Spain Flashcards
Mid-19th Century Spanish Civils Wars
Luciano de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal escaped to Bordeaux and then brought back new techniques and French barriques
Rioja Wine Exporters Syndicate
1907 founding to guarantee authenticity in export markets
Consejo Regulador
1926 founding, regulatory council in Rioja
20th Century
Civil War led to dictatorship, destroyed economy, economic isolation. High volume wine for domestic consumption. Mid 70’s return to democratic rule + EU in 1986
Spain Climate
NW: Maritime climate with high rainfall due to Atlantic Influene
N/NE: sheltered by mountains, more continental, some Mediterranean influence
S and E: Mediterranean, warm dry summers and mild winters
Meseta: 600-900m, continental, hot days, cool nights
Production Levels
Largest vineyard plantings globally - 969,000 ha
3rd largest producer by volume behind Italy and France (low density and old vines)
Vineyard Density
Low density as rainfall is low (300mm in some parts).
Irrigation
Permitted after 1996, but regulated. Sometimes just for young vines and extreme drought, or some regions only during start of growing season
Hazards
Summer storms with rising temps afterward mean mildew risk
Spring frosts in continental areas
Phylloxera
Areas with sandy soils such as Toro and Rueda unaffected and still have ungrafted vines
Vineyard holdings
Small vineyards - 66% are .5 ha or less, 22% are .5-3 ha.
This means less mechanisation
Airen
Neutral white grape variety
Mostly planted in Castilla - La Mancha
Inexpensive whites for early consumption or Brandy de Jerez
Tempranillo
Medium to high yield
Early ripening, best in warm climates with some cooling influence
High volume, fruity, inexpensive, or premium (Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Toro)
Bobal
Grown near east coast for red and rose wines
Garnacha Tinta
Red and Rose
Central north and north east
Rioja, Navarra, Catalunya, Aragon
Macabeo
Catalunya or Rioja (where it is known as Viura)
Inexpensive neutral wines or component of premium oak-fermented and aged wines
Monastrell
Mourvedre
Grown around Valencia and Murcia
Late ripening, needs heat late in growing season to ripen fully
Winemaking Styles
Red, white, rose made protectively in stainless steel
Carbonic or semi-carbonic
Premium red and whites in stainless steel, concrete, amphorae
Premium reds and whites aged in oak
National Ageing Requirements
Red Crianza: 24 months, 6 months in oak
Red Reserva: 36 mo, 12 in oak
Red Gran Reserva: 60 mo, 18 in oak
White/Rose Crianza: 18 mo, 6 in oak
White/Rose Reserva: 24 mo, 6 in oak
White/Rose Gran Reserva: 48 mo/6 in oak
Oak
Often American oak because of strong trade relationship and lower price
Rose/Rosado
Recently more Very Good quality at mid and premium prices
Traditionally deeper in colour, but pale becoming more popular
Premium roses fermented and matured in oak or on lees
Traditional Style (Lopez de Heredia): black and white grapes macerated, then pressed and fermented together, matured in oak
DO
70 Denominacion de Origen in Spain
PDO
DOCa/DOQ
Denominacion de Origen Calificada/Qualificada
Must be an established DO for 10 years
Bottled at producer’s own property, must have quality regulations, including tasting assessment by external panel and audit
VP
Vino de Pago
Single estates, mostly in Castilla-La Mancha, some in Navarra, Valencia, and Aragon
Only estate grapes, vinified and matured on estate
VT
Vino de la Tierra
PGI
40 VTs in Spain
Largest in Castilla
Vino
Wine without a GI
Wine Business - Types of Businesses
Large cooperatives in many regions
Negociants common in some regions
Wine estates producing small volumes
Largest wine business for still, unfortified wines
J Garcia Carrion, Felix Solis Avantis, Pernod Ricard Groupe, Miguel Torres SA, Bodegas Martins Codax SA
Domestic Consumption
Low compared to other producing countries
10.2 million hL
Trend towards premiumisation
Exports
Largest exporter in volume - 21mill hL
Average price per litre the lowest of any major country
Bulk wine
Not fashionable on investment market
France 24%
Germany 17%
UK, USA, China
Foods and Wines from Spain
Promotional body for entire country
Galicia
NW of Spain
Cool, wet, Atlantic weather
Rias Baixas DO
Largest Galicia DO
170 wineries
70’s and 80’s push for indigenous varieties and modern equipment - improvement in quality
5 non-contiguous sub-zones
