Spain Flashcards
Who established the value of viticulture in Spain? Where?
1100 BCE by the Phoenicians in Gadir (modern Cadiz)
The Phoenicians, one of the first great maritime trading cultures, founded the city of Gadir (modern Cádiz) on the coast of southern Spain around 1100 BCE and established the value of viticulture and wine as a commodity in Andalucía.
Vines grew wild and were harvested before the Phoenicians, but the Phoenicians progressed the vine in greatly in Spain
In the late 15th century, what event opened the markets for Spanish wine?
The discovery of America and thus the export market.
The inherently heavy wines of Spain were often made in a deliberately rancio style, or they nonetheless arrived in the West Indies that way.
Sherry also had an expanding export market in Great Britain, despite a deteriorating relationship between the two nations that culminated in the English defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
What happened in the 1850’s and 1860’s that shifted the state of Spanish wine, particularly in Rioja?
Oidium and phylloxera struck France in the 1850s and 1860s, an abrupt change occurred, particularly in Rioja, where a sudden influx of French winemakers and merchants sought to bridge the interruption of their own disease-ridden vineyards with Spanish wine.
During this period the Bordeaux-trained Marqués de Riscal and Marqués de Murrieta returned to Rioja with grape varieties and lessons from the Médoc, including barrique aging (called barricas in Spain) and estate bottling (performed at their newly constructed bodegas).
One big difference, however was that, for economic reasons, American oak (Quercus alba) rather than French was used.
What is Quercus Alba?
American Oak
Many of today’s great traditionalist Rioja wineries got their start in the latter half of the 19th century, such as?
López de Heredia
CVNE
La Rioja Alta
Berceo
When did phylloxera hit Spain?
Late 1880s
In the 1930’s governing bodies were established for 3 Spanish regions. Which regions and what is the name of the governing bodies?
In the 1930’s Consejos Reguladores were established in Rioja, Malaga, and Jerez
Consejos Reguladores are the governing bodies
What hindered Spanish winemaking between 1930 and 1975?
WWII and Fascism under Franco
Who brought stainless steel and temperature-controlled fermentations to Catalonia in the 1960s?
Miguel Torres
When were Spain’s DO regulations finally approved?
1970
Compared to other winemaking countries in Europe, are Spains wine laws for more rigid or more adaptable?
More adaptable
What are the levels of Spanish wine?
Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)
Denominación de Origen (DO)
Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VCIG)
Vino de la Tierra (VdlT)
What is a DO Pago (Vinos de Pago)?
DO Pagos are estates that represent a theoretically superior appellation to the basic DO.
An estate within an existing DO must surpass the basic DO requirements in DO Pago legislation, typically through lowered yields and other measures suggestive of quality winemaking.
In order to apply for DO Pago status, an estate should show international critical praise and a decade’s worth of quality production, although some young Pagos have sped through official channels with astonishing speed.
What do the following aging terms indicate?
Noble
Añejo
Viejo
Noble: 18 months aging in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle
Añejo: 24 months aging in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle
Viejo: 36 months aging, demonstrates marked oxidative character
What are the general aging requirements for:
Crianza
Reserva
Grand Reserva
Crianza: 2yrs total, 6 mos in barrel
Reserva: 3yrs total, 1 yr in barrel
Grand Reserva: 5 years total, 18 mos in barrel
What are the aging requirements in Rioja for:
Crianza
Reserva
Grand Reserva
Crianza: 2 yrs total, 1 year in barrel
Reserva: 3 years total, 1 year barrel, 6 mos bottle
Grand Reserva: 5 years total, 2 years barrel, 2 yrs bottle
What are the aging requirements in Ribero de Duero for:
Crianza
Reserva
Grand Reserva
Crianza: 2 yrs total, 1 year in barrel
Reserva: 3 yrs total, 1 years in barrel
Grand Reserva: 5 yrs total, 3 years barrel, 2 years bottle
Which mountains lie to the northeast of Rioja?
