Ep. 332 Jumbo Shrimp Guide | Origin and Authenticity

The Italian wine podcast presents the jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine, a new book for curious wine lovers, narrated in weekly installments. Join us on our journey to Italian wine. Hello, and welcome to another installment of the jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine presented by the Italian wine podcast. As always, my name is Joy Livingston, your narrator for this series. The jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine is intended as a quick lighthearted crash course on Italian wine. The material provides a great opportunity for serious wine dollars to refresh on the basics or to use as a reference. At the same time, we hope to bring new fans of Italian wine up to speed. If you're wondering how to get a copy of the book, the kindle version is available on Amazon and the paperback is available from positive press dot net. We'll also send you a complimentary paperback copy if you donate any amount to the Italian wine podcast while supplies last. Find details at Italian wine podcast dot com or in our social media channels. Our topic for this week is a look into the origin and authenticity. So pour yourself a glass, sit back, relax, and join this journey through Italian wine. A look into origin and authenticity. Classico or classic for duck and d o c g wines or storico Historical for DOCG and Docs sparkling wines refer to the wines from the historical heartland of production that are known to have been associated with quality wine production for a long time. An example is the difference between Canti produced in a vast area of Tuscany and Canti classico produced instead in a small area that historically has been the epitome of this wine. Other examples can be found in Balpolicella classico, Oreo Castico, Verdicchio Castalo Diazi classico, and suavee classico. All of these wines plus their counterparts from other regions should, in theory, be more concentrated, complex, and in fact, a more classic example of the style. Or reserve qualification is found in many DOCG and doc wines. The Resarva label is attributed to wines with a minimum aging period of no less than two years for red wines and no less than one year for white wines. This is a term that is equally applicable to sparkling, indeed age no less than one year for sparkling wines or three years for those specifically produced with secondary re fermentation in the bottle. These are, of course, only guidelines and many wines labeled as reserva actually have a much longer aging period. Often, these wines may have higher alcohol than non reserva wines, and sometimes this is even required by law. In simpler terms, Arrisverba wine almost always refers to one of better quality and is aged for a longer amount of time in oak, usually one additional year. As the wine was supposedly made from higher quality grapes and is richer and more concentrated than the non reserve of a wine. It ought to be able to withstand time and benefit from more time in oak. Be wary though. As with all terms, this is simply a suggestion and somebody's out of our wines are just overly oaked and lacking fruit. The qualification is very similar to the previous one. Superiorre or superior is also a term given to doc and DOCG wines to indicate a higher alcohol content and a mandatory minimum aging. In fact, the superiori guidelines adhere to the same laws as the risarva ones. There could also be a requirement not only for a longer aging period, but a lower grape yield per hectare than those mandated for generic wine. It is important to mention, however, that the superiore qualification cannot be used for those already carrying reserva or novelo labels. Examples of superiore wines include barbera, Dasti superiore, Barbara, superiore, Valsalina, superiore, frascati superiore, and more. You know, in Italy, everyone wants to be superiore. Novelo. Novelo is a term for both still and sparkling wines that cannot be released for consumption before one AM on the sixth day of November in the year the grapes were grown. Novelo is the equivalent of France's new volt term. These wines must contain at least thirty percent of wine produced through whole grape carbonic maceration with a minimum alcohol content of eleven percent and with the vintage year on the label. Unfortunately, a minimum carbonic maceration requirement of thirty percent is much too low to truly show off what these wines could be at their best. A real shame. For Italy has the potential to make truly outstanding novello wines. The best examples are probably those made in Prrentino and alto adige. Though as always, there are very fine exception from other regions as well. Passito or vino passito. These are the words for IGT, duck, and DOCG sweet wines made from the grapes. That are dried either naturally or in a controlled environment before they are fermented. A fortified version of this category also exists, Note that few people in Italy, even those who write about wines, have much of an understanding of the differences between late harvest and air dried wines, and often use the names interchangeably to describe a sweet wine generically. As you will soon discover upon trying these wines, it is not accurate as the two processes and styles they produce are startlingly different. Important examples of these styles include passito di panteleria doc, as a passito and Marcella doc and vincento del chianti doc as a la Corroso style. Wines to try. This variety is used for three important wines in Latio, Cesanese del Pio, DOCG, Cesanese, the Romano, Romano doc, and Cesanese, Dafile doc. This is known to be a grape that works well in vineyards here and planted all over the region. Tasting note. Deep Crimson in color that shows an exuberant red fruit with wafts of red roses and nuances of cinnamon and white pepper. Low tenants are making a comeback making these wines more enjoyable to drink. An almost exclusively still dry red in style, but some air dried sweet wines are beginning to return harking back to the history of the variety. Albana, the grape behind the first white denomination that was bestowed DOCG status in nineteen eighty seven is Albana Di Romania. The name was changed to Romania Albana DOCG in two thousand eleven. It is most likely named after its white color from Latin albus meaning white. It is present in Amelia, Romania, and is used for Romania, Albania, DOCG, Romania doc. In general, the still dry wines are less citing than its sweet wines, which can range from off dry late harvest to luscious air dry dessert ones. Tasting note. Albana's wines are full bodied and structured such that they almost resemble a red wine showing notes of honey, exotic tropical fruits, and ripe pears. However, its tannic nature also means that it oxidizes easily. Theory exists that the name probably comes from Sakarestia, a church room where a priest prepares for mass as this wine is traditionally served during religious services. It was first notable for sweet pastito style wine in the first dock in nineteen seventy seven. Nowadays, dry still wines dominate in the umbrian denominations of Sanarantino de montefalco DOCG and monte fileco doc. Tasting note. This is a wine dark in color, but with tannins that are sleek and polished. The wines are very long lived and the best examples are complex with a of wild dark berries, dried plums, cocoa tar, tobacco, cinnamon, dried herbs, and balsamic notes. The DOCG wines of Argentina de Montefalco are monovarietal and can be dry or sweet pacito styles. Sagrantino is often used as a blend with Sandrobeza to add weight, color, and tannin as done in doc monte falco. Thank you for listening to this installment of the jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine. We'll see you again next Thursday and remember. The kindle version of the book is available on Amazon and the paperback is available from positive press dot net. You can also get a complimentary paperback copy by donating any amount to the Italian wine podcast while supplies last. Find Italian wine podcast on Facebook and Instagram. Our Twitter handle is at ita wine podcast and check out at mama jumbo shrimp two two two on TikTok. This has been the jumbo shrimp guy to Italian wine presented by Italian wine podcast, and a once listened to the Italian wine story. Join us next week as we continue our narrative journey.