Spain Flashcards
Governing body for Spain’s wine
Consejo Regulador
What seperates Spain from France
Pyrenees Mountains
Spain generally has a …. climate with 3 major exceptions:
mediterranean
exceptions:
“Green Spain” in NW
Meseta - more continental
Eastern and southern coasts hot mediterranean
5 most important white grapes
Albarino
Airen
Macabeo
Palomino
Verdejo
What does “rancio” indicate?
Oxidative aging
Mazuelo aka
Carinena
t/f: Spain is home to many old Carinena vines
true
Where is Carinena indigenous to?
Aragon
Garnacha is indigenous to …
Aragon
t/f: Monastrell is indigenous to Spain
true
5 most important red grapes
Tempranillo
Garnacha
Carinena
Monastrell
Mencia
Spain’s “table wine” quality category
Vino de Mesa
Spain’s equivalent to IGP
Vino de la Tierra (VdlT)
Spain’s 3 PDO level classifcations
VCIG
Do
DOCa
What does “Vino de Pago” indicate
single-estate DOP wines that exist outside of established DOs
Aging requirements for Spanish red wine
Crianza 2 years (6 barrel)
Reserva 3 years (12 barrel)
Gran Reserva 5 years (18 barrel)
Aging requirements for Spanish white wine
Crianza 18 (6 mo barrel)
Reserva 2 years (6 mo barrel)
Gran Reserva 4 years (6 mo barrel)
Define these terms: “noble” “anejo” “viejo”
noble - 18 months aging cask or bottle
anejo - 24 months aging cask or bottle
viejo - 36 months aging with oxidative character
“bodega” means
winery
“cosecha” means
vintage
spanish term for vintage
cosecha
“dulce” means
sweet
term for sparkling
“espumoso”
“finca” means …
farm/estate
what does “roble” indicate
oak - a young wine that has seen brief oak
“vendimia” means
vintage
vina, vinedo translate to…
vineyard
“vino tinto” means
red wine
Which autonomous community is home to the most Vinos de Pago?
Castilla-La Mancha
Galicia is best known for the production of crisp ____ wines
white
Name 4 important indigenous varities of Galicia
Albarino
Godello
Treixadura
Mencia
Name the 5 DOs of Galicia
Rias Baixas
Ribeiro
Ribeira Sacra
Valdeorras
Monterrei
What is to the north of Galicia?
Bay of Biscay
4/5 DOs of Galicia are centered around this river
River Mino
Galicia’s only DO that specializes in red wine
Ribeira Sacra
Top white grape of Valdeorras DO
Godello
Where is Valdeorras DO?
Galicia
Godello is often compared to this grape
Chardonnay
This grape native to Portugal is often used in Galicia blends to add body and alcohol
Treixadura
This native Galician grape is often blended with treixadura and albarino. Add acidity and low alcohol to blend
Loureira
This grape makes red wines known for a light, fruity style. Atypical to the Spanish style.
Mencia
Mencia is famously cultivated in these two DOs
Bierzo
Ribeira Sacra
Noteworthy plantings of this grape in Ribeiro DO. Makes light, tart red wines
Caino Tinto
t/f: wines labeled Rías Baixas Albariño must be 100% varietal
true
Rias Baixas has how many subzones
5
Name the 3 most important subzones of Rias Baixas
O rosal
Condado do
Val do Salnes
O Rosal is a subzone of …
Rias Baixas
Describe the differences between these subzones: O rosal, Condado do Tea, Val do Salnes
O rosal: ripe, floral wines
Condado do Tea: rich, full bodied
Val do Salnes: classic Albarino; acidic and salinity
Name the traditional trellis system used in Rias Baixas
Pergula
What does the term “colleiteiro” signify on a bottle of Galician wine?
winemaker
“adega” means
winery
“barrica” translates to …
barrel
What is Vino Tostado?
dried grape wine produced in Ribeiro
Which subzone of Rias Baixas produces Albarino with great acidity + salinity
Val do Salnes
Rioja is bisected by this river
Ebro
Rioja is shielded from the north by this moutain range
Cantabrian
Rioja DOCa has territory in these 3 autonomous communities
La Rioja
Basque Country
Navarra
The 3 sectors of Rioja
Rioja Alta
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Oriental
What year did Rioja receive DOCa status
1991
tempranillo is named for …
its tendency to ripen early
tinto fino is a synonym for …
tempranillo
Tinto del Pais is a synonym for …
tempranillo
In which Rioja subregion does Garnacha dominate?
Rioja Oriental
t/f: Ribera del Duero often features international grapes in its blend
true
t/f: most wineries in Ribera del Duero have been established in the past 30 years
true
Name a classic pairing for red Rioja
Lamb
Carinena is called …. in Rioja
Mazuelo
Red grapes for Rioja
Tempranillo
Garnacha
Graciano
Mazuelo
Macabeo is known as … in Rioja
Viura
Main grape for white Rioja
Viura ( aka Macabeo)
Graciano adds … to the structure of Rioja
acidity
The historic center for wine production in Rioja
Rioja Alta
Rioja Alavesa is (north/south/west/east) of Rioja Alta
north
Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa have predominantly this soil
clay/limestone
t/f: Rioja makes a fortified wine
false
t/f: Rioja makes a rose wine
true
What town is Rioja Alta’s historic center for production?
