Galicia & País Vasco

Question 1

Where is Galicia located?

Answer 1

Northwestern Spain

Question 2

What is Galicia’s climate?

Answer 2

Maritime, cooler & wetter than rest of spain.
Increasing continental influence as you move inland

Question 3

What 3 DOs of Galicia must you know for certified?

Answer 3

Rias Baixes, Valdeorras, Ribeira Sacra

Question 4

What does Rias Baixes mean?

Answer 4

low estuaries, a reference to the region’s coastal, estuary ridden terroir.

Question 5

What are the important geographical features in Galicia?

Answer 5

The atlantic ocean and low estuaries, the Miño river, and the steep slopes of Ribeira Sacra

Question 6

What is the important soil type to know of Galicia?

Answer 6

Granite!

Question 7

What viticultural tools are utilized in Galicia? Why?

Answer 7

High canopy trellising throughout due to humidity
Terraced vineyards on steep slopes of Ribeira Sacra

Question 8

What are the dominant grape varieties of Galicia?

Answer 8

Red: Mencia
White: Albariño, Godello

Question 9

What rules govern the Rias Baixes DO?

Answer 9

wines labeled Albariño must be 100%

Question 10

What rules govern Valdeorras DO?

Answer 10

White wines from Godello
Reds from Mencia

Question 11

What rules govern Ribeira Sacra DO?

Answer 11

White wines from Albariño & Godello
Reds from Mencia

Question 12

What styles of wine are made with Galicia’s 3 key grapes?

Answer 12

dry, crisp, aromatic whites from Albariño
fresh, neutral whites from Godello
light reds from Mencîa

Question 13

Name 3 albariño producers. Can you tell me anything about them?

Answer 13

Pazo Señorans: estate is a 16th century castle: making gorgeous albariño since 1989

Granbazán: beautiful blue neoclassical chateau, making wine since 1981 showcasing the priveleged Sálen valley terroir

Lagar de Cervera is an iconic wine from La Rioja Alta.
They source their grapes from O Rosal to the south, where the sunshine & miño river moderate, wines explode with tropical & floral fruit flavor, and Salnés, where the cool wet influence of the atlantic helps wines take on searing acid & icy minerality

Question 14

What would you pair with Rias Baixes albariño?

Answer 14

because of it’s a fresh, light, delicate wine, it makes a perfect foil to simply prepared shellfish & bivalves

Question 15

What does Ribeira Sacra mean? What is it in reference to? To what can you compare it’s vineyards?

Answer 15

Sacred bank, for all the area’s churches. It’s steep slope vineyards were terraced by the romans, so it quite resembles the northern rhone.

Question 16

Where is País Vasco?

Answer 16

On the atlantic coast of spain, directly above rioja

Question 17

What is the climate of País Vasco? What geographical feature most influences its climate?

Answer 17

Moderate Maritime; atlantic ocean

Question 18

What are País Vasco’s signature grapes?

Answer 18

White: Hondarrabi Zuri
Red: Hondarrabi Beltsa

Question 19

What are País Vasco’s three key DOs?

Answer 19

Bizkaiko Txakolina DO
ArabakoTxakolina DO
Getariako Txakolina DO

Question 20

What are the rules of País Vasco’s three key DOs?

Answer 20

they make mostly dry whites, but rosados & reds are allowed.
Wines are young, high acid, often with slight effervescence.

Question 21

What production style can you link with the flavor profile of País Vasco’s wines?

Answer 21

The high acid, light, dry whites with slight effervescence are likely to see a modern, temperature controlled fermentation in neutral stainless steel vessels.

Question 22

What would you traditionally serve a Txakolina white with?

Answer 22

Oily seafood.