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
What are the 2 mountain ranges that protect Rioja DOCa?
- Pyrenées Mountains (they divide France and Spain in the northeast)
- Cantabrian Mountains (to the northwest)
what is the climate of Rioja DOCa?
continental
the mountain ranges that protect Rioja DOCa act as a … … for the region
rain shadow
what are rioja DOCa’s 3 subregions?
- Rioja Alta
- Rioja Alavesa
- Rioja Oriental (formerly known als Rioja baja)
what is the main white grape in rioja?
viura
what are the main red grapes of Rioja?
- tempranillo
- garnacha
what are the 3 ageing levels in Rioja DOCa?
- crianza
- reserva
- gran reserva
what type of oak is traditionally used to age rioja DOCa?
What different type of oak is being used more of today?
- traditional = American oak
- modern = French oak
what are the ageing requirements for Rioja Crianza?
Total of 2 years of ageing prior to release, a mix of time of oak and ageing in the bottle.
what are the ageing requirements for Rioja Reserva?
Total of 3 years, 1 year of which must be in oak
what are the ageing requirements for rioja gran reserva?
total of at least 5 years, of which at least 2 years must be in oak and a minimum of 2 years in the bottle.
how often is rioja gran reserva made?
it’s made only the best vintages, so around 4-5 times a decade
where is Ribera del Duero DO located in relation to rioja?
southwest
tempranillo is known as another name in Ribera del Duero. what is it called?
Tinto Fino
What styles of wines does Ribera del Duero make: white, red, rosé or a combination of the three
mostly red and a little rosé, and in 2019 Ribera del Duero DO change its regulations to include white wine styles
what is the climate of Ribera del duero
contintental
Ribera del Duero has an extremely hot growing season. what about the region helps grapes retain acidity and slow their maturation?
diurnal shifts (cold nights)
what is the elevation of Ribera del Duero ?
how does it get that elevation?
- 2500 ft/ 750m asl (above sea level)
- Ribera del Duero is situated on the Peseta, that high plateau in the center of Spain
what is the river than runs through Ribera del Duero?
the Duero river.
this rivers runs into Portugal where it becomes known as the Douro River
what are the 2 most important DOs in the Duero river valley besides Ribera del Duero DO?
- Toro DO
2. Rueda DO
Quick details on Toro DO:
- climate
- grape
- style of wine
- Continental climate, super hot summers
- tempranillo only
- full bodied, rich, powerful reds
what is the local name for tempranillo in toro do?
tinto de toro
quick details on rueda do:
- climate
- grapes
- style of wine
- continental
- verdejo + sauvignon blanc (both white grapes)
- crisp, dry whites made in stainless steel
catalonia is a region in the … corner of Spain
northeast
what is the major city in Catalonia?
barcelona
what are the major DOs of Catalonia?
- Penedes DO / Cava DO
2. Priorat DOCa (DOQ in Catalan)
what are some geographical boundaries of Catalonia?
- Pyrenees Mountains to the north
2. Mediterranean Sea to the east
what is the climate of Penedes DO / Cava Do
mediterranean
what are the grapes of Penedes DO / Cava DO?
- macabeo
- xarel-lo
- parellada
what style lf wine is made in penedes DO/ Cava Do?
sparkling wine made with traditional method
what is the soil of Priorat DOCa?
- stony schist soils
- Llicorella, a special type of black slate + quartzite soil
what are the red grapes of Priorat DOCa?
- garnacha
- cariñena
the style of wine made in Priorat DOCa is:
a. powerful, concentrated, dry reds
b. light bodied, aromatic, off-dry whites
powerful, concentrated, dry red
