Castilla y León Flashcards by Rob Findlay

What is Castilla y León bordered by?

Portugal and 9 (of 17) autonomous communities:
N: Asturias, Cantabria, País Vasco
E: La Rioja, Aragón
S: Castilla-La Mancha, Comunidad de Madrid, Extremadura
W: Galicia, Portugal

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Capital, largest city of Castilla y León?

No official capital
Valladolid is unofficial capital, and most populous (300k)

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Climate of Castilla y León

Continental

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What is the old Castilian saying about the climate through the year in Castilla y León?

Nueve meses de invierno, y tres meses de infierno
(Nine months of winter and three months of hell)

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How does the climate of northern Castilla y León differ from the rest?

Moderated by maritime influences

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In which area of the Meseta is Castilla y León?

The northern, high elevation area

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Castilla y León is one of the [warmest/coldest?] places in the Iberian Peninsula. It also contains three of Spain’s [warmest/coldest?] provincial capitals.

Coldest

(Burgos
Soria
Ávila)

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Winter temperatures in Castilla y León

Very cold
(1 - 10ºC
-10ºC)

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Summer temperatures in Castilla y León

Warm, sometimes hot]
(13 - 29ºC
40ºC)

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Castilla y León annual precipitation:
on plains
in mountains

Low precipitation on plains (350-500 mm)
Low up to high in mountains (500-1,500 mm)

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Frost period covers which months in Castilla y León?

Oct-May
(late frost a hazard)

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What are the two primary topographic areas in Castilla y León?

Duero River Basin
surrounding mountains

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Name the mountain ranges in Castilla y León to the:
NW and N
E
S

Montes de León (NW), Cordillera Cantábrica (N): block maritime influence

Sistema Ibérico (E)

Sistema Central (S): border with Castilla-La Mancha and Madrid

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Where is the source of the river Duero?

In peaks of Sierra de Urbión within Sistema Ibérico, in Castilla y León near La Rioja

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Which is the largest river basin in the Iberian Peninsula?

Duero

(97,290 km²
81% in Spain
of which 98% in Castilla y León)

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How many soil types in DO Ribera del Duero?

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Typical soils in Castilla y León:
river valleys?
plains?

River valleys: clay (retains water), alluvium, or sandy-stone soils with some limestone
Plains: brown limestone with clay loam and sand

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Why do pre-phylloxera vines still thrive in Castilla y León?

Some soils are sandy enough

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Most wines in Castilla y León are what style?

Red (tinto)

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Dominant grape in Castilla y León?
Why is it well suited here?

Tempranillo
Thick skin, early ripening, suits extreme temperatures

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Which of the 13 DOs in Castilla y León is Tempranillo not authorised in?

Bierzo DO

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How many DOs in Castilla y León?

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Synonyms for Tempranillo in Castilla y León?

Tinto Fino
Tinta del País
Tinta de Toro

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For tinto production, which three areas in Castilla y León are not dominated by Tempranillo? Which grapes are primary in each?

Mencía in Bierzo DO

Prieto Picudo in DO Tierra de León, VC Valles de Benavente

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Which is the only DO in Castilla y León where vinos blancos dominate? What is the primary grape? What is it often blended with? (2)

DO Rueda Verdejo Sauvignon Blanc, Viura

If a wine is made from international grapes in Castilla y León, beyond the limits permitted by DO regulations, what origin is on the label?

VT Castilla y León

How are vinos rosados made in Castilla y León?

stainless steel drunk young mostly direct press but some saignée

How is clarete made in Castilla y León? How is it labelled?

Field blend by crushing red and white, vinified like red DO Cigales or VT Castilla y León

What training technique is traditional in Castilla y León?

en vaso (for the heat) many now trellising (for yield, mechanisation)

Which DO in Castilla y León makes mostly rosado? How?

DO Cigales (64%, much is clarete) (also 34% tinto)

Which DO in Castilla y León makes 99% blanco?

DO Rueda

Which DO in Castilla y León has the highest average rainfall?

