Green Spain

Question 1

What is the Spanish name for green Spain?

Answer 1

España Verde

Question 2

What are the regions that make up Green Spain?

Answer 2

Galicia
Cantabria
Asturias
País Vasco

Question 3

What’s the name of the local tribe that battled the Romans at the Duero River in 137BCE?

Answer 3

Gallaeci tribe

Question 4

What did the Roman occupation bring to Galicia?

Answer 4

New technologies and new trade partners, as well as a new language.
It also brought foreign vines and a superior knowledge of viticulture.

Question 5

Other than the Romans, who else had taken control of Galicia?

Answer 5

Around 410, Galicia was taken over by the Suebi, a large group fo related peoples living in Germania during the Roman Empire;

In 585, the Visigoths invaded and gained control;

In 711, the Muslims invaded Spain, but the Arabs and Moors were never able to gain control over Galicia;

The area would later be incorporated into the growing Christian Kingdom of Asturias.

Question 6

What is the significance of the capital of Galicia in history?

Answer 6

Santiago de Compostela gained significant importance amongst Christians during the 9th century and would hold it throughout the Reconquista ——a period of approximately 770 years.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Camino de Santiago (“way of St. James”) was a major route of pilgrimage across the northern portion of Spain.

Question 7

When was Galicia capitalized?

Answer 7

After Isabella I established the Castilian monarchy in the area, Galicia capitalized on Christopher Columbus’ explorations by exporting wine.
At the same time, it began exporting vine cuttings to other European countries.

Question 8

What was Galicia’s historic center of wine production Ribeiro renowned for throughout the Middle Ages and into the 18th century?

Answer 8

Vino tostado (A sweet wine)

These fortified white wines were produced from sun-dried grapes and largely consumed by pilgrims passing through on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Ribeiro exported significant quantities of its Tostado do Ribeiro to England as well as other parts of Europe.

Question 9

What happened to the wine region of Galicia when tostado do Ribeiro went out of fashion?

Answer 9

Merchants soon turned their attention to northern Portugal where they found full-bodied, dry, red wines.
This devastated the wine trade in Galicia. Depopulation and a depressed economy ensued, and many vineyards were left unattended and/or abandoned.

Question 10

When was Galicia granted autonomous status?

Answer 10

1931

Question 11

Why did Galicia remain under Nationalist control after it was granted autonomous status?

Answer 11

Spanish civil War intervened

Question 12

When did Galicia regain its autonomous status?

Answer 12

In 1981

A few years after Francisco Franco’s death in 1975

Question 13

What is Galicia bordered by?

Answer 13

Atlantic Ocean to the north and west
Portugal to the south
The autonomous communities of Castilla y León and Asturias to the east

Question 14

What are the four provinces that comprise Galicia?

Answer 14

A Coruña
Lugo
Pontevedra
Ourense

Question 15

What is the largest city in Galicia?

Answer 15

Vigo

Question 16

What is the climate of Galicia?

Answer 16

Maritime

Mild and wet winter
Moderate summer

Question 17

What are the characteristics of the landscape of Galicia?

Answer 17

Cliffs and rías (submerged river valley open to the sea) in the costal area;
Hilly and mountainous in the inland area

Question 18

Which wine region in Spain is known as the “county of the thousand rivers”?

Answer 18

Galicia

Question 19

Name the most important rivers in Galicia

Answer 19

Miño River and Sil River

Question 20

What’s the pruning method in Galicia?

Answer 20

En espaldera for vineyards on terraces on the steep hillsides overlooking the rivers;
Parrals/pergolas for vineyards planted on flatter sites

Question 21

Why do the growers from Galicia prefer parrals/pergolas?

Answer 21

Land is scarce and vineyards are highly fragmented into many small sites with different owners, parrals allow for higher yields.

Up to 7 feet above the ground, parrals allow for the ventilation of the vine canopy, which is critical for the area’s high amount of precipitation plus the humidity generated by the surrounding bodies of water;

The height of the parrals also allow the farmers grow a second crop on the ground below the raised vines.

Question 22

What are the soil types of Galicia?

Answer 22

Along the coast, granite-based and tend to be sandy, shallow and slightly acidic;
Moving inland along the terraced river valleys, granite coupled with clay;
Further inland along the river valleys, shallow slate, shale, granitic sand.

Question 23

Why is granite ideally suited for the damp maritime climate?

Answer 23

It is porous and provides excellent drainage.

Question 24

What are the major grape varieties in Galicia?

Answer 24

White: Albariño represents roughly 90% of plantings in Rías Baixas
Godello is often a better choice in other locations

Red: Mencía from neighboring Castilla y León

Question 25

What is the general style of wine from Galicia?

Answer 25

Both vinos blancos and vinos tintos tend to be youthful and fresh,

Many producers are experimenting with long-term aging for both and having considerable success.

Question 26

Most of vineyards in Galicia utilize machine harvesting (T/F)

Answer 26

False.

Many of the vineyards are located on slopes and steep terraces along river valleys. Harvesting is labor-intensive and expensive.

Question 27

What are rías?

Answer 27

Submerged river valleys open to the sea

Rías formed by glaciers are typically U-shaped with steep banks because the ice masses carve straight grooves out of the land as they move.

Non-glacial rías are often branched or tree-like in shape with irregular banks of various elevations.

Question 28

Producers from Galicia are experimenting barrel aging for both white and red wines, what species of oak are they using?

Answer 28

American and French oak as well as local Galician oak.

Galician oak belongs to the Quercus pyrenaica species and early indications show it imparts characteristics of both American and French oak.