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Spanish Wine Scholar > Castilla y León > Flashcards

Castilla y León Flashcards

1
Q

What is Castilla y León bordered by?

A

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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2
Q

Capital, largest city of Castilla y León?

A

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

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3
Q

Climate of Castilla y León

A

Continental

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4
Q

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

A

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

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5
Q

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

A

Moderated by maritime influences

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6
Q

In which area of the Meseta is Castilla y León?

A

The northern, high elevation area

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7
Q

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.

A

Coldest

(Burgos
Soria
Ávila)

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8
Q

Winter temperatures in Castilla y León

A

Very cold
(1 - 10ºC
-10ºC)

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9
Q

Summer temperatures in Castilla y León

A

Warm, sometimes hot]
(13 - 29ºC
40ºC)

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10
Q

Castilla y León annual precipitation:
on plains
in mountains

A

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

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11
Q

Frost period covers which months in Castilla y León?

A

Oct-May
(late frost a hazard)

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12
Q

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

A

Duero River Basin
surrounding mountains

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13
Q

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

A

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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14
Q

Where is the source of the river Duero?

A

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

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15
Q

Which is the largest river basin in the Iberian Peninsula?

A

Duero

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

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16
Q

How many soil types in DO Ribera del Duero?

A

32

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17
Q

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

A

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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18
Q

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

A

Some soils are sandy enough

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19
Q

Most wines in Castilla y León are what style?

A

Red (tinto)

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20
Q

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

A

Tempranillo
Thick skin, early ripening, suits extreme temperatures

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21
Q

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

A

Bierzo DO

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22
Q

How many DOs in Castilla y León?

A

13

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23
Q

Synonyms for Tempranillo in Castilla y León?

A

Tinto Fino
Tinta del País
Tinta de Toro

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24
Q

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

A

Mencía in Bierzo DO

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

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25
Q

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)

A

DO Rueda
Verdejo
Sauvignon Blanc, Viura

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26
Q

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?

A

VT Castilla y León

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27
Q

How are vinos rosados made in Castilla y León?

A

stainless steel
drunk young
mostly direct press but some saignée

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28
Q

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

A

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

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29
Q

What training technique is traditional in Castilla y León?

A

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

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30
Q

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

A

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

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31
Q

Which DO in Castilla y León makes 99% blanco?

A

DO Rueda

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32
Q

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

A

Bierzo (721 mm)

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33
Q

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

A

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

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34
Q

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

A

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

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35
Q

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

A

DO Ribera del Duero

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36
Q

Soils of DO Bierzo?

A

Granite, limestone, quartzite, slate

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37
Q

Soils of DO Cigales?

A

Sand, limestone over clay, loam

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38
Q

Soils of DO Ribera del Duero?

A

32 different, mainly sandy limestone, clay

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39
Q

Soils of DO Rueda?

A

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

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40
Q

Soils of DO Toro?

A

Sandy, pre-phylloxera vines

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41
Q

Main red grape and white grape in DO Bierzo?

A

Mencía
Godello

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42
Q

In which province is DO Bierzo?

43
Q

What shields DO Bierzo from most maritime influence?

A

Cordillera Cantábrica

44
Q

What protects DO Bierzo from frost?

A

Low elevation, some maritime influence

45
Q

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

A

Dry
Part of the Meseta

46
Q

Main vine training technique in DO Bierzo

A

en vaso
tractors and animals used

47
Q

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

A

Minimum 70% Mencía
Minimum 50% Mencía

48
Q

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

A

Vinos rosados

49
Q

DO Cigales straddles which river?

A

Pisuerga
(Duero’s second largest tributary)

50
Q

Climatic hazard in DO Cigales?

51
Q

Main grape in DO Cigales, and percentage of vineyard?

A

Tinta del País (Tempranillo)
70%

52
Q

Four preferred grapes in DO Cigales?

A

Verdejo
Tempranillo
Garnacha Tinta
Garnacha Gris

53
Q

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

A

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

54
Q

Authorised styles of vino espumoso in DO Cigales

A

Brut Nature
Brut
Semi-seco
Seco

55
Q

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

56
Q

Depth of historic cellars in DO Cigales

57
Q

International varieties being explored in DO Cigales

A

Sauvignon Blanc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot

58
Q

Length and width of DO Ribera del Duero

A

115 km long
35 km wide

59
Q

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

A

Cistercian
Benedictine

60
Q

Depth of vast interconnected cellars under DO Ribero del Duero?

61
Q

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

62
Q

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

A

17-18C
Height of Spanish empire

63
Q

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

64
Q

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

A

Sierra de la Demanda
Sierra de Guadarrama

65
Q

Climatic threat in DO Ribera del Duero

A

Spring and autumn frost

66
Q

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

A

Vega Sicilia
(Tempranillo with small amounts of Bordeaux varieties)

67
Q

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

A

Alejandro Fernández
Pesquera de Duero

68
Q

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

69
Q

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

A

8
approx 270

70
Q

Synonyms for Tempranillo in DO Ribera del Duero

A

Tinto Fino
Tinta del País

71
Q

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

A

98%
over 100 years

72
Q

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

A

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

73
Q

DO Ribera del Duero regulations for vino rosado?

A

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

74
Q

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

A

barrel/to release:
Crianza 12/24 mth
Reserva 12/36 mth
Gran Reserva 24/60 mth
French / American

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

75
Q

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

A

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

76
Q

Oldest demarcated wine region in Castilla y León?

77
Q

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

A

Vinos rosados and tintos were authorised (previously only blancos)

78
Q

Main river in DO Rueda?

79
Q

Climatic hazards in DO Rueda?

A

Late frost
Unpredictable and low rainfall

80
Q

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

A

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

81
Q

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

A

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

82
Q

DO Rueda regulations on Palomino Fino

A

Authorized
No new plantings

83
Q

DO Rueda production:
% white grapes
% Verdejo

84
Q

Training techniques in DO Rueda

A

Older: en vaso
Newer: espaldera

85
Q

DO Rueda regulations for grapes in vino rosado

A

Min 50% red grapes

86
Q

DO Rueda regulations: permitted techniques for making espumoso

A

Método tradicional
9 months sur-lie

87
Q

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

A

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

88
Q

DO Toro bordered by…?

A

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

89
Q

Low, high temperatures in DO Toro

A

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

90
Q

Climatic hazard in DO Toro

A

Spring frost

91
Q

Why does DO Toro have many pre-phylloxera vines?

A

Sandy soils

92
Q

Which famous journey packed Toro wines?

A

Columbus’s first trip to the New World

93
Q

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

94
Q

Is Toro red or white wine country?

95
Q

Synonyms for Tempranillo in DO Toro

A

Tinta de Toro

96
Q

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

97
Q

DO Toro regulations for red wine?

A

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

98
Q

DO Toro regulations for blanco, rosado? Typical grapes?

A

Blanco: any white grape (Toro Blanco = Malvasía Castellana, Verdejo)

Rosado: any authorised white or red grape (Toro Rosado = Garnacha Tinta)

99
Q

Ageing requirements for DO Toro

100
Q

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

A

mainly Cistercians

101
Q

Outline the legend that got the Camino de Santiago going

A

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.

102
Q

What effect did phylloxera have on Castille y León?

A

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

103
Q

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

A

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

104
Q

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

Spanish Wine Scholar (25 decks)

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