Bierzo (721 mm)

Which DOs in Castilla y León have the lowest, highest elevation vineyards?

Bierzo (450-850m) Ribero del Duero (760-945m)

Which DOs in Castilla y León have the smallest, largest area under vine?

Cigales (1,948 ha) Ribera del Duero (22,395 ha)

Which DO in Castilla y León does not permit vino blanco?

DO Ribera del Duero

Soils of DO Bierzo?

Granite, limestone, quartzite, slate

Soils of DO Cigales?

Sand, limestone over clay, loam

Soils of DO Ribera del Duero?

32 different, mainly sandy limestone, clay

Soils of DO Rueda?

Gravel (best, drainage), stone, sandy limestone, limestone

Soils of DO Toro?

Sandy, pre-phylloxera vines

Main red grape and white grape in DO Bierzo?

Mencía Godello

In which province is DO Bierzo?

León

What shields DO Bierzo from most maritime influence?

Cordillera Cantábrica

What protects DO Bierzo from frost?

Low elevation, some maritime influence

Does DO Bierzo experience a wet or dry summer? Why?

Dry Part of the Meseta

Main vine training technique in DO Bierzo

en vaso tractors and animals used

Regulations of DO Bierzo: vino tinto must contain...? vino rosado must contain...?

Minimum 70% Mencía Minimum 50% Mencía

DO Cigales is one of Spain's largest producers of what?

Vinos rosados

DO Cigales straddles which river?

Pisuerga (Duero's second largest tributary)

Climatic hazard in DO Cigales?

Drought

Main grape in DO Cigales, and percentage of vineyard?

Tinta del País (Tempranillo) 70%

Four preferred grapes in DO Cigales?

Verdejo Tempranillo Garnacha Tinta Garnacha Gris

DO Cigales regulations re grapes: vino blanco vino rosado vino tinto vino dulce vino espumoso

Blanco: only white grapes, minimum 50% Verdejo (the only preferred grape) Tinto: only red grapes, minimum 50% preferred grapes (there are 3) Rosado/dulce/espumoso: white/ red, minimum 50% preferred

Authorised sweetness of vino espumoso in DO Cigales

Brut Nature Brut Semi-seco Seco

In DO Cigales, local name for family farmers who supply grapes?

majuelos

Depth of historic cellars in DO Cigales

10 m

International varieties being explored in DO Cigales

Sauvignon Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Length and width of DO Ribera del Duero

115 km long 35 km wide

Which monks established monasteries in DO Ribera del Duero in the Middle Ages?

Cistercian Benedictine

Depth of vast interconnected cellars under DO Ribero del Duero?

12 m

Century of first regional quality regulations: "Ordinances of Castilla y León"?

15C

In which centuries were wines from DO Ribera del Duero particularly exported?

17-18C Height of Spanish empire

DO Ribera del Duero has one of the highest average elevations of all the wine regions in...?

Europe

Name the two mountain ranges near DO Ribera del Duero that contribute to its extreme continental climate

Sierra de la Demanda Sierra de Guadarrama

Climatic threat in DO Ribera del Duero

Spring and autumn frost

Only real success in DO Ribera del Duero until the 1970s

Vega Sicilia (Tempranillo with small amounts of Bordeaux varieties)

In the 1970s a winemaker pioneered single variety Tempranillo in DO Ribera del Duero to international success. Name? Around which village?

Alejandro Fernández Pesquera de Duero

Year Ribera del Duero gained DO status, following promotion by a group of producers and growers?

1982

How many producers in DO Ribera del Duero in 1982 when DO awarded, and how many now?

8 approx 270

Synonyms for Tempranillo in DO Ribera del Duero

Tinto Fino Tinta del País

In DO Ribera del Duero, what percent of vineyards are planted with Tempranillo? Max age?

98% over 100 years

DO Ribera del Duero regulations: minimum grapes in red wines?

Min 75% Tempranillo Many choose 100% (Albilla Mayor and Garnacha Tinta must be <5%)

DO Ribera del Duero regulations for vino rosado?

