País Vasco Flashcards
Where are the 7 Basque provinces?
3 in País Vasco
1 is Navarra
3 in France
Name the 3 Basque provinces in País Vasco
Álava (Araba)
Vizcaya (Bizkaia)
Guipúzcoa (Gipuzkoa)
País Vasco is bordered by…?
Bay of Biscay
Cantabria
Castilla y León
La Rioja and Ebro river
Navarra
France
Capital, largest city of País Vasco?
No official capital
Basque government HQ: Vitoria-Gastiez in Álava
Bilbao largest city
Wettest Spanish wine region
Getaria in Guipúzcoa, País Vasco
Climate of País Vasco, and how does it change moving south?
Maritime, more continental with oceanic influences towards Castilla y León
Climate of Viscaya and Guipúzcoa?
Maritime: cool, damp, temperate
Viscaya and Guipúzcoa: average temperatures in winter, summer
cool winter (9ºC average)
warm summer (20ºC average)
Describe winter precipitation in Viscaya and Guipúzcoa
occasional snow, frost, much rain
Annual rainfall in Bilbao, San Sebastián
Bilbao high (1,200 mm/yr)
San Sebastián very high (1,500 mm/yr)
Rains year-round
Climate of Álava
continental with maritime influences (mountainous)
How does climate of Álava compare with Viscaya and Guipúzcoa?
winters colder
summers warmer
more diurnal range
drier
Name the three topographic zones of País Vasco
Atlantic basin
Montes Vascos
Ebro river basin
Describe the Atlantic basin of País Vasco
North coast
cliffs, valleys, short rivers
contains majority of Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa and most txakoli vineyards
Describe the Montes Vascos area of País Vasco
E section of Cordillera Cantábrica
(up to 1,551m)
parallel mountains separated by the high Álava plain
rivers flow S into Ebro
Spanish name of the Ebro river basin of País Vasco, which wine region shares it, what is its climate?
Rioja Alavesa
shared with DOCa La Rioja
continental
País Vasco soils are rich in…?
organic matter
Describe the soils of Guipúzcoa in the East of País Vasco
sandy topsoil over alluivial clay
Describe the soils of Vizcaya in País Vasco
shallow acidic clay-loam topsoil over limestone
Describe the soils of Álava in the south of País Vasco
alluvial with gravelly clay
except DO in the north which is limestone
Name the wine unique to País Vasco
Txakoli
Likely origin of the name Txakoli
from Basque etxakoa (made at home)
Traditional way to serve Txakoli
traditionally for personal consumption
small servings
poured from height to aerate
accompanies Basque tapas (pintxos)
País Vasco wine: majority colour, percentage
95% blanco
País Vasco wine: majority grape, percentage
90% Hondarribi Zuri
(Zuri means white)
Describe Hondarribi Zuri wines
crisp, acid
pale yellow
citrus / white flowers
Basque name for Petit Courbu
Hondarribi Zuri Zerratia
Basque name for Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng
Izkiriota
Izkiriota Ttippia
What is País Vasco’s only red grape?
Hondarribi Beltza
What does the grape name Hondarribi come from?
Hondarribia is a town in Guipúzcoa, País Vasco
Name three international grapes grown in País Vasco
Sauvignon Blanc
Riesling
Chardonnay
Name all the ‘preferred’ grapes of País Vasco
Hondarribi Zuri
Hondarribi Beltza
Majority of vineyards in País Vasco are on what kind of terrain?
Near coast or on hillsides
Most common training system for País Vasco vines?
Pros and cons?
What is the alternative?
Parral
Provides good airflow in this wet, humid, mildew prone area.
Labour intensive canopy management and hand harvesting.
Espaldera
Outline the production method for Txakoli wines (4 steps)
destem
macerate
2-3 week fermentation (traditionally in 1,000L foudres, increasingly in stainless steel)
optional lees contact for a few weeks
In País Vasco, some winemakers are experimenting with…? (6)
longer lees ageing
concrete
oak/acacia barrels
carbonic maceration
blends
rosado / tinto / espumoso / dulce
Name the three DOs in País Vasco
DO Arabako Txacolina / Txakoli de Álava / Chacolí de Álava
DO Bizkaiko Txakolina / Txakoli de Bizkaia / Chacolí de Bizkaia
DO Getariako Txakolina / Txakoli de Getaria / Chacolí de Getaria
DO Arabako Txacolina makes 6% of what?
Espumoso
DO Getariako Txakolina makes 6% of what?
Rosado
Soil types of the three País Vasco DOs
Arabako Txacolina: limestone, stone, clay
Bizkaiko Txakolina: clay-loam at coast, limestone marl inland
Getariako Txakolina: sand over alluvial clay
Which País Vasco DO has the lowest average annual rainfall? And the highest?
Lowest rainfall: Arabako Txacolina (900mm)
then Bizkaiko Txakolina (1,200mm)
Highest rainfall: Getariako Txakolina (1,600mm)
Which País Vasco DO has the lowest elevation? and the highest?
Highest elevation: Arabako Txacolina: (100-200m)
Bizkaiko Txakolina (50-200m, avg 150m)
Lowest elevation: Getariako Txakolina (0-200m)
Which País Vasco DO has the smallest vineyard? Which uses mainly espaldera training?
Arabako Txacolina: smallest (95 ha), espaldera
(Bizkaiko Txakolina: 403 ha, parral at coast, espaldera inland
Getariako Txakolina: 427 ha, parral - most within 1km of sea)
Which DO of País Vasco is newest?
Arabako Txacolina
Which DO of País Vasco is driest?
Arabako Txacolina
Which DO of País Vasco benefits from foehn winds?
Bizkaiko Txakolina
Foehn is strongest in September
Which DO of País Vasco is easternmost?
Getariako Txakolina
In which DO of País Vasco are most vines within 1km of the sea?
Getariako Txakolina
Which DO of País Vasco was expanded in 2007 to cover its entire province?
Getariako Txakolina
to cover Guipúzco
Which DO of País Vasco has the highest rainfall of any wine region in Spain?
Getariako Txakolina
1,600 mm of rain annually
Which two DOs of País Vasco make txakoli that is “light and easy-drinking with floral notes and tangy citrus and green apple fruit… slightly prickly with a mouthwatering acidity”?
Bizkaiko Txakolina
Getariako Txakolina
Year of earliest written record of commercial wine production in País Vasco
964
Year of first reference to vino chacolín (chacolí / txakoli) wine?
1623
List five disasters that befell the wine industry in País Vasco in the late 19C
powdery mildew
phylloxera
competition from foreign wines
changing consumer tastes
workforce shift to industry
Who did the Basques side with in the Spanish Civil War?
Republic
(against Franco)
gaining autonomy briefly
How did Franco suppress the Basques, and what was the reaction?
Removed all signs of Basque independence.
Banned Basque language.
Basque nationalism transformed into political terrorism as ETA.
In what year did the few remaining País Vasco winemakers create an association, and what was it called?
1980
Association of Txakolineros of Bizkaia (Viscaya)
In what year was the quality of País Vasco wine recognised with the first DO? Which was it?
1989
DO Getariako Txakolina