Spain Flashcards
Since when has irrigation been allowed in Spain?
1995
How many DOs were in Spain in 2018?
68
What are the DOCas in Spain? (2018)
Rioja
Priorat
How many Vinos de Pago are there in Spain? (2018)
17
How many Vinos de Calidad are in Spain? (2018)
7
How many IGP/Vinos de la Tierra are in Spain? (2018)
More than 40
What are Vinos de Calidad?
A geographical quality indication. (A step above IGP)
What are traditional characteristics of Spanish bodegas?
Buying grapes & wine
Ageing wines in the bodega and releasing when it is ready to drink rather than ready to sell
What oak do Spanish producers use and why?
Traditionally American oak, due to Spanish transatlantic trade.
From the 1980s, ambitious winemakers started to use French oak.
time in barrel has also become more French. Some producers are even abandoning or devalueing their Gran Reservas for intensity over antiquity
What is the other ageing material in Spain that is making a comeback?
Tinajas (clay jars)
Which white and red grape make up 45% of the production in Spain?
Airén (brandy or bulk wine)
Tempranillo
What are the two styles of wine from Basque Country?
Bizkaiko Txakolina /Chacolí de Vizcaya
Getariako Txakolina /Chacolí de Guetaria
What is the origin of the name of the Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza varieties?
The town of Hondarrabia (on the French border of Basque country)
What is the main grape and style of Tierra de León?
Prieto Picudo
Aromatic and full-bodied reds
What is the grape variety of the specialty of Arribes?
What is it known as in Portugal?
Bruñal
Alfrocheiro
What grape is Sierra de Salamanca known for?
Rufete
Better known in Portugal, making crisp, light reds
What regions lie in the Duero Valley?
Toro
Rueda
Ribera de Duero
Where is Cigales?
Just north of the Duero
What style of wine does Cigales make?
Serious red wine from ancient Tempranillo vines
But mostly known historically for Rosado and Clarete
What river runs through La Rioja and Navarra?
Ebro
Where is Calatayud situated?
Aragon, Spain
Which direction does the river Ebro flow in?
South east, into the Mediterranean
Starting from the Cantabrian Cordillera on the North coast
What are 2 goegraphical climate impactors in Campo de Borja?
The Moncayo mountain
Cierzo: a cold and dry northwest wind
What are the local varieties in Somontano, and which producer is known for using them?
Moristel
Parraleta
Bodega Pirineos
What are the 5 DOs located in Galicia?
Rías Baixas
Ribeiro
Valdeorras
Ribeira Sacra
Monterrei
What are the 5 sub-zones of Rías Baixas?
Val do Salnés
O Rosal
Condado do Tea
Ribeira do Ulla
Soutamaior
What does the wine need to contain if the wine is labelled “Rías Baixas Albariño”?
100% Albariño
What does the wine need to contain if the wine is labelled Val do Salnés or Ribeira do Ulla?
Min. 70% of Albariño, Loureiro, Treixadura, and Caiño Blanco
What does the wine need to contain if the wine is labelled O Rosal or Condado do Tea?
Minimum 70% of Albariño combined with either Loureira (O Rosal) or Treixadura (Condado do Tea)
What are the Rías Baixas recommended and authorized red grapes?
Caiño Tinto
Espadeiro
Loureira Tinta
Sousón
Mencía
Brancellao
What are Rías Baixas authorized white grapes but are not used much?
Torrontés
Godello
What does rías mean?
Estuaries
What does Rías Baixas mean?
Lower Estuaries
What styles are allowed in Ribeiro DO?
White, red, sparkling, Vino Tostado
How long must Rías Baixas Barrica Blanco age?
Min. 3 months in 600L barrel
What grapes are usually used for Ribeiro white and red?
Treixadura, Albariño, Loureira, Torrontés, Godello
Palomino (not so much)
Caiño & Alicante
Describe the Vino Tostado
A dried grape wine, local specialty of Ribeiro DO.
Grapes are raisined by being covered.
A minimum drying period of 3 months, min. 350g/l sugar for the must.
Max. 3 months on cherry or oak, 6 months if including fermentation.
What are the 5 sub-regions of Ribeira Sacra DO?
Amandi
Chantada
Quiroga-Bibei
Ribeiras do Sil
Ribeiras do Miño
What are the grape requirements for Ribeira Sacra DO?
White: Principal var.
Red: Min. 70% Mencía
Rosado & Summum: min. 85% principal var.
What is the Sabrigo soil?
Decomposed granite in Ribeiro DO
What is the principal grape variety used in DO Valdeorras Espumoso
min. 85% Godello
What are the grape requirements for Monterrei DO?
White: Min. 60% Dona Branca, Godello, Treixadura
Red: Min. 60% Mencía, Merenzao (Bastardo)
When were the first DOs in Spain awarded?
1932
When and what were the DOCas awarded in spain?
When was the DOCa qualification established?
1991: Rioja
2009: Priorat
DOCas were established in 1988
When was the Vinos de Pagos classification established?
