Northern Spain (Rioja, Navarra, Aragon, Catalunya) Flashcards
What are the mountains in Rioja?
- the Sierra de Cantabria
- the Sierra de la Demanda
- Montes Obarenes and the Sierra de Toloño
What is the river run through Rioja?
the Ebro River
What are the 3 subzones of Rioja?
- Rioja Alta
- Rioja Alavesa
- Rioja Oriental
What is the city of Rioja Alta
Logrono
What is the climate of Rioja Alta?
generally continental with some maritime influences
What are the climate and soils of Rioja Alta?
- North west: cooler and wetter, calcareous clay
- southern part: altitude 700m, cool and wet, ferrous clay
What are the climate and soils of Rioja Alavesa?
cool and wet, 700m
Calcareous clay
What are the climate and soils of Rioja Oriental?
the northern part: low altitude, the warmest and driest
the southern part: altitude at 500-1000m calcareous clay and ferrous clay
What are the allowed red varieties of Rioja?
Tempranillo
Garnacha
Graciano
Mazuelo
Maturana Tinta, permitted in 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon
What are the allowed white varieties of Rioja?
Viura
Tempranillo Blanco, discoverd in 1988, permitted in 2004
Malvasia
Garnacha Blanca
Verdejo
Sauvignon Blanc
What are the characteristics of Tempranillo?
- Early budding and ripening
- raspberry and black plum fruit
- medium to medium (+) tannins and acidity
What is the synonym of Maturana Tinta?
Trousseau
What is the synonym of Viura?
Macabeu
What are the characteristics of Viura?
- late budding, late ripening
- susceptible to botrytis
What are the characteristics of Graciano?
- late ripening
- drought resistant
- susceptible to fungal diseases
What are the styles of traditional producers?
- Didn’t focus much on concentration and extraction
- underwent long aging in American oak
What are the style of new producers, vin de autor?
- low yields
- selected parcels
- very ripe-fruited, concentrated and structured
- wines aged in French oak
What are the style of mid-priced and premium white Rioja wines?
- made in oaked style
- an oxidative style
- without fruit or fresh acidity
Who makes very old bottling of white wines in the classic oxidative style?
- Castillo Ygay from Marques d Murrieta
- Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva from Lopez de Heredia
What are the requirements of Vino de Zona regulation of Rioja?
- All grapes sourced from the single zone named
- 15% of the grapes may come from a vineyard outside the zone
- Vinification, aging and bottleing of the wine much take place within the zone
What are the requirements of Vino de Municipio?
All grapes must be sourced from the municipality with similar 15 % rule
What are the requirements of Vinedo Singular?
- All grapes are sourced from particular vineyards or estates
- Vinification, aging, storage and bottling must take place within the same winery
- The producer must have owned the vineyard for a min 10 years, the vineyard must be a minimum of 35 years old, and yields must respect specified max level
- the vineyard must be hand harvested and treated in a sustainable way
What are the aging requirement of Rioja Tinto Crianza?
Min 24 months total
min 12 months in barrel
What are the aging requirement of Rioja Tinto Reserva?
min 36 months total
min 23 months in barrel
min 6 months in bottle
What are the aging requirement of Rioja Tinto Gran Reserva?
min 60 months total
min 24 months in barrel
min 24 months in bottle
What are the aging requirement of Rioja White/ Rose Crianza?
min 24 months total
min 6 months in barrel
What are the aging requirement of Rioja White/Rose Reserva?
min 24 months total
min 6 months in barrel
What are the aging requirement of Rioja White/Rose Gran Reserva?
min 48 months total
6 months in barrel
What is Bodegas Familiares de Rioja?
a group of around 40 small and medium-size producers who promote their wines under this heading and campaign on issues that particularly effect small producers
What is Rioja “n” Roll?
a group of relatively small, first- generation producers who are focused on quality wines from particular vineyard sites
What are the 5 subzones of Navarra?
- Baja Montana
- Valdezarbe
- Tierra Estella
- Ribera Alta
- Ribera Baja
What are the permitted red varieties of Navarra?
- Garnacha
- Tempranillo
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
What are the permitted white varieties of Navarra?
