli Bardolino Superiore/Classico Berici Superiore, Soave Superiore

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12 EMILIA-ROMAGNA

13