20. Spain Flashcards
1
Q
Describe the hierarchy of Spanish appelations and briefly their requirements
A
Spain Wine Laws
“Vino” – Wine with no geog indication.
PGI Wines
- “VT” = Vino de la Tierra (VT) – 40 in Spain (Castilla-largest)
PDO wines
- Denominacion de Origen Protegida (DOP)
- Reg for each denomination set & controlled by specific Consejo Regulador e.g.
- Vineyard: max yields; permitted var; vy practices e.g. irrig;
- Winemaking: regulations (e.g. ageing reqmts)
- Packaging
- Bottling: specified for DOCa/DOCq and maj or DO’s
- not for all e.g. La Mancha allows bulk shipping
PDO wines include the following:
DO: Denominacion de Origen
- 70 DOs >> vast maj of plantings >>of a certain min quality
DOCa or DOQ: Denominacion de Origen Calificada
- DO established min 10 yrs
- bottled at prod property
- Various quality regul, incl taste assess by extern panel
- Process to audit restrictions & regulations
- Currently only 2 – Rioja and Priorat
VP: Vinos de Pago
- Maj in Castilla-La Mancha; others Navarra, Valencia, Aragon
- Small no > single estates> high reputation
- Approved estates; vinify and mature only own grapes; on their estate
- Not tb confused with Grandes Pagos de Espana of which only some are qual to label “Vino de Pago”.
2
Q
Describe Spains climate overall
A
Climate
- At 36 – 43 N Spain considered warm
- Country is high plateau
- Lower ground > several major rivers along which wine growing regions are found.
N/NW (Rias Baixas)
- Moderate, maritime climate (Atlantic weather systems)
- Rainfall is high (esp a problem for Rias Baixas and fungal disease), thought the year
N/NE (Castilla y Leon to Catalunya)
- Sheltered from Atlantic by mntns. > more continental
South and East Coast – Levante (Valencia)
- Warm Mediterranean
- Vineyards moderated by the influence of sea/altitude
- warm dry summer, mild winter
Meseta Central (La Mancha)
- Large plateau in centre of Spain
- Cut off from sea influence by encircling mountains
- Hot continental climate hot days mod by altitude, cool nights
- Winter temps below freezing/ Summer temps very high
- Rainfall limited
Mountains - key factor (alt) in ES
- Muscat and Grenache – need warm sites to ripen - grown at lower altitudes.
- PN, aromatic whites need cool > grown at alt
3
Q
Describe high level VY management in Spain
A
VY Management
-
largest plantings (~1mha) 3rd largest prod, (IT, FR).
- 5yr ave 39m hl pa – which is low – reasons:
- Reflects nature of ES vy, - bush & low density (some 1000 v/ha)
- Lo dens pltgs reduces competition for water > climate/ low ann rain 300mm)
- Irrigation perm; some reg only for new pltg & extr drought; others perm only at start of grow season, not during ripening.
- Significant pltgs of old bush – incr recog as asset – provides good Q fruit. (max water to each vine + shade) Little desire to replant at higher dens.
- Hazards
- Very little rain, but when it rains often heavy storm, hot after >> risk mildew.
- Spring frost in the areas with cont. climate.
- Many ext old vines in sandy soils, (unaffect > not regrafted after Phylloxera)
- Grapevine moth – pheromone traps
- Many employ org practices, but few certify – market (int/dom) unwilling to pay the premium reqd to cover the cost of attain/retain cert.
-
Ave holding small.
- 66% <0.5ha; 22% 0.5 – 3 ha
- >> despite advances in tech understanding of vy mgt last decades, level of mech still low
4
Q
What 2 varieties dom Spain
A
Airen (W)
- Mainly planted in centre > Castilla-La Mancha
- Inexp neutral whites for early cons
- Much prod distilled into Brandy de Jerez
Tempranillo (R, P)
- Grown many areas – various names
- Some inexp fruity reds
- But leading comp in Spains most prsigious and exp wine > Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Toro.
