Catalonia (Catalunya) Flashcards
What mountain range separates Catalonia and France?? What region in France is closest?
- Pyrenees
- Roussillon
Culturally and technologically, what is Catalonia known for? Who helped?
- industry, wealth and modernization
- Miguel torres brought stainless steel ferment here
- traditional method sparkling debuted here
- René Barbier sought for new bold Spanish red - tried here
What quality level is Priorat? What is this in catalan?
DOCa = DOQ
When did Priorat get DOCa
2009
-recognized as DOQ in 2000….
What is Priorat named after?
Carthusian monastary Priorato de Scala Dei
Colors produced in Priorat? Grapes?
- MOSTLY red - Garnacha, Samsó (Cariñena)
- white - garnacha blanca, macabeo, PX, moscatel, Xarel-lo
- also rosado, vino rancio, mistela, VDN
What is the soil of the best vineyards in Priorat? Describe
- Llicorella!
- black slate and quartzite - requires vines to DIG
What is Vi de la Vila?
-Village wines (Vino de Pueblo)
Most important Vi de la Vila in Priorat?
- Gratallops
* where Barbier first planted mix of local and french wines leading to “5 Clos”
Who is Rene Barbier and why relevant to Priorat?
- winemaker for Palacios in 1979
- planted local and friench vines in llicorella in Gratallops, convinced Palacios and friends to join
- led to 5 Clos
When was first wine from Clos of Priorat produced? When did Clos split to focus of separate prodcution?
- 1989
- was cooperatively made and released under 5 labels
- Split in 1991 to do their own thing
5 Original Clos of Priorat? Who is behind them and which changed?
- Clos Mogador (Barbier)
- Clos Dofi (Palacios)
- Clos Erasmus
- Clos de l’Obac –> Costers del Siurana
- Clos Martinet –> Mas Martinet
Other notable Priorat producers (beyond clos)
- Vall Llach (scottish overlord….)
- Scala Dei
Min alcohol for red wines from Priorat
13.5
Donut shaped DO around Priorat?
Montsant DO
When did Montsant become a DO what was it a subzone of before?
2002
-subzone of Tarragona DO
Styles and grapes of Montsant
- “value alternative to Priorat”
- white - Chard, Garnatxa Blanca, Pansa Blanca (Xarel·lo)
- rosado, red - Garnatxa, Carignan, CS
- rancio, mistela, VDN…
What is Pansa Blanca
- Xarel·lo in Montsant
- can make Vimblanc: Vi de Licor, 100% Pansa (dried grapes, fortified)
What was Tarragona DO historically known for?
What is it currently most known for?
What have many vineyards been replanted for?
- historically known for fortified
- now communion wine most substantial market!
- many replanted for white cava grapes
Where is Tarragona DO?
Larger region around Montsant (which is around Priorat) in Catalonia
Where is Terra Alta DO?
Where is Conca de Barberá DO?
Terra Alta DO
—SW of Tarragona DO
Conca de Barberá DO
—N of Tarragona, between Costers del Segre to West an Penedes to east
Where is Costers del Segre DO? What is most important subzone?
- non-contiguous
- NW of Tarragona and Conca de Barbera between those and Somontano
-Raïmat is most important subzone
Why is Raïmat estate important?
- Integral to formation of Raïmat subzone in Costers del Segre DO
- Manuel Raventós purchased the land when it was arid and fertile in 1914 and after reconstructing released 1st commercial vintage over 60 yrs later!
Where is Penedès DO?
Along Catalan coast, northeast of Tarragona
3 Altitude zones of Penedès:
-best grapes for each
Baix-Penedès
- –sturdier grapes like Garnacha and Monastrell
- –high alcohol red/rosado
Medio-Penedès
—Ull de Llebre (tempranillo)
Alt-Penedès - one of Europe’s highest growing regions
—Parellada (Cava grape!)
Where is 95% of Cava produced?
Penedès! even though it has its own DO
Cava grapes
Blanco
- Recommended:
- –Parellada
- –Macabeu
- –Xarel·lo
- (Auth): Chardonnay, Malvasía
Tinto
- -Pinot Noir
- -Monastrell
- -Garnatxa Negre
- -Trepat (may only be used for rosé)
Two producers in Baix-Penedès making historic Malvasia de Sitges as sweet fortified wine?
- Hospital de Sant Joan Baptista
- Vega de Ribes
What is the birthplace of Cava? Where is it?
- San Sadurní d’Anoia
- –Jose Raventós of Codorníu
- Alt-Penedès
Who introduced traditional method sparkling winemaking to Spain? When?
Jose Raventós of Codorníu
1872
Top two largest producers of Cava?
1 - Freixenet **world’s largest producer of sparkling wine!!
2 - Codorníu
Is more sparkling wine made in Cava or Champagne?
Cava! Most in world
Where did standard dosage levels found in Champagne originate? Any other tech?
Cava! and gyropalatte
Aging reqs for Cava
- 9 months on lees for basic bottling
- 15 months for reserva
- 30 months for gran reserva
What is the only Do in Spain that covers a style, not region
- Cava!
- but yes there are mapped regions that it must fall inside
If you see a cork with four pointed star, what is it probably?
Cava!
Where is Alella DO? Most known for?
- NE of Penedés, on coast
- Xarel-lo (known as Pansà Blanca) as still dry white or Cava blend
(Catalonia)
Where is Empordà DO? Most known for?
- NE corner of Spain, borders Banyuls!
- rosado from Cariñena
What Spanish DO boders Banyuls?
Empordà DO
Where is Pla de Bages DO? Most known for?
- North of Penedés, inland
- newer DO (2006)
- similar grapes to Penedés
What is the DO for all of Catalonia?
- Catalunya DO
- whole autonomia
- more freedom of blending and expression
Two DO zones of Balearic islands autonomia?
- Pla i Llevant
- Binissalem Mallorca
-international and indigenous grapes
(Manto Negro, Moll (Presac Blanc))
Where is Balearic islands autonomia? What culture related to?
- Island of Majorca in Balearic Sea
- closley related to Catalan culture
DOs/DOQs of Catalonia
Alella DO Catalunya DO Cava DO Conca de Barberà DO Costers del Segre DO Empordà DO Montsant DO Penedès DO Pla de Bages DO Tarragona DO Terra Alta DO Priorat DOQ
