30. Spain Flashcards
What are the three broad climatic zones of Spain?
- Moderate Maritime Climate: north or north-west coast, dominated by Atlantic weather systems, rainfall is high
- Warm Mediterranean Climate: east coast from Catalunya in the north to the Levante further south, many vineyards moderated by sea or altitude, more southern / hotter.
- Hot Continental Climate: The Meseta Central, a large plateau in the center of Spain, cold winters, hot summers can be moderated by cool nights of high altitude sites), limited rainfall.
What are the biggest grape growing challenges in Spain? How do grape growers combat this?
-heat, lack of water
- low density, busy-trained vineyards
- maximize amount of water available to each vine, shading from excessive heat
What is Spain’s premier black grape? What are these wines like?
Tempranillo
- northern and central Spain
- thick-skinned
- medium acidity
- requires sufficient warmth for ripening
- too hot dilutes the acidity
Styles:
- varietal wines: fresh, strawberry scented Joven white
- blends: ageworthy, oaked
What is Garnacha Tinta?
- Spain’s name for Grenache
- high alcohol
- widely used for rosados
- important in Priorat (intense, complex, full-bodied reds)
What is Monastrell?
- Spain’s name for Mourvedre
- thick-skinned
- drought-tolerant
- needs hot, sunny conditions to ripen
- South-eastern Spain: Yecla, Jumilla
- deeply colored
- full body
- high tannin
- high alcohol
- low-to-medium acidity
- ripe blackberry fruit flavors
Name the 6 top black grapes of Spain.
- Tempranillo
- Garnacha Tinta
- Monastrell
- Graciano
- Carinena/Mazuelo
- Mencia
Descibe Graciano.
-highly valued
-difficult to grow
-Rioja
-part of blend
ADDS:
-concentrated black fruit aromas
-acidity, tannins, structure
What is Carinena?
- Carignan
- Mazuelo in Rioja
- Priorat (blends with Garnacha)
- high acid, tannin, color
- small proportion in Tempranillo blend
What is Mecia?
- local variety
- moderate climates
- fresh fruit, medium to high acidity
- hints of herbaceousness
What is Spanish for PDO?
Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP)
What is Denominación de Origen (DO)?
- certain minimum quality
- specification on grape variety, viticulture and location
What is Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)? What are the 2 DOCas?
-DOs of at least 10 years standing may apply for this more prestigious category
Rioja & Priorat
-Priorat uses Catalan terminology Denominación de Origen Qualificada (DOQ)
What is Vinos de Pago (VP)?
- a small number of single estates with high reputations
- may only use their own grapes, which must be vinified and matured on their estate
What is Spanish for PGI?
Vino de la Tierra (VdlT)
What are the 4 categories for age laws?
- Joven
- Crianza
- Reserva
- Gran Reserva (only produced in exceptional vintages)
Note: many producers exceed the minimum aging requirements.
White and Rose wines rarely made in this style
What is the minimum total aging (in months) of red Joven wines? Crianza? Reserva? Gran Reseva?
- Joven - 0 months
- Crianza - 24 months
- Reserva - 36 months
- Gran Reserva - 60 months
What is the minimum time spent in barrel (in months) of red Joven wines? Crianza? Reserva? Gran Reseva?
- Joven - 0 months
- Crianza - 6 months
- Reserva - 12 months
- Gran Reserva - 18 months
What is the minimum total aging (in months) of white and rose Joven wines? Crianza? Reserva? Gran Reseva?
- Joven - 0 months
- Crianza - 18 months
- Reserva - 24 months
- Gran Reserva - 48 months
What is the minimum time spent in barrel (in months) of white and rose Joven wines? Crianza? Reserva? Gran Reseva?
- Joven - 0 months
- Crianza - 6 months
- Reserva - 6 months
- Gran Reserva - 6 months
What are the 2 main white grape varieties of Spain? What other grapes are produced?
- Verdejo
- Albarino
- - - Airen
- Macabeao/Viura
What are the two styles of Verdejo wines?
- susceptible to oxidation
- Sherry-like wines
Style 1:
- light body
- high acidity
- melon, patch
- often blended with Sauvignon Blanc
Style 2:
- richer
- full body
- skin contact
- barrel fermentation
Describe Albarino wines? Where is Albarino widely grown?
