Module 8: Chapters 11, 12 - Spain & Portugal Flashcards
Spain was the largest wine producer by volume in 2013. Where does it usually rank?
3, behind France and Italy.
True or false: Spain’s domestic consumption is high, keeping it’s exports low.
False. Spain is a top three wine exporter.
Where does Spain rank in grape acreage?
By far the largest, at more than 2.5 million acres (1.01 million ha)
Why is Spain closely associated with the Tempranillo grape?
It is the main grape of Rioja, and a foundational grape in many other standout Spanish reds.
The majority of Spain’s interior is raised on a large plateau. What is it called?
The Meseta. Almost 60% of Spain lies above 2,000 feet.
What lies off Spain’s northern border?
The Bay of Biscay, off of the Atlantic Ocean. To the northeast lie the Pyrenees and France.
What is on the western boundary of Spain?
Portugal, and a small section of Atlantic coastline.
What is on the southern and eastern border of Spain?
The Mediterranean.
Describe Spain’s climate.
Mostly Continental, hot summers, cold winters, rainfall fairly evenly spread throughout the year.
The mountains block much of the Iberian peninsula from winter storms and colder northern influences. What are the two main chains of mountains in Spain?
The Pyrenees in the northeast, and the Cantabrian Mountains (Cordillera Cantabria) along the northern central coast.
Where is the only maritime climate in Spain? What does that mean?
The Northwest corner has a maritime climate: mild summers, mild winters, considerable rainfall year-round.
What kind of climate does the southwest and southern coastal area have?
Mediterranean. Hot, dry, sunny summers. Mild, wetter winters.
Which months are pretty dry everywhere in Spain?
June, July, August.
2 of the 17 autonomous communities are in island chains. Name them, and where they are.
The Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, and the Canary Islands in the North Atlantic.
There are two autonomous cities that are part of Spain. Name them, and where they are.
Ceuta and Melilla, on the northern coast of Africa.
Name the three other languages that introduce variations in wine terminology and pronunciation in Spain. Where are they located?
Galician, or Galego, in Galicia (including Rias Baixas)
Basque, or Euskara, in Basque Country and Navarra
Catalan (Catala) in Catalunya, Valencia, and surrounding areas.
Spain’s acreage heavily orients to native varieties. What is planted to 25% of the 2 million acres?
Airen. It is grown primarily for brandy and commercial bulk wine, widely planted throughout central Spain.
At just over 20%, what is the second most planted grape in Spain?
Tempranillo, which is heavily grown in the northern parts of the Meseta. It is known by many different names.
What are the qualities prized in Tempranillo?
It’s long life, moderate acidity, and aromas of spice, chalk, strawberries, tobacco, and the often heavy influence of oak.
What are some of the synonyms for Tempranillo and regions where they are used?
Tempranillo - Rioja, New World Tinta de Toro - Toro Tinta del Pais - Ribera del Duero, Cigales Tinto Fino - Ribera del Duero Ull de Llebre - Catalonia Cencibel - La Mancha, Valdepenas Aragonez - Portugal Tinta Roriz - Douro Valley (Portugal)
Garnacha and Monastrell are other well respected red grapes in Spain. What are they known as elsewhere?
Grenache and Mourvedre, respectively.
What is the other name in Spain for Macabeo?
Viura
There are five significant regional grapes in Spain. Name them, and where they’re from.
Palomino and Pedro Ximenez in Jerez
Parellada and Xarel-lo in Penedes
Albarino in Rias Baixas
Following E laws, Spain divides its wines into table wines and quality wines. What are the two Spanish categories of table wines?
Vinos de mesa (literally, table wines) and vinos de la tierra (country wines), which are sourced from within a single geographical indication (GI), and must eet nominal alcohol and sensory standards.
What level of EU wine does the Vinos de la Tierra category meet?
This is equivalent to the PGI level in the EU. To date, there are 42 of these regions, identified on wine labels as “Vinos de la Tierra de” followed by regional name.
Quality wines make up what percentage of Spain’s total wine production?
40%. There are currently 80 designated production areas that meet the more narrowly defined regions and higher standards of production and character.
There are four subcategories of quality wine recognized in Spain. Name them, in order of ascending quality.
Vino de calidad con indicacion geografica (VCIG)
Denominacion de origen (DO)
Denominacion de origen calificada (DOCa)
Vino de pago
What is intended by the VCIG status?
