Catalonia Flashcards
Who is Antoni Gaudí?
An architect of magnificent creativity. Foremost leader in the Catalan Modernist movement. Several of his works are considered UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
What is the major city in Catalonia?
Barcelona
Is Catalonia influenced by the Mediterranean?
Yes
What borders Catalonia to the North? South? East? West?
Pyrenees Mountains and Roussillon.
Valencia.
Mediterranean Sea.
Aragon.
How many DOs are in Catalonia? (2020)
11
What is Denominación de Origen Calificada changed to in Catalonia?
DOQ - Denominació d’Origen Qualificada
What are the five most important DOs in Catalonia?
Catalunya DO, Cava DO, Montsant DO, Penedès, Priorat DOQ
What are the major grapes in Cava DO?
Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo
Describe the unique shape of Montsant DO.
It’s almost a doughnut! Surrounding Priorat.
What are the major grapes in Monstant DO?
Garnacha, Cariñena
What’s the deal with Penedès DO? What grapes do they use?
They mainly focus on Parellada, Macabeo and Xarel-lo, but they can make everything but fortified wines, including sparkling that doesn’t have to be labeled Cava.
What are the main grapes in Priorat DOQ?
Garnatxa (Garnacha), Carinyena/Samsó/Cariñena (Carignan)
Tell me about the monastery in Priorat that laid the foundation for the appellation.
They were Carthusian monks, and the monastery was called Scala Dei. They worked vineyards for over 600 years.
When did the “Winemaking revolution” happen in Priorat? Who were the two main influencers and what did they do?
In the 1980s & 90s, René Barbier and Álvaro Palacios planted French varieties alongside native ones and modernized vinification & aging practices.
What is “Vi de Vila”?
Village Wine - an allowance for a wine to be labeled with one of the twelve villages in Priorat.
What are Ilicorella soils?
A type of Schist soil made of Black Slate and Quartz, these soils have excellent drainage.
What styles are permitted in Priorat?
White, Rosé, Rancio, Sweet and Red wines.
What is Monstant like compared to Priorat?
Less expensive, but still powerful reds.
What Antonymous communities can produce Cava?
Catalonia, Aragon, Basque Country, Navarra, La Rioja, Valencia and Extremadura.
What percentage of Cava comes from Catalonia? (2020)
95% - roughly.
Who was the first producer of traditional method sparkling wine? In what year? Where was it?
José Raventós (Codorníu family), in 1872, in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia
What is the central historic town of the Cava DO?
Sant Sadurní d’Anoia
What is unique about the way that land was mapped out for the Cava DO?
So that they would be in compliance with EU regulations, they made the DO coincide with the vineyards of producers through Spain who were already producing Cava when the DO was established.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are permitted for use in Cava Do. True or False…
True!
Does age classification in Cava DO refer to total time spent aging, or to the time spent on the lees before disgorgement?
Time spent on lees before disgorgement.
Lees aging requirements for Cava
9 months
Lees aging requirements for Reserva Cava
15 months
Lees aging requirements for Gran Reserva Cava
30 months
Lees aging requirements for Cava de Paraje
36 months
What are the three additional requirements that must be met in order to declare Cava de Paraje?
1) The wine must come from a single estate.
2) The grapes must be harvested by hand from vines that are a minimum of 10 years old.
3) Wines must be vintage dated.
Blending red and white wines to create rosé is permitted in Cava… True or False?
FALSE! Red grapes must be vinified into rosé during the first fermentation.
Penedès DO only makes sparkling wine… True or False?
FALSE!
When was the Clàssic Penedès subclassification established?
2013
What are the four main requirements for Clàssic Penedès production?
1) Grapes must be Organic
2) Base wine cannot be purchased, and with each step of production must happen within their own premises.
3) Wines must be kept on the lees for a minimum of 15 months.
4) Wines must be vintage dated, and display the date of disgorgement.
What is Corpinnat and when was it started?
Started in 2017, it is a category of sparkling wine that is approved by the EU, but not the Consejo Regulado. It is an association of producers who adhere to firmer standards of production than Cava or Clàssic Penedès.
How is Corpinnat defined as a place?
It is a specific, smaller, geographical area within the Penedès DO.
Who are the six founding producers of Corpinnat?
Gramona, Recaredo, Llopart, Nadal, Sabaté i Coca, Torelló
What are the three core requirements of Corpinnat?
1) All grapes must be hand harvested and organic.
2) Wines must be comprised of a minimum 90% of the historic Penedès varieties, Macabeo, Paraellada, and Xarel-lo
3) Wines must be completely vinified on the winery property and aged a minimum of 18 months before release.
What is the main style of wine in Empordà?
Table and fortified from both red and white grapes.
What is Xarel-lo called in Alella? What types of wine does it make?
Pansà Blanca, still dry whites and Cava.
What native red varietal is produced in Conca de Barberà? Describe it’s body.
Trepat, makes light reds.
What are the seven less frequently encountered DOs in Catalonia?
Empordà Alella Conca de Barberà Pla de Bages Tarragona Costers del Segre Terra Alta
What is Tarragona known for producing?
Vermouth!
What is Terra Alta known for producing?
Garnacha Blanca