- Dom is recent, assoc with growth of ES wine in int mkts, esp assoc of Tempranillo with Rioja (cons leading wine region)
- Mid-hi yields (dep on site) makes it pop with prod.
- Limit yields >> conc structured wine
- Early ripen – finest in warm clim with cool infl (alt / cool wind)
- Single var, and blends differ across regions
5
Q
Besides Airen and Tempranillo, what are the other main varieites growin in Spain
A
Bobal (R & P)
- Grown near coast, Valencia / Murcia
Garnacha Tinta (R & P wine)
- Rioja, Navarra, Catalunya, Aragon.
- Hi yield, late ripen (warm climate to ripen fully, aut rain)
- Upright growth – good for bush
- Prune short to contain vigour
- Does well on dry, low-fert soil,
- Drought resist, susc :coulure; PMD; BBR; Phomopsis; bact blight (kills the plant -cont by pruning tools)
- Can accumm sugar quickly (good for vdn)
- Adds red fruit, alc (lo tann, lo acid, lo col)
- Note Garnacha Tintorera = Alicante Bouschet (diff var)
Macabeo (Viura in Rioja)
- Most in Catalunya – still, early drinking, Cava spw
- Main white in Rioja
- Inexp neutral
- Lead comp in prem priced wines ferm & mat in oak.
Monastrell / Mourvedre
- Most Valencia, Murcia – suits warm Med clim.
- Late bud, late ripe (warm clim to ripen, mb hot end of seaso)
- Lo yield, req little but reg, water;
- Susc mites, leafhopper, sour rot (dam fm bird/insect)
- In the winery reductive o2!, typ oak aged
- Hi col, hi tann, hi alc, blackberry, blueberry
6
Q
Describe in general winemaking techniques - RWP in ES
A
Winemaking in Spain
-
Inexp – mid price
- Youthful, fruity R, W, P makde protectively, often SS, temp control, use of inert gas, cultured yeast, fining and/or filtration
- young reds – carbonic / semi carbonic maceration to enhance fruity char
-
Prem R & W (mid price, higher)
- Some prod – SS , some concrete / eggs,
- increasingly amphorae for ferm & storage
- Oak maturation common (red)
- Whites unoaked & lees; or oak ferm and mature.
- Ageing per legislation (see table)
- Category
Generic – primary fruit flavours(SS) - No ageing
Crianza: primary fruit, some vanilla, toast (oak)
Riserva: pr fruit, secondoak, and tertiary also from ageing, dark chocolate#
Gran Riserva 5yrs ageing (18m wd)> terti dried fruit, and mushroom
Red** **(Rioja)
Ageing Barrel Bottle
24 6 (12)
36 12 6
60 18 (24)24
White/Rose
Ageing Barrel
18(24) 6
24 6
48 6
-
Rose
- Much inexp, sold in bulk; some VG at mid – prem price
- Better VY mgmt., harvesting has improved wmkg results in move away from hi alc, wine with over-ripe jammy flav.
- Classic rose = deep col, recently paler mimicking Provence, still many continue with deeper col, fruity rose made with long periods of skin contact.
- Most SS, bottled, early release
- Some (Bodegas Lopex de Heredia) make from mix of black with little white, macerated, pressed, fermented together. Matured in oak, sometimes long time, for (texture / complexity; secondary, tertiary flavours.
7
Q
Describe the markets / wine business in Spain
A
Wine Business
- Small ave ha >> Co-Op very nb – some regions Negociant plays a role
- If estate vinifies only own grapes >> small volumes
-
Largest business for still:
- J Garcia Carrion; Felix Solis Aventis; Pernod Ricard Groupe; Miguel Torres SA; Bodegas Martin Codax SA
- Many have wineries in several regions
-
Sales
- Handful of super-prem wines, even these sell lower than sim from FR / IT
- ES not fashionable in investment wine despite qual of best wines
-
Domestic 1/3 of wine ~ 10 mhl pa
- Recent trend drinking less cheaper styles, more higher qual wine with DO status
-
Export: 21mhl in 2018:
- FR 24%, DE17% >both inexp styles
- UK, USA, CN nb for higher end wine, esp USA hi val:vol ratio
- Volume – ES global largest exporter of which 56% bulk
- Value – ½ of IT and 1/5 of FR
“Food and Wines from Spain”
- Promo body for ES
- Increase awarenesss diversity + quality ES products
- Information / education / promotional activieis
- NB DO’s and VTs own Consejos Reguladores play own role in marketing region’s wines
8
Q
What sub regions are in Galicia
Highlight growing env and grape growing
Most common winemaking technique?
