Spain: Aragon Flashcards
Aragon: Carinena DO , Campo de Borja DO and Calatayud DO
- All three DO’s have a continental climate wti hdry, hot summers
Rainfall 450-500mm
-Vineyards are on high plateaus and slopes around 500-900m for Calatyud , 400-800=m for Carinena and 350-700 for Campo de Borja
-Hihg diurnal range and helps to retain acidity in grapes
**The Cierzo , cold wind blows from the North and moderates temps / reduces disease and pests
Spring frost can be an issue
All three produce reds : old **Garnacha vines
Low dentisite and planted on rocky free draining soils
Small vineyard holdings with co-ops as the major producers
HIGH volume wines fermented in SS tanks
Wines are full bodied with high alcohol and med tannins a/ red ripe black fruits
Some high qulaity producers making wines from old vine Garnacha - short time in oak with larger barrels 500L and bigger and little new oak to showcase the fruit
The wines are raspberry, plum and subtle spicy notes from oak, medium plus acid, med to med plus tannins and high alcohol
Mid-prem priced
Aragon: Somontano DO
- foot of the Pyrenees
Warm ,continental Climate
average rainfall throughout the year
-Vines are found at 350-650m - large diurnal range
Cold breezes from the mountains moderate hot summers
Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are the most planted
Also, Gewurtztraminer
External investment has been important
- a local bank started a new modern tech winery called Vinas del Vero . It is the largest producer in the region
and is now owned by Gonzalez Byass in Jerez
also Barbadillo, sherry , own a major share of the co-op
Mid priced wines that are good to very good
The issue is competition from the better known regions which produce the same varieties
