Spain Flashcards
Spain is on which peninsula?
Iberian Peninsula
What other country is on the Iberian Peninsula, and on what border of Spain is it?
Portugal, which is on Spain’s western border
What 2 large bodies of water bracket Spain?
- Atlantic Ocean = to the north and northwest
2. Mediterranean Sea = to the east and southeast
of any wine-producing country, Spain is known to have which of the following:
a. the largest planted acreage
b. the largest lakes
c. the largest production
a. the largest planted acreage
what are the climates of Spain?
- cool maritime along northern coast
- arid and warm in center of country
- humid an warm on southern tip
what is the landscape of Spain?
- mountainous, especially in the north
- raised plateau in the central interior called the Meseta
What is Spain’s best known red grape?
tempranillo
in spain, wines WITHOUT geographical indication are called:
vino
in Spain, wines WITH geographical indication are grouped into 3 overarching classifications with 3 levels nested within the second:
- IGP ._ Vino de la Tierra (VdlT)
- DOP –>
1. VCIG (Vinos de Calidad con Indicatión Geográfia)
2. DO (Denominación de Origen; on par with French AOC)
3. DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada) - Vinos de Pagos
what are the only 2 wine regions in Spain with the DOCa classification?
Which was the first?
- Rioja (first)
2. Priorat
What is Vinos de Pagos?
Vinos de Pagos is a category reserved for prestigious single estates whose work exceeds basic DO requirements. These estates can only use their own grapes which must be grown, vilified and aged on their estate.
Estates which have earned the Vinos de Pagos classification lie within established DOs and they aren’t necessarily superior to a DOCa
Where is Rias Baixas DO in Spain?
What is it also known as?
What borders it to the south?
- Northwest corner of Spain
- aka “green Spain” (it’s super rainy so everything is really green)
- Portugal lies to the south
What is the climate of Rias Baixas DO?
Maritime and fairly humid
Why is Rias Baixas DO so humid?
- Situated on the Atlantic coast
- Numerous rivers running through the region
What are the soils of Rias Baixas DO?
- Granite
- Alluvial
- Slate
What is the white grape of Rias Baixas DO?
Albariño
if a wine label from Rias Baixas DO has the grape Albariño written on it, what percentage of Albariño must be in the wine?
100%
What type of vessels are most used in Rias Baixas DO?
Stainless steel
Very few Albariño have new oak and they are few and far between; the grape isn’t well suited for the flavourings of new oak
What style of wine is Albariño from Rias Baixas DO?
Crisp, dry, aromatic and unoaked
What is the most important DOCa in north/central Spain?
Rioja DOCa
What is the river that runs through Rioja?
The Ebro River