2003
Describe the Spanish Wine Law pyramid from low to high
Vino de Mesa (EU table wine)
Vino de la Tierra (EU table wine + PGI)
The rest are all EU PDOs:
Vino de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VC or VCIG)
Denominación de Origen (DO)
Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)
Vinos de Pagos (VP)
What was the first Vino de Pagos and when was it awarded?
Dominio de Valdepusa in Castilla La Mancha
2003
What was the most recent addition to the Vinos de Pagos and when?
Rosalejo in Castilla la Mancha
2024
Describe the ageing requirements in Spain, Rioja and Ribera del Duero for Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva
Oak barrels must have a maximum of 330L capacity
Describe a movement that was created to further classify regional appellations in Spain
Vi de Vila “village wines”.
Pioneered by Priorat in 2009
Bierzo & Rioja in 2017
Rueda in 2019
Describe Joven, Noble, Añejo and Viejo ageing requirements
Describe Ribeira Sacra Summum
The grape requirements need to be 85% instead of 60%
What was the first top quality still wine from the Douro? When was it released?
Barca Velha by Casa Ferreirinha.
1952
Since 2001, fruit from the Quinta de Leda vineyard.
What is the Gobelet vine training system called in Spain?
En vaso
Name two highly regarded producers in the Ribera del Duero DO
Vega Sicilia
Dominio de Pingus
What are the two top red wines produced by Vega Sicilia?
Unico: Mostly Tempranillo, + Bordeaux, aged for 10 years in barrel and bottle. Before 2010 not released every year.
Valbuena*5: Mostly Tempranillo, + Bordeaux. Fermented in steel, aged for 3 years in oak, 2 years on bottle.
What is the Hungarian wine producer that Vega Sicilia is affiliated with?
Oremus in Tokaj
What is xabre?
Decomposed granite soil in Rías Baixas
Does Vega Sicilia make wine in Rías Baixas?
Yes. They will be released in 2025.
Deiva: A white Crianza
Arnela: Aged for 3 years
Who founded Dominio de Pingus and when?
Peter Sisseck in 1995
What was Peter Sisseck working on before Dominio de Pingus?
Haciendo Monasterio
What does “Pingus” in Dominio de Pingus mean?
Peter Sisseck’s childhood nickname
What are Dominio de Pingus’ cuvées + inaugural vintages?
Fully biodynamic since 2001, unfined and unfiltered.
- Pingus: 100% Tempranillo. Aged in a mix of old and new barrique for 18 months. Inaugural vintage 1995.
- Flor de Pingus: 100% Tempranillo. Aged in a mix of old and new barrique for about 14 months. Inaugural vintage 1996.
- Amelia: 100% Tempranillo from over 100-year-old vines. Single barrel cuvée aged 18 months in one Darnajou barrique. Inaugural vintage 2003.
When were the wines of Lopez de Heredia first released?
1890
Name two very well regarded producers of Port
Quinta do Noval
Niepoort
What are the top wines of Quinta do Noval and what are the inaugural vintages?
- Silval Vintage Ruby: Inaugural vintage 1931.
- Nacional Vintage Ruby: About 200 to 300 cases produced. Inaugural vintage 1931.
What is the Sistema Central?
The mountain range that divides Rueda, Ribera, etc. from La Mancha
What is the general soil of Rias Baixas?
Granite
Where are the best estates located in Rias Baixas?
Val de Salnes
What is the river running through the Rioja?
The river Ebro
What is the general difference in quality level between Rioja Oriental and Rioja Alta?
Oriental: Entry-level wines
Alta: Most famous producers
What does muncipo mean on a Spanish wine label?
Village
What does vinedo singular mean on a Spanish wine label?
Single vineyard
What are the general soils of the 3 Rioja sub-regions?
Alta: clay + chalk & iron
Alavesa: Chalk
Oriental: Alluvial
What are the four aging levels of Rioja wines?
Generico
Crianza
Reserva
Gran Reserva
What was the first white grape to be approved for DO status in Ribera del Duero? When?
Albillo Mayor
2019
What style of wine is Navarra known for?
Rosado
What is Bastardo called locally in Ribeira Sacra?
Merenzao
What river flows through Valdeorras?
Sil
What does Valdeorras mean?
Valley of Gold
What are the wines most made in Valdeorras?
Red Mencia
White Godello
What is Valdeorras most associated with in terms of soil?
Slate
What grapes may be labelled varietally in Valdeorras and with what percentage?
Mencia (min. 85%)
Godello (100%)
Name an established producer for Valdeorras white
Rafael Palacios
Name an established producer for Monterrei white
Quinta da Muradella
What are the DOs of Basque Country, going from west to east?
Arabako Txakolina
Bizkaiko Txakolina
Getariako Txakolina
What are the premier white and red grapes of Basque Country?
White: Hondarabbi Zuri
Red: Hondarrabi Beltza
What are the Txakolina Rosado specifications?
Min. 50% Hondarrabi Beltza
Where is Arribes located?
On the border with Portugal, next to the Douro and Toro
What is the specialty of Arribes? What is its synonym?
Bruñal
Alfrocheiro