The Pyrenees which divide Spain from France
Which mountains lie to the northwest of Rioja?
The Cantabrian Mountains
North-Central Spain is essentially comprised of which three autonomías?
North-Central Spain essentially comprises the three autonomías of Navarra, La Rioja, and Aragón
What river flows through the Rioja DOCa?
The Ebro river
It begins in the Cantabrian mountains and flows southeast to the Mediterranean
Which was the first Spanish DOCa? When?
Rioja. 1991
How long has wine been produced in the Rioja region?
3000 years
Who guided viticulture in Spain in the Middle Ages?
Christian Monks (like many other major winegrowing regions in Europe)
Who is Gonzalo de Berceo?
Gonzalo de Berceo is a 13th century Benedictine clergyman whose name is commemorated in Berceo’s reserva and gran reserva bottlings.
de Berceo extolled the virtues of Rioja wine in verse. Although he penned his theological works in Latin, he preferred to write his poetry in the “vulgar vernacular” of Spanish, hoping to reach the less educated peasantry.
His short verses represent the first Spanish poetry committed to paper, more than a century after the king’s legal recognition of Rioja in 1102.
In the later half of the 19th century what changed to shift the Rioja winemaking style?
The French influence - many winemakers came to Rioja to leave behind the phylloxera that had ravaged their vineyards.
Economically, aging in American oak made more sense and aging in American oak barrels became a standard, and the red wines started to resemble what is now considered the classic style: soft, with muted red fruit, firm acidity and the unmistakable oak aromas of dill, vanilla and cedar.
Tempranillo is the primary grape of Rioja. What are its traditional blending partners?
Mazuelo (Carignan), Graciano, and Garnacha.
Together, these four grapes (along with Maturana Tinta, authorized for Rioja in 2007) must comprise a minimum 85% of the red Rioja blend, or 95% if destemmed. “Experimental” grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon may make up the remainder.
The 5 grapes authorized for Rioja: Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano, Garnacha and Mautrana Tinta must account for what percent of the Rioja blend?
85% of the blend
95% if destemmed
What is a synonym for Mazuelo?
Carignan
What is a synonym for Viura?
Macabeo
What is the dominant white grape in Rioja?
Viura
Followed by Garnacha Blanca, Malvasía Riojano, and Maturana Blanca.
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo, along with Viura, are the only grapes permitted beyond 50% of white blends.
What percentage of red grapes do Rioja Rosado wines require?
25%
What size must a Rioja cask be?
225L - the size of a barrique
What are the aging requirements for Rioja whites and rosados?
Crianza: 6 mos cask or stainless steel, 2 years total
Reserva: 6 mos must be in cask, 2 year total
Gran Reserva: 6mos cask, 4 years total
Rioja follows the path of the Ebro through which three climatically distinct subzones?
Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja.)
Which is the smallest of Rioja’s three sub zones?
Rioja Alavesa is the smallest, northernmost zone (it is located within Basque country) and Tempranillo here often produces vino joven wines for early consumption.
Carbonic maceration may be employed for such wines.
What is the soil type in Rioja Oriental
Rioja Oriental, the hottest subregion, contains more alluvial soils and ferrous clay
What is the soil type in Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta?
Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa share a similar soil structure, with a high proportion of calcareous clay
Do producers ever source grapes from all three Rioja regions?
Yes.
Many producers will source blends from all three subregions to create a base style, combining the freshness of Rioja Alavesa, the extract and alcoholic warmth of Rioja Oriental, and the acidity and structure of Rioja Alta.
Do some producers in Rioja produce from single regions?
Yes
Some producers prefer the typicity that results from single region and single vineyard bottlings: staunch traditionalist López de Heredia produces single vineyard wines from estate vineyards such as Bosconia and Tondonia
Ysios a modern winery renowned for its avant-garde architectural design—produces pure Tempranillo from its estate vineyards in the Rioja Alavesa region.
