Castilla Y Leon Flashcards
What does “Castilla y Leon” stand for?
- The “land of castles”
- Castles were built as fortifications to repel the mors in the early Middle Ages
Where was the birth of the Kingdom of Spain?
Castilla y Leon
-in the 15th Century with the union of Castilla y Leon and Aragon through marriage.
What is the climate of Castilla y Leon? What other aspects define Castilla y Leon?
Continental
-separated from Castilla-la-Mancha by Sistema Central
-high elevation (700-1000M)
-banks of Duero River
What moderates the climate of Castilla y Leon?
Moderated by proximity to Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean
What is the Meseta Central? What is its significance in Castilla y Leon?
Arid central plateau of Spain
-Castilla y Leon sits here
What is the river that flows through Castilla y Leon?
Duero River
What are the DOs of Castilla y Leon?
Bierzo DO
Tierra de León DO
Arlanza DO
Cigales DO
Ribera del Duero DO
Arribes DO
Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO
Toro DO
Rueda DO
What is the largest autonomía in Spain?
Castilla y Leon
Styles of Bierzo?
Blanco: authorized white varieties
Rosado: min. 70% authorized red varieties
Tinto: min. 85% authorized red varieties plus authorized white grapes
Vino clarete: 40% to 60% red grapes plus authorized white grapes; grapes go direct to press except 5 to 10% destemmed grapes which are included in fermentation
Grapes of Bierzo?
Blanco: Doña Blanca, Godello, Malvasía Riojana, Palomino
Tinto: Mencía, Garnacha Tintorera, Esaldiña, and/or Merenzao.
Where will you find the Vino de Paraje classification?
Bierzo
-est 2017
-sits above Vino di Villa (village wine)
-analogous to Burgundy’s lieux-dits
-designated to specific parcels
Who makes the Corullón wines? Why is it significant/describe?
- Descendientes de José Palacios
- Alvaro Palacios (Priorat) with his nephew Ricardo Palacios
- instant fame
- old vine mencia
Major geographical features of Bierzo?
Sierra de los Ancares - shields affects of Atlantic
-Sil River
When was Tierra de León DO upgraded from VdlT and what kind of wine is made?
2007
reds whites and rosados
best are reds from Mencía and local Prieto picudo
What two towns are surrounded by Ribera del Duero?
Aranda de Duero and Peñafiel
Who founded Vega Sicilia? When? What new winemaker achieved international acclaim?
Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves
1864 - planted BDX varietals and PN next to temp
Domingo Txomin’s 1917/18 Único at Barcelona’s World Fair

What is the blend of Único?
Tinto del Pais (tempranillo), Cab Sauv, Merlot
Often aged over 10 yrs
American and French Oak
When did RdD achieve DO?
1982
Who is rival of Vega Sicilia in RdD?
Pesquera, since 1980s

Two other cult wineries in RdD?
Dominio de Pingus
Aalto

Styles authorized for RdD DO?
Blanco: min. 75% Albillo Mayor
Rosado or Clarete: min. 50% authorized red varieties
Tinto: min. 95% authorized red grapes with a min. 75% Tinta del País / Tinto Fino
Grapes of RdD DO?
Recommended: Tinta del País / Tinto Fino (Tempranillo)
Authorized: Garnacha, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Albillo Mayor
List 5 producers from RdD.
Vega Sicilia
Dominio de Pingus
Presquera
Bodegas Valduero
AALTO
Viña Sastre
What is tempranillo known as in RdD?
Tinto del País
Tinto Fino
When did Rueda achieve DO? What is the main white grape here and who rejuvenated it?
- 1980
- Verdejo rejuvenated by Marques de Riscal in 70s
- Often blended with Viura, if not then varietal Verdejo and varietal Sauv b allowed (85%)
Styles of Rueda.
Blanco
Rosado
Tinto
Vino Espumoso
Vino Espumoso Rosado
Vino de Licor (fortified)
What is Dorado?
Dry fortified oxidized wine in Rueda
- not popular anymore
What are Espumoso?
Sparkling wines produced in rosado and white styles in Rueda
Grape requirement for Brut Espumoso in Rueda?
Minimium 85% Verdejo
Aging requirements for Espumoso in Rueda? Gran Añada?
Espumoso - 9 months on lees
Gran Añada - 36 months on lees as of 2020
What is tinto de toro?
local strain of Tempranillo in Toro DO
What is climate like in Toro DO?
Hot, dry, continental summers - easy ripens tinto de toro
Climate of Ribera del Duero
High plateau avg 850m
cool nights
warm days
spring frosts
autumn rain
how are rosados made in Toro DO?
saignee blend of tinto de toro and garnacha
What is Vega Sicilia’s project in Toro DO?
Bodegas Pintia

How long is Vega Secilia Valbuena aged before release?
5 years
What is the sister bodega of Vega Secilia in Ribera del Duero?
Alion
-aged for a shorter time in new French oak

What is Dorado?
- Dry fortified oxidized wine in Rueda
- not popular anymore
- Min 15% abv
-Aged min 4 years, with 2 in wood
What well known producer has staked claim in Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO?
Alejándro Fernández of Pesquera of RdD
- founded Dehesa la Granja in Zamora

