Spain Flashcards by Luigi Casanova

Main Spanish varieties

Tempranillo
Garnacha
Cariñena
Monastrell

Viura (Macabeo)
Xarell-lo
Parellada
Verdejo
Albariño

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6 quality level of Spanish wine

Vino de Espagna ( table wine )

Vino de la tierra ( IGP, table wine from a specific region , min 60% )

Vino de calidad con indication geografica (VCIG, must wait at this level for 5 years to become DO)

Denomination de origin protegita (DO, must wait 10 years to become DOCa)

Denomination de origen calificada (DOCa / DOCQ in Catalan)

Vinos de Pagos (particularly high quality estate wine)

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Spain general Aging requirement for reds

Joven: no cask aging required

Crianza: min 2 years in total / 6 months in oak

Reserva :min 3 years in total / 1 year in oak

Gran reserva: min 5 years in total 18 months in oak

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Aging requirements for white and rosado

Joven: no aging required

Crianza: 6 months in oak / 18 months in total

Reserva: 6 months in oak / 2 years in total

Gran reserva: 6 months in oak / 4 years in total

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3 subregions of Rioja

Rioja Alta / Rioja Alavesa / Rioja Oriental (Baja)

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Rioja is named after what river?

Oja river

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Climatic influences in Rioja

Cantabrian Mountains to the northwest / Pyrenees to the north east

RAINSHADOW effect

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Main red grape varieties in Rioja

Tempranillo
Garnacha
Graziano
Manzuelo (Carineña)
Maturana Tinta (since 2007)
(Must comprise 85% of the blend )

+ Cabernet Sauvignon

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Main white varieties In Rioja

Viura (Macabeo)
Garnacha Blanca
Malvasia riojano
Maturana Blanca
(Min 50%)

+ Chardonnay, Tempranillo blanco, turruntes, Sauvignon blanc, Verdejo

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Rioja aging requirement (Reds)

Generico: none or less then 15 months

Crianza: min 2 years ( 1 in oak)

Reserva: min 3 years (1 oak / 6m bottle)

Gran reserva: min 5 years (2 oak / 2 years bottle)

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Rioja aging requirements (White/Rosado)

Crianza: 1 year ( 6 months in oak)

Reserva: 2 year (6 months in oak)

Gran Reserva: 4 years (6 months oak / 2 years bottle)

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Aging requirement for sparkling in Rioja

Espumoso de calidad: 2 years on lees

Gran Anada: 3 years on the lees

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Rioja Alavesa

Smallest / northernmost
Tempranillo
Vino Joven / for early consumption
Carbonic maceration may be employed
High proportion of calcareous clay
Adds freshness to the blend

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Rioja Alta

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Rioja Alta

Same soils as Alavesa
South-western zone / slightly warmer
Capable of producing classic age worthy red wines
Add acidity to Rioja blends

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Rioja Oriental

Hottest subregion
Alluvial soils + ferrous clay
Adds alcoholic warmth and extract to Rioja blends

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Navarra

Adjacent to the northern and eastern border of Rioja
Famous for Rosado (today 30% of production)
Main grape varieties: Garnacha, Tempranillo, Chardonnay
+ Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cab Sauvignon

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Navarra subzones

Valdizarbe
Baja Montaña
Tierra Estella
Ribera Alta - center
Ribera Baja - south (hot)

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Catalayud DO

Garnacha dominates

Cariñena DO

Ancestral home of Carignan (Manzuelo)

One of Spain long lasting delimited zones (1932)

Somontano DO

At the foothills of the Pyrenees
Sandy soils / continental climate
High diurnal shift
Only region where Moristel is grown
Local grapes: Alcalon , Parraleta + Spanish and international varieties

Rias Baixas

Extreme northwest / adjacent Portugal
Atlantic coast
Province of Galicia
Lower temperatures = high acid content

Albariño / loureiro / Treixadua / Mencia (red)

Subzones Rias Baixas

Val do Salnes
Contado do Tea
O Rosal
Soutomaior
Rebera do Ulla

Albariño profile

Stone fruit / citrus / minerality
No malolactic / high acidity
Best drunk young / within 3 years

Castilla La Mancha

Hot and dry / central Spain Quantity rather than quality Largest DOP in Europe / produce 1/3 of spains production Airen: most planted grape , mostly used for Brandy and industrial alcohol Cencibel ( Tempranillo) + cab sav, Merlot, Garnacha, Pinot noir

Jumilla

Murcia / between la mancha and Alicante Monastrell / high alcohol / good quality

Toro

Astride river Duero / west of rueda Mainly reds from Garnacha Tinta de Toro ( Tempranillo) Whites: Verdejo / Malvasia

Ribera del Duero climate/ geography

700-800m altitude Duero river valley Hot summers / cold winters

Synonym for Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero

Tinto de Pais / tinto fino

Main grape varieties in Ribera del Duero

Tempranillo + garnacha, cab sav, merlot Albillo mayor

Aging requirements in Ribera del Duero:

Crianza: 2 years / 1 year in oak Reserva: 3 years / 1 year in oak G reserva: 5 years / 2 years in oak Roble: 3 months in oak Joven: less than 3 months in oak

Ribera del Duero most famous wine

Vega Sicilia

Rueda climate / location

West of Ribera del duero Similar climate / 730m altitude

Rueda main variety

Main region for Verdejo + viura , Sauvignon blanc

Rueda is a DO since…

1980

Profile of Verdejo

Delicate, aromatic, no oxidative style like in the past

Priorat

2nd DOCa in Spain (DOQ in Catalan)

Soils of Priorat

Slate soils = Llicorellia Black slate + quarzite

Priorat red varieties + style

Garnacha + cariñena + (cab sav, Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo) Powerful , dark, high alcohol, expensive , high quality

Quality hierarchy in Priorat:

Priorat DOQ Priorat Vi de Villa DOQ / vino de pueblo = village wine category Priorat vi de paratge DOQ = from 1 of the 459 lieu-dits Priorat vina classificada DOQ = premier cru / single vineyard Priorat Gran vina classificada DOQ = grand cru / single vineyards Old vines = min 75 years

Penedes location

Northeast of terragona / Catalan coast

3 district of penedes

Baix-penedes = garnacha / monastrell (up to 250m) Medio-penedes = Ull de Lliebre (Tempranillo) (250-500m) Alt-penedes -= Parellada, Xarell-lo, macabro, Malvasia , Chardonnay (cava) (500-800m, one of europes highest wine growing regions)

Cava birthplace town

Sant’ Sadurní d’Anoia

Cava aging requirement

NV = 9 months on Lees Riserva = 12 months on lees Grab riserva = 30 months on lees Cava de Paraje Califocado = from a specific place, single estate

Bierzo main grape variety

Mencia

Montsant

Surrounds Priorat Mix of granitic sand + large pebbles + slate + calcareous soils Not as concentrated as Priorat