North-Central Spain

Question 1

What are the three autonomia’s of North-Central Spain?

Answer 1

Navarra
La Rioja
Aragon

Question 2

What is the mountain range that divides France and Spain?

Answer 2

Pyrenees Mountains NE

Cantabrian Mountains NW

Question 3

From where does the Ebro emerge?

Answer 3

western Cantabrian mountains

Question 4

Which direction does the Ebro flow?

Answer 4

SE

Question 5

Where does Rioja DOCa get it’s name from?

Answer 5

A smaller tributary of the Ebro called the Oja

Question 6

What year did Rioja receive it’s DOCa Status?

Answer 6

1991

Question 7

Who was named DOCa before?

Answer 7

No one, Rioja was the first.

Question 8

For how many years has Rioja been making wine?

Answer 8

2000 years

Question 9

What Benedictine clergyman in the 13th centuries sung Rioja’s praises in verse?

Answer 9

Gonzalo de Berceo (commemorated in Berceo reserva and gran reserva bottlings)

Question 10

During what century did Rioja begin to define it’s current style we know today?

Answer 10

19th - subject to French influence, american oak.

Question 11

Traditional blending grapes of Rioja DOCa?

Answer 11

Mazuelo (Carignan)
Graciano
Garnacha
Maturana Tinta (authorized in 2007)

Question 12

To be called Rioja DOCa what is the minimum % of the four traditional blending grapes?

Answer 12

85% - 95% if destemmed.

Question 13

Name the “Experimental” grapes that can be used after min. of the traditional grapes are used.

Answer 13

Cabernet Sauvignon

Monastel

Question 14

What are the white grapes permitted in Rioja DOCa?

Answer 14

Viura (Macabeo) - dominant white
Garnacha Blanca
Malvasía Riojano
Maturana Blanca.

Permitted but cannot be more than 49% of the blend:
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Verdejo

Question 15

What % of red grapes must be used to make rosato wines in Rioja DOCa?

Answer 15

25%

Question 16

What are the minimum aging req. for red Crianza?

Answer 16

Total 2 yrs aging prior to release, with a minimum year in oak.

Question 17

What are the min. aging req. for red Reserva?

Answer 17

Total 3yrs again prior to release, including one year in oak.

Question 18

What are the aging req. for red Gran Reserva?

Answer 18

2yrs in cask and 3yrs in bottle - prior to release.

Question 19

What are the permitted size of a Rioja barrel for aging?

Answer 19

225-L, also the size of a barrique

Question 20

What are the aging req. for white/rosato crianza?

Answer 20

6 mo. in cask (can be barrel or stainless) - age for 2 yrs.

Question 21

What are the aging req. for white/rosato Reserva?

Answer 21

6 mo. in cask - age for 2 yrs. (in bottle or barrel)

Question 22

What are the aging req. for white/rosato Gran Reserva?

Answer 22

6 mo. in cask - age for 4 yrs. (in bottle or barrel)

Question 23

What are the names of the to towns that mark the northwest and the southeast of Rioja.

Answer 23

Haro in the NW

Alfaro in the SE

Question 24

What are the three climatically different sub-zones of Rioja?

Answer 24

Rioja Alta
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Baja

Question 25

What style of wines are known in Rioja Alavesa?

Answer 25

Re, vino joven wines meant for early consumption - carbonic maceration is sometimes employed.

Question 26

T or F Alavesa is the largest region?

Answer 26

False, it is the smallest and sits directly north of the alta region - technically located in the Basque country.

Question 27

The soils in the Alavesa and Alta are what?

Answer 27

calcareous clay

Question 28

What styles of wine is the Alta region known for?

Answer 28

Age worthy trempranillo because it is slightly warmer the the Alavesa.

Question 29

What style of wine is the Baja Rioja known for?

Answer 29

Hottest region, Granacha performs best here. . There is also more alluvial soils and ferrous clay.