- Chardonnay
- Moscatel de Grano Menudo
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Viura
- Malvasia
Who are the significant producers of Navarra?
- Domaines Lupier
- Bodegas J Chivite
What are the DOs of Aragon?
- Carinera DO
- Campo de Borja DO
- Catalayud DO
- Somontano DO
What are the elevation of Carinera, Campo de Borje, Catalayud? Carinera?
- Carinera; 400-800m
- Campo de Borje; 350-700m
- Catalayud; 500-900m
What is the name of cold wind blows from north in Aragon?
Cierzo
What are the climatic issues in Aragon?
spring frost
What are the most planted varieties in Somontano?
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chardonnay
What are the climate of Somontano?
a warm continental, rainfall is slightly higher than in Carinena, Campo de Borja, and Catalayud
What are the altitude of Somontano?
350-650m
Who is the largest producer of Somontano?
Vinas del Vero, owned by Gonzalex Byass of Jeres
Bardadillo
Spain’s legislation for minimum ageing requirements has come under criticism over the years. Briefly describe the arguments for the legislation being too prescriptive as well as not prescriptive enough.
- The arguments for the legislation being too prescriptive:
- It automatically suggests a hierarchy of excellence which sets an expectation that Gran Reserva is the highest quality wine. This also suggests that the wines aged for the longest period in oak and bottle are higher quality.
- Not prescriptive enough:
- There are no quality requirements for the wines in each category beyond the regulations set out by the DO.
- There are no specifications on the type or age of oak vessel that can be used for ageing.
What is Vi de Finca in Catalunya?
Catalunya also has its own scheme for exceptional wines from single estates. Providing strict specifications are met, including a restriction on yields and a minimum length of time for
the wine to be established in the market
What are the climate of Penedes?
a warm Mediterranean climate
What are the white varieties of Penedes?
- Xarel-lo,
- Macabeo,
- Parellada
- Chardonnay,
- Moscatel
What are the 3 climatic zones of Penedes?
- Penedes Maritim
- Penedes Central
- Penedes Superior
What are the climate and elevation of Penedes Superior?
The cool condition
500-800m, a high diurnal range
Loamy, calcareous soils
Who started to plant vineyards and make wine in Priorat? when?
Carthusian monks
in the 12th century
When did Rene Barbier formed a small group of viticulturist and winemakers to collaboratively re-invigorate several specific vineyards and produce wines?
1989
What are the original clos wines of Priorat?
- Clos Mogador
- Clos Dofi
- Clos de L’Obac
- Clos Martinet
- Clos Erasmus
When did Priorat promoted to DOQ?
2009
What is a climate of Priorat?
a warm continental climate
What mountain ranges influences Priorat?
- the Serra de Montsant
- the Serra de Llberia
What is the river run through Priorat?
The River Siurana
What is the altitude of Priorat?
100-750m
What are the soils of Priorat?
- large poor and stony with some outcrops of clay
- llicorella, slate-based, thin, rocky and lacking in nutrients with characteristics particles of mica
What is the Priorat’s vineyards on slopes called?
costers
What are the most planted red varieties of Priorat?
Garnacha and Carinena
What are the most planted white varieties of Priorat?
Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo
What are the requirements of Vi de Villa?
Grapes must come from one of Priorat’s 12 zub-zones
What are the requirements of Vi de Paratge?
grapes grown within a single paratge or named site, = lieu dit
Vinya Classicificada
a single vineyard, = cru
Gran Vinya Classificada
a single vineyard of exceptional merit within a paratje, = grand cru
How old the term ‘old vines’ have to be in Priorat?
Min 75 years old or were planted before 1945
What is the climate of Montsant DO?
A more Mediterranean influence
What are the altitude of Montsant DO?
300-700m
What are the soils of Montsant?
clay-based to sandy, llicorella
What are the most planted varieties in Montsant?
Garnacha & Carinena
Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Who first planted in the early 1900s in Costers del Segre?
Manuel Raventos, who owns Cava producers Codorniu
What is the winery in Costers del Segre by the Raventos?
Raimat
What is the soils of Costers del Segre?
Sandy soils
What are the altitude of Costers del Segre?
200-700m