20.3 Spain - Rioja Flashcards
What is the name of the river that flows through Rioja?
River Ebro
What is the mountain range to the north of Rioja that protects it from the Atlantic?
Sierre de Cantabria
What is the name of the mountain sub-range to the south of Rioja that shelters it from the warmer centre of the country?
Seirra de la Demanda
Why does Rioja gain some Mediterranean influence on its eastern side?
The Ebro is at its widest in the south-east as it flows from the north-west
What are the three zones of Rioja?
1) Rioja Alta
2) Rioja Alavesa
3) Rioja Oriental
What is the largest zone of Rioja?
Rioja Alta
What is the climate of Rioja Alta?
Generally continental with some maritime influences
What is the predominant soil type of Rioja?
Calcareous clay
What is the smallest Rioja zone?
Rioja Alavesa
What is the climate of Rioja Alavesa?
Cool and wet (similar to the north west of Alta)
Despite being further south than the other two zones, why can Rioja Oriental be just as cool?
Its vineyards are planted at altitudes up to 1,000m
Which zone and part of Rioja is most susceptible to drought and the increasing threat from climate change?
The low altitude areas of Rioja Oriental
What are the six black varieties permitted in Rioja?
1) Tempranillo
2) Garnacha
3) Graciano
4) Mazuelo/Carinena
5) Maturana Tinta/Trousseau
6) Cabernet Sauvignon
Why have Tempranillo plantings drastically increased in the last 50 years?
Due to its ability to produce larger yields, especially since the legalisation of irrigation, which made Garnacha’s drought tolerance less important.
In which zone is Garnacha best suited and is being replanted?
Rioja Oriental
What are two characteristics of Graciano in the vineyard?
1) Late ripening
2) Drought tolerant
What does Graciano contribute to a Rioja blend? (3)
High acidity
Tannin
Fresh black fruit
What six white grape varieties are planted in Rioja?
1) Viura/Macabeo
2) Tempranillo Blanco
3) Malvasia
4) Garnacha Blanca
5) Verdejo
6) Sauvignon Blanc
When does Viura bud and ripen?
Late
What is Viura susceptible to?
Botrytis
What wine style does Tempranillo Blanco produce?
High acid wines with flavours of lemon, grapefruit and pineapple
How are Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca typically used?
As blending components to add greater diversity of flavours generally in oak-matured mid-priced to premium wines
How are Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc typically used?
Either as varietal wines or in inexpensive unoaked blends
What is a criticism of the Rioja Consejo’s regulatory focus on ageing only?
Only maturation time and type is stipulated whereas practices in the vineyard and winery that may be conducive to quality are not meaning there can be vast differences in style, quality and price within each age category.
What was/is the vinos de autor movement?
Beginning in the 1990s, some producers launched premium wines without ageing categories instead focusing on ripeness, concentration and structure using French oak instead of the more common American oak of the region.
Why is blending parcels of grapes from various parts of the DOCa a common, longstanding feature of Rioja?
The region has many small growers, relatively few wineries, and a large number of co-ops.
What might be a common Rioja blend? Hint: varieties and sub-regions
1) Tempranillo - Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavese
2) Garnacha - Rioja Oriental
Name a winery and its high quality oxidative white Rioja
Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva by Lopez de Heredia
Rioja rose tends to be made from which two varieties?
Tempranillo and Garnacha
Viura is the main grape variety for most white Rioja. How do winemakers achieve greater complexity in more premium examples? (3)
1) Lower yielding vines
2) Oak maturation
3) Blending with Garnacha Blanc, Malvasia, Verdejo
What is the traditional way of making Rose in Rioja i.e. Lopez de Heredia?
Black and white grapes are macerated separately, pressed and then fermented together before being matured in oak
What are the three new labelling terms permitted in Rioja since 2018? What is their purpose
1) Vino de Zona
2) Vino de Municipio
3) Vinedo Singular
4) To introduce quality regulations based on vineyard sites separate to the ageing classifications
Rioja legislation specifies that the oak vessels must be of what maximum capacity?
225 L (barriques)
Rioja legislation specifies that minimum ageing term for red Crianza is how long?
1) 12 months in barrel
2) 24 months total (from 1 October year of harvest)
Rioja legislation specifies that minimum ageing term for red Reserva is how long? (3)
1) 12 months in barrel
2) 6 months in bottle
3) 36 months total
Rioja legislation specifies that minimum ageing term for Rose and white Crianza and Reserva is how long?
1) 6 months in barrel
2) 24 months total
Rioja legislation specifies that minimum ageing term for red Gran Reserva is how long? (3)
1) 24 months in barrel
2) 24 months in bottle
3) 60 months total
Rioja legislation specifies that minimum ageing term for white and rose Gran Reserva is how long?
1) 6 months in barrel
2) 48 months total
What is the most popular age category of Rioja domestically?
Crianza
Why is the average price of Rioja well below that of the prestigious regions of France and Italy?
Relatively cheap vineyard land and cheap prices for grapes grown in the warmer, flatter areas
Why do more than 40% of grape growers sell to co-ops?
Over 50% of the vineyard area consists of small plots