What is minimum percentage of tempranillo required in Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO?
-Minimum 75% tempranillo
What DO of Castilla y León borders Portugal?
- Arribes
Blanco: 60% Malvasia, plus
Rosado/Tinto: 60% Juan García, Rufete, Tempranillo, plus
Where is Cigales DO in relation to Duero? What is this region most noted for?
- Not right on border
- North of Valladolid (NW of RdD)
- Noted for rosado and nuevo rosado production
- also make sweet and espumoso wines
- verdejo and tempranillo main grapes
White grape of Cigales DO.
Minimum 50% Verdejo
Red grapes of Cigales DO.
Tinta del País (Tempranillo), Garnacha Tinta, Garnacha Gris
Authorized: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah
When was Arlanza DO achieved? Grapes?
2007 - one of Spains newest
white - albilla, viura
rose/red - tinto del país, garnacha, merlot, BDX grapes
What is Dominio Pingus’ second wine?
Flor de Pingus
- 100% tempranillo from rented vineyards
- 35+ year old vines
- biodynamic

What makes Pingus Special?
- 100% tempranillo
- 2.5 hectares (6.2 acres) in Barrosso with vines older than 65 years
- 1.5 hectares in San Cristobal with vines older than 70 years
- yields of 12 hl/ha
- less than 500 cases made each year
- not made in poor vintages
- biodynamic
What is RdD “Amelia”?
- Made by Pingus
- single barrel cuvee
- 100+ year old vines
- yields of 10hl/ha
- biodynamic -25 cases made

What is the “PSI” project in RdD?
- Pingus project
- joint project based on fruit produced by local grape growers from old tempranillo vines. The goal is to help grape producers and save old vines
- Grape growers are encouraged to employ biodynamic or organic vineyard management practices.

Where is Numanthia-Termes?
Toro DO

What colors does the Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO produce?
- Red
- White
- Rosado
- Clarete (A lighter rosé made from similar grapes)
Where is Fariña located?
Toro DO

What are all commercial rosados in Ribera del Duero DO bottled as?
Vino Joven
-Crianza has not been produced in over a decade
Which autonomía is Rueda in?
Castilla y León
Can Rueda DO be espumoso?
- Yes, white or rosado
- Brut must be min 85% Verdejo
What wine region of Spain is one of its oldest, dating back to the 17th century, and has history being exported to England?
Ribeiro DO
Which autonomía is Arribes DO in?
Castilla y León
Which autonomía is Cigales DO in?
Castilla y León
What DOs does the Duero River pass through?
- Ribera del Duero DO
- Rueda DO
- Toro DO
- Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO
- Arribes DO
Which autonomía is Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO in?
Castilla y León
What region produces Clarete? What is it?
Tierra del Vino de Zamora
A light rosé
What is the modern training in Ribera del Duero? Where will you find it?
En Espalier: trellised, Guyot-trained vines. Found in more fertile, low-elevation vineyards, and used to produce joven or rosado wines.
What is the traditional training in Ribera del Duero?
En Vaso (bush vines), widely spaced - 2,000-2,500 vines per hectare
What are the four provinces of production in Ribera del Duero?
Valladolid (west, “millla de oro”)
Burgos (central, 80% of the DO’s vineyards)
Soria (east)
Segovia (south)
What bodegas on are on the Milla de Oro, and where does it go?
West to East from Tudela de Duero to Peñafiel.
Mauro
Abadia Retuerta
Pingus
Vega Sicilia
Hacienda Monasteria
Alion
Red Rueda is often bottled under what appellation?
Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León
What Toro property is owned by Michel and Dany Rolland?
Campo Eliseo
Who owns Numanthia?
LVMH (2008)
What happened in 1995 that caused a major shift in Spain’s productivity?
Irrigation was officially legalized.
Why are vines in Spain often planted much farther apart than in other major wine regions?
The very dry soil (summer drought is the country’s biggest viticultural hazard) cannot support many vines, so they are spread out to reduce competition.
What are the four DOs of Castilla y León that lie north of Ribera del Duero?
Bierzo
Tierra de Léon
Cigales DO (Northwest)
Arlanza DO (Due North)
What are the two DOs of Castilla y León that lie north of Ribera del Duero?
Cigales DO (Northwest)
Arlanza DO (Due North)
How is Toro Rosado made?
By saignée, of garnacha and tinta do toro
What styles are permitted to label Crianza/Reserva/Gran Reserva in Toro?
Tinto Only
Rueda: aging
Crianza:
Blanco/Rosado: Wines must be aged for a min. 18 months, including at least 6 months in oak (max. 330 liter barrels)
Tinto: Wines must be aged for a min. 2 years, including at least 6 months in oak (max. 330 liter barrels)
Reserva:
Blanco/Rosado: Wines must be aged for a min. 2 years, including at least 6 months in oak
Tinto: Wines must be aged for a min. 3 years, including at least 1 year in oak
Gran Reserva:
Blanco/Rosado: Wines must be aged for a min. 4 years, including at least 6 months in oak
Tinto: Wines must be aged for a min. of 5 years, including at least 2 years in oak and 3 years in bottle
Bierzo: Principal soils
Loose alluvials, sand, granite
450-1000M elevation
Aging of Ribera del Duero
Roble/Barrica: min. 3 months in oak (max. 600 liter capacity)
Crianza:
Blanco/Rosado/Clarete: min. 18 months, including at least 6 months in oak (max. 330 liter capacity)
Tinto: min. 2 years, including at least 1 year in oak (max. 330 liter capacity)
Reserva:
Blanco/Rosado/Clarete: min. 2 years, including at least 6 months in oak (max. 330 liter capacity)
Tinto: min. 3 years, including at least 1 year in oak (max. 330 liter capacity)
Gran Reserva:
Blanco/Rosado/Clarete: min. 4 years, including at least 6 months in oak (max. 330 liter capacity)
Tinto: min. 5 years, including at least 2 years in oak (max. 330 liter capacity)