Rioja, Navarra, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Cariñena, and Somontano

Question 1

What three autonomías make up North-Central Spain?

Answer 1

Navarra, La Rioja, and Aragón

Question 2

What natural features shelter North-Central Spain and influence its climate?

Answer 2

The Pyrenees Mountains to the northeast and the Cantabrian Mountains to the northwest

Question 3

What is the significance of the Ebro River in North-Central Spain?

Answer 3

It flows through the historic Rioja DOCa, Spain’s premier red wine region

Question 4

What is Rioja named after?

Answer 4

The Oja River, a smaller tributary of the Ebro

Question 5

When was Rioja christened as Denominación de Origen Calificada, and why is it significant?

Answer 5

In 1991, making it the first region in Spain to receive this designation

Question 6

Who guided viticulture in Rioja during the Middle Ages?

Answer 6

Christian monks, including the 13th century Benedictine clergyman Gonzalo de Berceo

Question 7

What literary significance does Gonzalo de Berceo hold in relation to Rioja?

Answer 7

He wrote the first Spanish poetry committed to paper, extolling the virtues of Rioja wine

Question 8

How did French influence affect Rioja wines in the 19th century?

Answer 8

The style shifted to aging in American oak barrels, producing wines with soft, muted red fruit, firm acidity, and oak aromas of dill, vanilla, and cedar

Question 9

What new styles are emerging in Rioja red wines today?

Answer 9

Many producers are emphasizing French oak, more extraction, and riper, darker fruit

Question 10

What is the dichotomy in Rioja’s white wine production?

Answer 10

Some are produced in a clean, fruity, modern style, while others are wood-toned, oxidative, and textural, with occasional off-dry characteristics

Question 11

What is the main grape of red Rioja, and its significance in Spain?

Answer 11

Tempranillo is the main grape of red Rioja and is the most planted grape in Spain

Question 12

What are the traditional blending partners of Tempranillo in Rioja?

Answer 12

Mazuelo (Carignan), Graciano, and Garnacha

Question 13

What percentage of the red Rioja blend must be made up of Tempranillo and its traditional blending partners?

Answer 13

A minimum of 85%, or 95% if destemmed

Question 14

What “experimental” grape is allowed to make up the remainder of the red Rioja blend?

Answer 14

Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 15

Which grape was authorized for Rioja in 2007 to be included in the red blend?

Answer 15

Maturana Tinta

Question 16

What is the dominant white grape in Rioja, and what is it known as elsewhere?

Answer 16

Viura, also known as Macabeo

Question 17

What other white grapes are permitted in Rioja blends besides Viura?

Answer 17

Garnacha Blanca, Malvasía Riojano, Maturana Blanca, Chardonnay, Tempranillo Blanco, Sauvignon Blanc, Turruntés, and Verdejo

Question 18

What is the minimum percentage of primary red grapes required in Rosado wines in Rioja?

Answer 18

A minimum of 25%

Question 19

What are the aging requirements for red crianza wines in Rioja?

Answer 19

A total of two years of aging, with a minimum of one year in oak

Question 20

How long must red reserva wines age in Rioja?

Answer 20

Three years, including one year in oak

Question 21

What are the aging requirements for Gran Reserva red wines in Rioja?

Answer 21

At least 24 months in cask, and 24 months in bottle, with a total aging of at least 60 months

Question 22

What size must Rioja casks be?

Answer 22

225 litres, size of a barrique

Question 23

What are the aging requirements for Rioja white wines and rosados labeled as crianza?

Answer 23

18 months of aging, with a minimum of six months in cask

Question 24

How long must reserva Rioja white wines and rosados age?

Answer 24

24 months, with a minimum of six months in cask

Question 25

What are the aging requirements for Gran Reserva white wines and rosados in Rioja?

Answer 25

48 months, with a minimum of six months in cask

Question 26

How must Rioja white and rosado crianza wines be aged?

Answer 26

They may be aged in a non-oxidative environment like stainless steel

Question 27

Where must reserva Rioja white and rosado wines remain for the minimum period of aging?

Answer 27

In oak or bottle.

Question 28

What are the three climatically distinct subzones of Rioja?

Answer 28

Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja)

Question 29

Which is the smallest and northernmost subzone of Rioja, and what type of wines does it often produce?

Answer 29

Rioja Alavesa, often producing vino joven wines for early consumption

Question 30

What winemaking technique may be employed in Rioja Alavesa for producing early-drinking wines?

Answer 30

Carbonic Maceration

Question 31

Where is Rioja Alta located, and what type of wines is it capable of producing?

Answer 31

Rioja Alta is the southwestern zone, capable of producing classic, ageworthy Tempranillo, Mazuelo, and Graciano

Question 32

What is the soil structure like in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa?

Answer 32

Both regions have a high proportion of calcareous clay

Question 33

Which subzone of Rioja is the hottest, and what type of soil does it have?

Answer 33

Rioja Oriental, with more alluvial soils and ferrous clay

Question 34

Which grape variety performs best in the hot climate of Rioja Oriental?

Answer 34

Garnacha

Question 35

How do some producers create a base style of Rioja wine?

Answer 35

By sourcing blends from all three subregions, combining the freshness of Rioja Alavesa, the extract and warmth of Rioja Oriental, and the acidity and structure of Rioja Alta

Question 36

What is the preference of some producers regarding single region and single vineyard bottlings in Rioja?

