Cataluña Flashcards
Where was the porron developed? What is its purpose?
Cataluña; a traditional glass wine pitcher that promotes sharing of wine among several people from a single vessel without compromise of hygiene [when practicing the use of a parron, try water instead of wine!]
What and where is the largest outdoor market in Europe?
La Bocqueria in Barcelona [B-B}
What is the caganer? dating from what time?
the toy “crapper” appeared in nativity scenes in the 17th and 18th century in Cataluña.
What are borders of Cataluña?
N: France (and Andorra); E: Mediterranean Sea; W: Aragón; S: Valencia
What was sequence of civilizations in Cataluña?
Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthagenians, Romans, Visigoths, Moors, Christians, Franco, ETA, …
Where was the first wine region of Spain to be affected by phylloxera?
Empordà in Cataluña, on the border of France with a high level of cross border traffic [However, Galicia and Canary Islands vineyards were devastated by North American molds many years before.]
What were the first DO’s designated by the Catalan government?
7 in 1972, Alella, Concha de Barberà, Empordà, Penedès, Priorat, Tarragona, Terre Alta
What are the NTK DO’s in Cataluña?
7 of which 4 historic ones: Empordà, Penedès, Priorat, Terra Alta plus 3 new ones:, Catalunya, Cava, Montsant **
What are the provinces in Cataluña?
4**, Lleida is inland, the others, from N to S: Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, are coastal [LBGT, out of order]
What are the major topographic features of Cataluña?
4: Pyrenees, Central Catalan Depression, Cordilleras Costero Catalanas, Rivers
What are the major rivers in Cataluña?
Ter, Llobregat, Siurana, Ebro
What are the coastal soils in Cataluña?
limestone, alluvial, clay [matches Navarra]
What are the Pre-Littoral soils in Cataluña?
slate and granite [think Priorat]
In which DO’s is llicorella found?
Priorat [!], Monsant, Concha de Barbera** [CMP]
Ull de Llebre is a synonym for which grape?
Tempranillo in Cataluña** (literally ‘eye of the hare’)
What are primary grapes used in making Cava?
Xarel.lo, Macabeo and Parelledo**
Which autonomous Spanish region (and which included DO?) is most strongly associated with Garnacha Blanca?
Cataluña** (especially DO Terra Alta)
DO Cataluña covers what part of Cataluña?
All the DO’s and some, but not all of the remaining area (basically an umbrella DO, perhaps more appropriately it might have been designated as a less prestigious VT)
What regions are authorized to produce Cava?
7 total: Cataluña, Rioja, Pais Vasco, Navarro, Aragon, Valencia, Extremadura**[six contiguous regions plus one]
What aspects of wine quality do each of the primary component grapes of Cava bring to the blend?
Xarel.lo > acid/freshness (“allows the aging”); Parellada > mid-palate texture, body (“soft mouth feel and most fruity aromas”); Macabeo > elegance (“aromas of the Mediterranean forest”)
Which traditional Cava grape is the last to ripen?
Parellada
For the Cordilleras Costero-Catalans mountain range, what is the orientation and what are the components?
parallel to Cataluña’s coast; two ranges, Litoral (closest to coast) and Prelitoral (further inland) **
What is Pansa Blanca?
synonym for Xarel.lo [PBX]
Where did the wine cooperative movement first take hold in Spain?
Cataluña, where it remains important**
For cava rosado, what is minimum amount of red grapes?
25%**
What is the relevance of DO Alella?
decreased current relevance - a small and shrinking DO (due to urban sprawl) which is located along the coast north of Barcelona; it has a rich wine history with roots dating back to Roman time; it is notable that high quality producers such as Alta Alella are still found there [not NTK]
What are the red grapes authorized in DO Cava?
Garnacha Tinta, Monastrell, Pinot Noir, Trepat** [GMT plus PN, but not Cariñena or Tempranillo]
What are the historic roots of the term Cava?
first appeared in media reports in the mid-1950’s
What are sweetness levels of Cava?
Brut Nature (<3 g/l); Extra Brut (<6 g/l); Brut (<12 g/l); Extra Seco (12-17 g/l); Seco (17-32 g/l); Semi-Seco (32-50 g/l); Dulce (>50 g/l) ** [Seco terms are easy to mix-up]
What are the aging designations for Cava?
minimal requirements: Cava de Guarda (9 m); Cava de Guarda Superior: Cava Reserva (18 m [was 15]); Cava Gran Reserva (30 m); Cava de Paraje Calificado (36 m) ** [which one is longest?]
Which Cava aging designations are limited by sweetness level?
3 levels: the Reserva, Grand Reserva and Paraje Calificado designations are limited to only Brut Nature, Extra Brut and Brut
What are the Cava Paraje Calificado (CPC) requirements?
10 year old vines, single vineyard, manual harvesting, lower yield, estate bottled, vintage labeled, 36 month aging, only 3 lowest sweetness levels, pass tasting panel, traceable production [no requirements are placed over the entirety of a winery’s production—only on the wine to be qualified as CPC; thus a deal-breaker for small wineries that want to distinguish themselves]
Who are Cava’s three biggest producers?
Cordoniu, Freixenet and García Carrión producing about 95% of total, most bottles sell for less than $11/bottle.
What are the requirements for Corpinnat?
All grapes must be from within a defined area within the DO Penedès; 75% of the grapes used must be from vineyards owned by the winery; sustainable pricing; certified organic; crop harvested by hand; 90% of the grapes used must be indigenous varieties; the grapes must be vinified entirely at the winery; the minimum ageing of the wines is 18 months on lees.
What is the etymology of Corpinnat?
‘Born in the heart of Penedès’; Cor - heart; pin - Penedès; nat - born (nato or nacido)
What is Corpinnat?
a new (2019) brand designation of long aged sparkling wines; essentially a splinter group of wineries from DO Cava that is giving up the Cava label to establish higher standards of quality and sustainability
In Priorat, villages are divided into paratge (pa-RA-cha), what are they?
It is a “zone” that’s comprised of multiple vineyards; literally ‘what you can see from your porch,’ an intermediate step to Grand Cru type designations. [not testable]
The Cava (lowest) level of aging applies to what percent of DO Cava production?
87% of production
What is the breakdown of wine styles in DO Cava?
100% sparkling**[!]
What are the non-contiguous DO’s in Catalunya?
Empordà, Costers del Segres, Cava, Terragona, Catalunya
Which DO of Catalunya had the lowest elevation vineyards?
Empordà [not Penedès]
In what DO is the tramontana wind significant?
Empordà (also in Balearic Islands)
What are the benefits and risks of the tramontana wind?
downside is physical breaking of vine growth; upside is drying effect and reduction of disease pressure, also desiccation which can lead to concentration of flavors