Which region in Rioja does Garnacha perform best?
Garnacha performs best in Rioja Oriental’s hot climate
Modern bodega design is sweeping through Rioja. Name a couple estates that have modernist bodegas
Ysios, Marqués de Riscal, de Heredia
Architecturally, Ysios is at the forefront of a new movement in spectacular modern bodega design sweeping through Rioja. Marqués de Riscal’s estate now includes an impressive new structure designed by Frank Gehry, famed architect of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and even de Heredia, the oldest winery in Haro, now features a sleek new visitors’ boutique designed by Zaha Hadid.
As of 2018, producers may register their Viñedos Singulares and print official single vineyard names on their labels. What are the requirements for a single vineyard?
To be a single vineyard:
- The vineyard’s soil must be assessed
- The vines must be at least 35 years old
- The estate must have proof that it has been working with the vineyard for at least 10 years
- The wine must pass a tasting panel.
- The grapes must also be hand-harvested at a yield of at least 20 hectoliters per hectare less than what is typically required of regional wines.
In 2018, the Vino Espumoso de Calidad category was added in Rioja for traditional method sparkling wine. What are the requirements to be labeled as such?
-The grapes must be hand-harvested
-The entire winemaking process must take place at the same facility (that is, it cannot be moved at any stage of the process).
-Brut Nature, Extra Brut, and Brut styles are allowed.
-Vino Espumoso requires a minimum of 15 months lees aging.
Reserve and Gran Reserve require 24 and 36 months, respectively.
What type of bottlings is Navarra DO famous for?
Rosado
Where is Navarra DO located?
Northeast of Rioja. Borders with Rioja
What percentage of red wine is produced in Navarro?
60%
Only 25% of production is rosado
What are the major red varieties in the Navarra DO?
Garnacha and Tempranillo
Red grapes of French origin, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir, are on the rise
Which is Navarra DO’s most planted white varietal?
Chardonnay
White grapes only account for 6% of plantings in Navarra
What are the five subregions of Navarra DO?
The higher altitude Valdizarbe, Baja Montaña and Tierra Estella in the north
Ribera Alta in the center of the zone
Ribera Baja in the hot southern sector.
What 3 Navarra estates have recently reached Pago DO status?
Señorio de Arínzano in Tierra Estella
Prado Irache in Tierra Estella
Bodegas Otazu in Valdizarbe.
Where is the autonomía of Aragon located?
The autonomía of Aragon, to the east of Rioja and Navarra
What are the autonomía of Aragon’s 4 DO’s?
Campo de Borja
Calatayud
Cariñena
Somontano.
Which grape dominates vineyard acreage in Campo de Borja DO?
Granacha
It accounts for 2/3 of vineyard acreage
Garnacha also dominates the vineyards of Calatayud DO and Cariñena DO to the south
What styles of wine are produced in Campo de Borja DO?
Red and rosado wines are produced, principally from Garnacha and Tempranillo, and white wines are based on Viura.
The up-and-coming Somontano DO (“beneath the mountain”) lies in the foothills of the Pyrenees near Catalonia, what varietals and types of wine does it produce?
It produces wines from local grapes such as the white Alcañón and red Parraleta, as well as a larger compliment of Spanish and international varietals.
When was Cariñena DO delimited?
1932
Cariñena, one of Spain’s longstanding delimited zones (dating to 1932) is the ancestral home of the Carignan/Mazuelo grape, but today the grape is a secondary player in the region’s blends.
What are the 5 DO’s within Galicia?
Rías Baixas Ribeiro Valdeorras Ribeira Sacra Monterrei.
Which autonomía are part of Green Spain?
Galicia, Austrias, Cantabria, Pais Vasco
Green Spain includes the autonomía of Galicia, which borders Portugal in the northwestern corner of the country, and the autonomías of Asturias, Cantabria, and País Vasco (Basque Country) along the northern Costa Verde, or green coast.
What is a synonym for Pais Vasco?
