Green Spain

Question 1

What are the autonomous regions of Green Spain?

Answer 1

País Vasco
Cantabria
Asturias
Galicia

Question 2

Primary topographical features in Galicia

Answer 2

Galician Massif
Miño River, Sil River
coasts - with cliffs & Rias

Question 3

Ribeira Sacra Wine Styles

Answer 3

94% tinto - mostly Mencía

6% Blanco - mostly Godello

Question 4

Galicia soils

Answer 4

Along the coast:
granite-based, sandy, shallow & slightly acidic

more inland:
granitic with clay

even more inland - along the river valleys:
shallow slate, shale and granitic sand

Question 5

Subzones of Rías Baixas

Answer 5

Val do Salnés
Condado de Tea
O Rosal
Soutomaior
Ribeira do Ulla

Question 6

Val do Salnés

Answer 6

63% of production
Oldest, coldest, wettest

Question 7

Where does the majority of all Rías Baixas wine come from - subzones?

Answer 7

97% from:
Val do Salnés 63%
Condado de Tea
O Rosal

Question 8

Which subzone authorizes only Albariño?

Answer 8

Soutomaior in Rías Baixas

Question 9

Ribeira do Ulla

Answer 9

northernmost subzone of Rias Baixas
Predominately red

Question 10

??? Rías Baixas minor white grapes ???

Answer 10

Loureira Treixadura Caiño Blanco

Question 11

??? Rías Baixas minor red grapes ???

Answer 11

Caiño Tinto Espadeiro Sousón

Question 12

What is the dominant grape variety in Rias Baixas - explain general facts?

Answer 12

Albariño
Med size
Thick skinned
Susceptible to powdery/downy mildew
Bright acid, floral, peach, apricot, grapefruit

Question 13

Who brought grapes to Ribeira Sacra?

Answer 13

Romans

Question 14

Ribeira Sacra vineyards - general facts

Answer 14

Terraced along river
100-350m
En vaso

Question 15

Ribeira Sacra subzones

Answer 15

Chantada & Ribeiras do Miño
along the Miño River
wet climate.

Ribeiras do Sil, Amandi More slate Quiroga-Bibei
all flank Sil river, mostly S facing vineyards

Question 16

Primary grape of Ribeira Sacra

Answer 16

Mencía 84% of production

Question 17

Secondary grapes of Ribeira Sacra

Answer 17

Garnacha Tintorerra Godello 70% of white production (white production 5% of total

Question 18

Ribeira Sacra Summum

Answer 18

grape focused designation within DO Ribeira Sacra

85% of preferred varieties
Min 60% Mencía

vinos blancos - 100% of preferred varieties

Question 19

Mencía

Answer 19

grape variety native to Bierzo

Prone to wind damage, rot, mildew, botrytis

Aromatic, high alcohol wines

Question 20

DO Ribeiro varieties

Answer 20

90% Blanco - Treixadura dominating

9% Tinto

Question 21

Which DO is the oldest in Galicia?

Answer 21

DO Ribeiro

Question 22

Ribeiro Soils

Answer 22

Granite dominating (70%)

Question 23

Ribeiro Rivers

Answer 23

Miño
Avia
Arnoia

Question 24

What is the signature grape of DO Ribeiro?

Answer 24

Treixadura

Portuguese in origin

Thin skinned

Aromatic, herbal, citrus, floral

In blends, bring aromatics and tames acidity of other grapes

Question 25

Tostado do Ribeira

Answer 25

Sweet fortified white wine Hugely popular with tourists along Camiño de Santiago in 17th/18th c

Question 26

Which 2 autonomous regions make up the Cantabrian Range?

Answer 26

Asturias Cantabria

Question 27

Which mountain range forms a natural border between Asturias/Cantabria & Castilla y León?

Answer 27

Cordillera Cantábrica

Question 28

Foehn Effect

Answer 28

Warm, humid winds push up the windward side of mtn thus, cooling and generating precipitation as they go up heat combined with high pressure, creating hot dry winds on downwind side. This warming, drying effect extends the growing season (eg País Vasco).

Question 29

Cantabrian Range Grapes

Answer 29

Asturia: Albarín Blanco Mencía, Albarín Tinto, Carrasquín Cantabria: in N - whites Albariño, Godello, Treixadura, Hondarribi Zuri Hondarribi Beltza

Question 30

What are the provinces of País Vasco?

Answer 30

Álava (Araba) Vizcaya (Bizkaia) Guipúzcoa (Gipuzkoa)

Question 31

Which 2 autonomous regions border País Vasco?

Answer 31

La Rioja Castilla y León

Question 32

País Vasco Soils

Answer 32

Guizpúcoa - sand atop alluvium, clay Vizcaya - clay loam atop limestone Álava - limestone

Question 33

Hondarribi Zuri

Answer 33

white variety Small bunches, small berries Prone to wind damage Aromatic, crisp, high acid, citrus, white flowers DNA shows could be Corbu Blanc or Crouchen Blanc

Question 34

DO Arabako Txakolina

Answer 34

Smallest DO in País Vasco Espaldera training 100-200m Primarily limestone 94% Blanco

Question 35

DO Bizkaiko Txakolina

Answer 35

Coastal, western 50-200m Espaldera, parral 99% blanco

Question 36

DO Getariako Txakolina

Answer 36

1st DO in País Vasco Coastal, east Highest rainfall Largest production of 3 areas up to 200m Parral Most vines within 1/2 mile from coast 93% Blanco, 6% rosado

Question 37

How many subzones are in Valdeorras?

Answer 37

8

Question 38

What is the smallest and driest subzone of País Vasco?

Answer 38

DO Arabako