Spain Flashcards
What are the DOs of Galicia?
Rias Baixas Ribeiro Monterrei Ribeira Sacra Valdeorras
North to South, what are the sub-zones of Rias Baixas?
Ribeira do Ulla Val do Salnes Soutomaior Condado do Tea O Rosal
What are the major white grapes of Ribeiro DO?
Treixadura (often 100%), Loureira, Torrontes, Albarino, Godello
What is Vino Tostado?
A dessert wine made with raisinated grapes in Ribeiro
Min. must weight 350 g/l
Drying process is 3 months
Min. RS of 120 g/l
Min. 6 months in oak, 3 in bottle
What river flows through Monterrei DO?
The Tamega river, a tributary of the Duoro River
What are the major grapes of Monterrei DO?
White: Godello, Dona Branca, Treixadura
Red: Mencia, Merenzao (Bastardo/Trousseau)
Min. 60% of these varieties required
What major rivers flow through Ribeira Sacra DO?
The Mino (Minho) and the Sil
What are the major grapes of Ribeira Sacra DO?
Mencia is by far the most important
Godello
What is the climate of Galicia like?
Close to the shore, cool, wet Atlantic winds blow inland. It is also very sunny. Known as “Green Spain.”
Moving inland (Monterrei, Ribeira Sacra) the climate becomes more continental: dry, warm summers and cold winters.
What are the major grapes of Valdeorras DO?
Godello is by far the most important
Mencia
Who is a notable producer of Valdeorras wines?
Rafael Palacios
His top wine “Sorte o Soro” can sell for $200.
It is fermented in 500L new French oak, and left on lees for 8 months.
What separates Rias Baixas from Minho in Portugal?
The Minho river.
What white grapes may be added to O Rosal Blanco? To Condado do Tea?
Loureira
Treixadura
What type of vine training is common in Rias Baixas? Why?
Pergola, or “Parras”
It helps to ventilate grapes, and also allows farmers to produce other crops.
What are the three DOs for Txakoli?
Arabako Txakolina
Bizkaiko Txakolina
Getariako Txakolina
What are the major grapes for Txakoli production?
White: Hondarrabi Zuri
Red: Hondarrabi Beltza
Interestingly, Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng, and Petit Manseng are also allowed
What is the Pais Vasco climtate like?
Very humid and very cool (temperatures don’t go above 68F).
Why do Txakoli wines have a slight spritz?
They are traditionally bottled with lees.
Which region of Txakoli has the most hectares under vine?
Getariako Txakolina
What are the DOs of Castilla y Leon?
Which lie along the Duoro River?
Arribes DO Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO Toro DO Rueda DO Ribera del Duero DO, all lie along the Duoro River
Arlanza DO
Bierzo DO
Cigales DO
Tierra de Leon DO
What are some synonyms for Tempranillo? Where are they used?
Cencibel Tinto Fino Tinto del Pais Tinto de Toro Ojo de Llebre Ull de Llebre Aragones Tinta Roriz
What are the major grapes of Arlanza DO?
Tinto del Pais is by far the most important
Some Albillo and Viura are made
What are the major grapes of the Arribes DO?
Juan Garcia is the signature grape
White: Min. 60% Malvasia
Red: Min. 60% Juan Garcia, Rufete, Tempranillo
What are the major grapes of the Bierzo DO?
The vast majority of Bierzo is planted to Mencia (85%)
White: Dona Blanca, Godello, Malvasia Riojana, Palomino
Red: Mencia, Garnacha Tintorerra, Esaldina, Merenzao
What mountain range shields Bierzo DO?
The Cordillera Cantabrica
What are the dominant soils of Bierzo DO?
Slate and Granite
What is the most expensive wine from Bierzo DO?
Decendientes de Jose Palacios “La Faraona” at $1000
Fruit is sourced from paraje El Ferro in Corullion
Describe the quality scale in Bierzo DO. When was it introduced?
Introduced in 2017, it is meant to mimic Burgundy.
Vino de Villa: Village level wines, yields reduced by 20%
Vino de Paraje: Single-place wines, yields reduced by 25%. “Lieu-dit.”
Vina Clasificada: May be added to parcels within a Vino de Paraje that have been labeled as such for 5 years and passed a tasting panel. Yields reduced by 30%. “Premier Cru.”
Gran Vina Clasificada: Designation for a Vina Clasificada that has been labeled as such for 5 years and passed a tasting panel. Yields reduced by 35%. “Grand Cru.”
What are the single-vineyard wines that Decendientes de J. Palacios produces?
Las Lamas Valdafoz Fontelas San Martin Moncerbal
What is the most important grape in Cigales DO?
Tempranillo
Most production is red or rose
Verdejo for whites
What is the climate of Ribera del Duero DO like?
Continental, but somewhat extreme. It is located on an elevated plateau averaging 800m.
Winters are cold, summers are hot and dry (104F), and diurnal fluctuations can be up to 40F in difference.
Spring frosts are a threat as much as heat stressed vines. Autumn rain is an issue, and vines are also prone to ripening unevenly.
What mountain ranges shelter Ribera del Duero?
Sierra de la Demanda
Sierra de Guadarrama
When was the RIbera del Duero DO created?
1982
When was Vega Sicilia first opened?
1864
Describe Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial
A NV blend of Unico wines.
What nearby bodega is also owned by Vega Sicilia?
Bodegas Alion.
The wines are aged in new French oak and produced for earlier consumption.
What wines does Vega Sicilia produce?
Unico: tends to be aged for 10 years
Valbuena 5: Aged for 3 years in American oak, 2 in bottle
Valbuena 3
Pintia: Made in Toro
The Ribera del Duero wines are roughly 80% Tempranillo, with a balance of Bordeaux varietals.
