Galicia Flashcards
What separates Galicia and Spain from Portugal?
Minho
What is Camino de Santiago?
Camino de Santiago
- Pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
- Where Saint James is said to be buried
Monterrei DO
- Subzones
- Style
- Grapes
Monterrei DO
- Subzones: Valle de Monterrei, Ladera de Monterrei
- Styles Produced:
- Blanco: min. 60% recommended white grapes
- Tinto: min. 60% recommended red grapes
- Authorized Grapes:
- Blanco:
- Recommended: Dona Branca, Godello, Treixadura
- Authorized: Albariño, Blanca de Monterrei, Caiño Blanco, Loureira
- Tinto:
- Recommended: Mencía, Merenzao (Bastardo)
- Authorized: Caiño Tinto, Sousón, Araúxa (Tempranillo)
What are the most impactful rivers in Galicia and what regions do they affect?
- Tambre River - Rias Baixas DO
- Ulla River- Rias Baixas DO - Ribeira do Ulla Subzone
- Pontevedre River - Rias Baixas DO - Val do Salnes Subzone
- Oitaven River - Rias Baixas DO - O Rosal & Condado do Tea Subzone
- Tea River - Rias Baixas DO - Condado do Tea Subzone
- Avia River - Ribeiro DO
- Támega River - Monterrei DO
Minho River - Rias Baixas DO (O Rosal & Condado do Tea Subzone), Ribeiro DO, Ribeira Sacra DO (Chantada, Ribeiras do Mino & Amandi Subzones)
Sil River - Ribeira Sacra DO (Ribeiras do Sil & Quiroga-Bibei subzones), Valdeorras DO
Ribeira Sacra DO
- Subzones
- Styles
- Grapes
- Aging
Ribeira Sacra DO
- Subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil, Quiroga-Bibei
- Styles Produced:
- Tinto: min. 70% Mencia
- Rosado: Min 85% Principal red Grapes
- Súmmum: 85% principal grapes
- Blanco Barrica & Garda
- Tinto Barrica & Garda
- Authorized Grapes:
- Blanco:
- Principal: Albariño, Godello, Treixadura, Loureira, Torrontés, Dona Branca
- Tinto:
- Principal: Mencía, Merenzao, Brancellao, Sousón, Caiño Tinto
- Authorized: Garnacha Tintorera, Mouratón, Tempranillo
- Aging Requirements:
- Blanco Barrica: min. 3 months in wooden barrels of no more than 600 liters capacity
- Tinto Barrica: min. 6 months in wooden barrels of no more than 500 liters capacity
- Branco Garda: min. 4 months in wooden tanks of no more than 8,000L, or concrete tanks of no more than 5,000L. The use of Stainless Steel tanks is prohibited.
- Tinto Garda: min. 7 months in wooden tanks of no more than 10,000L, or concrete tanks of no more than 5,000L. The use of Stainless Steel tanks is prohibited.
Ribeiro DO
- Style
- Grapes
- Aging
Ribeiro DO
- Styles Produced:
- Espumoso (Traditional Method) Blanco and Rosado
- Blanco & Blanco Castes
- Tinto & Tinto Castes
- Barrica Blanco & Tinto
- Vino Tostado (dried grape wine)
- Vino Tostado Blanco: Treixadura, Loureiro, Torrontés, Albariño, Godello
- Vino Tostado Tinto: Caiño, Ferrón, Brancellao, Mencía, Sousón
- Authorized Grapes:
- Blanco:
- Recommended: Treixadura, Torrontés, Godello, Lado, Loureira, Albariño, Caiño Blanco
- Authorized: Palomino, Albillo,
- Tinto:
- Recommended: Caiño Tinto (also known as Caiño Bravo or Caiño Longo), Ferrón, Sousón, Brancellao, Mencía
- Authorized: Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Tempranillo
- Aging Requirements:
- Vino Tostado: min. 6 months in oak or cherry cask and at least 3 months in bottle
- Wines labelled “Barrica” must spend at least a portion of their maturation in casks no larger than 600 Liters
Rías Baixas DO
- Subzones
- Styles
- Grapes
Rías Baixas DO
- Subzones: Val do Salnés, Ribeira do Ulla, Soutomaior, O Rosal, Condado do Tea
- Styles Produced:
- Albariño: 100% Albariño
- Blanco and Blanco Barrica
- Blanco with subzone designation:
- Val do Salnés/Ribeira do Ulla: min. 70% recommended white grapes
- O Rosal: min. 70% combined Albariño and Loureira
- Condado do Tea: min. 70% combined Albariño and Treixadura
- Tinto: authorized red grapes in any combination
- Espumoso: authorized grapes
- Authorized Grapes:
- Blanco:
- Recommended: Albariño, Loureira, Treixadura, Caiño Blanco
- Authorized: Torrontés, Godello
- Tinto:
- Recommended: Caiño Tinto, Espadeiro, Loureira Tinta, Sousón
- Authorized: Mencía, Brancellao
Valdeorras DO
- Subzones
- Style
- Grapes
Valdeorras DO
- Communes of Production: A Rúa, Carballeda, Larouco, O Barco, O Bolo, Petín, Rubiá, Vilamartín
- Styles Produced:
- Blanco
- Tinto
- Espumoso: Min. 85% Godello
- Tostado: Godello and authorized red grapes
- Varietal Godello (100% variety) and Mencía (min. 85% variety)
- Valdeorras “Castes Nobles” (Blanco and Tinto): Min. 85% preferred varieties
- Barrica, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva: white or red wines
- Authorized Grapes:
- Blanco:
- Preferred: Godello, Loureira, Treixadura, Dona Branca, Albariño, Torrontés, Lado
- Authorized: Palomino
- Tinto:
- Recommended: Mencía, Tempranillo, Merenzao, Brancellao, Sousón, Caiño Tinto, Espadeiro, Ferrón
- Authorized: Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Gran Negro, Mouratón
What Galician regions made Tostado? What are the rules?