That those regions will qualify for DO status before too long. They become eligible for elevation after 5 years.
When was VCIG established?
- It has yet to see a large amount of growth. There were 8 regions as of December 2019: Cangas, Valles de Benavente, Valtiendas, Sierra Salamanca, Granada, Las Islas Canarias, Cebreros, and Legrija.
What makes a DO region?
A specified region, whose production is prescribed with regard to grape varieties, crop yields, winemaking methods, and aging regimens.
How many DO’s are in Spain, not including DOCa or pagos)
67, but the number is likely to rise. Each one has its own regulating council (consejo regulador) that controls local production areas and practices.
DOCa is reserved for standout DO’s. What makes them so?
Ten years as a superior DO, higher standards in all categories. There are only two right now: Rioja and Priorat. (Priorat is a DOQ, that Catalan equivalent of the acronym)
Vino de pago means what?
Estate Wine. The category was established in 2003 to recognize single specific vineyards of distinction, often historical estates.
What sets pagos apart?
They set their own standards. However, if located within a DO or DOCa, those standards must meet or exceed the surrounding region.
How many pagos are there?
20, as of December 2019. The number is expected to rise.
None are within Rioja or Ribera del Duero, showing that many estates still prefer the prestige of the appellation to the new designation.
There are two sets of aging terminology on labels for Spanish wine. Why?
The terminology is strictly regulated. One applies for PGI and PDO wines under the EU, the other for PDO wines only.
What are the aging terms for PGI and PDO wines?
Vino noble: minimum 18 months in barricas OR in the bottle. Vino anejo (aged wine): minimum 24 months in barricas OR in the bottle Vino viejo (old wine): minimum 36 months aging in a strongly oxidative environment exposed to ay combination of light, oxygen, and heat.
What are the aging terms for PDO only wines?
The classic terms; crianza, Reserva, or Gran Reserva
Crianza: Minimum 6 months in barrel, minimum 24 months total aging
Reserva: Minimum 12 months in barrel, minimum 36 months total aging
Gran Reserva: minimum 18 months in barrel, minimum 60 months total aging.
Joven may be used for PDO wine released the year after it was made, and oak aged for less time than Crianza, if at all.
True or false: Some DOs and DOCa’s have higher minimum aging times for their wines.
True
What is the cooler, wetter region of northwestern Spain?
Galicia, also known as Green Spain.
What is notable about the wines of Green Spain?
Their high acidity compared to other Spanish wines.
What is the best known of Galicia’s wines?
Those from Rias Baixas, primarily known for the dry, fragrant, high acid wine made from Albarino.
What are the other two primary white grapes of Rias Baixas?
Loureiro and Treixadura.
How many non-contiguous subregions is Rias Baixas broken up into?
5
What other DOs are in Galicia?
Ribeiro (mostly whites, including Albarino) and Valdeorras (experimenting with int’l varieties, but revived Godello and Mencia)
The main river of Castilla y Leon
The Duero (Douro, when it ends in Portugal)
What is the climate of Castilla y Leon?
Lying on the high plains of northern Meseta, it has extremes; very cold winters and quite hot summers. The mountains to the north (Cantabrian Mts) keep the rainfall much lower than Galicia next door.
What are the four main wine regions of Castilla y Leon?
Toro, Rueda, Cigales, Ribera del Duero
What is the primary grape of Toro?
Tempranillo, which is locally known as Tinta de Toro.
Whites and rosado are also produced, and the region has seen a resurgence of investment and modernization of practices.
Why are the white wines of Rueda prized?
Rueda has large diurnal shifts. The whites feature Verdejo, which has seen a significant amount of growth in the last decade, with some producers playing with oak aging for the light, aromatic white.
What international variety is being used as an alternative to (or blending partner with) Verdejo in Rueda?
Sauvignon Blanc. Viura is also permitted.
How much of production in Rueda is comprised of reds and rosados? What are they?
5%, Tempranillo, Merlot, Garnacha, and Cab Sauv are permitted.
What is produced in Cigales?
Primarily reds made from Tempranillo (locally Tinta del Pais), with rosados allowed to blend in Garnacha.
Ribera del Duero is star on par with Rioja. What percentage of Ribera del Duero reds must be Tempranillo?
