Italian Wine Answers

1. Dry

2. Semi-Sweet or Slightly sweet

3. Semi-Sparkling

4. Sparkling

5. Grapes that are dried on straw mats to concentrate the flavors.

6. Sweet

7. Vino da Tavola (VT)

IGT

DOC

DOCG

8. Twenty; The most famous are Piedmont , Tuscany , and Veneto .

9. The best area of a given region.

10. Dry to slightly sweet frizzante.

11. Trebbiano.

12. Primitivo (Zinfandel)

13. Fortified wine made in Sicily .

14. Both are made from passito grapes, but Amarone is dry while Recioto is sweet.

15. Re-passed – the traditional winemaking technique in Veneto . Young Valpolicella is put into tanks or barrels containing lees from the previous Amarone fermentation which causes secondary fermentation and increases Alc% giving it a Recioto feel.

16. Asti which is made from Moscato( Muscat )

*Bonus Info: The Muscat grapes vary in color from white to orange to black and shades in between. Here in Asti they are white, which is why locally it is known as Moscato Bianco or White Muscat.

17. Barolo - 3 years in Barrel/Bottle

Barolo Riserva - 5 years in Barrel/Bottle

18. Barolo wine that has been aromatized with quinine.

Also regarded by many as the biggest joke of the DOCG system.

19. Chianti

Chianti Classico

Chianti Rufina

Chianti Colli Fiorentini

Chianti Colli Senesi

Chianti Montalbano

Chianti Colline Pisane

Chianti Colli Aretini

Chianti Montespertoli

20. Tocai is the name of a varietal in Friuli and used to refer to the Pinot Gris grape in Alsace . As of April 2007, they will have to change their names, so as to differentiate themselves from the Tokaji of Hungary.

21. The term "Super Tuscan" describes any Tuscan red wine that does not adhere to traditional blending laws for the region. For example, Chianti Classico wines are made from a blend of grapes with Sangiovese as the dominant varietal in the blend. Super Tuscans often use other grapes, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, making them ineligible for DOC(G) classification under the traditional rules.

22. Cabernet Sauvignon

23. Aglianico

24. Vin Santo, “holy wine” is Toscana's classic amber-colored dessert wine. It is made traditionally from the local white grapes Trebbiano and Malvasia, using Passito grapes which are grapes dried on straw mats and then must be aged a minimum of 3 years in barrel and up to 6 years in cask.

25. Franciacorta DOCG

26. Albagna di Romagna DOCG

27. Corvina

Rondinella

Molinara

Negrara

28. Garganega

29. Created in 1992 it is responsible for the IGT level which is used as a spring-board to DOC. Also, they tightened riserva rules as well as modifying some of the vineyard zones.

30. Alto Adige

Trentino

31. Cortese.

32. Sicily

33. Barbera.

34. “at the foot of the hills” (the Alps )

35. The macro-climate is a very hot growing season followed by a misty autumn and cold, often foggy winter.

36. Barolo and Barbaresco

37. Moscato

38. It's an early ripening, low-acid red grape variety and Piemonte's fruity red wine for young drinking.

39. Sangiovese

40. Nero d'Avola