A
Rias Baixas is largest in Galicia
- small holdings / 170 wineries, small – large
- Co-Ops dom > modern winery equip > imp quality > inc pop
Sub Zones of Rias Baixas (one example is…)
- Val do Salnes – Directly on coast > coolest, wettest >>hi acid wines
Business> 25% export – > USA; UK
Growing Env & Grape Growing
- Climate Maritime– Atlantic moderates temps: summer warm, winter mild
- Hi rain all year > fungal disease/rain at harvest >> vintage variation
- Soil free draining (sand over granite bedrock)
-
Albarinho 95%
- Early-mid ripe, thick skin>> less rot & can fully ripen most years
- most single Var but blend ptnr: Loureira; Treixadura
-
Trellissing – pergola, often granite/stone support
- Originally allowed crops below
- Training high > air circ to red fungal dis
-
Larger co’s VSP to allow mech
- Style m int apple,lemon, grapefruit, peach, sometimes floral; hi acid, m-/m body; m alc;
- G/VG Inexp, some OS mid – prem price
Winemaking (Albarino)
- Protective –.
- Cold soak few hours > int fruit, texture
- Cool ferment, SS fruit
- Partial malo C to reduce acidity (butter not desired)
- Inexp – release early
- Better Q lees 1 – 2 yrs, or longer for body/texture
- Stirring avoided (may intro O2!!)
- Some prod ferm top wines in oak (small/new/partial) > toast + vanilla notes
Other Regions in Galicia
- Valdeorras - most east and warmest (Godello - made in premium style, amb yeast >small oak age>complex+texture) “The puligny montrachet” of spain.
- Ribera DO (Treixadura)
- Ribeira Sacro DO (Black - Mencia) - area is more inland less maritime inf
9
Q
Desribe the Grow Env and Winemaking in Bierzo DO
A
Bierzo DO
- slate slopes >> hi q wine
- Similar clim to Galicia, further inland, warmer summer, cooler winter, adeq rain
- Vintage variation – some years wet cool, others warm, dry
- Mountains/hills 3 sides open to west – Atlantic infl.
- flat plain, lower slopes fert loam > inexp hi yield wines (carb mac / no oak)
- hillside to 850m , drainage, shallow slate > limits vigour.
- Alt > cool inf > di range>bla bla
- Steep >> bush vines common 80% >60yrs old (+ infert soil = low yield)
- Small plots – maj work manual
Var: 75% Mencia
- Early-mid ripe, quickly loses acid/accumm sugar –hi alc if picked late
-
Style:
- flat areas > l/m body, fruity red cherry/raspberry, m+/h acid; m tann
-
slopes > f body; hi tann, depends on growing conditions and wmkg
- Must be 70% of blend, bal Alicante Bouschet (col + black berry fruit)
- Alicante = 2% plantings – wine often 100% Mencia
Godello / other Galician white var also grown
10
Q
Describe Grow Env / Winemaking in Toro
Describe business
A
Toro DO
West of CyL River Duero (Douro of PT) runs through region
Var Tinta de Toro (cons tb related to Tempranillo – not conf.)
- Thick skin > goo col & tann
- Reds mb 75% Tinta de Toro; bal Garnacha
- Rose from Tinta de Toro or Garnacha
White from Malvasia or Verdejo
Growing env & Grape growing
- Climate – far inland – continental – hot summer, cold winter, low rain.
