Glossary Flashcards
Spanish for “wall”; in DO Lanzarote, walls surround vines planted in hoyos and serve as windbreaks
Abrigo
A water-retentive soil containing 30-80% chalk mixed with limestone, sand and clay; found in DOs Jerez, Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda, and Montilla-Moriles
Albariza
An absorbent sand used as flooring in sherry bodegas; also, the local name used for Albariza soil in DO Montilla-Moriles
Albero
A semi-red wine unique to DO Valdepenas
Aloque
Spanish for “vintage”; term used on sherry labels
Anada
A designation within DO Carinena for intensely oxidized wines of at least 15% alcohol that spend minimum of 24months in barrel; Spanish for “mature”.
Anejo
Sand; a soil type in DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry or DO Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda
Arenas
A dark syrup obtained by heating grape must over a slow fire until it reduces to one-fifth its original volume
Arrope
A weather system with high atmospheric pressure at its center and calm rotating winds
Anticyclone
Also known as Azores anticyclone; an anticyclone that impacts the Iberian Peninsula and points east in summer, typically bringing blue skies, dry air and hot temperatures.
Azores High
Clay; a soil type in DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry or DO Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda
Barros
Spanish for “winery”
Bodega
Spanish for “barrel”; a term used in DOs Jerez and Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda
Bota
Orange wines made in Cataluna (DO Terra Alta); white wines vinified with skin contact resulting in orange hues
Brisats
The process of blending dry & sweet sherries to create cream sherry.
Cabaceo
A designation within DO Calatayud for wines made from low-yielding vines of at least 50 years in age with a minimum of 85% Garnacha
Calatayud Superior
A reddish clay often mixed with limestone gravels or stones; found on the island of Mallorca
Call Vermell
An enzymatic fermentation that takes place within the whole grape berries to deliver a wine that is light in tannin and explosive in aromatics
Carbonic Maceration
Spanish sparkling wine produced using the metodo tradicional (traditional method)
Cava
Spanish for “Qualified Single Vineyard Cava”; the highest quality designation within DO Cava; among other stipulations, hand-harvested grapes must hail from a single vineyard comprised of vines at least 10 years of age; wines must be aged for a minimum of 36 months on their lees, be vintage dated, and be finished as Brut, Brut Nature or Extra Brut.
Cava de Paraje Calificado
A strong, dry, cooling north/northwesterly wind blowing through Rioja, Navarra, Aragon and Cataluna in Autumn & Winter.
Cierzo (wind)
A winemaking process in which red and white grapes and crushed together and vinified as a red wine to deliver a light-red or semi-red wine.
Clarete
A sparkling wine (NOT cava) designation within DO Penedes; among other stipulations, wines must be 100% organic and aged for a minimum of 15 months on their lees.
Classic Penedes
A boutique winery with an annual production under 60,000L utilizing estate-grown grapes in Ribeiro, Galicia.
Colleiteiro
Spanish for “Regulating Council”; refers to an administrative/legislative body that regulates viticulture and winemaking practices, sets quality controls including aging regimen and provides proof of origin for each Spanish DOP.
Consejo Regulador
A grape training method only found in the Canary Islands; vines are braided as they grow to form long ropes; this allows them to be moved so other food crops can be planted during the growing season
Cordon trenzado
Spanish for “harvest” or “vintage”; also refers to a category of wine with no aging requirement.
Cosecha
Grape growers in Rioja who produce a red wine via a unique combination of carbonic maceration and wild yeast fermentation.
Cosecheros
Spanish for “banks” [of a river]; steep slopes
Costers
Spanish for “nurseries”; a term referring to a tier of butts within a solera that contain sherry of the same age
Criaderas
An aging category; vinos tintos must be aged for at least 24 months in total of which a minimum 6 months must be spent in barrel; vinos blancos and rosados must age for at least 12 months in total of which a minimum 6 months must be spent in barrel; some wine regions may modify/extend these requirements (e.g. DOCa Rioja, DO Ribera del Duero)
Crianza
Refers to legally defined areas of grape/wine production
Denominacion de Origen (DO)
Refers to DOs that have attained the highest quality levels for at least 10 years
Denominacion de Origen Calificada/Qualificada (DOCa/DOQ)
A distilled wine used in sherry production typically made from Airen
Destilado
“Double pulp”; a unique and traditional method of vinifying grapes in DO Utiel-Requena and DO Manchuela; skins and pulp of Bobal vino rosado production are added to a fermenting Bobal must resulting in “double-macerated”, highly-extracted, tannic vino tinto.
Doble pasta
A soft, humid sea breeze particular to the island of Mallorca; blows over land during sunniest part of the day and tapers off when the sun goes down; imparts some saline notes to many of the wines produced on the island
Embat
A vine training system whereby the head of the vine is trained downward in order to allow the leaf canopy to protect the fruit growing underneath
En cabeza
Literally translates to “on the branch”; a term for biologically-aged sherries that are very lightly filtered to remove suspended particles but do not undergo further clarification or stabilization
En rama
A vine training system whereby the trunk is head-pruned and kept short so that it resembles a small bush; in French “gobelet”; also called “bush vines”
En vaso
A vine training system whereby the trunk is typically established 3 feet off the ground with 1 or 2 permanent arms (cordons) resting on a support wire; this allows for VSP on a trellis system
Espaldera
Spanish for “Quality Sparkling Wines of Rioja”; an optional designation for producers within Rioja’s DO Cava zone of production and the only labeling option for sparkling producers outside of Rioja’s DO Cava area.
Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja
In sherry production, a term referring to a film of surface yeasts
Flor/ Velo de flor
Warm, dry winds on the leeward side of a mountain caused by the condensation of water vapor (and the heat that generates) on the windward side
Foehn effect
A famous sweet wine from DO Alicante crafted from overripe Monastrell grapes
Fondillon
Large wooden casks that hold 300L (or more) of wine
Foudres
Red wines produced in DO Emporda which have been aged for a minimum of 2 years and contain a minimum of 90% Garnacha Tinta and/or Garnacha Peluda
Garnacha del Emporda
A DOCa Rioja category of wine with no minimum aging requirement; also, a zonal classification in DOCa Rioja in which a wine does not conform to a single zone, municipality or vineyard
Generico
1970s prototype of a mechanized riddling machine; precursor of the gyropalette
Girasol
A designation for Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja that indicates extended lees aging (minimum 36 months) and vintage labeling
Gran Anada
A traditional aging category; vinos tintos must age for a minimum of 60 months in total of which a minimum 18 months must be spent in barrel; vinos blancos and rosados must age for a minimum of 48 months in total of which a minimum of 6 months must be spent in barrel; for DOCa Rioja, vinos tintos must age for minimum of 60 months in total, of which a minimum of 24 months must be spent in both barrel and bottle.
Gran Reserva
A cava that spends a minimum of 30 months on its lees and is finished as Brut, Brut Nature or Extra Brut
Gran Reserva Cava
A single-vineyard classification in DOQ Priorat (similar to Gran Cru in Burgundy); supersedes the Vi de Finca designation
Gran Vinya Calificada
Spanish for “hole”; in DO Lanzarote, a funnel-shaped hole dug approximately 10 ft/3m in diameter and 7-8 ft/2-2.5m deep
Hoyo
A subdivision of the Zona de Produccion consisting of only those vineyards planted in albariza soil
Jerez Superior