ES: Catalonia (not Cava) Flashcards
Spain’s 1st region-wide DO?
Catalonia, est 1999. Covers all of the scattered vineyards outside of the 11 DO’s
Vimblanc
Tarragona: Vi do Licor made from overripe grapes, usually Pansal (Xarel lo)
Vinebre in the Ribera de Ebro is known for this style.
Montsant DO (100% dried Pansa)
Min ABV for both is 15%
Pla i Llevant (Mallorca): mulled wine
Catalonia synonyms for..
Monastrell
Tempranillo
Malvasia
Monastrell –> Garrut
Tempranillo –> Ull de Llebre
Malvasia –> Subirat Parent (though actually Alarije)
TARRAGONA DO
- terrain
- subzones
- wines
Est 1947, one of Spain’s oldest DOs.
TERRAIN: climbs from sea to Serra de Montalt elevations @ 400M, Med to more continental climate. Calcareous/alluvial soils.
SUBZONES
- Campo de Tarragona: lower elevation plains bordering the Mediterranean. Warmer, drier
- Comarca Ribera d’Ebre: inland, surrounding the mouth of the Ebro River. More continental, more variation in elevation
- FORMERLY: Montsant, seperated in 2001 splitting it in half
Specifically… none. The vast area and variation in microclimates is certainly to thank. Many of the region’s grapes are destined for Cava. Historically, Tarragona was famed for its sweet wines, producing mistela, rancio styles, Moscatels, and Vimblanc
Montsant DO, Priorat DOQ, Conca de Barbera DO is sandwiched in the Tarragona DO
In what DO does the Ebro River begin?
Tarragona
specifically, in the Comarca Ribera d’Ebre subzone
Spanish Chartreuse: where, what years?
Tarragona: 1903 - 1989
[moved to Spain with France’s nationalization of the distillery]
What does “Conca” mean?
Basin
Alella DO
- location, what’s going on here
Catalonia, along the coast between the Penedes and Emporda
- Biggest threat: Barcelona’s urban sprawl
- town of Mataro, Monastrell’s namesake, is here
- Sauló: Sandy granitic soils typical to the Alella DO on Catalonia’s coast
Conca de Barbera DO
- location
- major wine/producer
In Catalonia, sits in between sections of Tarragona and Costers del Segre
Miguel Torres’ Gran Murrales - Carignan-based blend
Most historic subzone of the Costers del Segre DO?
Raimat, named for the property founded by Manuel Raventos of Codorniu
Costers del Segre producer AND name of subzone
* 1914, Raventos purchased 2450ha of arid land - to which he planted vines. He introduced modern technology to viticulture in this region.
Empordá DO
- location
- climate
- wine styles
Northernmost DO of Catalunya, near the border with Roussillon. Est 1972.
CLIMATE: Mediterranean with strong Tramontana winds from Pyrenees
HISTORIC SPECIALTY: heavy sweet Garnatxa, made like Vin de Paille and Rancio wines, much like Roussillon
This is very much a region finding its own identity in the modern day.
d
What is Llicorella?
Slate, including quartz and mica
* covers 80% of Priorat
Monsant DO
- location
- Terrain/elevation
- DO creation/former name
- climate
- soils
Former subzone of Tarragona (“Falset”) - split in 2001 and separates Tarragona’s 2 subzones
TERRAIN: flatter areas + mountains - Montsant Massif (NW) and Serra de Montalt (SE). 50 - 700M. Avg alt is 360M.
CLIMATE: Med with continental influences. ~25in rain/yr
SOILS: Granite, slate, chalky clay, sand. Some llicorella.
TOWNS: Falset, La Figuera are important towns
Average altitude in Montsant?
360M
Priorat authorized styles + min alc
Blanc/Rosat: 13%
Negre: 13.5%
Ranci, Dolci, Mistela: 15%
Priorat DOQ Vi di Vila & Vi de Finca - what % of recommended varieties?