Rias Baixas Growing Environment
Most westerly DO
Maritime
1700mm
Free-draining sand over granite bedrock
Albarino
Grown in Rias Baixas
Thick skins, resistant to rot
Early to mid-ripening
High acidity, medium (-) or medium body, medium alcohol, apple, lemon, grapefruit, peach, floral
Rias Baixas grape varieties
White:
Albarino (main variety, sometimes blended)
Loureira
Treixadura
Caino Blanco
Souson
Caino Tino
Loureira
Rias Baixas
Early ripening
Medium (+) acidity, aromatic, citrus, pear, floral, herbal
Treixadura
Rias Baixas
Mid-ripening, low acidity, apple, and peach
Caino Blanco
Rias Baixas
Late ripening, high acidity, citrus
Rias Baixas Sub-Zones
Val do Salnes
I Rosal
Condado do Tea
Ribera do Ulla
Soutomaior
Val do Salnes
Rias Baixas Sub Zone
oldest, with most plantings and wineries
on the coast, coolest and wettest zone, highest acidity wines
O Rosal
Rias Baixas
Along the River Mino on the border with Portugal
White blends
Condado do Tea
Rias Baixas
Inland from O Rosal
Warmer, riuper, peach and lower acidity
Ribeira do Ulla
Rias Baixas newest sub zone
inexpensive and mid-priced wines
Soutomaior
Rias Baixas smallest subzone
Rias Baixas producers
Pazo de Senorans and Palacio de Fefinanes, good quality
Rias Baixas Trellising
Pergola/Parral, using granite supports as wood rots in humidity
Promotes air circulation under the canopy
VSP also used for mechanisation
On the lees
Sobre lias
Rias Baixas Winemaking
Generally protective
Sometimes a few hours of maceration and sometimes some MLF
Lees ageing for more premium wines
Premium wines fermented in oak
Rias Baixas Wine Business
1/4 exports, which has increased recently
USA, UK
Ribeiro DO
Galicia
West, east of souther Rias Baixas
Maritime climate, more sheltered
Treixadura most planted variety
Ribeira Sacra DO
Galicia
Inland, following valley of River Mino and River Sil
Continental with limited maritime influence
Vineyards on steep, stony valley sides
Mencia with fresh, early drinking red fruit, medium body and tannin, and medium (+) Acidity
Valdeorras DO
Galicia
Up river Sil, most easterly of Galician DOs
Continental climate, 700-1000mm rain
300m altitude
Slate soils
Godello with citrus and stone fruit, herbal/wet stone, medium (+) acidity, sometimes premium in oak
Some Mencia
Monterrei DO
Galicia
South of Ribeira Sacra on border of Portugal
Sheltered by Sierra de Larouca mountains, continental climate with low rainfall
Bulk wine, some good quality riper Mencia, fruity Godello
Castilla y Leon
North Spain
High altitude plateau (northern part of the meseta), mountains to north and south
Mostly continental, some maritime influence in west
Bierzo DO
Castilla y Leon
Alvaro Palacios and Ricardo Perez 1990’s
Hills/mts on three sides, but maritime influence to the west
Some years cool & rainy, some warm & dry
Mencia 75% of plantings, must contribute 70% with the rest from Alicante Bouschet
Mencia
Early to mid-ripening, quickly accumulates sugar and loses acidity if picked too late
Light and fruity with medium tannin or concentrated full body and higher tannins
Bierzo DO wine styles
Flat plains and lower slopes produce inexpensive high yield wines with med (-) body and tannin, and red fruits, sometimes carbonic or semi carbonic maceration
500-850m altitude on slopes and slate soils, higher diurnal range, old bush vines produce wines with medium to medium (+) body and tannins, higher alcohol, ripe red fruit, floral, herbal sometimes oaked
Bierzo Wine Business
Vintage variation in volumes
3000 ha grown by 2000 growers, small plots with little mechanisation
75 wineries
2017 new classifications within DO Bierzo recognised to designate villages and specific vineyards
Toro DO
Castilla y Leon
River Duero cuts through it
Continental, hot summers and cold winters, spring frosts
620-750m altitude, high diurnal range
Tinta de Toro for red wines, must be 75% of blend with the rest Garnacha
Malvasia or Verdejo for whites
Old vines, ungrafted
Tinta de Toro
Possibly a form of Tempranillo, or a separate autochthonous Toro grape
Thicker skins
Toro DO Irrigation
Not permitted after June until end of harvest
Low density to manage water
Bush Vines
Toro DO wine style
Tinta de Toro
Deep colour, high alcohol and tannin, blackberry and blueberry, medium (+) to high acidity
max 15% abv
Toro DO winemaking
Inexpensive/Mid: carbonic maceration
Premium: oak, more concentrated
Toro DO Producers
Teso la Monja
Numanthia
Good quality