Castilla y León Flashcards
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
Capital, largest city of Castilla y León?
No official capital
Valladolid is unofficial capital, and most populous (300k)
Climate of Castilla y León
Continental
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)
How does the climate of northern Castilla y León differ from the rest?
Moderated by maritime influences
In which area of the Meseta is Castilla y León?
The northern, high elevation area
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)
Winter temperatures in Castilla y León
Very cold
(1 - 10ºC
-10ºC)
Summer temperatures in Castilla y León
Warm, sometimes hot]
(13 - 29ºC
40ºC)
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)
Frost period covers which months in Castilla y León?
Oct-May
(late frost a hazard)
What are the two primary topographic areas in Castilla y León?
Duero River Basin
surrounding mountains
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
Where is the source of the river Duero?
In peaks of Sierra de Urbión within Sistema Ibérico, in Castilla y León near La Rioja
Which is the largest river basin in the Iberian Peninsula?
Duero
(97,290 km2
81% in Spain
of which 98% in Castilla y León)
How many soil types in DO Ribera del Duero?
32
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
Why do pre-phylloxera vines still thrive in Castilla y León?
Some soils are sandy enough
Most wines in Castilla y León are what style?
Red (tinto)
Dominant grape in Castilla y León?
Why is it well suited here?
Tempranillo
Thick skin, early ripening, suits extreme temperatures
Which of the 13 DOs in Castilla y León is Tempranillo not authorised in?
Bierzo DO
How many DOs in Castilla y León?
13
Synonyms for Tempranillo in Castilla y León?
Tinto Fino
Tinta del País
Tinta de Toro
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
Which is the only DO in Castilla y León where vinos blancos dominate?
What is the primary grape?
What is it often blended with?
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