Min 60% of the recommended varieties, if more than one are present.
Min. 50% if only 1 recommended variety is used
Priorat’s 5 Clos:
- Names/owners
-1st vintage / last vintage as a group
- most expensive
- most Garnacha? most Syrah?
1989: didn’t carry Priorat DOQ as alc was too low at 12.5%
1991 was the last vintage together - split off and went their own ways
Clos Dofi - Alvaro Palacios
Clos Erasmus - Daphne Glorian
Clos de l’Obac - Carles Pastrana
Clos Mogador - René Barbier
Clos Martinet - Jose Luis Perez/Sara Perez
- Daphne Glorian’s Clos Erasmus ($299)
- Finca Dofi usually features 80 - 85% Garnatxa. Clos Erasmus is 80 Grenache/20 Syrah.
- Mas Martinet contains around 55% Syrah
For a Priorat wine to qualify as Velles Vinyes, how old must the vines be?
Planted prior to 1945 OR 75 years old
Priorat’s Vi di Vila
- year established
- varietal requirement
- min. vine age
- min. lease term
2009
* min 60% recco’d; 50% if only 1 recommended present
* 5 years min. vine age
* 7 years lease term, if leased
Spanish wine regions with Vi di Vila categories?
Rueda
Rioja
Bierzo
Priorat
What is Priorat’s greatest viticultural hazard?
Water stress & drought. The region receives about 16 to 25 inches of rain annually. July and August are bone dry with avg temps of 86 and regular spikes to 104
Priorat is enclosed by what 3 mountain ranges?
Serra de Montsant
Prades
Serra de Llabéria
What is the Spanish term for bush vine training?
En Vaso
What are Priorat DOQ’s recommended red varieties?
Garnatxa
Samsó
When did Priorat gain its DOQ status?
By the Catalonian government in 2000
Approved by Spain in 2009
Priorat DOQ white varieties (8)
Garnatxa Blanca
Macabeu
Pedro Ximenez
Xarel-lo
Viognier
Chenin Blanc
Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains/de Alexandria
Picapoll
Priorat “Vi di Garda”
For reds only - the wine ages at least 12 months in oak
What are the 4 levels of the Vi de Vila system in Priorat?
- Vi de Vil (village level)
- Vi de Paratge (lieux-dit)
- Vinya Classificada (premier cru)
- Gran Vinya Classificada (Grand cru)
Priorat Gran Vinya vine age requirement
Min. 10 years - but 80% of vines must be 35+
What are Priorat’s 3 Gran Vinya?
Vall Llach “Mas de la Rosa”
(100% Carinena; Porrera; $155)
Alvaro Palacios “L’Ermita”
(85% Garnacha, 18% Samso, 2% whites; Gratallops, $1400ish)
Mas Doix “1902, Tossal d’en Bou”
(100% Carignan; Poboledo; $350 - $450)
Which of Priorat’s villages is most renowned for Carinyena?
Porrera
(Poboleda is another important source)
What is Priorat’s most northerly/highest elevation village?
La Morera de Montsant
What does the name “Gratallops” translate to?
“Pleases the wolves” in Catalan
Clos Mogador, Mas Martinet, and Clos Figueras are located in what village?
Gratallops
Priorat’s main 2 rivers
Siurana River
Monsant River
Priorat climate?
Warm, dry continental with some Mediterranean/martime influence
(Mediterranean days, continental nights - unofficially)
Name for steep, terraced vineyards in Priorat
Costers
Name 5 Priorat villages
- La Morera de Montsant
- Gratallops
- Bellmunt del Priorat
- Escaladei
- Porrera
- Poboleda
- La Vilella Baixa
- La Vilella Alta
- El Lloar
- Masos de Falset
- Solanes del Molar
- Torroja del Prio
Terra Alta Brisat
1st Spanish DO to authorize Brisat as a style category
* min. 85% Garnatxa Blanca/Macabeu
* partial or full skin contact
