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Master Sommelier Theory 2025 > Spain: Atlantic: Rias Baixas, Basque > Flashcards

Spain: Atlantic: Rias Baixas, Basque Flashcards

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1
Q

List the DO in Galicia

A

Rias Baixas
Ribeiro
Valdeorras
Ribeira Sacra
Monterrei

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2
Q

List the subzones of Rias Baixas DO, north to south

A

Ribeira do Ulla
Val do Salnes - most planted
Soutomaior (middle) - smallest
Condado do Tea (inland)
O Rosal (on coast)

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3
Q

Main white grapes in Rias Baixas?

A

Albarino
Loureiro
Treixadura
Caino Blanco

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4
Q

Red grapes in Rias Baixas?

A

reds only account for around 4% of plantings, but:
Caino, Espadeiro, Mencia

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5
Q

What river flows through southern Galicia, separating Spain from Portugal?

A

Miño

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6
Q

What are the subzones of Ribeira Sacra?

A

(in Galicia, Spain)

Amandi- center of DO, on northern slopes of the Sil. best.
Chantada
Quiroga-Bibei
Riberas do Sil
Riberas do Miño

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7
Q

What are the main grapes in Ribeira Sacra DO?

A

(Galicia, Spain)

Mencia, Treixadura, Godello

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8
Q

Main grape in Valdeorras?

A

(Galicia, Spain)

Godello

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9
Q

pazo

A

name for a local estate in Galicia

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10
Q

Rias Baixas
climate, soils, rivers

A

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

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11
Q

how much rain in Rias Baixas?

A

47-70 inches per year

average 30 inches from April - October

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12
Q

Rias Baixas soil by subzone

A

Val do Salnes, O Rosal, Soutomaior: alluvial over granite

Condado do Tea: both granite and slate

Ribeira do Ulla: alluvial

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13
Q

minifundia

A

small vineyard plot (spain). In Galicia - rather than the eldest male child getting everything, as was the case in much of Europe, in Galicia property was divided up equally among the living heirs, regardless of gender, so a plot that was tiny to begin with would be divided up many times over the years.

only 178 wineries and just over 4,000 hectares, Rías Baixas has 4,990 growers who farm a whopping 23,382 different plots between them

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14
Q

Rias Baixas vine training

A

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.

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15
Q

Rias Baixas - grapes by subzone

A

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

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16
Q

Rias Baixas DO
grapes
styles
min abv

A

whitee, red, sparkling

  • 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%

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17
Q

viño tostado

A

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)

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18
Q

Ribeiro DO
styles
grapes

A

in Galicia, Atlantic Spain. mostly white production, but also sparkling white & rose, red, viño tosdado

white rec: Treixadura, Torrontés, Godello, Lado, Loureira, Albariño, Caiño

red rec: Caiño Tinto (also known as Caiño Bravo or Caiño Longo), Ferrón, Sousón, Brancellao, Mencía. auth: Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Tempranillo

Blanco: 9.5%
Blanco Castes: 11%
Tinto: 9.5%
Tinto Castes: 11%
Barrica: 12% (Tinto and Blanco)
Tostado: min. 20.6% potential, 13% acquired

first DO in Galicia- 1976

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19
Q

“barrica” Ribeiro DO

A

spends some of it’s aging time in cask of 600 L or less

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20
Q

“castes” Ribeiro DO

A

indicates a wine with higher min alcohol- 11%

base white & red 9.5%

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21
Q

Ribeiro DO
soil
climate
rivers

A
  • soils: decomposed granite, mica & schist further devolving into sand
  • very humid, lots of rain
  • rivers Avia, Miño, Arnoia

sheltered from Atlantic influence by Sierra de Suido

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22
Q

rivers in Ribeira Sacra DO

A

Min and Sil. “sacred riverbanks” name an allusion to monasteries that were once here

Bibei, Navea, and Quiroga.