Haro
Rioja Alavesa is located within which autonomous community?
Basque Country
Body of water east of Catalonia
Mediterranean sea
Priorat is famojus for its _____ soils
licorella
The only stylistic DO of Spain
Cava
Why is Cava DO not contiguous?
Cava DO covers pockets of land (both within and outisde of Catalonia) that coincide with the vineyards of many producers throughout Spain who were known for producing Cava when the DO was established in 1991
This DO shapes as a donut surrounding Prior and also makes powerful reds based on Garnacha and Carinena
Montsant DO
This region is known primarily as the center of Cava production
Penedes DO
Catalonia’s most important DOs
Catalunya DO
Cava DO
Montsant DO
Penedes DO
Priorat DOQ
Priorat received DOCa status in this year
2009
Winemaking in this region dates back to the 12th century, when Carthusian monks established the Cartuja of Scala Dei
Priorat DOCa
Priorat’s “Village Wine” category
Vi de Vila
llicorella soil is composed of …
black slate and quartz
Samso is another for …
Carinena (in Priorat)
Priorat is home to this famous monastery
Scala Dei
95% of Cava production comes from…
Catalonia (particulary Penedes)
The Spanish are credited with the popularization of the ….., which mechanized the riddling process
gyropalette
t/f: pinot noir and chardonnay may be used for Cava
true
top 3 grapes for Cava production
Macabeo
Xarel-lo
Parellada
Flavor wise, Cava is typically …
Slightly earthy with citrus
How is Cava classified?
by the amount of time spent on lees before disgorgement
The 4 Cava classifications
Cava (9)
Reserva (15)
Gran Reserva (30)
Cava de Paraje (36)
requirements for Cava de Paraje
single estate, hand harvest from 10yr+ old vines, vintage, 36 mo on lees
t/f: Cava is typically hand riddled
false. gyropallete is the norm
t/f: Cava’s sweetness classifications mirrors Champagnet
true
a standard gyropallete holds … bottle
504
a gyropallete completes the riddling process in … week, as opposed to .. week if done by hand
1 / 6
How is rose Cava made?
red grapes are vinified into rose (no blending is alllowed)
What is “Classic Penedes”
subclassification within Penedes DO for sparkling wines. Tighter restrictions than Cava DO
What is Corpinnat?
category of sparkling wine made from an association of quality-minded producers in Penedes. Wines come from a smaller delimited zone from within Penedes. Strict requirements
Corpinnat must be made with minimum __% native grapes
90
t/f: all grapes used fro Corpinnat production must be organic and hand harvested
true
Tarragona DO is primarily known for its production of…
vermouth
Major city located in Catalonia
Barcelona
How many months minimum must Cava spend on the lees?
9
permitted dosage for Brut Cava
0-12 g/l
Autonomous community that Sherry is made within
Andalusia
Pedro Ximinez grown in …… may be used for blending (Sherry)
Montilla-Moriles
These cities make up the Sherry triangle
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Jerez de la Frontera
El Puerto de Santa Maria
The first DO in Spain, established in 1933
Jerez-Xeres-Sherry DO
PX grapes in Montilla-Moriles are …. for several weeks prior to fermentation
sun dried
Moscatel aka
Muscat of Alexandria
Listan Blanco is another name for …
Palomino
The two prevailing winds of the Sherry Triangle
Levante - hot, dry; intensifies heat; blows from the Mediterranean
Poniente - cool, humid; moderates the region; blows from the Atlantic
The soil that occupies 80% of the Sherry Triangle
Albariza
Benefits of Albareza soil
excellent water retention + reflects sunlight to help ripen grapes
The 3 soil types of Jerez
Albariza
barros (brown clay)
arenas (sand)
What is Albariza soil
Chalk mixed with some limestone, clay, and sand. Very similar to soil found in Champagne and Chablis
What happens at the end of fermentation of the base wine (Sherry)?
The cellar master (capataz) tastes the base wine and decides its stylistic fate
flor converts alcohol to …
acetaldehyde
acetaldehyde has flavors of..
nuts and apples
Flor also feasts on ….; makes the wine taste fresher and lighter
glycerol
What does flor do?
Feeds on alcohol and glycerol and protects wine from oxygen
What affect does oxidative aging have?
results in darker wine with nutty aromas
Wines destined for biological aging are fortified to … % ABV
15-15.5% ABV
Wines destined for oxidate aging are fortified to … % ABV
17-18
What kind of barrel is used in the Solera system?
used American oak barrels (“Butts”)
How is amontillado sherry made?
Aged under flor to begin their life. Then fortified a 2nd time to kill the flor and aged oxidatively
The richest style of dry Sherry
Oloroso
What is “En Rama” Sherry?
