Asturias/Cantabria Flashcards

1
Q

Is Asturias a community, province, or what?

A

Principality
Principado de Asturias

Even today, the heir to the Spanish throne is Príncipe de Asturias (Prince of Asturias)

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2
Q

Asturias is bordered by?

A

Galicia, Castilla y León, Cantabria, Cantabrian Sea (steep cliffs, beaches, coves)

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3
Q

Capital, largest city of Asturias

A

capital: Oviedo

largest city: Gijón 273k 26% of region

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4
Q

Is Cantabria a community, province, what?

A

autonomous community

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5
Q

Cantabria is bordered by?

A

Asturias, Castilla y León, País Vasco, Cantabrian Sea

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6
Q

Capital, largest city of Cantabria

A

Santander 183k 30% of Cantabria

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7
Q

Overall climate of Asturias and Cantabria

A

Maritime

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8
Q

Winter in Asturias/Cantabria: typical weather, temperature

A

mild, rainy, avg 13ºC

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9
Q

Summer in Asturias/Cantabria: typical weather, temperature

A

cool, some sun, avg 23ºC

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10
Q

Cantabria: sunnier at coast or inland?

A

coast
(one of cloudiest parts of Spain)

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11
Q

Cantabria: avg temperature at coast, inland

A

coast avg 14ºC
inland avg 9ºC

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12
Q

Rainfall in Asturias, Cantabria

A

1,000mm Asturias
1,200mm Cantabria

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13
Q

Cordillera Cantábrica snow-capped in which months?

A

Oct-May

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14
Q

What causes warm, dry breezes throughout Green Spain near Cordillera Cantábrica

A

Foehn Effect

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15
Q

Natural boundary between Asturias/Cantabria and Castilla y León

A

Cordillera Cantábrica

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16
Q

Highest mountain range and highest peak in Cordillera Cantábrica

A

Picos de Europa

Torrecerredo 2,648m on Asturias / Castilla y León border

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17
Q

Vineyard locations in Asturias

A

all in mountainous southwest

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18
Q

Area under vine in Asturias

A

70 ha

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19
Q

Vineyard locations in Cantabria

A

coast, and inland to foothills (up to 500m, up to 30% incline)

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20
Q

Soil in Asturias

A

limestone mountains giving way to slate soils (well drained)

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21
Q

Soil in Cantabria

A

limestone mountains, valley floors of shale and sandstone

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22
Q

Much of Cantabria is extremely fertile, so what is often grown there instead of grapes?

A

apples and cider (sidra)

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23
Q

White grapes of Asturias, and characteristics

A

Albarín Blanco
clean, bright, floral, mineral, balanced acidity

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24
Q

Red grapes of Asturias, and characteristics

A

Mencía, Albarín Tinto, Carrasquín
blends, light, aromatic, fruity, floral, mineral, low alcohol

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25
Q

Ageworthiness of Asturias wines

A

most to drink young, some experiments with oak

26
Q

Asturias: mostly red or white?

A

two-thirds red

27
Q

Cantabria northern areas: white grapes

A

Albariño, Godello, Treixadura, Hondarribi Zuri

28
Q

Cantabria northern areas: red grapes

A

Hondarribi Beltza

29
Q

Cantabria northern areas: wine style

A

most to drink young, fresh, high acid

30
Q

Cantabria inland areas: type of wine

A

mostly red blends with international varieties

31
Q

How many wineries in 2016 in Asturias, Cantabria

A

10 in Asturias
15 in Cantabria

32
Q

Traditional or modern winemaking in Asturias/Cantabria?

A

traditional methods
modern when they can afford it

33
Q

Typical elevation of vineyards in Asturias/Cantabria

A

high - 500m avg

34
Q

Manual or mechanised viticulture in Asturias/Cantabria?

A

Manual: rugged terrain, small vineyards on terraces

35
Q

Stainless steel or oak for vinification?

A

Both

36
Q

Experimental winemakers in Asturias/Cantabria are using…?

A

no sulphur
no commercial yeasts
Galician oak, chestnut for ageing

37
Q

DOs and must-know areas in Asturias/Cantabria

A

none

38
Q

Oldest Paleolithic cave paintings in Asturias/Cantabria: how old and where?

A

35kya, Altamira, Cantabria

39
Q

Which Celtic tribes settled Asturias/Cantabria in 5C BCE?

A

Astures and Cantabri

40
Q

Spanish for Iron Age fortified hilltop towns (now in ruins)?

A

castros

41
Q

Who tried to come into Asturias/Cantabria up to 8C? and who succeeded?

A

Romans (unsuccessful)
Suebi (Germanic, successful)
Visigoths (successful)
Moors (unsuccessful)

42
Q

When and where were the Moors defeated in Asturias/Cantabria?

A

722
Covadonga

43
Q

Winemaking in Asturias/Cantabria was initiated by whom, when, why?

A

Benedictine monks
9C
mass

44
Q

The Benedictine monks, over 300 years, discovered that what kind of sites were best for viticulture in Asturias/Cantabria? Where were these?

A

sun exposure
protection from north wind
Asturias: only deep river valleys of SW (Cangas)
Cantabria: coast and mountains

45
Q

Century when Kingdom of Asturias incorporated into Kingdom of León, and what did it merge with next?

A

10C
later merged with Kingdom of Castile

46
Q

Year when Asturias became an independent principality, and what was it integrated into next?

A

1388
later integrated into Kingdom of Spain

47
Q

Today, who is traditionally given the Príncipe de Asturias (Prince of Asturias)?

A

heir to Spanish throne

48
Q

What disaster occurred in the early 16C in Asturias/Cantabria?

A

plague arrives at port of Santander, sweeps N and central Spain, kills 600-700k

49
Q

After splitting into lands under various lords following the plague, Cantabria was reunited in which year? with which city was its capital?

A

1727
Santander

50
Q

Year Cantabria gains official constitution

A

1778

51
Q

In 18C, Asturias was a centre of what?

A

Spanish Enlightenment

52
Q

Who did Asturias rise against in the 19C?

A

French during Napoleonic Wars

53
Q

Asturias/Cantabria: What problems affected the wine industry in the 19C? By how much did the vineyard reduce?

A

powdery mildew
phylloxera
vineyard area reduced by over 50% before replanting on graft
vineyard area never returned to pre-phylloxera size

54
Q

Decade of powdery mildew in Asturias/Cantabria

A

1850s

55
Q

Year of phylloxera in Asturias/Cantabria

A

1889

56
Q

Which side was Asturias on in the Spanish Civil War?

A

opposed the right wing

57
Q

What did Franco call Asturias?

A

Province of Oviedo

58
Q

What did Franco call Cantabria?

A

He prohibited mention of Cantabria

59
Q

Year of initial request to designate ‘Wine from Cangas’ in Asturia, and decade officially recognised?

A

1929
1990s

60
Q

Date when Asturias devastated by a hailstorm, and the effect on harvest and wine industry?

A

19 June 1959
Hail the size of eggs for an hour
No harvest for three years
Farmers left for coal industry