Espagne Flashcards
What are the 3 sweeping climatic zones of Spain?
Moderate Maritime - north and northwest coasts enjoy Atlantic influence and high rainfall (e.g. Galicia).
Warm Mediterranean - eastern Spain along the Mediterranean coast going south (from Catalunya to Levante) experiences sea influence and altitude variation.
Hot Continental - the center of Spain (Meseta Central plateau) is encircled by mountains and does not have any ocean or sea influence. In winter, temperatures fall below freezing and in the summer temperatures are very high and rainfall is very limited. However, the summer temperatures can be moderated by the cool nights of high altitude sites.
What are the main climate challenges that affect viticulture in most of Spain?
What effects do these challenges have on the vine?
Climate challenges: Heat and Lack of water
Effects:
Water stress
Slower ripening
Grapes can shrivel before reaching full and phenolic maturity
What is a viticultural benefit of the lack of rainfall in Spain?
Fungal disease pressure is low.
What is the traditional training system of Spain?
Traditional: Bush trained - low density planting, usually dry farmed; shade fruits from excessive heat.
Recently: Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) - higher density planting, irrigation possible. With VSP, winemakers can produce greater yields and use machine harvesting.
What is the hierarchy of wine quality in Spain?
From highest to lowest:
PDO level = Denominacion de Origen Protegida
- DO (Denominacion de Origen), with specifications re grape varieties, viticulture, location
- DOCa/DOQ: D0s of at least ten years standing may apply for this more prestigious category. There are only two D0Ca: Rioja, Priorat.
- Vinos de Pago: small number of single estates with high reputations.
PGI level (Vino de la Tierra)
What is Vinos de Pagos?
Vinos de Pagos is a category reserved for prestigious single estates whose work exceeds basic DO requirements. These estates can only use their own grapes which must be grown, vinified and aged on their estate.
Estates which have earned the Vinos de Pago classification lie within established DOs – notably, though, they do not exist within Rioja or Ribera del Duero – and they aren’t necessarily superior to DOCa
What are the age categories according to Spanish law?
The Spanish law defines the following age categories for its wines:
Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva.
Many producers exceed the minimum ageing requirements. Gran Reserva wines are only produced in exceptional vintages and white and rose wines are rarely made in this style
What is the most planted white grape in Spain (it’s also the most planted grape of either color)?
AIREN is generally a low-quality white grape used for bulk wine and is mostly grown in La Mancha DO in central Spain.
it is one of the few varieties that is able to cope with the extreme heat and drought conditions of the Meseta Central. Although Airen can now be made into acceptable dry white wine, much of the output
continues to be used in the production of Brandy de Jerez
What international grape varieties grow successfully in Spain
CBSV, Merlot, SVB, CHDY.
These varieties were mostly planted in the 1980s and 1990s to suit the international market. They sometimes are blended with local varieties.
Traditionally, what type of oak used in Spain?
Inexpensive wines may be made WITHOUT OAK; semicarbonic maceration is often used to enhance the fruity nature of these wines.
The best wines almost always see oak maturation, usually with at least a proportion of new oak. Traditionally, AMERICAN oak was mostly used, but now French oak is also common.
All Spanish white wines are only fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks.
False
Most of Spain’s white wines are fresh and fruity.
Harvesting at night or early morning and fermenting in temperature controlled stainless steel vessels help retain delicate fruit aromas. However, some producers use oak fermentation and maturation, as well as lees stirring, to add texture and different flavours.
Which white grape varieties are known to make high quality, dry wines in Spain?
MACABEO, known as VIURA in Rioja DOCa: can be made in an unoaked style with subtle herb and spice aromas. Traditionally it was
the mainstay of heavily oaked white Riojas.
VERDEJO in Rueda DO: light -bodied, high-acid, melon and peach flavoured style similar in style to Sauvignon Blanc, with which it
is often blended. It can also be made in a richer fuller bodied style when it has undergone skin contact and barrel fermentation.
ALBARINO in Rías Baixas DO: It is thick-skinned and able to resist fungal disease, which is useful in the damp climate in which it is grown. Albarino is naturally high in acidity and can produce refreshing wines with citrus and stone fruit flavours. It too can be made in a richer, fuller-bodied style.
What is the main red variety used in Spain?
TEMPRANILLO
- thick-skinned grape
- medium levels of acidity (=> needs sufficient warmth to develop its flavours but hot climates without a high diurnal temperature range could cause the wine to lack acidity => needs altitude or sea moderating influence).
- Fermented on its own, often using semi-carbonic maceration, it can produce a fresh strawberry scented JOVEN wine, an increasingly popular early drinking style.