En Rama Sherry sees minimal filtering; result is a more complex, slightly hazy Fino
t/f: sweet styles of Sherry account for about half of Sherry sales worldwide
true
Name the styles of Sweet Sherry
Pale Cream
Medium
Cream
Pedro Ximenez
What is Pale Cream Sherry?
Lightly sweet. typically made with fino/manzanilla and sweetened with fortified grape must
Medium Sherry typically uses …. as its base
Amontillado
Cream Sherry uses … as its base
Oloroso
Which sweet style Sherry uses Amontillado as its base?
Medium
VOS and VORS meanings
VOS - made from a solera whose average wine is min. 20 years old
VORS - made from a solera whose average wine is min 30 years old
Size of a “butt”
500l or 600l
When is Palo Cortado made?
When the richness of a wine aged under flor exceeds expectations, the cellar master may fortify the wine to 17% and begin aging the wine oxidatively
The only style of Sherry defined by its taste, not its aging process
Palo Cortado
Which grape is most associated with Montilla-Moriles?
Pedro Ximenez
The Canary Islands are located off the coast of …
Morocco
Deep volcanic ash pits used to shelter vines from the trade winds in the Canary Islands
hoyos
Criolla Chica, Mission, Pais are all synonyms for this grape
Listan Prieto
The Canary islands have a …. climate
subtropical
Listan Blanco aka
Palomino
… is a vine training system in which cordons are braided along the ground
Trenzado
Which grape is credited for producing the Canary Islands’ best reds?
Listan Negro
The Canary Islands are just south of…
Madeira
Which two native grapes are grown in the Balearic Islands?
Manta Negro and Callet
The tallest mountain in Spain
Mt Teide
Number of DOs in the Canary Islands
10
The Balearic Islands have _ DOs
2
Which Canary Island is home to Mount Teide?
Tenerife
the 2 most important Canary Islands
Tenerife
Lanzarote
Where is Lanzarote?
Canary Islands
The vines of the Canary Islands are largely planted on…
volcanic soil
t/f: phylloxera has never affected the Canary Islands
true
What are the effects of the phylloxera never taking hold in the Canary Island?
Lots of old vines planted on their own rootstock
The …. of Lanzarote are deep volcanic ash pits (protects of the winds)
hoyos
These savage winds affect the Canary Islands
vientos alisios (trade winds)
The 3 important whtie grapes of the Canary Islands
Listan Blanco
Malvasia
Malvasia Volcanica
3 most important red grapes of the Canary Islands
Listan Negro
Listan Prieto
Negramoll
The 2 island autonomous communities of Spain
Canary Islands
Balearic Islands
in which direction does the Duero river flow
east (towards Portugal)
__ DOs in Castilla y Leon
9
RbD must contain at least __% tempranillo
75
White grapes of Castilla y Leon
Verdejo, Malvasia, Godello
Bierzo DO is situated along the ___ River
Sil
In Ruedo, Verdejo is often blended with …
SB
Vega Sicilia’s flagship wine
Unico
In comparison to Rioja, tempranillo finds a …. expression in RdD
darker, firmer
RdD is unique for its cultivation of …. grapes
Bordeaux
Tempranillo is also known as …. in RdD
tinto fino
tinto del pais
t/f: carinena is authorized for RdD production
false
This DO is Castilla y Leon is close to Portugal and requires at least 75% tempranillo. whites, rosado, and clarete is also produced
Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO
This DO is Castilla y Leon borders Portugal
Arribes DO
Which 2 DOs are located in the mountainous NW of Castilla y Leon
Bierzo DO
Tierra de Leon DO
t/f: castilla y leon is spain’s largest autonomous community by area
true
RdD’s top white grape
albillo mayor
this grape is sometimes blended in small amounts to red wines in RdD
Albillo Mayor
La Mancho DO is know for…
Europe’s largest wine region. Mass produced Airen (big chunk for distillation) and basic tempranillo
define “vinos de pago”
single estate wine judged to be a top vineyard site
Basque Country is home to these 3 DOs
Getariako Txakolina
Bizkaiko Txakolina
Arabako Txakolina
Txakoli white wines are made from..
Hondarrabi Zuri
Jumilla DO is located within this autonomous community
Murcia
t/f: Jumilla’s sandy soils resisted phylloxera until the 1980s
true
Alicante DO is associated with the cultivation of this grape
Monastrell
Monastrell has historically been made into …. within Alicante DO
Fondillon
What is Fondillon?
sweet wine made with extremely ripe Monastrell grapes in a Solera system.
In what ways is Fondillon different than Sherry?
Fondillon is not fortified and does carry oak flavor
Alicante DO is located within which AC
Valencia
Basque Country is also know for..
Ciders
What does Loureira bring to a blend?
acidity + lower alcohol
This region produces Vino Tostado, a dried grape wine
Ribeiro DO
Which grapes are sometimes blended with Verdejo in Rueda DO?
SB and Macabeo
Graciano adds what to the structue of Rioja?
Aciditiy
Ribeira Sacra DO is located along these two rivers
Sil + Mino
t/f: grapes for Caba de Paraje must be organically farmed
FALSE
Rioja Alavesa is located in which autonomous community
Basque Country
