Spain Flashcards
Explain why the quality of Spanish wines has increased dramatically over the last few decades.
Quality wine production was hampered throughout much of the 20th century, firstly by civil war and then the economic isolation enforced by the government. Production mainly came from co-operatives that focused on quantity over quality, and many winemakers had no experience of winemaking practices in other countries. The return of democratic rule in the mid-1970s brought greater freedom, and accession into the EU brought investment.
Introduction of modern winery equipment like stainless steel, temperature control, the use of SO2. Better clonal selection. Better understanding of vineyard practices, planting densities, vine training (old bush vines for more concentrated wines). How hand harvesting is more gentle and allow for sorting for cleaner fruit and how machine harvest can allow for quick night time harvest when cool temps can limit bacterial spoilage. The use of oak, which is now more restrained and well integrated, vs the traditional method of heavy new french and american oak. A better understanding of which regions are better suited to which varieties (garnacha is drought tolerant and can fair well in hot, dry, drought prone regions.)
What is the name of the plateau that sits at 600-900m altitude, and covers a vast area of central Spain?
The Meseta
How is Spain NOT the biggest producer of wine by volume, even though it has the highest area under vine globally.
Low planting density
Low rainfall at 300mm
No irrigation allowed
drought
Planting density in some areas is very low, as low as 1000 vines per hectare, compare this with 10,000 vines per hectare in northerly latitudes i.e Mosel, Germany. Planting density is in part influenced by climatic factors and in Spain this is most notably the availability of water.
In some areas of Spain annual rainfall can be as low 300 mm and irrigation is not permitted in all circumstances. Even with irrigation, there needs to be a source of water and this is a challenge with drought becoming an annual feature in some vineyard regions located in central Spain.
Plantings of black and white grape varieties are largely even in Spain. But what are the black and white grape varieties with the largest planting respectively?
Airen for white
Tempranillo for black
What is the Spanish name for Macabeo?
Viura
What is the Spanish name for Grenache?
Garnacha
What is the Spanish name for Morvedre?
Monastrell
What are the national aging requirements in Spain for Reserva?
36 months minimum total ageing for red wines with 12 months in barrel.
24 months minimum total ageing white and rosé wines with 6 months in barrel.
What is the minimum total ageing time in months for a wine to be labelled Gran Reserva in Spain?
60
What are the arguments for Spain’s legislation being too prescriptive?
It automatically suggests a hierarchy of excellence which sets an expectation that Gran Reserva is the highest quality wine. This also suggests that the wines aged for the longest period in oak and bottle are higher quality.
What are the arguments for Spain’s legislation being not being prescriptive enough?
There are no quality requirements for the wines in each category beyond the regulations set out by the DO.
There are no specifications on the type or age of oak vessel that can be used for ageing.
What Spanish term is used for wines without a geographical indication.
Vino
What Spanish term applies to a small number of single estates with high reputations and within the PDO category.
VP- vino de Pago
What Spanish term is commonly used for PGI wines.
VT
What is the principal grape variety grown in the Rías Baixas region?
Albarino
Name the 5 subzones of Rias Baixas.
Val do Salnes
O Rosal
Condado do Tea
Ribeira do Ulla
Soutomaior
What Rias Baixas subzone is the oldest subzone and has the greatest plantings and concentration of wineries?
Val do Salnes
What Rias Baixas subzone Lies along the River Miño. The wines are often blends of Albariño, Loureira, Treixadura and Caiño Blanco.
O Rosal
What Rias Baixas subzone is Inland, warm and tends to produce wines that are riper in style with more peach fruit and slightly lower acidity.
Condado do Tea
What Rias Baixas subzone is the newest subzone and, as yet, tends to produce inexpensive and mid-priced.
Ribeira do Ulla
What Rias Baixas subzone is the smallest?
Soutomaior
What Castilla y León DO’s wines are often made from Mencía, a black grape that accounts for 75% of plantings. It’s an early to mid-ripening grape variety, and can lose its characteristic medium (+) or high acidity and quickly accumulate sugar, resulting in high alcohol wines if picked too late.
