Paìs Vasco

Question 1

History

Answer 1

Basque - original inhabitants of Europe
Language unrelated to any other
Romans- Vasconia
Visigoths attacked
Franks
Independent from Moors
Navarra Kingdom controlled from Pamplona- first wine reference
Kingdom of Castile
13-15c wine
17c vino chacolin
18c Bourbon French
19c Capture of San Sebastain by British- looting
Phylloxera and mildew and lack of vineyard workers=> decline
20c industrialised and immigration
Basque with Left Republic in Civil war
Guernica bombed by German planes
Franco forbade Basque language
ETA formed
1980 Association of Txakolineros producers
After democracy in 1978 three regions formed Basque Country- Navarra separate

Question 2

Fueros

Answer 2

Privileges granted by Kingdom of Castile to Basque Country

Question 3

Local ordinances in Middle Ages

Answer 3

No wine to be imported until all the wine had been drunk from the current vintage

Question 4

Sabino Arana

Answer 4

Basque writer 1865-1903
Father of Nationalism
Purity of Basque race
PNV31
=> ETA Basque terrorists

Question 5

Txakoli

Answer 5

Local wine of Pais Vasco

Question 6

Location

Answer 6

Basque territory includes 3 provinces in France and 4 in Spain
Paìs Vasco= Àlava, Viscaya, Guipùzcoa (Navarra independent)
N=Bay of Biscay
E=France and Navarra
S=La Rioja (Ebro river)
W= Cantabria and Castilla y Leon
Capital=Vitoria-Gasteiz
Largest city=Bilbao

Question 7

Climate

Answer 7

Maritime= Viz’ and Guip’
Continental inland (little wine)
Atlantic influence
Temperate
1200mm rain
No dry season in North

Question 8

Topography

Answer 8

3 areas
Atlantic basin - valleys and short rivers
Inner Mountain ranges- Montes Vasco
Alava plains
Ebro river basin

Question 9

What are the main soil types found in each of the key areas of Pais Vasco

Answer 9

Guipuzcoa- sand and clay
Vizcaya- clay and limestone
Alava - gravelly clay and limestone

Question 10

What is Txakoli

Answer 10

Wine of Pais Vasco
“Etxakoa”= made at home
20c association to revive wine

Question 11

Which grapes are found for red and white in Pais Vasco

Answer 11

Hondarribi Zara = white, 3 types
Crisp, acidic, pale, citrus and flowers

Hondarribi Beltza = red

Question 12

What type of VTS is found in Pais Vasco and what are the characteristics of the vineyards?

Answer 12

Very wet so vines on Parral system = improved airflow
Tradition of small family vineyards
Mostly coastal or hillside
Parral = labour intensive

Modern is espaldera

Question 13

What are 3 key elements of vinification in Pais Vasco

1 Stem/destemmed/whole bunches

2 maceration

3 Fermentation

Answer 13

Destemmed grapes
Macerate on skins
2-3 week fermentation
Larges wooden barrels foudres(=> stainless steel tanks)

Experimenting - new styles - lees aging, barrel, blending

Question 14

What are Foudres

Answer 14

1,000 litre barrel

Question 15

What is the minimum requirement for red grapes in Vinos rosados

Answer 15

At least 50% Hondarribi Beltza

Question 16

Which topographic feature marks the Southern border of Pais Vasco

Answer 16

Ebro River

Question 17

What are the names of the three provinces of Pais Vasco

Answer 17

Alava
Vizcaya
Guipuzcoa

Question 18

What is the Easternmost and wettest DO of PV

Answer 18

Getariako Txakolina

Question 19

What is the sole red grape authorised in the 3 Basque regions

Answer 19

Hondarribi Beltza

Question 20

What is the main white grape of the 3 Basque DOs

Answer 20

Hondarribi Zuri

Question 21

The Pais Vasco coastal provinces of Vizcaya and Guipuzcoa are largely continental with some maritime influence.. True or False

Answer 21

False - both are maritime

Question 22

Approx what % of wine made in 3 Basque DOs is white

Answer 22

95%

Question 23

In which Pais Vasco Province did producers form the Txakoli Winemakers Association in 1980s

