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WSET 3 STUDY > Spain > Flashcards

Spain Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the soil in Priorat called, what is its make up and what does it do?

A

Llicorella
Red slate with small particles of Mica which reflects heat in to the vines, conserves heat over night and helps retain water

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2
Q

What is the grape of Rias Baixas?

A

Albariño

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3
Q

What is the most planted grape in Valencia and what type of wines does it generally produce?

A

Monastrell (Mourvèdre) is the most planted grape although a range of local and International grapes are planted.
Largely produces value for money wines

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4
Q

What are PGI wines called in Spain?

A

Vino de la Tierra (VdlT)

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5
Q

Where are the vineyards of Priorat located, what’s the climate like and what black grapes are predominate?

A

Inland hills. Long hot, dry, summers with low annual rainfall.
Ideal conditions for old vine Garnacha and Carineña. Cab Sauv is also grown and added to blends.

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6
Q

What does DOCa stand for?

A

Denominación de Origen Calificada

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7
Q

What are the characteristics of Garnacha Tinta?
In which 4 regions is it used extensively?
What is it called in France?

A

High alcohol with concentrated spiced red fruit.
Used extensively in Rioja, Navarra, Carineña and Calatayud and old vine Garnacha is key in Priorat. Also extensively used to make Rosados.
Called Grenache in France

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8
Q

Where is Navarra located?

A

North and east of Rioja running into the foothills of the Pyrenees

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9
Q

What is the climate of Carineña and Calatayud, what styles of wine are commonly made and from which grapes?

A

Warm Continental with low rainfall

  • Fruity inexpensive wines from Garnacha
  • Higher quality wines from old vine Garnacha and Carineña giving greater flavour intensity and structure
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10
Q

What are the two regions that make up Catalunya?

A

Penedes and Priorat

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11
Q

What are the four main white ‘Spanish’ grapes?

A

Verdejo
Albariño
Airén
Macabeo (Viura in Rioja)

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12
Q

What term does Priorat use instead of DOCa?

A

DOQ = Denominació d’Originen Qualificada

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13
Q

What is the traditional white grape of Rioja?

What can it be used to make?

A

Viura

Can be unoaked with subtle herb and spice. Traditionally used to make heavily oaked, oxidised white Rioja

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14
Q

With the exception of NW Spain, heat and lack of water are the biggest challenges to growing grapes in Spain.
If you were managing a vineyard how and why would you manage density and pruning? What is one potential major drawback?

A

Low density bush trained vines = maximise the water available to each vine and shading the fruit from excessive heat.
The drawback is bush vines cannot be mechanically harvested.
I might consider ‘modified’ VSP so the shoots are allowed to flop over the grapes giving them shade and allowing mechanical harvesting.

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15
Q

Where is Toro located, what is the climate like and what type wine does it produce?

A

West of Ribera del Duero, NW of Rueda.
High daytime temps.
Reds are full flavoured with intense fruit flavours, high tannin and high alcohol

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16
Q

Which are the only 2 regions holding DOCa status?

A

Rioja and Priorat

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17
Q

What is significant about Rueda and what is the climate?

A

Continental climate with cool Summer nights

Mainly white wines produced from Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc

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18
Q

What are the main red and white grape varieties grown in Valdepeñas?

A

Red = Cencibel (Tempranillo)
White = Airen
The region has a reputation for producing half decent wines

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19
Q

Why are vineyards in Priorat expensive and time consuming to manage?

A

Bush vines are managed on steep slopes meaning Mechanical harvesting is impossible.

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20
Q

What is the climate of Rioja Baja and one potential risk?

A

Warm continental with potential risk of drought

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21
Q

What are the 6 black ‘Spanish’ grapes?

A 
Tempranillo
Garnacha Tinto (Grenache)
Monastrell (Mourvèdre)
Graciano
Carineña (Carignan) - Mazuelo in Rioja
Mencia
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22
Q

Where will you find Airen widely planted?

What style of wine does it make?

A

Somewhere hot; La Mancha and Valdepeñas
Makes hugely bland wine!

Used in the production of Brandy de Jerez

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23
Q

What is the correct order (youngest to oldest) for Gran Reserva, Reserva, Joven, Crianza

A

Joven, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva

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24
Q

What is the dominant black grape variety in Ribera del Duero?

A

Tempranillo

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25
Q

What is the minimum ageing for Gran Reserva wines

  • In oak
  • in bottle
A

60 months in total
18 in barrel
42 in bottle

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26
Q

What is the Meseta Central and what is the climate like?

A

A huge plateau, in the centre of Spain, cut off from maritime influence due to being encircled by mountains has a hot continental climate with low rainfall. Below freezing temps are common in Winter. In Summer temps can be moderated by the cool nights of altitude sites.

27
Q

Where is almost half of Spain’s wine produced, what is the dominant red and white grape?

A

La Mancha, vast area of the Meseta Central south of Madrid

Red Tempranillo known locally as Cencibel
White = Airen

Cab Sav, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc also

28
Q

Where is Bierzo, what is the climate like and what wines does it mainly produce?

A

East of Rias Baixas, in the mountains between Galicia and the Meseta Central. Moderate climate with a cooling maritime influence.
Mainly produces elegant red wines from Mencia with natural high acidity and red fruit aromas. Best wines come from old vines grown on steep slopes.

29
Q

What 4 black grapes are permitted in Rioja?

A

Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo

30
Q

Where are Carineña and Calatayud located?

A

South of Rioja Baja (south of the Ebro)

31
Q

What is the climate in Navarra and what style of wines come from there?

A

Similar climate to Rioja but cooler and wetter near the mountains.
Red wines are very similar to Rioja, additionally fresh rosados made from Garnacha which has been picked earlier to maintain some acidity. Fermented protectively to fruity rosado.

