Galicia and Basque Flashcards
What Cistercian influence exists in Galicia?
The end of the Camino de Santiago is here, at the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela. Saint James is buried there, and worshipers from all over Europe would make the pilgrimage.
From what region outside Galicia did the Cistercian monks bring viticultural influence?
Burgundy
A winery in Galicia is called what?
Pazos, it loosely means a country side house, kinda like a French chateau.
What was the first commercial winery in Rias Baixas and when?
Palacio de Fefinanes 1904
What does the name Rias Baixas mean?
What is the climate like here?
Low Estuaries, in reference to all the little rivers flowing through to the Atlantic.
Maritime, and humid
What is the dominant soil type in Rias Baixas?
Xabre, a type of decomposed granite
Out of necessity, what is the vine training technique used in Rias Baixas.
What are 2 reasons why?
Pergola (Parral)
It aids in ventilation, preventing mildew and rot, and it also increases leaf exposure to sunlight, aiding photosynthesis, and protecting against sunburn.
What are the 5 sub zones of Rias Baixas?
Val do Salnes
O Rosal
Condado do Tea
Soutomaior
Ribeira do Ulla
What river divides Rias Baixas from Portugal? What Portuguese wine region is on the other side?
Minho
Minho VR, Vinho Verde
From the Minho river, where are the 5 subzones of Rias Baixas located?
Along the river are O Rosal and Condado do Tea. Condado is further inland.
Val do Salnes is North of O Rosal, closer to the ocean than Ribeira do Ulla which is North of Condado do Tea.
Soutomaior is smack in between the 4.
What percent of acreage does the Val do Salnes account for?
What percent of plantings overall, does Albarino account for?
Over half the acreage of Rias Baixas is in Val do Salnes, the wettest and largest of the 5.
Rias Baixas is planted 96% to Albarino overall.
Are blends allowed in Rias Baixas? From what grapes?
Why don’t we see them more often?
Yes, Loureira, Treixadura, Caino Blanco, Godello, and Torrontes are grown
100% varietal is required when listing Albarino in Rias Baixas. The marketability of the grape inhibits the others.
Describe the range of styles an Albarino might be produced in.
Lightest, fresh and fruity, steel ferment, released in the Spring after harvest.
Mid-weight, lees and battonage
Fuller style, barrel ferments and full malolactic
Can you label Rias Baixas by sub zone?
If yes, what are the grapes required?
Soutomaior No
The other 4 Yes
Min 70% Alb+Loureira+Treixa+Caino Bl in Val do Salnes and Ribeira do Ulla
Min 70% Albarino+Loureira in O Rosal
Min 70% Albarino+Treixa in Condado
What other styles of wine are made in Rias Baixas?
A little red made from Caino Tinto, Espadeiro, Loureira Tinta, Souson, Mencia, Brancellao, any combo
Tiny amounts of sparkling from the authorized grapes.
Vino Tostado
How is Vino Tostado made in Rias Baixas?
Dried red or white grapes, min 3 months
min must weight 350g/L
aged 6 months in barrel, 3 in bottle
In what year did Rias Baixas become a DO?
1980
What DO is East of Condado do Tea along the Minho river?
Ribeiro DO
How are the vineyards of Galicia laid out across the landscape? Whats the name for this?
There are lots of tiny fragmented parcels with individual ownership.
Minifundias
What 3 river valleys characterize the Ribeiro DO?
Whats the climate and terroir like?
Minho, Avia, and Arnoia rivers
Humid and rainy, spring frost a concern.
Decomposed granite
What does barrica indicate on a label in Galicia?
Time spent in barrel, smaller than 600L
What styles of wine are made in Ribeiro?
Red, white
Vino Tostado
Espumoso (traditional) white & rosado
What percent of wine produced in Ribeiro is white? What grape leads here?
90%, Treixadura blended with Albarino, Loureiro, Godello, Caino Blanco, Torrontes, et al.
Further inland, what Galician DO is defined by the Sil and Minho rivers?