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23
Q

Ribeira Sacra DO
where?
styles
grapes

A

at nexus of the Sil and Miño rivers, in Galicia. mostly red, also white and rose. Mencia most important

Tinto: min. 70% Mencia
Súmmum: 85% principal grapes

red principal: Mencía, Merenzao, Brancellao, Sousón, Caiño Tinto. auth: Garnacha Tintorera, Mouratón, Tempranillo

white principal: Albariño, Godello, Treixadura, Loureira, Torrontés, Dona Branca

“barrica” = time in wood
“garda” = time in large tank

was VDlT in 1993, 1995 DO was provisionally established, officially recognized in 1996

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24
Q

Ribeira Sacra DO
soil types

A

upriver- more granite, “ollo de sapo” gneiss, schist
downriver (Quiroga)- more slate

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25
Ribeira Sacra DO subzones
subzones: Amandi, Chantada, Ribeiras do Miño, Ribeiras do Sil, and Quiroga-Bibei
26
What is considered the highest quality subzone of Ribeira Sacra?
Amandi. It sits at the appellation's center onthe steep northern slopes of the Sil River.
27
Summum
labeling term used in Ribeira Sacra DO- indicates minimum 85% principal grapes for red and white wines
28
Ribeira Sacra soil types
upriver- more granite, "ollo de sapo" gneiss, schist downriver (Quiroga)- more slate
29
Valdeorras DO where? climate? styles grapes
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
30
Merenzao
synonym for Bastardo in Galicia (Trousseau)
31
Monterrei DO where? main grapes soil
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
32
River in Monterrei DO
Tamega
33
Spanish autonomia without DO?
Cantabria Asturias
34
Cangas VCIG
in Asturias, north west Spain. Not a DO, but it is a PDO for EU purposes...? whites: Albarín Blanco, Albillo, and Moscatel de Grano Menudo reds: Mencia
35
Cantabria wine regions
no DOs here, but two Vino de la Tierra regions: Costa de Cantabria Liébana tons of grapes here. strong cider tradition as well
36
Rias Baixas producers
big: Martin Codax Condes de Albarei Arousana co-op (owns Paco & Lola) Bodegas Zarate DO Ferreiro Bodegas Forjas del Salnes Granbazan Bodegas Albamar Pazo de Barrantes Raul Perez
37
DOs of Basque Country grapes styles
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
38
Arabako Txakolina / Chacolí de Álava DO styles grapes
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%
39
Ondarrabi Zuri Zerratia
synonym for Petit Courbu in Pais Vasco
40
Izkiriota
synonym for Gros Manseng in Pais Vasco
41
Izkiriota Ttippia
synonym for Petit Mansent in Pais Vasco
42
Bizkaiko Txakolina/ Chacolí de Bizkaia DO soil styles grapes
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%
43
ojo de gallo
rose from Bizkaiko Txakolina - min. 50% Ondarrabi Beltza (the red one)
44
Getariako Txakolina / Chacolí de Guetaria DO soil grapes
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%
45
Txakoli
translates to "farm wine," or "made from home" (etxekoa) traditional wine of the Basque country. traditionally a fresh, sometimes spritzy white wine
46
Galicia tourist attraction
Santiago de Compostela- at the end of the camino, the Cathedral of St James is where the Saint is believed to be buried
47
La Rioja Alta project in Rias Baixas
Lagar de Cervera
48
colleiteiros
small harvesters/ growers
49
What was the first commercial estate in Rias Baixas?
Palacios de Fefinanes
50
Which subzone of Rias Baixas may not be on the label?
Soutomaior very small production- around .2%
51
xabre
name for decomposed granite in Rias Baixas- low water retention, good for rainy climate
52
Rivers in Ribeira DO
in Galicia Miño, Avia, Arnoia
53
most planted subzone of Rias Baixas?
Val do Salnes. also th ecoldest and wettest area of the appellation, and most historic.
54
warmest and coldest subzones of Rias Baixas?
warmest (and driest) Condado do Tea- also most red production colest (and wettest) Val do Salnes
55
what are rias? name two
estuary - Atlantic inlets in Rias Baixas, essentially shallow fjords. Ria de Pontevedra, Ria de Arousa, and Ria de Viga. there are 18 in total
56
Vega
57
Vega Sicilia project in Rias Baixas?
Viñedos Veiga, in the town of Crecente, in the Condado do Tea subzone of Rías Baixas. slated to finish in 2026.
58
What is CERVIM?
Center for Research, Environmental Sustainability and Advancement of Mountain Viticulture is an international organization created in 1987 by the Organization Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin. Since 2011, CERVIM has awarded regions a specific seal for "heroic viticulture" if they meet certain criteria, such as cultivating vines at altitudes of 500 meters (1,600 feet) or more, having vines on slopes above 30% gradient, and having vines on terraces. Ribeira Sacra, Côte Rotie, Alto Adige, Valtellina, Mosel, etc. lots of Agricultural Org members
59
producers Pais Vasco
Artadi Txomin Etxaniz Senorio de Astabiza Bodegas Itsasmendi
60
Spanish pomace brandy
Orujo- Galicia's answer to grappa

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