Answer 23

Vizcaya

Question 24

Which is the smallest and driest DO in PV

Answer 24

Arabako Tzakolina

Question 25

What are the 3 provinces of Pais Vasco

Answer 25

Alava Viscaya and Guipuzkoa

Question 26

DO Arabako Txacolina/ Txakoli de Alava / Chacoli de Alava Date awarded

Answer 26

2001

Question 27

DO Arabako Txacolina/ Txakoli de Alava / Chacoli de Alava wine style

Answer 27

94% Blanco

Question 28

DO Arabako Txacolina/ Txakoli de Alava / Chacoli de Alava Climate

Answer 28

Maritime

Question 29

DO Arabako Txacolina/ Txakoli de Alava / Chacoli de Alava Soils

Answer 29

Limestone plus stone and clay

Question 30

DO Arabako Txacolina/ Txakoli de Alava / Chacoli de Alava Grapes

Answer 30

Hondarribi Zuri

Question 31

DO Arabako Txacolina/ Txakoli de Alava / Chacoli de Alava Main points

Answer 31

Smallest area NW of Pais Vasco under Bizkaliko Driest and most continental Richer and riper

Question 32

DO Bizkaiko Txacolina/ Txakoli de Bizkaia / Chacoli de Bizkaia Date awarded

Answer 32

1994

Question 33

DO Bizkaiko Txacolina/ Txakoli de Bizkaia / Chacoli de Bizkaia Wine Style

Answer 33

Blanco =99%

Question 34

DO Bizkaiko Txacolina/ Txakoli de Bizkaia / Chacoli de Bizkaia Climate

Answer 34

Maritime

Question 35

DO Bizkaiko Txacolina/ Txakoli de Bizkaia / Chacoli de Bizkaia Soils

Answer 35

Clay loam Limestone Marl

Question 36

DO Bizkaiko Txacolina/ Txakoli de Bizkaia / Chacoli de Bizkaia Grapes

Answer 36

Hondarrabi Zuri

Question 37

DO Bizkaiko Txacolina/ Txakoli de Bizkaia / Chacoli de Bizkaia Main points

Answer 37

Near coast Parral VTS Subject to Foehn effect Winemakers Assocaition=Txakoli Winemakers Association

Question 38

DO Getariako Txakolina/ Txakoli de Geteria / Chacoli de Geteria Date awarded

Answer 38

1989

Question 39

DO Getariako Txakolina/ Txakoli de Geteria / Chacoli de Geteria Wine styles

Answer 39

93% Blanco

Question 40

DO Getariako Txakolina/ Txakoli de Geteria / Chacoli de Geteria Climate

Answer 40

Maritime Highest rainfall in Spain

Question 41

DO Getariako Txakolina/ Txakoli de Geteria / Chacoli de Geteria Soils

Answer 41

Sandy topsoil with clay subsoil

Question 42

DO Getariako Txakolina/ Txakoli de Geteria / Chacoli de Geteria Grapes

Answer 42

Hondarrabi Zuri

Question 43

DO Getariako Txakolina/ Txakoli de Geteria / Chacoli de Geteria Main points

Answer 43

Oldest region Easternmost Highest rainfall Parral VTS Also Hondarrabi Beltza (little)

Question 44

Pais Vasco OCW

Answer 44

The Basque country (País Vasco in Castilian, Euskadi in Basque) is the most ferociously independent of all Spain’s 17 autonomous regions. This densely populated, heavily industrialized strip of country facing the Bay of Biscay is not normally associated with wine, even though the important rioja region stretches north of the River Ebro into the Basque province of Alava where the Rioja Alavesa subregion is located—home to such important estates as Marqués de Riscal, Contino, Artadi, Martínez Bujanda, Remelluri, and Remírez de Ganuza. The three wholly Basque dos are the tiny region of Getariako txakolina on the coast 25 km/15 miles west of San Sebastián, the smaller Bizkaiko Txakolina around Bilbao, and the newest one, Arabako Txakolina. France

Question 45

Txakoli - OCW