Valdeorras DO
- Tostado: Godello and authorized red grapes
- Tostado: 13%
- Vino Tostado:
- Grapes must be dried for a minimum of 90 days
Ribeiro DO
- Vino Tostado (dried grape wine)
- Vino Tostado Blanco: Treixadura, Loureiro, Torrontés, Albariño, Godello
- Vino Tostado Tinto: Caiño, Ferrón, Brancellao, Mencía, Sousón
- Tostado: min. 20.6% potential, 13% acquired
- Vino Tostado: min. 6 months in oak or cherry cask and at least 3 months in bottle
What grapes are most grown in Monterrei DO?
White
- Dona Branca
- Godello
- Treixadura
- Albarino
- Blanca de Monterrei
- Caino Blanco
- Loureira
Red
- Mencia
- Merenzao
- Caino Tinto
- Souson
- Arauxa (Tempranillo)
What grapes are most grown in Ribeira Sacra DO?
White
- Treixadura
- Torrentes
- Godello
- Lado
- Loureira
- Albarino
- Caino Blanco
- Palomino
- Albillo
Red
- Caino Tinto (AKA Caino Bravo or Caino Longo)
- Ferron
- Souson
- Brancellao
- Mencia
- Garnacha Tintorera (AKA Alicante Bouschet)
- Tempranillo
What are the subzones of Ribera Sacra DO?
Chantada
- Located on the Minho River’s right or west bank
Ribeiras do Mino
- Located on the Minho River’s left or east bank
Amandi
- Located in the center of the appellation on the Sil River’s right or north bank
- Most historic
- Highest quality
Ribeiras do Sil
- Located on the Sil River’s left or south bank
Quiroga-Bibei
- Located on the eastern side of the appellation cut in half by the Sil River
What is main town of Ribera DO?
Ribadavia
- Located at the convergence of Minho and Avia river
- Arnoia River joins just south
What are the main grapes grown in Ribera DO?
- 9 out of 10 bottles are white
- Best wines are made from
- Treixadura
□ Albarino
□ Loureiro
□ Godello
□ Caino Blanco
□ Lado
□ Torrontes
Often blended
- Treixadura
- 9% reds made from
§ Caino Tinto (AKA Caino Bravo or Caino Longo
§ Ferron
§ Souson
§ Brancellao
§ Mencia
§ Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet
§ Tempranillo
○ 1% sparkling or Espumoso
What is the annual rainfall of Rias Baixas?
1,200 to 1,800 mm
What is an estate called in Rias Baixas?
Pazos
What is a horreo?
Granary
What was the first Rias Baixas commercial winery?
Palacio de Fefinanes founded in 1904
- The palace itself dates to the 17th century
What was Rias Baxias DO called before Spain joined the EU in 1987?
Albarino DO
- Varietal appellation names were forbidden by EU law
What grapes are used in Rias Baixas DO?
White
- Albarino accounts for 96% of Total plantings
- Varietal labeling of Albarino requires 100%
- Secondary Whites
- Loureira
- Treixadura
- Caino Blanco
- Torrontes
- Godello
Red
- Caino Tinto
- Espadeiro
- Loureira Tinta
- Souson
- Mencia
- Brancellao
Describe the different styles of Albarino Made in Rias Baixas
Entry level uses stainless and bottles in the spring after harvest
Higher end bottlings use sur lie aging and maybe batonnage
Top Albarinos come from older vines and see lees aging. May be barrel fermented or aged
Some producers allow full malo
What is a minifundias in Rias Baixas?
