Catalonia (Catalunya) Flashcards
What is the Catalan name for the autonomía of Catalonia?
Catalunya
Which neighboring French region shares a common culture and lineage with Catalonia?
Roussillon
When did Catalonia and Roussillon split politically, and why?
The regions split in the 17th century when the king of Spain ceded Roussillon to France
What historical and cultural symbol do Catalonia and Roussillon share?
They share a flag with red and yellow stripes, symbolizing their intertwined history
How have Catalan wines evolved in terms of style preferences?
While there was once a shared interest in heavier, fortified, and sweet red wines, Catalonia has moved towards more modern styles
What modern innovations in Spanish winemaking are credited to Catalonia?
Traditional method sparkling winemaking debuted in Catalonia, stainless steel fermentation was introduced by Miguel Torres in the 1960s, and René Barbier planted grapes for a bold new Spanish red wine in Catalonia in 1979
What does Catalonia exemplify in the context of Spanish winemaking?
Catalonia exemplifies the modern face of Spanish winemaking and technological innovation
How does Catalonia balance modernization with tradition in winemaking?
Amidst modernization, Catalonia maintains a backbone of tradition with older styles of wines produced in the same fashion for generations
What is the DOCa (DOQ in Catalan) region in the southwest of Catalonia known for some of Spain’s richest red wines?
Priorat
What is the historical origin of the name “Priorat”?
It is named after Priorato de Scala Dei, a Carthusian monastery founded on the site of a boy’s vision of angels ascending to heaven
What are the traditional grape varieties of Priorat?
Garnacha and Cariñena
What type of soil characterizes the best vineyards in Priorat, and what is it composed of?
Llicorella, composed of black slate and quartzite
Who started the project in Priorat in 1979 that led to the region’s rise in prominence?
Rene Barbier
In what year did Barbier and his colleagues produce their first cooperative red wine in Priorat, and how was it bottled?
In 1989, bottled under five different labels
What are the names of the five original “Clos” wines of Priorat?
Clos Mogador, Clos Dofi, Clos Erasmus, Clos de l’Obac, and Clos Martinet
What is the key factor to manage in winemaking in Priorat due to its warm Mediterranean climate?
Managing alcohol levels, as grapes can ripen unchecked to a potential alcohol of 18%
What category was established in 2009 in Priorat for estate-grown wines from specific villages?
Village category (Vino de Pueblo or Vi de Vila in Catalan)
Which villages in Priorat are included in the Vino de Pueblo category?
12 villages, including Gratallops
What DOQ is almost entirely surrounded by the Montsant DO?
Priorat DOQ
What region was Montsant DO a subzone of before becoming its own DO in 2002?
Tarragona
Which grape varieties dominate both Priorat DOQ and Montsant DO?
Garnacha and Cariñena
What is the historical specialty of Tarragona DO wines?
Fortified rancio or mistela, the Spanish version of vin de liqueur
What is the modern primary use of much of the vineyard area in Tarragona DO?
White varieties for Cava production
What is the most substantial market for Tarragona’s wines today?
Communion wines for Christian churches
What are the neighboring DOs to Tarragona?
Terra Alta DO to the southwest and Conca de Barberà DO to the north
What does Costers del Segre DO span?
Several noncontiguous subzones between Tarragona and Somontano: Pallars Jussà, Artesa de Segre, Valls del Riucorb, Segrià, Garrigues, Urgell, and Raimat
Which estate was integral to the formation of the Raimat subzone in Costers del Segre DO?
The Raïmat estate
Who purchased the land for the Raïmat estate in 1914, and what significant transformation did he achieve?
Manuel Raventós purchased the land and transformed it through canal construction and agricultural restoration, leading to the first commercial vintage over sixty years later
What are the three distinct altitude zones of the Penedès DO?
Baix-Penedès, Medio-Penedès, and Alt-Penedès
Which grape is perfectly suited to cultivation in the Alt-Penedès, one of Europe’s highest altitude winegrowing regions?
Parellada grape
Where is 95% of Cava produced?
Penedès
Which five authorized white grapes are most commonly found in the vineyards of Penedès?
Parellada, Xarel-lo, Macabéo (Macabeu), Malvasía, and Chardonnay
Which grape thrives in the Medio-Penedès?
Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo)
What type of grapes are planted in the lower vineyards of the Baix-Penedès, and what type of wines do they produce?
Sturdier Mediterranean red grapes like Garnacha (Garnatxa) and Monastrell, producing high-alcohol red and rosado wines
What variety is being perpetuated by Vega de Ribes and the Hospital de Sant Joan Baptista in the Baix-Penedès?
The Malvasía de Sitges variety
What recent recognition has the sweet fortified wine Malvasía de Sitges received?
It received the coveted Slow Food “presidia” status
Where is the birthplace of Cava located?
Sant Sadurní d’Anoia in the Alt-Penedès
Who introduced método tradicional sparkling winemaking to Spain, and when?
Jose Raventós of Codorníu in 1872
What are the traditional grapes used in the Cava blend?
Parellada, Xarel-lo, and Macabeu
What distinguishes Cava DO from other Spanish Denominación de Origen?
Cava DO covers a style of wine rather than a specific region
How can you identify a bottle of Cava by its cork?
It has a four-pointed star imprinted on the cork
What are the two largest producers of Cava in the world?
Codorníu and Freixenet (the world’s largest producer of sparkling wines)
What are the grapes allowed for Cava DO wines?
Parellada, Xarel-lo, Macabeu, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Garnacha Tinta, Monastrell, Trepat, and Malvasia (Subirat)
What is the minimum lees aging time for Cava de Guarda?
9 months
What is the minimum lees aging time for Cava de Guarda Superior?
18 months for reserva, 30 months for gran reserva
What grape variety is known as Pansà Blanca in Alella DO?
Xarel-lo
Where is Empordà DO located, and what is its primary focus?
In the northeastern corner of Spain, bordering Banyuls in Roussillon, with a focus on Cariñena rosados
What grapes are successful in Empordà DO besides Cariñena?
Garnacha and international varieties
What does the Pla de Bages DO name derive from?
Bacchus, the Roman god of wine
What type of wines does the Catalunya DO cover?
It covers wineries not included in more specific DO zones and allows more freedom of blending and expression from a range of sites and authorized grapes
What are the two DO zones in the Balearic Islands?
Pla i Llevant and Binissalem Mallorca
Which indigenous grapes are used in the Balearic Islands DO zones?
Manto Negro and Moll (Prensal Blanc)