75% must be Tempranillo (locally Tinta del Pais, or Tinto Fino). Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Garnacha are permitted to make up the rest.
What is the climate of Ribera del Duero.
Extremes of hot and cold, with only 16 weeks where growers are assured of there being no frost. Summer highs can reach 105F.
What causes the large diurnal shifts in Ribera del Duero? What effect does this have?
The elevation of Ribera del Duero causes the shifts (averaging 2500 feet, among the highest in Spain). The shifts permit full ripening while retaining acidity despite the high summer heat.
Where is Navarra?
Between La Rioja and the French border to the northeast. Small portions of the Rioja DOCa cross over into southwest Navarra.
True or false: Navarra was once a separate kingdom?
True, until being subsumed by the Castilian Empire in 1512.
Southern Navarra has a climate similar to Rioja. What is Navarra traditionally known for?
Historically, it is famous for its Rose. More recently, it has been planted to international varieties.
What are the principal grapes of Navarra?
Tempranillo and Garnacha. Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Chardonnay are growing in importance.
Rioja was the first region elevated to two different statuses. What were they and when?
DO status (1925) DOCa status (1991) Rioja produces roughly 1/6 of all DO level wine in Spain.
Where is Rioja?
North Central Spain, inland from the Cantabrian Mountains.
What is the main river through Rioja?
The Ebro, which has seven major tributaries in the region.
What influence do the Cantabrian Mountains have n the climate of Rioja?
They block out the majority of the cold influences of the Bay of Biscay/Atlantic Ocean. Along with the Ebro and the Mediterranean to the southeast, the summers are warm and winters are mild.
The Rioja DOCa has three subappellations, called zones. What are they?
Rioja Alta - the high-altitude, hilly area covering the western half of the region.
Rioja Alavesa - The portion of Rioja Alta north of the Ebro
Rioja Oriental - the lower, flatter eastern portion of the Rioja DOCa.
True or false: Rioja Alta is the hottest of the zones.
False. Rioja Oriental is the hottest and driest. Rioja Alta and Alavesa are relatively mild and produce much of the finest grapes in the region.
Do DOCa wines of Rioja have to be from one zone?
No. They may, and be labeled as such, but are often a blend of two, or even all three zones.
How much of Rioja is planted to red varieties?
Well over 90%, and Tempranillo comprises most of that, Garnacha, Mazuelo (Carinena is other regions, Carignan outside of Spain) and Graciano are the other permitted grapes.
What are the white wines of Rioja?
Viura is by far the leading grape. Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc, Malvasia, Garnacha Blanca, Maturana Blanca, and Verdejo are also permitted.
Why did Rioja rise to prominence?
The influence of Bordeaux winemakers after phylloxera destroyed their vineyards in the late 19th century. They set out to make Bordeaux style wines from the native varieties.
They left when phylloxera reached Spain, but left behind radically improved winemaking technique, including the 225 liter oak barrel.
What kind of oak is used for the traditional oak-aged Tempranillo-based reds of Rioja?
American oak is used almost exclusively, although some makers have toyed with French oak in recent years.
What is the traditional flavor profile of Rioja Tempranillo
Less focus on fruit, and more on the heavy tannins, earthiness, minerality, and the distinctive leathery bouquet.
There is a recent change in emphasis in parts of Rioja. What is the new emphasis?
Single variety and single estate wines, as well as wines that are approachable at a younger age.
Rioja DOCa is stricter on aging standards. What are they?
Crianza: Minimum 24 months total, at least 12 in barrel.
Reserva: Minimum 36 months total, at least 12 in barrel, and at least 6 in bottle.
Gran Reserva: Minimum 60 months total, at least 2 years each in barrel and bottle.
What is the principal white of Rioja?
Viura. Usually cold fermented and released young, though some still use traditional oak-aging, barrel fermented style.
Does Rioja produce Rose?
Yes, primarily from Garnacha.
As of 2018, what else is produced under the Rioja designation?
Traditional method sparkling wine, known as Vino Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja DOCa.
True or false: Aragon was a formerly independent kingdom.
True. East of both Rioja and Navarra, it is now an autonomous region of the same name.
What is the climate of Aragon?
Very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.
What DO produces the best modern wines in Aragon?
Somontano, in the Pyrenees foothills.
