Spain: Atlantic: Rias Baixas, Basque Flashcards
List the DO in Galicia
Rias Baixas
Ribeiro
Valdeorras
Ribeira Sacra
Monterrei
List the subzones of Rias Baixas DO, north to south
Ribeira do Ulla
Val do Salnes - most planted
Soutomaior (middle) - smallest
Condado do Tea (inland)
O Rosal (on coast)
Main white grapes in Rias Baixas?
Albarino
Loureiro
Treixadura
Caino Blanco
Red grapes in Rias Baixas?
reds only account for around 4% of plantings, but:
Caino, Espadeiro, Mencia
What river flows through southern Galicia, separating Spain from Portugal?
Miño
What are the subzones of Ribeira Sacra?
(in Galicia, Spain)
Amandi- center of DO, on northern slopes of the Sil. best.
Chantada
Quiroga-Bibei
Riberas do Sil
Riberas do Miño
What are the main grapes in Ribeira Sacra DO?
(Galicia, Spain)
Mencia, Treixadura, Godello
Main grape in Valdeorras?
(Galicia, Spain)
Godello
pazo
name for a local estate in Galicia
Rias Baixas climate, soils
1200-1800 mm rainfall annually (47-70 inches) - VERY humid
Much of the region is planted on decomposed granite, called xabre, with low water retention that serves the rainy environment well.
Val do Salnes- coolest, wettest, and most planted
Condado do Tea- warmest, driest
Miño River to south
Ulla River in north
Verdugo River- just above Soutomaior
DO est 1988
minifundia
small vineyard plot (spain)
Rias Baixas vine training
historically trained to a parral, or “pergola,” system. Granite posts hold up the pergolas, and the overhead canopy provides grapes with shelter from the region’s marginal weather and the opportunity to cultivate other crops between vines
allows for more airflow, combats mildew and rot, encourages greater photosynthesis and ripening by maximizing leaf surface, and protects grapes from sunburn.
Rias Baixas - grapes by subzone
Val do Salnés/Ribeira do Ulla: min. 70% recommended white grapes
O Rosal: min. 70% combined Albariño and Loureira
Condado do Tea: min. 70% combined Albariño and Treixadura
recommended: Albariño, Loureira, Treixadura, Caiño Blanco
Authorized: Torrontés, Godello
Rias Baixas DO
- varietally labeled Albarino (must be 100%)
- recommended white: Albariño, Loureira, Treixadura, Caiño Blanco
- authorized: Torrontés, Godello
- recommended red: Caiño Tinto, Espadeiro, Loureira Tinta, Sousón
- authorized: Mencía, Brancellao
Blanco Barrica: min. 3 months in wood (max. 600 liter capacity)
Albariño: 11.3%
Blanco Barrica: 11.5%
All Other Blanco Wines: 11%
Tinto: 10%
viño tostado
vino tostado is a dried grape wine. Red or white grapes are left to dry for a minimum of three months following harvest in covered rooms with consistent ventilation to avoid rot.
They must be dried to a minimum must weight of 350 grams per liter. Drying can be performed using various tactics, from hanging the clusters to resting them on shelves or in plastic bins.
The wines are then fermented and aged in oak or cherry casks for at minimum six months, followed by a minimum three in bottle before release.