Basque Country
Rías Baixas DO (the “low estuaries”) borders Portugal on the coast and contains which five subzones?
Val do Salnés Ribeira do Ulla Soutomaior O Rosal Condado do Tea
Will a wine labeled Rías Baixas Albariño contain any blending grapes?
No
If a wine is instead labeled with one of the northern subzones (Val do Salnés or Ribeira do Ulla) instead of Rias Baixas, it must contain a minimum of 70% of which grape?
Albariño
Loureiro
Treixadura
Caiño Blanco
What are the varietal requirements for the southern subzones of O Rosal and Condado do Tea?
minimum 70% of Albariño combined with, respectively, either Loureira or Treixadura—the favored white grapes in Portugal’s neighboring Vinho Verde—in any combination
What are classic Albarino tasting notes?
classic Albariño wines tend to show stone fruit and citrus flowers, with the suggestion of bubble gum and an undercurrent of minerality.
Which grapes are Rias Baixas red wines produced from?
Red wines are produced from grapes such as Caiño, Espadeiro and Mencía, but nearly 90% of the vineyard acreage in Rías Baixas is devoted to Albariño.
What percentage of Rias Baixas vineyard acreage is devoted to Albarino?
90%
What river is the Ribeiro DO located on?
Miño River
What grapes does the Ribeiro DO produce from?
Treixadura (white)
Caino (Red)
The region produces red and white wines based on Galician varietals—Treixadura is the favored white grape, gradually replacing the neutral, heavier Palomino, and Caiño is preferred for reds.
What is Viño Tostado?
A dried grape wine that is a local speciality of the Ribeiro DO.
What are the 5 subregions of the Ribeira Sacra DO?
Amandi Chantada Quiroga-Bibei Riberas do Sil Riberas do Miño
What is the Ribeira Sacra DO “sacred bank” named for?
Its large concentration of churches.
The remote region’s better red and white wines are based on Mencía, Treixadura, and Godello
Valdeorras DO is Galicia’s easternmost zone and produces which varietals in which styles?
Red and rosé wines are produced, the region’s best wines are clean, fruit-driven, high-acid Godello whites.
What is the southernmost DO in Galicia?
Monterrei DO
How many DO’s are there between Asturias and Cantabria?
Zero
What are País Vasco’s principal DO zones?
Getariako Txakolina
Bizkaiko Txakolina
Arabako Txakolina
Wines from all three DOs may be white, red, or rosado, but the white wines, produced from the native Ondarrabi Zuri grape, are predominant.
In Getariako alone, Ondarrabi Zuri (Hondarribi Zuri) accounts for 95% of vineyard acreage, with the remaining acreage planted to Ondarrabi Beltza, the preferred local red variety.
The rare rosado wines, traditionally known as Ojo de Gallo, are often blends of the two grapes. The white wines, a perfect compliment to oily seafood, are low in alcohol, high in lemony acidity, and retain a light effervescence
Which is Spains largest autonomia?
Castilla y Leon.
“The land of castles” includes a number of such fortifications built to repel the Moors in the early Middle Ages, and the dynastic union of Castilla y León and Aragon through marriage in the 15th century led to the birth of the Kingdom of Spain. Castilian Spanish was the only official dialect in Spain for two centuries prior to the ratification of the Spanish constitution in 1978
What is Castilla y León’s climate like?
The region is generally characterized by a continental climate, slightly moderated by its proximity to the Atlantic and Mediterranean but still subject to extreme highs and lows.
The terrain of Castilla y León consists of the northern part of the Meseta Central—the arid central plateau of Spain—and the mountains that encircle it.
What river flows through Casilla y Leon?
The Duero.
The Duero River flows westward through the center of the region and passes the DOs of Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Toro, Tierra del Vino de Zamora, and finally Arribes on its path toward Portugal.
What territory does Bierzo border?
Bierzo borders Valdeorras in Galicia.