Small plots of vineyards, on average 0.6 hectares split into approximately four parcel, owned by independent growers
What is the traditional vine training system in Rias Baixas?
- Vines are historically trained to a parral or pergola system
- Held up by granite posts
- Training system allows
- Better airflow necessary to combat mildew and rot in wet environment
- Overhead canopy provides grapes with shelter from rain
- Space allows for other drops to grow between vines
- Encourage greater photosynthesis and ripening by maximizing leaf surface and protecting grapes from sunburn
- Younger plantings may be trellised
What is the main soil type in Rais Baixas and what is it called locally?
Decomposed granite called Xabre
- Low water retention that serves good for rainy environment
List and describe the subzones of Rias Baixas
Val do Salnes
□ Coastal sub-region on the Atlantic
□ North of Pontevedra River
□ Largest and most historical
□ More than 50% of Rais Baixas hectarage
□ Majority of famous state
□ Coldest and wettest area
□ Noted for saline character in wine
□ Val do Salnes can labeled if min. 70% Albarino, Loureira, Treixadure, Caino blanco
Ribeira de Ulla
□ Inland appellation along both banks of the Ulla River
□ Just south of Santiago de Compostela
□ Largest subzone but a small contributor to region’s total output
□ Youngest subzone
□ Northerly, inland positioning prove advantageous with climate change
□ Ribeira do Ulla can labeled if min. 70% Albarino, Loureira, Treixadure, Caino blanco
Soutomaior
□ Small in production and size
□ South of Verdugo River (and Val de Salnes) at the mouth of the Ria de Vigo
O Rosal
□ North of Minho River and Portugal
□ Eastern part reaches Atlantic Ocean
□ Broader, richer style of Albarino
□ O Rosal can be labeled if min. 70% Albarino Loureira
Condado do Tea
□ Inland subzone
□ North of Minho River and Portugal
□ East of O Rosal
□ Warmest and direst
□ Largest contributor to red wine production though still minimal
□ Condado do Tea can be labeled if min. 70% Albarino and Treixadura
Which Rias Baixas subzone allowes for Blanco to have subzone labeling with min. 70% combined Albariño and Treixadura?
Condado do Tea
Which Rias Baixas subzone allowes for Blanco to have subzone labeling with min. 70% combined Albariño and Loureira?
O Rosal
Which Rias Baixas subzone allowes for Blanco to have subzone labeling with min. 70% recommended white grapes (Albariño, Loureira, Treixadura, Caiño Blanco)?
Val do Salnés and Ribeira do Ulla
What does Valdeorras translate too?
Valley of Gold
- Nod to the gold extracted during the Roman era
Who is this producer?
Raul Perez - La Penitencia, Ribeira Sacra DO
- less than half a hectare planted over 70 years ago with a field blend dominated by Mencía but also including small quantities of many other varieties such as Caíño Sousón Brancellao Merenzao Negreda Garnacha Tintorera Mouratón and even other whites all on schist soils of granitic origin
- 800 bottles
Who is this producer?
Raul Perez - El Pacado
- Mencia, Ribeira Sacra DO
- 800 bottles produced
Who is this producer?
Raul Perez - El Pacado
- Mencia, Ribeira Sacra DO
- 800 bottles produced
Who is this producer?
Raul Perez - Sketch
- Albarino, Rias Baixas DO
- 60-80 year old vines
Who is this producer?
Raul Perez - Sketch
- Albarino, Rias Baixas DO
- 60-80 year old vines
Who is this producer?
Do Ferreiro - Cepas Vellas, Val do Salnes
- Meaño, Salnés Valley at 150-250m
- Vineyard planted in 1785, with the current vines being over 200 years old
- Sabrego (decomposed granite and sand)
- Fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel, 11 months on the lees
Who is this producer?
Do Ferreiro - Adina, Val do Salnes
- Adina vineyard at 50 meters elevation
- 45 year old vines
- Fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, without malolactic fermentation
- Aging: Nine months on the lees in stainless steel without bâtonnage
Who is this producer?
Do Ferreiro - Lourido, Val do Salnes
- Lourido vineyard at 20m
- 50 year old vines
- In the winery, grapes are destemmed, cold-macerated, and pressed. A natural yeast fermentation begins using a pied de cuve from the winery’s history Cepas Vellas vineyard, followed by aging on the lees for 9 months in stainless steel.
- Aging: Nine months on the lees in stainless steel without bâtonnage
Who is this producer?
Do Ferreiro - Dous Ferrados, Val do Salnes
- Grapes for Dous Ferrados comes from their Adina vineyard, a 45-year-old albariño vineyard planted on unique oxidized gneiss and red schist soils in the area of A Lanzada, a part of the Salnés subzone facing the Ría de Pontevedra with a distinct Atlantic influence
- 45 year old vines
- Fermented with native yeasts in 500L used French oak barrels
- Aging: Seven months on the fine lees in 500L used French oak barrels, racked and aged another two months without lees in the same barrels
Who is this producer?