(Ribeiro DO, Valdeorras, Galicia)
Ribeiro DO
in Galicia, Atlantic Spain. mostly white production, but also sparkling white & rose, red, viño tosdado
white rec: Treixadura, Torrontés, Godello, Lado, Loureira, Albariño, Caiño Blanco. auth: albillo, palomino
red rec: Caiño Tinto (also known as Caiño Bravo or Caiño Longo), Ferrón, Sousón, Brancellao, Mencía. auth: Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Tempranillo,
- castes = higher minimum alcohol
- barrica = spends some of it’s aging time in cask of 600 L or less
Blanco: 9.5%
Blanco Castes: 11%
Tinto: 9.5%
Tinto Castes: 11%
Barrica: 12% (Tinto and Blanco)
Tostado: min. 20.6% potential, 13% acquired
- soils: decomposed granite, mica & schist further devolving into sand
- very humid, lots of rain
- rivers Avia, Miño, Arnoia
first DO in Galicia- 1976
Ribeira Sacra DO
at nexus of the Sil and Miño rivers, in Galicia. mostly red. Mencia most important
red principal: Mencía, Merenzao, Brancellao, Sousón, Caiño Tinto. auth: Garnacha Tintorera, Mouratón, Tempranillo
white principal: Albariño, Godello, Treixadura, Loureira, Torrontés, Dona Branca
Tinto: min. 70% Mencia
Rosado: Min 85% Principal red Grapes
Súmmum: 85% principal grapes
subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil, and Quiroga-Bibei
“barrica” = time in wood
“garda” = time in large tank
upriver- more granite, “ollo de sapo” gneiss, schist
downriver (Quiroga)- more slate
was VDlT in 1993, 1995 DO was provisionally established, officially recognized in 1996
Ribeira Sacra soil types
upriver- more granite, “ollo de sapo” gneiss, schist
downriver (Quiroga)- more slate
Valdeorras DO
Galicia, Spain. Ribeira Sacra to west, Bierzo to north and east. most continental climate in Galicia. Godello and Mencia most important
Blanco, Tinto
Espumoso: Min. 85% Godello
- Tostado: Godello and authorized red grapes
- Varietal Godello (100% variety) and Mencía (min. 85% variety)
- Valdeorras “Castes Nobles” (Blanco and Tinto): Min. 85% preferred varieties
DO est 1977
Monterrei DO
in Galicia, Spain, south of Ribeira Sacra. sits on northern border of Portugal. bisected north/south by the river Tamega (flows into Duero)
whites: Dona Branca, Godello, and Treixadura
reds: Mencía and Bastardo
granitic sand, slate, clay soils
DOs of Basque Country
Arabako Txakolina / Chacolí de Álava DO
Bizkaiko Txakolina/ Chacolí de Bizcaia DO
Getariako Txakolina / Chacolí de Guetaria DO
all make red from Ondarrabi Beltza, and rosé from min 50% Ondarrabi Beltza
whites recommended: Ondarrabi Zuri + a bunch of authorized
Bay of Biscay
Humid, lots of rain
Arabako Txakolina / Chacolí de Álava DO
smallest and newest Basque DO. less maritime influence
white, red, late harvest, sparkling
blanco: Ondarrabi Zuri (Hondarribi Zuri)
blanco auth: Ondarrabi Zuri Zerratia (Petit Courbu), Izkiriota (Gros Manseng), Izkiriota Ttippia (Petit Manseng), Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Secondary white grapes may not account for more than 20% of a producer’s total vineyard acreage
Tinto: Ondarrabi Beltza (Hondarribi Beltza). rose min 50%
Bizkaiko Txakolina/ Chacolí de Bizkaia DO
sandy alluvial soil, low elevation
blanco, rosado (“Ojo de Gallo”), tinto, vendemia tardia, espumoso
blanco recommended: Ondarrabi Zuri (Hondarribi Zuri)
blanco auth: Ondarrabi Zuri Zerratia (Petit Courbu), Mune Mahatsa (Folle Blanche), Izkiriota (Gros Manseng), Izkiriota Ttippia (Petit Manseng), Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, secondary white grapes may not account for more than 20% of a producer’s total vineyard acreage
Tinto: Ondarrabi Beltza (Hondarribi Beltza). rose min 50%
Getariako Txakolina / Chacolí de Guetaria DO
sandy alluvial soil, low elevation. surrounds San Sebastian- culinary capital of Spain
blanco recommended: Ondarrabi Zuri (Hondarribi Zuri)
blanco auth: Ondarrabi Zuri Zerratia (Petit Courbu), Izkiriota (Gros Manseng), Izkiriota Ttippia (Petit Manseng), Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Secondary white grapes may not account for more than 20% of a producer’s total vineyard acreage
Tinto: Ondarrabi Beltza (Hondarribi Beltza). rose min 50%