Which river tributaries are located in the Bierzo DO
The Sil River and its tributaries are located in the Bierzo DO
Which is the major red grape in the Bierzo DO?
The Mencía grape
The grape comprises a minimum 70% of red wines and 50% of rosé wines, although many of the region’s newer and more serious reds are solely produced from Mencía
Descendientes de José Palacios was founded in Bierzo in 1999 by who?
Alvaro Palacios
Alvaro Palacios, already a marquee name in Priorat, founded Descendientes de José Palacios with his nephew Ricardo Palacios in 1999, and achieved instant recognition for Bierzo with their biodynamic “Corullón” bottlings: extracted, old-vine Mencía-based wines sourced from mountainside schist soils.
The project, along with other modern trailblazers such as Dominio de Tares and Pittacum, is commanding top dollar for its wines.
Who makes the “Corullón” bottling? Where? From which grapes.
The Corullón bottling is made from extracted old-vine Mencia-based wines sourced from mountainside schist soils.
It is produced by the estate of Alvaro Palacios and his cousin Ricardo Palacios: Descendientes de José Palacios in Bierzo DO
Which white grape dominates the vineyards of Bierzo?
Palomino
Although Godello and Doña Blanca show more promise
When did the Tierra de León DO get upgraded? What wines does it produce?
2007
It produces reds, whites, and rosados. Recommended red grapes include Mencía and the local Prieto Picudo.
Ribera de Duero DO surround which towns in the Duero River Valley?
Aranda de Duero and Peñafiel
Ribera del Duero DO is considered one of Spain’s top red wine producing regions
What has long been the flagship bodega in Ribera del Duero DO?
Vega Sicilia
Vega Sicilia was founded in by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, who in 1864 planted a number of Bordeaux varietals and—curiously—a little Pinot Noir alongside Tinto del País (Tempranillo) in order to make brandy.
In 1929, following an ownership change and a transition to estate-bottled table wines, new winemaker Domingo Txomin achieved international acclaim at the Barcelona World’s Fair with his 1917 and 1918 vintages of Único, Vega Sicilia’s benchmark wine.
What is Vega Sicilia’s benchmark wine?
Unico
Único, blended from Tinto del País, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot and aged, often for a decade or more in American and French oak barrels, has long commanded extravagantly high prices, even as a simple vino de mesa
When was Vega Sicilia founded?
1864
When did Ribero del Duero achieve DO status?
1982
Before 1982, under which classification was Unico released as?
vino de mesa
What are some other boutique wineries in Ribero del Duero?
Pesquera
Dominio de Pingus
Aalto
Which white wine are produced in the Ribera del Duero?
Zero.
White wines are not allowed HOWEVER the white Albillo grapes is permitted to use as a blending grape for Rosados.
Red and Rosado wines in the Ribera del Duero are produced from which grapes?
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Albillo
Tempranillo, variously known as Tinto del País and Tinto Fino, is the region’s premier grape and enjoys a near monopoly on its vineyards.
Small amounts of Garnacha and international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are also cultivated, as is the early-ripening white Albillo grape, permitted for freshness in the rosado wines.
Rosados and red wines that do not fulfill the minimum aging requirement for crianza in the Ribera del Duero are called?
Vino Joven
Most rosados fall into this characterization
When did Rueda receive its DO?
1980
What white grapes are cultivated in Rueda?
The white Verdejo grape, easily prone to oxidation, through careful handling, controlled temperatures and an anaerobic environment, Verdejo could provide delicate, aromatic wines, rather than the oxidative, sherry-style wines of the past.
If a white wine is labeled Rueda, what % of Verdejo must be in the bottle?
50%
White wines simply labeled as Rueda now require a minimum 50% of the grape, often blended with Viura. Wines may also be varietally labeled as either Verdejo or Sauvignon Blanc.
In line with the European standard, 85% of the stated grape is required for varietal wines.
Rueda DO red wines are dominated by which grape?
Tempranillo
Rueda DO rosado wines must contain what percentage of red grapes?