- VY at 620 – 750m alt > diurnal range, cool nights – acidity – conc- ripen
- Alt means risk spring frost
- Rainfall low, irrig not permitted from June till post harvest.
- VY plant at low density – (below 2700 v/ha) mostly bush
- Soil : sandy, thus phylloxera not a prob, many vines not grafted, 1/5 are >50 yrs old some >100 yrs old
- Warm growing season, int sun, low yields – prod wines
- Int Ripe flavours blackberry, blueberry, deep col, f body, hi alc, hi tann, m+ or hi acid (cool nights)
- Site selection nb, cooler for slower ripening higher in the west or choosing north facing
- Caution – Consejo ermits max alc 15% abv for red, lower for W and P.
Winemaking
- Inexp – mid price: carb maceration for fruit & extract less tann = approachable, easy drinking
- A/G inexp – mid price
- Premium : conc fruit balances flavours from hi prop new oak (US/FR wood mixed)
Sign producer Teso La Monja & Numanthia
Wine Law / Business
- Long history.., hampered by location
- As neighbour Ribera del Duero became pop investors looked next door
- Last 20 yrs wineries inc 1998 – 20; today 50
- 96000 hl in 2016
11
Q
Describe Ribera del Douro DO
A
Ribera del Douro DO
Growing env Grape growing
- Upper valley of Duero (Douro PT)
- Cut off from maritime influence by ring of mountains
- Climate – continental – short hot summer, very cold winter, low rain.
- Vineyards on highest part of Meseta Central
- VY 750 – 1000m > frost problem spring and autumn – limits grape time on the vine; causes serious loss of yield in some years
- Heaters, vine spraying with water, occ helicopters are used to combat
- Low rain 400 – 600m – irrig permitted sometimes – NOT during ripening
- Alt / aspects infl yields, balance and complexity (cool nights) e.g.:
- East higher, cooler. Many only grow Tempranillo (Tinto Fino here) or Tinta del Pais
- Flat & N-f most at risk for frost
- Half vy planted bush, ¼ > 50yrs old, some over 100yrs
- Newer vy trellised – quicker to establish.
- Vast maj growers have <1 ha
Winemaking - R/W/P produced
- White: a blend must have 75% Albillo Mayor –
- Red (majority of prod) : blend must have 75% Tempranillos; bal CS; Mer; Malbec; Garnacha; Albillo. (white >freshness> seldom done) & maj 100% Tempranillo
- Style: ripe blackberry, plum; vanilla, choc from (FR wood pop) oak; f body, hi alc,
- G/ OS, mid – s-prem price
- Some>Prem / super prem mature 50 – 100% new oak.
- Trend> less extraction / less pfm / less new oak >> among qual prod.
Sign prod Vega Sicilia; Dominio de Pingus; Bodegas Aalto
12
Q
Describe Wine Law and the markets in Ribera del Douro
A
Wine Law / Business
- Ageing cat of Crianza, Reserva and Gran REserva comm used
- Crianza is by far most prod
- Gran Reserva – rare
- Majority labelled NO indic of ageing.
Sales
- Between 600000 – 700 000 hl prod
2019 20% exported – CH, Mex; US; DE; CN
13
Q
Describe Ruedo DO
A
Ruedo
- Almost entirely white wine
- Historically prod fortified
-
1970 Marques de Riscal winery Rioja >> local Verdejo var can make fresh fruit wine
- If vinified protectively, ferm in SS
- They invested in Rueda – catalyst for transformation in the region
Var: Verdejo
- Drought tolerant, apple, peach fruit, herbal (fennel) note, slight bitter finish. m/m+ acid, malc
- SB is next most nb – can be blended with Verdejo or single var
Growing env & grape growing
- Climate – continental – short hot summer, very cold winter, low rain.
- VY at 700 800m – cool nights ….
- Soil: Bedrock limestone, sandy clay sublayer then topsoil stones / sand.
