Spain Flashcards
Spain is on which peninsula?
Iberian Peninsula
What other country is on the Iberian Peninsula, and on what border of Spain is it?
Portugal, on Spain’s western border
What 2 large bodies of water bracket Spain?
Atlantic Ocean –crop the north and northwest
Mediterranean Sea–to the east and southeast
Of any wine-producing country, Spain is known to have which of the following:
*the largest planted acreage
*the largest lakes
*the largest production
Largest planted acreage
What are the climates of Spain?
cool Maritime along the northern coast
arid and warm in center
humid and warm on southern tip
What is the landscape of Spain?
Mountainous, especially in the north
Raised plateau in the Central interior called the Meseta
What is Spain’s best known red grape?
Tempranillo
In Spain, wines without geographical indication are called:
Vino
In Spain, wines with geographical indication are grouped into 3 overarching classification with 3 level nested within the second:
- IGP-Vino de la Tierra (VdIT)
- DOP–
- VCIG Vinos de Calidad con Indicacion Geografia)
- DO –Denominacion de Origen, on par with French AOC
- DOCa Denominacion de Origen Calificada
- Vinos de Pagos
What are the only 2 wine regions in Spain with the DOCa classification?
Which was the first?
Rioja
Priorat
What is Vinos de Pagos?
Vinos de Pagos is a category reserved for prestigious single estates whose work exceeds basic DO requirements.
These estates can only use their own grapes which must be grown, vinified and aged on their estate.
Where is Rias Baixas DO in Spain?
What is it also known as?
What borders it to the south?
northwest corner of Spain
aka Green Spain (very rainy–everything is green)
Portugal lies to the south
What is the climate of Rias Baixas DO?
Maritime and fairly humid
Why is Rias Baixas DO so humid?
situated on the Atlantic coast
Numerous rivers running through the region
What are the soils of Rias Baixas DO?
Granite
Alluvial
Slate
What is the white grapes of Rias Baixas DO?
Albarino
If a wine label from Rias Baixas DO has the grapes Albarino written on it, what percentage of Albarino must be in the wine?
100%
What type of vessels are most used in Rias Baixas DO?
Stainless steel
Albarino does not generally see new oak, the grape is not suited for the flavorings of new oak
What style of wine is Albarino from Rias Biaxas DO?
*lush, off dry, neutral, heavily oaked
*crisp, dry, aromatic, unoaked
crisp, dry, aromatic, unoaked
What is the most important DOCa in north/Central Spain?
Rioja DOCa
What is the river that runs through Rioja?
The Ebro River
What are the 2 mountain ranges that protect Rioja DOCa?
- Pyrenees Mountains (divide France and Spain in the Northeast).
- Cantabrian Mountains (to the northwest)