- key role in more concentrated ageworthy oaked BLENDs : Garnacha, Graciano and Carinena/ Mazuelo or international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon
Besides Tempranillo, what other main black varieties are used?
GARNACHA TINTA: high alcohol, tend to mature early with exceptions. Widely used for rosados. Also important in Priorat, where low-yielding old vines give intense, complex, full-bodied reds.
MONASTRELL (Mouvèdre): thick-skinned, drought tolerant, needs hot & sunny conditions to ripen. Produces very deeply coloured, full bodied wines with high levels of tannin and alcohol, low to medium acidity and flavours of ripe blackberry fruit.
What are the other black varieties?
GRACIANO blended to add concentrated black fruit aromas, acidity and tannins to the structure of a wine to help it age.
CARINENA (Carignan) = MAZUELO in Rioja: gives wines that are high in acidity, tannin and colour. A small proportion makes an ideal blend with Tempranillo. In Priorat, it is blended with Garnacha to enhance the tannic structure of the wines.
MENCIA in moderate cliamtes: fresh fruit, medium to high acidity, and sometimes a hint of herbaceousness.
What are the 6 geographical regions of Spain?
UPPER EBRO (Rioja, Navarra, Cariñena, Calatayud)
CATALUNYA (Penedès, Priorat)
DUERO VALLEY (Ribera del Duero, Toro, Rueda)
NORTH WEST (Rías Baixas, Bierzo)
LEVANTE (Valencia, Jumilla, Yecla)
CATILLA - LA MANCHA (La Mancha, Valdepeñas)
Where is Rías Baixas DO and what is its climate like?
Northwestern Spain;
Moderate, damp climate (cool and wet).
What style of wine and grape is Rías Baixas DO best known for?
Still, dry, refreshing unoaked white wines based on Albariño
Some Albariños from Rías Baixas have a touch of oak or lees stirring, but they do not represent the dominant style.
Is Albariño resistant to fungal disease?
Yes, Albariño is resistant to fungal disease, thanks to its thick skin.
How is Albariño typically trained in Rías Baixas?
The humid conditions mean that vine diseases such as mildew and rot are a common problem
Albariño is trained using the pergola system to encourage air circulation.
Having the grapes situated high off the ground allows for breezes to lower humidity and the threat of rot and mildew.
Some VSP-wired trellised vineyards are also seen, which are easier to maintain.
What white grape variety is planted in Rías Baixas that’s also planted in Vinho Verde?
Albariño, known as Alvarinho in Portugal.
What is the range of styles, or designations, Tempranillo can be made into?
Red wines for EARLY DRINKING may undergo semi-carbonic maceration to get vibrant red fruit flavours and low levels of smooth tannin.
Wines for LONG TERM are usually destemmed and crushed and undergo a traditional fermentation. Some producers use
vigorous cap management techniques and extended maceration to produce heavily extracted wines, deep in colour and full of fruit flavours, but many are making more subtle, elegant styles.
OAK maturation has a defining role in Rioja. Traditionally in AMERICAN oak with pronounced aromas of vanilla. Many producers now use oak from France or other European countries for more subtle spicy aromas.
Albariño from Rías Baixas - is it usually aged in oak or stainless steel?
Albariño is usually aged in stainless steel because oxidative aging environments, like oak, reduce aromatic characters.
However, examples of Albariño aged in oak do exist.
Besides Rías Baixas, what is the other DO of the North West region, which is famous for red wines?
BIERZO DO
lies in the mountains at the boundary between Galicia and the Meseta Central. The climate is moderate and benefits from a
cooling maritime influence.
Many of the best wines come from old vines grown on the region’s
steep stony slopes.
What are the two DOCas of Spain?
Rioja DOCa
Priorat DOCa
Name all 3 subzones of Rioja DOCa.
The larger area is RIOJA ALTA
RIOJA ALAVESA (lightest wines, the most finesse)
RIOJA ORIENTAL (previously RIOJA BAJA)
What are the climate influencers of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa?
Elevation from 500 to 800 metres, and Atlantic Ocean breezes.
Cantabrian Mountains protect Rioja from the worst weather coming off the Atlantic.
What is the elevation range for vineyards in Rioja?
500-800 meters
What are some specifics of Rioja Oriental that differentiate this subregion from the other Rioja subregions?
Located East of Logroño (Rioja’s most important city).
Hotter summers, colder winters.
Annual rainfall is low, increasing drought pressure;
Garnacha grows best here and is the main grape, not Tempranillo.
How many white grape varieties are approved for use in white Rioja?
What is the main white grape of Rioja DOCa?
8
Viura is the main white grape of Rioja DOCa.