Min 50% authorised red varieties Some using non-indigenous grapes

DO Ribera del Duero minimum ageing by designation, and type of oak?

barrel/to release: Crianza 12/24 mth Reserva 12/36 mth Gran Reserva 24/60 mth French / American ## Footnote Spanish requirements for tinto: Crianza 6/24 mth Reserva 12/36 mth Gran Reserva 18/60 mth DOCa Rioja requirements for tinto: barrel (bottle) / to release: Crianza 12 (none) / 2 years from 1st Oct of harvest year Reserva 12 (6) / 36 mth Gran Reserva 24 (24) / 60 mth

What is the only white grape grown in DO Ribera del Duero, and what is it used for?

Albillo Mayor Vino rosado (and non-DO blanco for local consumption)

Oldest demarcated wine region in Castilla y León?

DO Rueda

How did the production regulations change for DO Rueda in 2008?

Vinos rosados and tintos were authorised (previously only blancos)

Main river in DO Rueda?

Duero

Climatic hazards in DO Rueda?

Late frost Unpredictable and low rainfall

What wines were produced in DO Rueda before and soon after phylloxera?

Rancio fortified 'Tierra de Medina' lauded by Queen Isabella. Bulk wine from Palomino Fino.

Who pioneered Verdejo to success in Rueda, and in which decade?

Francisco Hurtado de Amézaga y Dolagaray (director of Marqués de Riscal in Rioja) 1970s

DO Rueda regulations on Palomino Fino

Authorized No new plantings

DO Rueda production: % white grapes % Verdejo

99% 87%

Training techniques in DO Rueda

Older: en vaso Newer: espaldera

DO Rueda regulations for grapes in vino rosado

Min 50% red grapes

DO Rueda regulations: permitted techniques for making espumoso

Método tradicional 9 months sur-lie

DO Rueda regulations: minimum composition of: Rueda Rueda Verdejo Rueda Sauvignon Rueda Espumoso Rueda Dorado

50% Verdejo 85% Verdejo 85% Sauvignon Blanc Verdejo 50% Seco/Semi-seco / 85% Brut/Brut Nature Oxidatively aged, approved whites

DO Toro bordered by...?

E: Rueda S and W: Tierra del Vino de Zamora

Low, high temperatures in DO Toro

cold winter (to -10ºC) hot summer (to 37ºC)

Climatic hazard in DO Toro

Spring frost

Why does DO Toro have many pre-phylloxera vines?

Sandy soils

Which famous journey packed Toro wines?

Columbus's first trip to the New World

When was Toro granted DO, and in which decade did the process start?

1987 1970s

Is Toro red or white wine country?

Red

Synonyms for Tempranillo in DO Toro

Tinta de Toro

DO Toro red wine is typically aged in French or American oak?

French

DO Toro regulations for red wine?

Minimum 75% Tinta de Toro Many use 100% If bended, Garnacha Tinta

DO Toro regulations for blanco, rosado? Typical grapes?

Blanco: any white grape (Toro Blanco = Malvasía Castellana, Verdejo) Rosado: any authorised white or red grape (Toro Rosado = Garnacha Tinta)

Ageing requirements for DO Toro

Standard

Which Christian orders planted and revived vineyards in Castilla y León?

mainly Cistercians

Outline the legend that got the Camino de Santiago going

Apostle St James’s beheaded remains brought from Jerusalem to Galicia in 44 CE. Abandoned in 3C when Christians busy being persecuted by Romans. 814: hemit sees lights in sky, tomb discovered, king orders a cathedral on site of this miracle.

What effect did phylloxera have on Castille y León?

Late 19C phylloxera devastates vineyards in France, Castilla y León supply wine to French Mid 1880s phylloxera reaches Castilla y León but solution already known

Vega Sicilia was founded in Ribera del Duero: by whom? what year? introducing what three techniques?

Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves 1864 hygiene, Bordeaux vinification, oak barrels

In what year did Vega Sicilia win high honours at the World's Fair in Barcelona?

1929