- north-west of Spain
- thick-skinned
- resists fungal disease
- high acid
- citrus, stone fruit
-can also make richer, fuller bodied styles
What is the most widely plated grape variety in Spain? Where is it planted? Why?
Airen
- La Macha, central Spain
- can cope with extreme heat and drought
- dry wines
- Brandy de Jerez
What are the 3 main grape varieties used in the production of Cava?
Parellada, Xarel-lo, Macabeo
-Catalunya
What is Macabeo? What is it known as in Rioja?
- Viura in Rioja
- often used for still wine production
- unoaked, subtle herb and spice aromas
- traditional heavily-oaked white Riojas
What international varieties are grown in Spain?
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chardonnay
-blends with local varieties
Name the 6 geographical regions of Spain.
- Upper Ebro
- Catalunya
- the Duero Valley
- the North West
- the Levante
- the Castilla-La Mancha
What is the main region for the production of Vino de la Tierra?
Castilla y León
towards the north of the Peseta Central
What are the main subregion of the Upper Ebro?
- Rioja
- Navarra
- Carinena & Calatayud
What are the subregions of Rioja?
- Rioja Alavesa
- Rioja Alta
- Rioja Baja
Describe the geography and wines of Rioja Alavesa.
- west of Logrono
- north bank of the Ebro
- foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains
- lightest wines
- most finesse
Describe the geography and wines of Rioja Alta.
- west of Logrono
- south of the Ebro
- 500-800 meters
- moderated climate (Atlantic Ocean)
Describe the geography and wines of Rioja Baja.
- east of Logrono
- mainly on the south bank
- less maritime climate
- hotter summers
- severe winters
- drought common
What is the most widely planted variety in Rioja? Describe this grape. What other grapes are added to Rioja blends?
Tempranillo
- does best in the cooler western subregions
- main component in blends
- gives red fruit flavors
- medium tannins
Other
-Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano
Where does Garnacha grow best? What does it add to Rioja blends?
- Rioja Baja
- adds body and alcohol
Describe early drinking Rioja wines and winemaking techniques.
- semi-carbonic maceration
- vibrant red fruit
- low levels of smooth tannin
Describe Rioja wines made for long term maturation.
- destemmed, crushed
- vigorous cap manament
- extended maceration
- heavily extracted wines
- deep color
- full of fruit
- some are more subtle and elegant
- oak maturation
Traditionally, what type of oak was Rioja aged in? What flavor did this impart on the wine?
American oak
-pronounced vanilla
Now, what type of oak is Rioja aged in?
French or other European oak
-more subtle, spicy aromas
What is the most widely planted white grape used in white Rioja?
Viura
Describe traditional white Rioja.
- aged for extended periods of time in American oak
- deep golden color
- nutty flavors
- deliberately oxidized
Describe modern white Rioja.
- minimum oxygen contact
- preserve maximum fruit
- some barrel fermented but not as oxidized as traditional Rioja
Where is Navarra DO located? What’s the climate?
- northern/eastern borders of Rioja into the foothills of the Pyrenees
- climate is similar to Rioja but cooler and wetter near the mounatins
What is the most widely planted variety in Navarra? What types of wines is it used in?
Tempranillo
1. similar to Rioja blends
2. blended with Cab or Merlot
range in quality from Joven to Gran Reserva
What else is commonly planted in Navarra? What types of wines is it used in?
Ganarcha
- rose
- picked earlier when acid levels are high and sugar levels are low
- refreshing fruity wines
- medium alcohol
What white grapes are grown in Navarra?
- Viura, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
- very small proportion in white
Where are Carinena and Calatayud located? What is the climate? Describe the two styles of wines
-south of the Ebro
-warm continental climates
-low rainfall
-Garnacha is main variety
Styles:
1. fruity, early drinking
2. higher quality: old vine Garnacha and Carinena, great intensity and structure
What’s confusing about Cariñena?
It’s both a DO (Ebro) and a grape (Carignan) and the grape is not the most widely planted grape variety in the DO with the same name.
Where is Catalunya located? What’s special about it?
- North-east corner of Spain
- coastal plain and hills
- has it’s own generic DO for still wines from the entire region (allows significant volumes of branded wine)
- where nearly all Cava is made
What are the main DOs of Catalunya?