- Free draining, low in org matter – reduces vigour
- New VY VSP trellised, for mech
- Harvest at night desirable – grapes picked cool, transported at coolest temp,
- Some old bush vines, some on sand pre-date Phylloxera acc for 10% of planting prod hi Q fruit
Winemaking & Styles
- Single var – 85% rule applies but 100% var common
-
Inexp – protective, cool ferm, SS, bottled, early release.
- Cultured yeast – reliability, ability to promote fruity esters.
- a/G – Inexp
-
Mid price wines – usually lees aged, (few m to 1 yr) often reg lees stirring – body, texture
- G quality
- Frequently the most exp Rueda (still mid price) ferm / matured in oak, brings body, texture and aromatic comp – toast and smoke.
- Malo C generally avoided in all styles to retain acid
- G/VG prem price
Sign prod Ossian and Bodega Belondrade y Lurton
- DO Rueda cb used for blends that do not meet the requirements for var labelling
- Small prop of red / rose wine is also prod – mostly from Tempranillo (hi competition from neighbouring regions for this style)
14
Q
Describe the wine business and markets for Ruedo DO wine
A
Ruedo
Wine Law / Business
- Prod x 4 this century
- Fruity crisp early drinking style tog with inexp price point – very pop dom and global
- However comp is high. Rueda prod incr looking to prod wine of higher q with more char
Sales
- 7x 1997 – 2016 driven by demand in both dom and exp mkt
- 2018 prod 616 000 hl
- 12% export NL DE, USA, CH
60% is prod locally, sign prop wineries outside the region e.g. in Rioja, Ribera del Duero offer a Rueda as white wine in their portfolio.
15
Q
Describe grape growing/environment in Rioja
A
Growing Env & Grape growing
- 100km long, along the path of River Ebro > aspects / soils
- Open valley along Ebra delivers Med Sea influence on east parts of Rioja
- Rioja sandwiched
- Sierra de Cantabria (N) protects from worst Atlantic weather
- Sierra de la Demanda (S) protects from hot central Spain
3 Zones (also labelling terms)***
Rioja Alta – largest
- South of R Ebro
- Continental with maritime inf
- Along Ebro - low alt, warm, alluvial soil
- NW is cooler, with calcareous clay
- S is at alt 700m, cool, wet, ferrous clay
Rioja Alavesa – Smallest
- N of R Ebro
- Cool, wet VY at 700m calcareous clay
Rioja Oriental (prev Rioja Baja. Baja= low so changed to avoid neg connot)
- N & S of R Ebro
- N, around R Ebro, low alt, warm driest in Rioja
- S VY at 500-1000m at highest, temps as cool as R Alta, R Alavesa
- Soil calcareous clay
16
Q
Describe Rioja Wine Law / Regulations
Draw a table of the ageing requirements
A
Wine Law / Regulations
- Recently changed (2017 – 2018)
- (Revolt by prod Artadi; and threat of new classification Vinos de Alava)
- Consejo Regulador changed regs. Prod who meet new specs can label as folls:
Vino de Zona***
- Grapes from single zone, named
- 85% rule, if bal on border, and 10yr consec sourcing
- Vinific/bottling/ageing mb in the zone
- Label may indicate zone of prod
Vino de Municipio
- All grapes sourced from named municipality (village or group of villages)
- 85% rule, if bal from bordering Munic. and 10 yr consec source history
- Vinific/bottling/ageing in Municip (stricter than Burgundy)
- Label may state municip with option of zone of production
Vinedo Singular (single VY)
- Grapes sourced, vinif, aged, bottled, stored on this VY.
- Prod must have owned VY 10 yrs
- VY must be min 35 yrs old
- Max yields complied with
- Hand harvest; sustainable vitic, some restrict on pruning in growing season
- Traceability checks, aut of wine by tasting panel
- Label may state municip/zdProd/VY or Estate and phase Vinedo Singular
The rules sit alongside the ageing reqmts **– oak vessels in Rioja ageing = 225l barriques
** overview page has table of Rioja ageing