50%
What is Dorado wine?
A dry, fortified, oxidized wine
The occasional dry fortified, oxidized Dorado wine is still encountered, although these wines are a dying style in a region energized by freshness, and are not often encountered outside Spain.
In which styles are Ruedo DO Espumoso wines produced?
Espumoso, or sparkling wines, are produced in both rosado and white styles.
Brut and Brut Nature Espumoso wines require a minimum 85% Verdejo.
In Brut and Brut Nature Espumoso wines of the Rueda DO what percentage must include the Verdejo grape?
85%
Toro DO produces what kind of wines from which grapes?
Toro DO produces red, white and rosado wines, although it is the region’s red wines that have attracted the most international interest.
Red wines require a minimum 75% Tinta de Toro. However, they are often produced solely from the grape, a local strain of Tempranillo, which ripens easily in the extremely hot, dry continental summers of Toro.
White wines may be made with Verdejo or Malvasia, and rosados are either saignée blends of Tinto de Toro and Garnacha, or 100% Garnacha.
What percentage of Tinto de Toro must be in Toro DO red wines?
75%
Tino de Toro is related to which grape?
It is a local strain of Tempranillo
Who is behind Bodegas Pintia in Toro DO?
Vega Sicilia
Name two prominent producers in the Toro DO
Bodegas Pintia
Fariña
Numanthia-Termes
Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO lies to the west of Toro, and produces which type of wines?
red, white, rosado, and the lighter clarete (rosé) wines from similar grapes as Toro DO (Tempranillo, Verdejo, Malvasia). Reds require a minimum 75% Tempranillo.
The Dehesa la Granja estate was founded by who? Where?
Alejándro Fernández of Pesquera (Vegas Sicilia’s Ribera de Duero rival) staked his claim in Zamora, with the founding of the Dehesa la Granja estate.
At the border of Portugal, west of Toro DO, lies Arribes DO. What type of wine is produced there?
Red: Rufete, Tempranillo
White: Malvasia, Verdejo, Albilla
Rufete—reflecting the region’s proximity to Portugal—and several other red grapes join Tempranillo in the appellation’s vineyards; white wines are produced from Malvasia, Verdejo, and Albilla.
Cigales DO is located to the north of old capital city of Valladolid, and to the northwest of Ribera del Duero, what type of wine is it specifically known for?
Rosado and nuevo (primeur) rosado production.
It also produces reds principally from Garnacha Tinta and Tinto del País (Tempranillo)
Arlanza DO, to the east of Cigales and directly north of Ribera del Duero, is one of Spain’s newest DOs, dating to 2007 - what do wineries produce here?
A small core of wineries produces reds and whites from a complement of Duero Valley and Bordeaux varieties.
Where is Catalonia located?
On the Mediterranean coast of Spain, south or France (the Pyrenees divide the two)
A stone’s throw (and a trek over the Pyrenees) from Roussillon in France, a region with which it shares a common culture and lineage. Catalonia and Roussillon split in the 17th century, when the king of Spain ceded Roussillon to France, a political division that has existed to this day.
Although the two regions fly a similar flag of red and yellow stripes as a reminder of an intertwined history, a shared interest in heavier, fortified and sweet red wines has ceded ground in the Catalonia
Who introduced stainless steel fermentation to Spain? Where and when?
1960, Miguel Torres introduced stainless steel fermentation to Catalonia.
What did René Barbier come to Catalonia to plant?
René Barbier sought to create a bold new Spanish red wine in 1979, he planted his grapes in Catalonia.
Priorat DOCa (DOQ in Catalan) in the southwest of Catalonia is the site of René Barbier’s project and home to some of Spain’s richest, most concentrated red wines.
The region of Catalonia exemplifies the modern face of Spanish winemaking and technological innovation; however, amidst the new is a backbone of tradition and older styles—wines produced in the same fashion for generations.
Which are Spains 2 DOCa’s?
