Spain Flashcards
Glass for SHERRY
Copita- 2.3 to 3 ounce measures
Iconic Sherry producer
Valdespino
Climate of Sherry
A lot of sun, hot and humid
- Mediterranean Climate with low seasonal rainfall
- Mild Winters and Extremely Hot Summers
Levante Wind - is Hot Dry wind from the East
Poniente Wind - is Hunid Atlantic Wind
The Poniente wind alternates with the howling Levante wind, promoting the growth of Flor, a film-forming yeast necessary in the maturation of Sherry
Describe the Solera System and the role it plays
Solera System - is a method for Fractional Blending used for making Sherry
- old wine is constantly refreshed with younger wine to ensure consistency
- wine is take from cask in one criadera and blended into a cask from the next
- this is critical for the eveness of the product
- Saca y Rocio “running the scales”
Saca = to remove wine (legally can never remove more than 1/3 of the Solera per saca)
Rocio = to refill wine
Grape Varities used in Sherry
3 White Grapes are authorized for the production of Sherry:
- Palomino -
- Pedro Ximenez (PX) - for sweet wine or blending
- Moscatel - for sweet wine and or blending
Soil used for Sherry
Albariza Soil - very chalky with high levels of calcium and limestone
- highly porous, retaining moisture during hot summer months and dries as a crust on surface, protecting moisture below
- considered the best soil for Palomino grape
Barros soil
Barros Soil - is dark brown valley soils with clay content
- best for Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel grapes that are used to grow Sherry
Arenas Soil
Arenas Soil - yellowish soils with high sand content, one of the three soils used to grow Sherry grapes
Top Sherry Producers
Lustau
Emilio Hidalgo
Equipo Navazos
Tio Pepe
Valdespino - iconic producer
Bodegas Tradicion
El Maestro Sierra
Fernando de Castilla
Gonzalez Byass
Main style and flavors of the various sherries made
Fino - Biological Aging (uses Foor)
Oloroso - Oxidative Aging (does not use Flor)
Sherry Location
Southwest Spain in Andalucia
2 DOs:
Jerez-Xerxes-Sherry DO
Manzanilla—Sanlucar de Barrameda DO
Sherry Triangle: 3 main towns
- Jerez de la Frontera
- Sanlucar de Barrameda
- El Puerto de Santa Maria
Describe what Flor is & the function it plays in making Sherry
Flor is a Saccharomyces Yeast
- it grows in the surface of casks with no more than 15.5% alcohol
- it lives off nutrients in the wine and affects color - by metabolizing GLYCERIN, ALCOHOL & Volatile Acid
- requires specific temperatures (59-86F) & moisture conditions to grow
- low sulphur & tannins
- grows in spring and fall and year round in coastal areas
Spain Quality Levels
DOCa - 1st DOC awarded to Rioja in 1991, Priorat added in 2000 DO VCIG VdIT Vino
Name the 2 DOCa regions in Spain
Rioja DOCa (awarded in 1991) & Priorat DOCa (awarded in 2000)
- Spain only allowed two appellations with DOCa, the highest qualities
Vinos de Pago (DO Pago) Category
- single estates only (17 of them)
- subclassification of DO level, with each estate guiding its own production
Principal red grape of Rioja
Tempranillo - 75%
Garnacha - 15%
Graciano
Mazuelo (Carinera)
Principal white grape of Rioja
Viura (Macabeo)
Malvasia
Garnacha Blanca
What is considered the best region of Rioja? Describe the soil type there?
Rioja Alta - considered best region
Clay soils with chalk and iron deposits
Chalky Soils - best for white varieties (Viura)
Iron Rich Soil - best for Tempranillo
Principal red grape of Navarra DO
Garnacha and Tempranillo
Also grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir
White grapes include: Chardonnay, Viura (Macabeo), Malvasia
Top Rioja Producers
Lopez de Heredia
Marques de Murrieta
Marques de Riscal
Bodegas Muga
La Rioja Alta
Artadi (modernist)
Bodegas Rosa (modernist)
Tempranillo Grape
Sight: Garnet to Medium Ruby, Light to Moderate Staining
Aromas and Flavors:
Fruit: Red - Cherry, Strawberry, Currant, Plum. Black - Currant, Blackberry
Herbal: Tobacco, Dried herbs
Other: Soy, Leather, Brettanomyces
Earth: Organic - Compost, Forest Floor. inorganic - Clay, Mineral
Oak: use of New American or Mixed American/French Barrels (Vanilla, Coconut, Dill, Cumin, Curry, Sandalwood)
Structure: Dry, Full Body, Medium to Med+ Tannins, Medium to high Acidity, Medium to High Alcohol, Moderate to Complex
Rioja Aging Requirements
Generic or “Joven” - no aging requirements
Crianza Rioja -
red (2 yrs, minimum 1 year in oak) white/rose (2 years, minimum 6months in oak)
Reserva Rioja -
Red ( min 3yrs, minimum 1yr in oak, at least 6 months in bottle).
White/Rose (2yrs, min 6 months in barrel)
Sparkling - 24months on Lees
Gran Riserva Rioja
Red: 5 years (minimum 2 years in OAK & 2 years in BOTTLE)
White/Rose: 5 years (minimum 6 months in barrel)
gran Anada Rioja
Sparkling: 5 years (min 6 months in barrel)
Name the DO for traditional method sparkling wine and the principal grapes
Cava DO in Catalonia
- is Spain’s only traditional method sparkling wine DO
- produced mostly in Penedes (95%), but DO locations are spread through several autonomias (regions)
Main White Grape Varieties in Cava:
- Parellada
- Xarel-lo
- Macabeo
- Chardonnay
Aging Requirements:
- Cava: minimum 9 months on Lees
- Riserva: min 15 months on Lees
- Gran Riserva: min 30 months in the Lees
Grapes used in Cava
White Grapes:
- Parellada
- Xarel-lo
- Macabeo
- Chardonnay