Why was Unico only released in good years?
Vega Sicilia used to use 40,000L vats for fermentation, so the wine could only be made if they could be filled.
They now own 8,000L vats, so production should be more regular.
Aside from Vega Sicilia, who are other notable producers in Ribero del Duero?
Dominio de Pingus
Pesquera
Bodegas Emilio Moro
Bodegas Las Astrales
What wines does Dominio de Pingus produce?
Pingus
Flor de Pingus: Inaugural vintage 1996.
Amelia: Fruit from 100-year vines. Single barrel cuvee. First vintage in 2003.
PSI: produced from fruit purchased on basis of quality. It sees almost no new wood. 10% Garnacha.
All wines are 100% Tempranillo, except PSI.
Who founded Dominio de Pingus and when?
Peter Sisseck in 1995
Who founded Tinto Pesquera and when?
Alejandro Fernandez in 1972
He was one of the first producers to wire train vines to capture ground heat.
What are the top wines of Tinto Pesquera?
Millenium Gran Reserva: 100% Tempranillo from Vina Alta. First made in 2008.
Janus Gran Reserva: 100% Tempranillo from some of the higest elevation parcels. First made in 1975, but now no longer produced.
What are assemblage requirements of Ribera del Duero?
White: min. 75% Albillo Mayor
Red: min. 75% Tinta del Pais/Tinto Fino
Authorized: Garnacha, Malbec, Merlot, Cab Sauv
What are the aging requirements for Ribera del Duero?
Roble/Barria: 3 months in oak
Crianza Blanco/Rosado: 18 months, 6 in oak
Crianza Tinto: 24 months, 12 in oak
Reserva Blanco/Rosado: 24 months, 6 in oak
Rserva Tinto: 36 months, 12 in oak
Gran Reserva Blanco/Rosado: 48 months, 6 in oak
Gran Reserva Tinto: 60 months, 24 in oak
Verdejo aside, what are the other authorized white grapes for Rueda DO?
Sauvignon Blanc somewhat, as well as Viura and Palomino
in 2020, Chardonnay and Viognier were added
What are the varietal requirements for Rueda Blanco?
Min. 50% Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc
Rueda Verdejo and Rueda Sauvignon still exist and require 85%, but have been folded into the general DO.
What new wine classifications were added to Rueda DO in 2020?
Gran Vino de Rueda: wines come from 30+ year old vineyards. Yields are restricted to 6200kg/ha, and only 65% may be selected.
Vino de Pueblo: Labels can show municipality of origin at 85%.
Gran Anada: Vintage dated sparkling wine at 36 months of production.
Rueda Palido: Wines that have aged under flor in oak for 3 years.
What is the minimum ABV for Rueda Palido and Rueda Dorado?
15%
Who rescued Verdejo?
Marques de Riscal in the 1970s
What is the most important grape in (Tierra de) Leon DO?
Prieto Picudo, a red grape
It is dark-skinned, makes deeply pigmented reds with notes of redcurrant, blackberry, and licorice. It can stand up to oak.
Bodegas Margon is a notable producer
What is the dominant grape in Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO? What styles are produced from it?
Tempranillo
Clarete: min. 30% Tempranillo
Rosado: min. 60% Tempranillo
Tinto: min. 75% Tempranillo
How is Tinta de Toro different from Tempranillo?
It has a longer vegetative cycle. Berries have thicker skins and phenolics are higher. Wines are more tannic and deeply colored.
What are some notable producers of Toro DO wines?
Bodegas Numanthia “Termanthia” (LVMH)
Teso la Monja (Sierra Cantabria is the umbrella group)
Vega Sicilia “Pintia”
Telmo Rodriguez “Pago la Jara”
What wine is routinely Spain’s most expensive?
Teso la Monja from Toro.
$1129
What is the grape specialty of the Sierra de Salamanca VC?
Rufete
What are the quality tiers for Spanish wines and their EU counterparts?
Vino - Vintage and Variety
Vino con Indicacion Geografica Protegida - PGI
PDOs:
Vino de Calidad con Indicacion Geografica - stepping stone to DO
Denominacion de Origen (DO) - The standard
Denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOCa) - DOs may apply for this after 10 years.
Vino de Pago (VP) - Singe-estate appellations. May be applied for after 10 years.
Vino do Pago Calificado - Exists to cover VPs that emerge in DOCa.
What are the varietal requirements for Blanco wines labeled with sub-zones in Rias Baixas?
Val do Salnes/Ribeira do Ulla: 70% of any recommended grapes
O Rosal: 70% combined Albarino and Loureira
Condado do Tea: 70% combined Albarino and Treixadura
What mountain range influences Rioja to the North? To the South?
The Sierra de Cantabria to the North, particularly Rioja Alavesa.
The Sierra de la Demanda to the south, particularly Rioja Alta.
What river flows through Rioja?
The Ebro river
What regional classifications exist for wines in Rioja DOCa?
Vinedo Singular - Single vineyard
Vinos de Municipio - Village Wine
Vinos de Zona
What are some of the regulations for Vinedo Singular wines in Rioja?
Vineyard must be approved
Winery must have a 10 year history with the vineyard
Vines must be at least 35 years old
100% of the grapes must come from the named vineyard
The Consejo Regulador may assume control of the vineyard from July 1 to ensure rules are followed
Aside from Tempranillo, what other red grapes are planted in Rioja?
Aside from Viura, what other white grapes are planted in Rioja?
Garnacha, Mazuelo (Carignan), Graciano
Malvasia Riojana, Garnacha Blanca