Question 30

There are two big schools of thought on the different regions, what are they?

Answer 30

1. Rioja would be most complete as a blend of all three climatic regions. 2. Rioja is great as a single vineyard in a region expression (Lopez de Heredia)

Question 31

In which sub-region is the winery renowned for it's avant-garde architecture Ysios located?

Answer 31

Rioja Alavesa

Question 32

Who designed the Marques de Riscal winery?

Answer 32

Frank Gehry

Question 33

Lopez de Heredia has a new visitor's boutique designed by who?

Answer 33

Zaha Hadid

Question 34

What are the top wineries of Haro?

Answer 34

``` Located on the south-side of the Ebro. Lopez de Heredia La Rioja Alta Bodegas Muga Bodegas Roda CVNE ```

Question 35

What are the top wineries of Logroño of Rioja Alta?

Answer 35

Marques de Murrieta | Artadi

Question 36

Fuenmayor top wineries in Rioja Alta?

Answer 36

Bodegas LAN | Finca Valpiedra

Question 37

Cenicero top wineries in Rioja Alta?

Answer 37

Marques de Caceres

Question 38

San Vicente de la Sons top winery in Rioja Alta?

Answer 38

Senorio de San Vicente (On the north side of the river but still in Alta and not Alavesa)

Question 39

Briones top winery in Rioja Alta?

Answer 39

Finca Allende

Question 40

Labastida top winery located in the Alavesa?

Answer 40

La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri

Question 41

Oyan's top winery in the Alavesa?

Answer 41

Bodegas El Coto

Question 42

Name the oldest winery in Haro.

Answer 42

Lopez de Heredia

Question 43

Where is the Navarra DO located?

Answer 43

Directly north of Rioja, Navarra is big spoon to Rioja.

Question 44

What style of wine was Navarra originally known for?

Answer 44

Rosato wines.

Question 45

What is the % of red produced in Navarra DO now?

Answer 45

60% of production

Question 46

Two principal red grapes of Navarra DO?

Answer 46

Garnacha | Tempranillo

Question 47

Other permitted red grapes?

Answer 47

``` Graciano Mazuelo Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Syrah Pinot Noir ```

Question 48

What is the % of white production in Navarra DO?

Answer 48

6%

Question 49

Permitted white grapes?

Answer 49

Viura is most prominent ``` Garnacha Blanca Malvasía Moscatel de grano menudo Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc ```

Question 50

What are the five subzones of Navarra DO?

Answer 50

(The higher altitude in the north) Valdizarbe Baja Montaña Tierra Estella (In the center) Ribera Alta (In the hot south) Ribera Baja

Question 51

What are the 3 DO Pago's of Navarra DO?

Answer 51

Señorio de Arínzano Prado Irache in Tierra Estella Bodegas Otazu in Valdizarbe

Question 52

What are the four DO's of Aragon?

Answer 52

Campo de Borja DO Calatayud DO Cariñena DO Somontano DO

Question 53

What are the characteristics of the Campo de Borja DO?

Answer 53

Both Ribera Alta and Baja Navarra sub-zones extend into the Campo de Borja DO. Granacha (w/tempranillo dominantes in production and acreage. Viura for white.

Question 54

What are the dominate grapes for production in the Calatayud DO and Cariñena DO?

Answer 54

Grenacha

Question 55

What DO is the ancestral home of Carignan/Mazuelo grape?

Answer 55

Cariñena DO - one of the oldest DOs in Spain established in 1932. Now - this DO is most famous for blends.

Question 56

What's happening in the Somontano DO?

Answer 56

up-and-coming Somontano DO (“beneath the mountain”) lies in the foothills of the Pyrenees near Catalonia, producing wines from local grapes such as the white Alcañón and red Parraleta, as well as a larger compliment of Spanish and international varietals.

Question 57

Where is Artadi's vineyard"El Pison" located?

Answer 57

Rioja, Rioja Alta, Logrono