Catalonia Flashcards
What autonomía is the birthplace of modern winemaking?
Catalonia
What is the major soil type in Priorat?
Lllicorella, a black slate/quartzite mix
What are the traditional varieties of Priorat?
Garnacha and Cariñena. However, international varieties (and barrique treatment) are tremendously popular
Authorized styles and varieties for Priorat
Blanco: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, PX, Chenin, Moscatel de Alejandria, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Xarel-lo, Picapoll Blanc Tinto: Garnacha Tinta, Samsó, plus Vino Rancio (unfortified), Mistela, VDN
What two DO’s surround Priorat, stretching to the Mediterranean?
Monsant DO (a ring around Priorat) Tarragona DO (larger, extending to the coast)
What are the traditional wines of Tarragona DO?
Fortified rancio or mistela
What is Mistela?
Vin de Liqueur
What is important about Costers del Segre, geographically speaking?
It encompasses a series of non-contiguous subzones: Pallars Jussá Artesa de Segre Urgell Segrià Raïmat Valls du Riucorb Garrigues
What two DO’s border Tarragona?
Terra Alta DO (Southwest)
Conca de Barberá DO (North)
What are the three subzones of Penedès?
Baix-Penedès
Medio-Penedès
Alt-Penedès
Divided by Altitude
What % of Cava is produced in Penedès?
95.00%
What are the authorized grapes for Cava?
Macabéo, Parellada, Xarel-lo, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Garnacha Tinta, Monastrell, Trepat, Subirat (Malvasia)
Where is the best zone for Parellada?
Alt-Penedès
What does Reserva/Reserva Superior mean on a bottle of sparkling?
24mos on the lees
What is the Catalan synonym for Tempranillo? Where might you find it?
Ull de Llebre
Medio-Penedès
What is Malvasia de Sitges?
A sweet fortified wine from the Baix-Penedès, currently produced by Vega de Ribes and Hospital de Sant Joan Baptista.
Holds Slow Food “presidia” status, helping to save it from extinction.
What is the birthplace of Cava? Who was the founding winemaker?
San Sadurni d’Anoia in the Alt-Penedès, pioneered by Jose Raventós of Cordorníu in 1872.
What is unique about Cava DO?
It is the only DO is Spain to cover a style rather than a region.
How long does basic Cava age sur lie?
9mos
How long does reserva Cava age sur lie?
15mos
How long does gran reserva Cava age sur lie?
30mos
How can you tell a bottle of Cava by the cork?
A four pointed star (also, the muselet twists the wrong way!)
What are the permitted training systems for Cava?
En Vaso
En Espaldera: Cordón, Vara y Pulgar
Where is Xarel-lo made into dry white wine? What is the local synonym?
Alella DO
Pansà Blanca
Where is Empordà DO? What is the major style?
On the French border, directly across from Collioure. Cariñena rosados dominate, but garnacha and international varieties are grown as well.
What is Garnatxa de l’Empordà?
VDN, rubí (garnacha tinta) or ámbar (garnacha blanca), min must weight 270g/L
Crianza: 3 years, 1 in oak
Reserva: 5 years, 4 in oak
Gran Reserva: 8 years, 6 in oak
Where is Pla del Bages DO?
Northwest of Penedès, featuring both international and indigenous grapes.
What is the purpose of Catalunya DO?
It encompasses the entire autonomía, covering wineries outside the other DOs and allowing more liberal blending of sites and grapes.
What are the DOs of the Balearic Islands?
Pla i Llevant DO
Binissalem Mallorca DO
What are the major grapes of the Balearic Islands?
Manto Negro
Moll (Prensal Blanc)
What are the twelve DOs of Catalonia?
Priorat Monsant Tarragona Terra Alta Conca de Barberá Penedès Costers del Segre Empordà Alella Pla del Bages Pla i Llevant Binissalem Mallorca
What is the Priorato di Scala Dei?
A Carthusian monastery, from which Priorat takes its name.
What is Vino de Pueblo? When and where was it established?
A village category in Priorat for estate-grown wines from 12 villages, established in 2009.
Vino de Pueblo wines must include 60% recommended varieties, or 50% if only one is present.
What is Vi de la Vila?
The Catalan term for Vino de Pueblo
Name three Vi de Vila villages:
La Morera de Monsant Gratallops Bellmunt del Priorat Escaladei Porrera Poboleda La Vilella Baixa La Vilella Alta El Lloar Masos del Terme de Falset Solanes del Terme de El Molar Torroja del Priorat
What styles are produced in Priorat?
Blanco, Rosado, Tinto Vino Rancio (Tinto and Blanco, NOT FORTIFIED) Mistela (Tinto and Blanco)= VDN (min. must weight of 320)
What are the varietal requirements for Vi de la Vila?
Minimum 60% recommended varieties, or min 50% recommended varieties if only one is present for reds and rosados; whites may be produced from all varieties.
White: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Chenin, Picapoll Blanco, Pedro Ximénez, Moscatel Grano Menudo/Alejandria
Red: Garnacha Tinta, Samsó
What is Samsó?
Carignan/Mazuelo in Priorat
What are the two largest Cava houses?
Freixenet and Cordorníu
What is Vino Vimblanc?
VdL from Monsant; Fortified wine of 100% Pansa (Xarel-lo) made from dried grapes
Also produced in Tarragona.
How does Vino Rancio in Monsant and Tarragona differ from that of Priorat?
Fortification (none in Priorat)
What is Vino de Aguja?
Semi-sparkling wine 1-2.5 atmospheres
What is the minimum pressure for Vino Espumoso?
3.5 atmospheres
What is Vino Dulce de Uva Sobremadurada?
VdL of overripe grapes (Penedès)
What does Vino de Guarda indicate?
12mos in wood
What are the requirements for Vi de Finca?
Wines are from a single vineyard, and said vineyard has been registered with the Consejo for at least 5 years.
Max yield 65L/100kg of grapes, and 15% under the max yield of the parent DO.
The wine must have been in the market under the vineyard name for at least 10 years.
What are the current Vi de Finca?
Clos Mogador (2006) Mas de la Rosa, Vall Lach (2013) La Scala/Gigi/Palau/Le Havre, Jean Leon (2013) Teixar, Vinyes Domenech (2014) Arnau Oller, Oller del Mas (2015)
