Duero River Valley Flashcards
What is the largest autonomous region in Spain?
Castilla y León
Occupies about 1/5 of mainland Spain
3rd largest demarcated region in EU
Modern day Rueda was known as what?
Tierra de Medina
Why is Toro wine important historically?
It was on the manifest of one of the ships Christopher Columbus sailed to the new world
Topographical features of Castilla y León?
Mountain ranges:
N - Cordillera Cantabrica
E - Sistema Iberico
S - Sistema Central
Duero River Basin
How long is the Duero River?
890 km
Castilla y León soils?
Clay, alluvium, sand, stone, limestone
Slate, quartz and granite in west near Galicia
Tempranillo is the preferred variety in how many of Castilla y León’s regions?
12 out of the 13
DO Bierzo
genreal facts
Continental climate with maritime influence
Mencía as dominating grape variety
Granite, slate, limestone
Some of lowest elevations, not directly on meseta
Sil River
DO Bierzo grapes
83% tinto
12% Blanco
5% rosado
Mencía accounts for 75% of red plantings
Godello
Min required content of Mencía in DO Bierzo tinto?
75%
DO Cigales
Largest rosado production in Spain
Large temp swings
Low rainfall
700-800m
Clarete method widely used
What does Majuelos mean?
Small family owned plots
DO Cigales grapes
Tinta del País / Tempranillo accounts for 70% of plantings
Garnacha Tinta
Garnacha Gris
Verdejo
Explain Clarete method
Red and white grapes co-macerated & co-fermented
produced as a red wine
24-72 hours skin contact
Undergo MLF
Fresh, fruity, light red
Cigales wine styles
64% rosado
34% tinto
2% blanco
Three synonyms for Tempranillo in Castilla y León
Tinto fino
Tinta del País
Tinto de Toro
DO Ribera del Duero
Varied soils - 32 types
Sandy limestone, clay
High elevation 750-950m
110+ km east to west along Duero River
What white grapes are authorized in Ribera del Duero?
Only one:
Albillo Major
Tempranillo - grape typicities
Temprano = early
Early budding, early ripening
Moderate alcohol, acidity
med + tannin
Red fruits
leather, spice
Joven is now known as what?
Generico
Aging for RdD Crianza?
12 months barrel
24 months before release
Aging for RdD Reserva?
12 months barrel
36 months before release
Aging for RdD Gran Reserva?
24 months in barrel
60 months before release
Ribera del Duero wine styles
99% tinto - min 75% Tempranillo
1% rosado
What are possible blending partners for Tinto Fino in RdD and to what max percentage allowed?
Garnacha Tinta
Albillo Major
together up to max 5%
DO Rueda
3rd largest producer of wine in Spain:
behind Rioja, RdD
Produces 40% of countries white wine
Soils gravel, stone, sandy limestone
Late frosts a hazard
Which white grapes grows in Rueda but is no longer authorized to be planted?
Palomino Fino
Rueda grapes
87% Verdejo
7% SauvBlanc
6% Viura
Verdejo - grape typicities
Possibly Moorish in origin
Verde = green
Thin skinned
low vigor
Prone to powdery mildew
Grassy, fennel
high acid
Sibling of Godello
What does the designation “Rueda” in DO Rude implies?
Min 50% Verdejo
-> OLD
Min 85% Verdejo
-> OLD
Min 85% SB
What does the designation “Rueda Espumoso” imply?
Use of:
Min 50% Verdejo (Seco, Semi-seco)
Min 85% Verdejo (Brut, Brut Nature)
What does the designation “Rueda Dorado” mean?
describes an oxidatively aged Rueda wine from authorized varieties
-> mainly from Verdejo and/or Palomino Fino
Rueda wine styles
97% blanco
3% tinto
Rosado, espumso, dorado
DO Toro
Soils sand and clay
Tinto de Toro as a synonm for Tempranillo
Low rainfall
Often extracted and oak aged
styles shifting to fresher styles
Toro wine styles
93% tinto
4% blanco
3% rosado