- Penedès
2. Priorat
Where is Penedès? Describe the 3 distinct climate zones?
- southwest of Barcelona
- Mediterrannean coast to the hills
- three distinct climate zones
1. Mediterranean: hot coastal plains
2. Warm: inland in the valleys, slightly cooler
3. Moderate: 800 meters into the hills
What are the main grapes of Penedès?
Black: Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon,
White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer
What do they call Tempranillo in Penedès?
Ull de Llebre
Describe the climate and soils of Priorat. What grapes thrive here? What factors contribute to the higher cost of Priorat wines?
- within the hills inland from the city of Tarragona
- long, hot, dry summers
- annual rainfall is low
- great for: old Garnacha and Carinena vines
- soil “llicorella” consists of layers of slate with small particles of mica that sparkle in the sun
- help with ripening by reflecting and conserving heat
- retain water
- bush vines and steep slopes = expensive, hand harvesting
- nutrient pool soil, low yields
Describe wine from Priorat.
- deeply colored
- high tannins
- concentrated black fruit
- toast aromas of new French oak
- mostly Garnacha and Carinena
- some Cabernet Sauvignon
Describe the geography of Ribera del Duero.
- ring of mountains cuts off any maritime influence
- short, hot, dry summers
- very cold winters
- vineyards on the heist part of the Peseta Central, over 850 meters (retain acidity and fresh fruit flavors)
What is the dominant grape of Ribera del Duero? Describe the wines/winemaking techniques. What are other grapes grown here?
Tempranillo
- varietal wines
- dark color
- high tannins
- mostly red, some rose, no white
- long macerations
- short aging in new oak (more French than American now)
Other
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot
- Garnacha (dry rose)
Describe wines from Toro DO.
- Tempranillo
- full body
- intense fruit flavors
- high alcohol
- similar climate to Ribera del Duero
- Joven: some Garnacha
- Reserva/Gran Reserva: deeply colored, tannic when young; can age well.
-some whites and roses
Describe the climate and wines from Rueda DO. How is it different from its neighboring DOs?
- Focuses on white wine
- between Toro and Ribera del Duero
- continental climate (cool summer nights)
- ideal for Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc
- blended whites must contain at least 50% Verdejo
- styles range from simple and fruity to richer, barrel fermented
What are the main subregions of the Duero Valley?
- Ribera del Duero
- Toro
- Rueda
What are the main subregions of the North West region of Spain?
- Rias Baixas
2. Bierzo
Describe the geography, climate and wines of Rias Baixas.
- on the Atlantic coast
- moderate, damp climate
- mildew and rot are common
- vines trained on pergolas to encourage air circulation
- Albarino
- fresh, unoaked style
- high acidity
- some made in richer style with a touch of oak or lees stirring
-some red wine
Describe the geography, climate and wines of Bierzo.
- predominantly red wines
- mountains between Galicia and the Meseta Central
- moderate climate, cooling maritime influence
- Mencia
- elegant wines
- naturally high acid
- red fruit
- sometimes oaked
-old vines, stony slopes
What are the main subregions of the Levante?
- Valencia
2. Jumilla, Yecla
Where is The Levante region?
-Mediterranean coast, south of Catalunya
What is Valencia? What are the most widely planted red and white grapes? What other grape/wine is made here?
- large, spread out DO
- known for value wines
- Monastrell: most planted red grape
- Merseguera: most planted white grape
-Muscat of Alexandra is used to make Moscatel de Valencia (sweet fortified wine)
Describe the location, climate, and wines of Jumilla and Yecla.
- further inland
- hot, arid climates
- perfect for Monastrell
- youthful, fruity
What is the largest DO in Spain? What is the most widely grown variety here and what types of wine does it make?
- La Mancha
- most widely planted grape: Airen (neutral, fresh white wines)
- Inexpensive, well-made reds and whites for export market
Other:
-Tempranillo (Cencibel), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Where did the trend for top quality pagos wines begin?
La Mancha
-many of the estates award the appellation Vinos de Pago
Describe the location, climate, and wines of Valdepenas.
- south of La Mancha
- identical climate to La Mancha
- higher quality wines
- Airen is most widely planted grape
- also Tempranillo (Cencibel)
- range in style from fruity to oaked