Answer 36

They prefer the typicity that results from single region and single vineyard bottlings

Question 37

Name two producers that focus on single vineyard wines in Rioja and their notable vineyards or styles

Answer 37

López de Heredia with vineyards such as Bosconia and Tondonia, and Ysios producing pure Tempranillo from Rioja Alavesa

Question 38

What is the architectural significance of Ysios winery in Rioja?

Answer 38

Ysios is known for its avant-garde design, leading a movement in modern bodega design in Rioja

Question 39

Which famous architect designed the new structure at Marqués de Riscal’s estate?

Answer 39

Frank Gehry, famed architect of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

Question 40

What is the architectural addition to the oldest winery in Haro, de Heredia?

Answer 40

A sleek new visitors’ boutique designed by Zaha Hadid

Question 41

When was the official single vineyard category (Viñedos Singulares) established in Rioja?

Answer 41

The legislation was passed in 2017, and as of 2018, producers may register their Viñedos Singulares

Question 42

What are the requirements for a vineyard to be classified as a Viñedo Singular in Rioja?

Answer 42

The vineyard's soil must be assessed, the vines must be at least 35 years old, the estate must have proof of working with the vineyard for at least 10 years, and the wine must pass a tasting panel

Question 43

What are the grape harvesting requirements for a Viñedo Singular wine?

Answer 43

The grapes must be hand-harvested at a significantly lower yield than what is typically required for regional wines

Question 44

What category was added in 2018 for traditional method sparkling wine in Rioja?

Answer 44

The Vino Espumoso de Calidad category

Question 45

What are the requirements for labeling a wine as Vino Espumoso de Calidad?

Answer 45

Grapes must be hand-harvested, and the entire winemaking process must take place at the same facility

Question 46

What styles of Vino Espumoso de Calidad are allowed in Rioja?

Answer 46

Brut Nature, Extra Brut, and Brut styles

Question 47

What is the minimum lees aging requirement for Vino Espumoso de Calidad?

Answer 47

Minimum of 15 months

Question 48

How long must Reserva and Gran Añada Vino Espumoso wines age on the lees?

Answer 48

Reserva requires 24 months, and Gran Añada requires 36 months

Question 49

What is a unique requirement for Gran Añada Vino Espumoso wines?

Answer 49

They must be produced with fruit harvested during a single vintage, and the vintage date must be stated on the label

Question 50

Where is Navarra DO located in relation to Rioja?

Answer 50

Navarra DO is adjacent to the northern and eastern borders of Rioja

Question 51

For what type of wine has Navarra traditionally been famous?

Answer 51

Navarra has long been famous for its rosado bottlings

Question 52

What percentage of Navarra's production is now red wine?

Answer 52

Approximately 60% of Navarra’s production is red wine

Question 53

What percentage of Navarra's production is rosado wine today?

Answer 53

Rosado wines represent only 30% of the region’s output

Question 54

What are the major red grape varieties in Navarra?

Answer 54

Garnacha and Tempranillo

Question 55

Which white grape variety has become the most prominent in Navarra over the last two decades?

Answer 55

Chardonnay

Question 56

What percentage of vineyard acreage in Navarra is dedicated to white grapes?

Answer 56

White grapes account for only about 7% of vineyard acreage

Question 57

Which red grapes of French origin are on the rise in Navarra?

Answer 57

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir

Question 58

Which three estates in Navarra recently received their own DO Pago appellations?

Answer 58

Señorío de Arínzano and Prado Irache in Tierra Estella, Bodegas Otazu in Valdizarbe, and Bolandín in Ribera Baja

Question 58

How many subzones does Navarra contain, and can you name them?

Answer 58

Navarra contains five subzones: Valdizarbe, Baja Montaña, Tierra Estella, Ribera Alta, and Ribera Baja

Question 59

What are the four DOs in the autonomía of Aragón?

Answer 59

Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Cariñena, and Somontano

Question 60

Which DO in Aragón is known for its hot climate similar to Navarra’s Ribera Baja and Rioja’s Oriental zone?

Answer 60

Campo de Borja DO

Question 61

Which grape variety commands around two-thirds of the vineyard acreage in Campo de Borja DO?

Answer 61

Garnacha

Question 62

What types of wines are produced in Campo de Borja DO, and from which grapes?

Answer 62

Red and rosado wines are produced mainly from Garnacha and Tempranillo, while white wines are based on Viura

Question 63

Which grape dominates the vineyards of both Calatayud DO and Cariñena DO?

Answer 63

Garnacha

Question 64

What is significant about Cariñena DO in the history of Spanish wine?

Answer 64

Cariñena is one of Spain’s longstanding delimited zones, dating back to 1932

Question 65

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

Answer 65

Cariñena DO

Question 66

What is the current role of Carignan/Mazuelo in the wines of Cariñena DO?

Answer 66

It is now a secondary player in the region’s blends

Question 67

Where is Somontano DO located, and what does its name mean?

Answer 67

Somontano DO is located in the foothills of the Pyrenees near Catalonia, and its name means “beneath the mountain.”

Question 68

What types of grapes are used in Somontano DO wines?

Answer 68

Wines are produced from local grapes such as the white Alcañón and red Parraleta, as well as a larger complement of Spanish and international varieties