Do Ferreiro - Tomada do Sapo, Val do Salnes
- Site: Tomada do Sapo at 250m – Meaño Village
- Vine Age: Vines planted in 2013
Who is this producer?
Bodegas Zarate, Balado, Val do Salnes
- Two parcels of ungrafted vines planted in 1950 within a granite-walled vineyard. Very poor soils over granite rock.
- 220 case production
- Spends 3-6 months in tank on the gross lees, then 6 months on the fine lees
Who is this producer?
Bodegas Zarate - Tres da Vina, Val do Salnes
- A 0.6ha vineyard that was planted in 1970 with cuttings from El Palomar. Richer, sandier soils than other plots.
- Spends 24 months in tank on the fine lees. Typically goes through partial malolactic fermentation spontaneously
- 300 cases
Who is this producer?
Zarate - El Palomar, Val do Salnes
- A single 0.36ha plot of ungrafted 100+-year-old vines. Very poor soils over granite.
- 200 case production
- Spends 6 months in a single old foudre (22hl) on the gross lees, then 3 months on the fine lees. Full malolactic fermentation.
Who is this producer?
Bodegas Zarate - Fontecon Rosado - Rias Baixas DO? Guildsomm does not show a Rosado style allowed
- A plot located in Padrenda that is particularly suited to red varieties. Granitic soils with small percentage of red clay. T he wine is an evolving mix of Caiño Tinto, Albariño, and Espadeiro.
- Caiño and Albariño are macerated together for 3 hours before pressing, fermentation, and 3 months aging on the fine lees in tank.
- Espadeiro bunches are direct-pressed into used barrels for fermentation, and then aged on the fine lees until final assemblage.
- 150 cases
Who is this producer?
Bodegas Zarate - Tinto Fontecon -
- A plot located in Padrenda that is particularly suited to red varieties. Granitic soils with small percentage of red clay.
- A blend of ~70% Caino and 30% Espadeiro. The varieties are vinified separately as per the varieties below before blending assemblage in stainless tanks.
- 130 cases production
Who is this producer?
Bodegas Zarate - Caino Tinto from the Fontecon vineyard
- 60 year old vines
- Whole bunches are fermented in open top 500L barrels, followed by a 4 week maceration with daily pigeage. It then ages for a year in 3rd-passage French 500L barrels
- 100 cases
Who is this producer?
Bodegas Zarate - Espadeiro from the Fontecon vineyard
- 60 year old vines
- T he grapes are de-stemmed and fermented in open-top stainless tanks, followed by a 4 week maceration with daily pigeage. It then ages for a year in 3rd-passage French 500L barrels
- 50 case production
Who is this producer?
Bdoegas Zarate - Loureiro Tinto
- 60 year old vines
- Loureiro Tinto is one of the 3 native red varieties of the Val do Salnés. Late maturation, but very good while maintaining high acidity. Wine with body, aromatic and with a dense layer of color.
Who is this producer?
Pazo de Barrantes - Owned by Marques de Marrieta
Who is this producer?
Bodegas Forjas del Salnes - Leirana Ma. Luisa Lazaro
- Val do Salnes
- 100% Albariño. Vines planted from 1952 - 1982. Tended in sandy and granite soil at 5 m (16 ft) elevation
Who is this producer?
Nanclares y Preito - Val do Salnes
- 100% Albariño from centenarian vines in two parcels in the town of Sisán: Inxertal and A Granxa
- The grapes were harvested by hand, sorted, and gently crushed whole cluster into a new 500L Chestnut barrel
Who is this producer?
Nanclares y Pireto - Val do Salnes
- 100% Albariño from the oldest centenarian vines of Alberto and Silvia’s Ixertal parcel
Who is this producer?
Nanclares y Prieto
- 100% Albariño from 3 of Alberto and Silvia’s parcels: Manzaniña in Meaño and Ixertal and Casal in Ribadumia
- The vines range in age from 35 to 100 years and are largely west-facing and planted on sandy, granitic soils and clay deposits
Who is this producer?
Nanclares y Prieto - “Albariño de Alberto Nanclares”
- 100% Albariño from 8 of Alberto and Silvia’s parcels in Cambados and Portas: Soverribas, Praeira (Facho), Tomada de Juana, Albarellos, Senra, Gandarela, Freixido, and Monte Xago.
- The vines range in age from 15 to 45 years
Who is this producer?
Pazo de Senorans, Val do Salnes
Wiver that forms the southern border of both Condado do Tea and O Rosal subzones of Rias Baixas with Portugal?
Minho River