Priorat DOCa & Rioja DOCa
How is Priorat referred to in Catalan?
What is Priorat named after?
Priorat DOQ
Priorat derives its name from Priorato de Scala Dei, a Carthusian monastery (priory) founded on the site of a boy’s vision of angels ascending to heaven.
What type of wine is Priorat dedicated to?
The region is overwhelmingly devoted to RED WINE production, although some white and rosado wine is produced.
Garnacha and Cariñena are the traditional varietals of Priorat, struggling to achieve even small yields in the rock-strewn schist soils of the region.
Llicorella, a mix of black slate and quartzite, characterizes the best vineyards, requiring vines to dig deeply for water.
What is Llicorella?
Llicorella is a mix of black slate and quartzite, that characterizes the best vineyards in Priorat, requiring vines to dig deeply for water.
Who cooperatively produced the first wine of Priorat?
In 1979 Barbier, a winemaker for Alvaro Palacios, planted a mix of local and French vines in the llicorella soils of Gratallops, and convinced Palacios and several others to join him.
In 1989 they cooperatively produced a first effort—a single red wine bottled under five different labels—and turned the eyes of the wine world towards Priorat.
The five original “Clos” wines of Priorat, commonly acknowledged as Barbier’s Clos Mogador, Palacios’ Clos Dofi, Clos Erasmus, Clos de l’Obac, and Clos Martinet, were released as vino de mesa, yet they represented a new pinnacle of quality for the region.
What is the significance of Barbiers’ Clos Mogador?
It is one of the five Clos to collectively produce and release Priorat red wine.
What were the first five Clos of Priorat?
Barbier's: Clos Mogador Palacios' : Clos Dofi Clos Erasmus Clos de l’Obac Clos Martinet
When did the Barbier project split and winemakers made their own individual wines?
1992
After the 1991 vintage, the project split and the wines moved forward in separate production.
Today, what are some of the top bodegas in Priorat?
Clos Mogador Alvaro Palacios Clos Erasmus Costers del Siurana (whose founder, Carles Pastrana produced Clos de l’Obac) Mas Martinet Vall Llach Scala Dei
What varieties typically dominate Priorat’s best red wines?
Priorat’s best red wines are usually dominated by Garnacha or blended from Spanish and French varietals, and subject to varying shades of French barrique treatment.
What component of Priorat wines needs to be closely managed in the vinification process?
High ABV, Priorat wines can easily reach up to 18% ABV
What is “Vino de Pueblo” in Priorat?
In 2009, Priorat established a village category (Vino de Pueblo) for estate-grown wines from twelve villages, including Gratallops.
Which DO almost entirely surrounds Priorat?
The Montsant DO, a ring-shaped region that was until 2002 a subzone of Tarragona.
Like Priorat, Garnacha and Cariñena are dominant, and the region seems poised to offer a value alternative as Priorat’s prices continue to rise.
Which market represents the most substantial market for Tarragona DO wines?
Communion wines for Christian churches.
Tarragona DO is much larger, encompassing a swath of the Catalan coast to the west of Penedès DO. Historically, Tarragona wines were generally fortified rancio or mistela, the Spanish version of vin de liqueur. Today, much of the vineyard area has been converted to white varieties for Cava, but these old styles are still made in small quantities. Communion wines for Christian churches now represent the most substantial market for Tarragona’s wines.
The Costers del Segre DO spans several noncontiguous sub zones between Tarragona and Somontano, what are they?
Pallars Jussà Artesa de Segre Valls du Riucorb Segrià Garrigues Urgell Raïmat
What is significant about Raïmat?
Raïmat is the smallest subzone of Costers de Segre DO, houses an estate of the same name that was integral to the formation of the zone.
With far-reaching foresight, Manuel Raventós purchased arid, infertile land in the region for his Raïmat estate in 1914; over sixty years later, after a transformation of the parched land through canal construction and agricultural restoration, his estate produced its first commercial vintage.