Bierzo
What Castilla y León DO’s wines
What Castilla y León DO’s wines are made from Tinta de Toro. Red wines must be a minimum of 75 per cent Tinta de Toro, with the remainder being Garnacha.
Toro
What Castilla y León DO’s wines are often made from Tempranillo, locally called Tinto Fino or Tinta del País. The reds must be a minimum of 75 per cent Tempranillo, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Garnacha and Albillo permitted.
Ribera del Duero
What Castilla y Leon Do’s wines are often made from Verdejo. It produces wines with medium to medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol and apple, pear and peach characteristics often with a herbal note (fennel) and a slight bitterness on the finish.
Rueda
What are the 3 zones of Rioja?
Rioja Alta
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Oriental
What is the climate and the grapes grown in Rioja Alta?
continental with some maritime influences coming from the Atlantic. However, there are many variations within this zone. The River Ebro flows through it at a lower altitude which means the climate is warmer. To the south the altitude rises to 700m which has a cooling influence on the climate. Tempranillo is widely grown as it is suited to the relatively cooler sites and clay soils which are a feature of Rioja Alta.
What is the climate and grapes of Rioja Alavesa?
climate like Alta, continental with some maritime influences. Tempranillo is the key black grape variety in this zone as it suits the relatively cool climate and the cool calcareous clay soils.
What is the climate and the grapes of Rioja Oriental?
continental and the key influence on the climate is altitude. Around the River Ebro, the sites are warmer due to the low altitude, further south vineyard sites are planted at 500-1000m in altitude. The higher altitude sites are cooler with similar temperatures to Rioja Alta and Alavesa. This is the driest zone and most vulnerable to climate change, particularly drought. Along with Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta is the key black variety as it is suited to warm temperatures and dry growing conditions.
What 3 new labelling terms may be appended to Rioja labels since the year 2018?
Vino de Zona
Vino De Municipio
Vinedo Singular
Why were the 2018 labelling terms Vino de Zona, Vino De Municipio, & Vinedo Singular created?
because the GI’s alta, alavessa, and oriental along with single vineyards and villages could not be named on the label.
The new terms seek to create a hierarchy to further help consumers.
What are the regulations for labelling a wine Vino de Zona?
ZONE
What are the regulations for labelling a wine Vino de Municipio?
The grapes for the wine must come from a single Rioja MUNCIPALITY (aka village), and the wines must be produced, matured and bottled within that zone with 15% of grapes from outside the region allowed if it borders the other municipality with grapes already having been sourced for 10 years.
side note: in burgundy village wines: they can produce wines from all villages with no further stipulation in a single winery.
What are the regulations for labelling a wine Vinedo Singular (Single Vineyard)?
The grapes for the wine must come from a single vineyard/estate, and the wines must be produced, matured and bottled within that zone. The producer must have owned the vineyard for a minimum of 10 years, the vineyard must be a minimum of 35 years old, and yields must respect specified maximum levels. The vineyard must be hand harvested and treated in a sustainable way.
What is the name of the cool wind that blows from the north over Cariñena, Campo de Borja and Calatayud DOs, moderating the temperatures?
Cierzo
What are the two most planted grape varieties in Somontano?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
What are the 4 classifications of for grape growing nad winemaking in Priorat set by the Consejo Regulador?
Vi de Vila
Vi de Paratge
Vinya Classificada
Gran Vinya Classificada
What Priorat classification states grapes must come from one of Priorat’s 12 sub-zones. The name of the sub-zone and then the classification term must appear on the label.
Vi de Vila
What Priorat classification corresponds to grapes grown within a single named site, equivalent to a lieu dit in France. There are 459 of these sites noted for their terrain, geology and microclimate. They cover the entire area of Priorat DOQ.
Vi de Paratge
What Priorat classification is for a wine from a single vineyard of particular merit within a named site, equivalent to a Cru.
Vinya Classificada
What Priorat classification if for a wine from a single vineyard of exceptional merit within a named site, equivalent to a Grand Cru.
Gran Vinya Classificada
The autonomous communities of Valencia and Murcia are located close to the coast in Spain. Pick at least two DOs from within these regions and compare how one DO with more coastal influence and one with more continental influence can impact on the wines produced there.
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