Ribeira Sacra DO
What vineyard feature characterizes Ribeira Sacra plantings?
Terraces, dug into steep hillsides
When was Ribeira Sacra elevated to DO status?
What 3 producers helped shine a light on the quality wine made here?
1996
Algueira, Guimaro, Dominio do Bibei
What are the 5 sub regions of Ribeira Sacra?
Chantada
Ribeiras do Mino
Ribeiras do Sil
Quiroga-Bibei
Amandi
What soil type is present in the lower Ribeira Sacra vineyards?
And higher up?
Granite
Slate
This grape accounts for 90% of Ribeira Sacra plantings.
Mencia
What does ‘Summum’ mean?
In Ribeira Sacra, it requires the use of at least 85% principal grapes for red, with a minimum 60% Mencia.
For white it requires 100% principal grapes, of Albarino, Treixadura, and Godello
Other than Mencia, what are 5 other red grapes you’re likely to come across in Ribeira Sacra?
Bastardo/Merenzao
Souson/Vinhao (port and red vinho verde)
Caino Tinto
Tempranillo
Brancellao
What is Galicia’s Eastermost outpost?
Valdeorras DO
Whats the climate like in Valdeorras?
Whats the soil type?
More continental and less humid. Hotter summers and colder winters.
Slate is the key here. There’s some granite and calcareous soils around as well.
Red wines in Valdeorras are focused on what grape?
What other grapes may be blended?
Mencia
Same cast as Rib Sacra:
Tempranillo
Merenzao/Bastardo
Caino Tinto
Souson/Vinhao
Brancellao
What varietal wines are allowed in Valdeorras?
Godello 100%
Mencia min 85%
An espumoso wine from Valdeorras will be what grape?
min 85% Godello
What grape is featured in the white wines of Valdeorras?
What are its 2 likely blending partners?
Godello
Dona Blanca and/or Palomino
What river flows through Valdeorras?
What does the name of the appellation mean?
Sil river
Valley of Gold
What do the ageing requirements of Crianza, Reserva, and Grand Reserva entail for Valdeorras white wine?
same as Spanish law
Crianza: 18 months total, 6 in barrel
Reserva: 24 months total, 6 in barrel
Gran Reserva: 48 months, 6 in barrel
What do the ageing requirements of Crianza, Reserva, and Grand Reserva entail for Valdeorras red wine?
Same as Spanish law
Crianza: 2 years, 6 months barrel
Reserva: 3 years, 12 months barrel
Gran Reserva: 5 years, 18 months barrel
When was the Valdeorras DO established?
1945
Monterrei DO, along the corner of the Portuguese border, produces what wines from what grapes?
Whites featuring Dona Blanca
Reds featuring Mencia
Which two regions in between Galicia and Basque country have no DO’s, but do grow grapes and make wine?
What other fermented specialty do they make here?
Cantabria and Asturias
Sidra, a bretty sour cider.
What is Euskadi?
The Basque name for their region, Pais Vasco in Spanish
What are the 3 Basque regions located along the coast? What is the 4th Basque region, located inland and part of one of Spain’s DOCa’s?
Getariako Txakolina DO
Bizkaiko Txakolina DO
Arabako Txakolina DO
Rioja Alavesa DOCa
What is the climate and terroir of the 3 Txakoli regions?
Getaria and Bizkaia are heavily influenced by the Bay of Biscay. Humidity is a concern. Sandy alluvial soils.
Arabako is higher up and inland away from the ocean, but also smallest and newest.
What are the styles of wine made in Basque country?
White, Red, Rose, and Sparkling
What are the leading grapes of Basque wines?
Hondarrabi Zuri (white)
Hondarrabi Beltza (red)
What mountain range separates Basque country from Galicia and Castilla y Leon?
Cantabrian Mountains
What grapes may be blended into Basque white wines?
Gros Manseng (Izkiriota)
Petit Manseng (Izkiriota Ttipia)
Corbu (Xuri Zerratia)
Folle Blanche
Riesling, Chard, Sauv Blanc