32
Q

Mencia isn’t used widely but which DO does focus on it?

What aromas and flavours does it bring?

A

Used extensively in Bierzo

Likes a moderate climate, brings fresh fruit, medium~high acidity and sometimes slight herbaceous

33
Q

What is the French grape Mourvèdre called in Spain?

A

Monastrell

34
Q

What is the minimum ageing for Joven wines

  • In oak
  • in bottle
A

Joven wines are fresh and youthful so there is no ageing requirement, they’re drunk young

35
Q

How many climatic zones are there in Penedes, what are they and what is grown on each?

A

3 zones
-Hottest is the coastal plain with Mediterranean climate where Garnacha and Carineña are grown.
-In the valleys and on the mid slopes the temperature is cooler and mainly used for growing grapes for Cava.
-In the hills at up to 800m the climate is Moderate and a wide variety of International grapes are grown, red; Tempranillo, Merlot, Cab Sav and Pinot Noir.
White; Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer.

36
Q

What is the minimum ageing for Reserva wines

  • In oak
  • in bottle
A

36 months total
12 in barrel
24 in bottle

37
Q

Where is Rias Baixas located and what is the dominant grape?

A

NW Spain on the Atlantic coast. Maritime climate, bloody wet!
Mainly Albariño producing high acidity wines with ripe stone fruit flavours. Occasionally richer from a touch of oak or lees stirring

38
Q

Describe a usual red wine from Priorat

A

Deeply coloured with high tannins, med to high alc with concentrated black fruit and toasty French oak.

39
Q

What are the 6 key wine regions of Spain?

A 
Upper Ebro
Catalunya
The Duero Valley
The North West
The Levante
Castilla La Mancha
40
Q

What is the climate in Ribera del Duero?

A

Short, hot, dry Summers with very cold Winters

41
Q

What are Vinos de Pago?

A

Single estates of high reputation who grow the grapes, vinify and mature the wines on the estate

42
Q

What is the grape Carineña called in
Rioja?
In France?

A

Mazuelo in Rioja

Carignan in France

43
Q

What styles of wine can be made in Rioja?

A

Semi-carbonic, light and fruity with low tannin

Traditionally de-stem and crush, fermented traditionally, possibly heavy cap management and extended maceration = heavily extracted wines, matured in American / French oak.

44
Q

Where are the vineyards of the Ribera del Duero located?

A

On the highest part of the Meseta Central with some vineyards at 850m

45
Q

Where would you usually find Monastrell?
What is the grape called in France?
What are the characteristics, aromas and flavours of the grape?

A

Somewhere hot and sunny like Valencia, Jumilla and Yecla
In France the grape is called Mourvèdre
Deep colour, full body, high tannin and alcohol with flavours of ripe blackberry fruit

46
Q

What white grape am I?
I am highly susceptible to oxidation but with protective winemaking can make light bodied, high acidity, wine with flavours of peach and melon.

A

Verdejo

47
Q

Broadly, what are the three climate zones in Spain and where are they?

A
  • North and North West including Rioja Alta and Alavesa - Moderate Maritime with rain
  • North East from Catalunya, down Mediterranean coast, to Valencia - Warm Mediterranean moderated by sea breezes or altitude cooling in places.
  • On The Meseta Central - Cut off from Maritime influence by a ring of mountains giving a hot Continental climate
48
Q

Which 2 international black grapes are commonly grown in Spain?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

49
Q

What is the climate and soil of Rioja Alta and Alvesa?

At what altitude are most vineyards?

A

Maritime with clay and limestone soil

500~800m

50
Q

Why might you use Carineña?

A

To add acidity, tannin and colour.

Ideal blended with Tempranillo or with Garnacha in Priorat

51
Q

Where is The Levante wine region?

What sub regions make it up?

A

On the Mediterranean coast, centered around Valencia

Valencia, Jumilla and Yecla

52
Q

What is Tempranillo called in La Mancha and Valdepeñas?

A

Cencibel

53
Q

What are the 3 regions so Rioja and what are their climates?

A

Rioja Alta, Rioja Alvesa - Maritime

Rioja Baja - Warm Continental with a risk of drought

54
Q

Why would you use some Graciano making Rioja?

A

Use a small % in the finest wines to add concentrated black fruit flavours, acidity and tannins

55
Q

How come there’s no Maritime influence in Ribera del Duero?

A

It’s cut off from direct Maritime influence by a ring of mountains

56
Q

What is the minimum ageing for Crianza wines

  • In oak
  • in bottle
A

24 months total
6 in barrel
18 in bottle

57
Q

Where is Jumilla and Yecla located, what is the climate like, what the dominant grape and what is the general style of wine produced.

A

Inland from Valencia
Hot and arid
Monastrell (Mourvèdre)
Mostly youthful and fruity

58
Q

Whilst others are used what are the 3 grapes commonly used in Priorat?

A

Old vine Garnacha, old vine Carineña and Cabernet Sauvignon

59
Q

What are the ideal growing conditions for Tempranillo?

A

Needs heat to develop flavour but moderating sea breezes and/or altitude to provide a diurnal range to maintain acidity.

60
Q

Where are most VdlT wines produced?

A

Castilla y Leon

61
Q

What is the National grape of Spain and in which regions is it extensively used?

A

Tempranillo
Rioja, Navarra, Ribera del Duero, Toro and
La Mancha and Valdepeñas where it is called ‘Cencibel’

62
Q

List the 4 Natural factors of wine

A

Grapes
Climate
Weather
Soil / Aspect

63
Q

Describe a ‘typical’ Ribera del Duero red wine

A

Dark in colour, concentrated fruit flavours with high tannin

WSET 3 STUDY (32 decks)

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