Spain Flashcards
Main Spanish varieties
Tempranillo
Garnacha
Cariñena
Monastrell
Viura (Macabeo)
Xarell-lo
Parellada
Verdejo
Albariño
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)
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
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
3 subregions of Rioja
Rioja Alta / Rioja Alavesa / Rioja Oriental (Baja)
Rioja is named after what river?
Oja river
Climatic influences in Rioja
Cantabrian Mountains to the northwest / Pyrenees to the north east
RAINSHADOW effect
Main red grape varieties in Rioja
Tempranillo
Garnacha
Graziano
Manzuelo (Carineña)
Maturana Tinta (since 2007)
(Must comprise 85% of the blend )
+ Cabernet Sauvignon
Main white varieties In Rioja
Viura (Macabeo)
Garnacha Blanca
Malvasia riojano
Maturana Blanca
(Min 50%)
+ Chardonnay, Tempranillo blanco, turruntes, Sauvignon blanc, Verdejo
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)
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)
Aging requirement for sparkling in Rioja
Espumoso de calidad: 2 years on lees
Gran Anada: 3 years on the lees
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
Rioja Alta
Rioja Alta
Same soils as Alavesa
South-western zone / slightly warmer
Capable of producing classic age worthy red wines
Add acidity to Rioja blends
Rioja Oriental
Hottest subregion
Alluvial soils + ferrous clay
Adds alcoholic warmth and extract to Rioja blends
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
Navarra subzones
Valdizarbe
Baja Montaña
Tierra Estella
Ribera Alta - center
Ribera Baja - south (hot)
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
