Duero Valley Flashcards
Duero Valley
Wines of international reputation. Harsh continental climate, grapes grown at altitude. Cool nights and long autumn ripening period for the grapes.
Toro
First DO on the Duero upstream from Portugal. Continental climate with extremely hot summers. Alluvial soil predominate. Areas of sand with stony subsoil or limestone subsoil in the north. Full bodied, rich, high alcohol red wines, made mainly from Tinta del Toro (local clone of Tempranillo)
Rueda
South of Valladolid. Continental climate with cool evenings, give the wine elegance. Soils rich in iron with good drainage. Soil further north beside the Douro has high chalk content. Night harvesting followed by low temperature fermentation and use of inert gas coverage. In 1972 a Rioja based company established here to produce aromatic whites. Verdejo produces elegant, aromatic wines with crisp acidity. Sauvignon Blanc and Viura are crisp and light with aromas of peaches and melons. Some barrel aged Sauvignon Blanc produced.
Ribera del Duero
Flat, high altitude land surrounding Cigales. Continental climate, but tempered by altitude, warm summers with cool nights. Best soils have high limestone content and large stones which aid drainage. Almost all 100% Tempranillo, with the exception of Vaga Sicilia. Thicker and darker than wines from Rioja, with high tannins powerful black fruit and plum. New French oak can be used. Vega Sicilla aged for many years in cask, oak vat or concrete tank, intense complexity and highly expensive.
Bierzo
Geographically closer to Galicia than rest of Catilla y Leon. Planted on gentle slopes. Protected by mountains from influence of the atlantic. Cooler than rest of Castilla y Leon. Rich, fertile soil. Mencia for reds (fresh berry fruit, sometimes with a herbaceous quality similar to Cabernet Franc). Small amounts of Godello for aromatic whites.
Castilla y Leon VdlT
Covers whole Dero Valley region. Used for declassified wines or wines made in a style outside the DO regulations.
The Duero River, when it flows westward through the centre of Castilla Y Leon, it passes through?
Ribera Del Duero, Rueda, Toro, Tierra Del Vino
Where is Ariana DO Located?
Located North Of Ribera Del Duero, with Cigales DO to the west of both Appellations
Where does Tierra de Leon DO and Bierzo DO sit?
In the mountainous corner of Castilla Y Leon, Bierzo borders Valdeorras in Galicia
What is the main grape of Rose and reds in Bierzo?
Mencia. 70% of red wines and 50% of rose
Who founded Descendents de Jose Palacio in 1999?
Alvario Palacios (Priorat) and his nephew Ricardo Palacios. They became famous for their biodynamic. Bierzo DO bottlings due to: extracted, old- vine Mencia based wines sourced from mountainside Schist soils
What are the white grapes of Bierzo DO?
Godello and Dona Blanca, however Palomino still dominates
Ribera Del Duero DO?
- Surrounds Aranea De Duero and Perafiel in Duero River Valley
- Considered one of Spain’s top red producing regions
- Flagship producer: Vega Sicilia
- Did not achieve DO until 1982
- Vega Sicilia only serious producer until the 1980s
- Since then the money invested has skyrocketed and now has cult wineries like Dominio de Pingus and Aalto
- When it received its DO only 9 wineries, now over 300
Vega Sicilia- Ribera Del Duero
- Founded by Don Eloy Lecanda Y Chaves in 1864
- Planted Bordeaux varieties (and some Pinot Noir), alongside Tinto Del Pais (Tempranillo) to make Brandy
- 1929: Dry wines produced after a change in ownership. New winemaker Domingo Txomin achieved international acclaim at the Barcelona World Fair with the 1917 and 1918 vintages Of Unico (their benchmark)
- Unico: Blend Of Tinto Del Pais, C/ Sauvignon and Merlot, is aged for 10 years in American and French oak
Ribera Del Duero………
Reds and a small amount of rosados; whites aren’t allowed. Tempranillo (known as Tinto Del Pais and Tinto Fino) dominates but also planted with small amounts of Garnacha and international varieities like Cabernet Sauvignon and also Merlot. Albillo (early ripening) is also permitted but for rosados
