Spain - Castilla y León - Bierzo DO, Toro DO Flashcards
What is Castillon y León
A autonomous community
large area
Where is Castillon y León
What Mountain range protects it?
Large area in North West Spain, Biers DO in the North West of the area, Ribera del Duero to the East and Rueda to the South
Protected by Atlantic influence from Cantabrian Mountains
What wine is mostly made in Castillon y León?
Climate?
Plantings?
Grapes?
Castilla y León VT
Continental cimate, summer temperature moderated by altitude
Local and international grape varieties
low plantings despite big area 9,000 ha only
Key areas of Castillo de Lyón?
Biers DO
Toro DO
Ribera del Duero DO
Rueda DO
Where is Bierzo DO?
North West of Castilla y Lyón. Lies in the mountains that mark the boundary between Galicia and Meseta Central
Who brought a revival to the area? when?
Alvaro Palacios and nephew Ricardo Pérez in 1990s
What attracted them to the area?
Slate slopes, similar to vineyards in Priorat
What is the climate in Bierzo?
what affects it?
Moderate, cooling maritime influence - hills/mountains on 3 sides, but open to the west
Warm summers, cool winters, low but adequate rainfall
What is the key grape variety and it’s effect on wines
Mencia, black grape
mid-ripening grape
cann lose acidity quickly to sugar
can be hi alcohol if picked late
light bodied fruity wines and more concentrated examples with full-body, higher tannin depending on growing conditions/producer
What must the blend be made of for Bierzo DO
Other grape?
Min 70% of any red wine blend with Alicante Bouschet - 2% Plantings
red-fleshed, deep colour, red/black fruit
Most wines 100% Mencia
Describe an inexpensive wine from Bierzo DO (planting, yield, style, winery
lower slope of mountain
fertile silty loam
high yields
med- body and tannins
red fruit cherry/raspberry
early consumption
carbonic / semi-carbonic maceration
Describe the best vineyards/style for Bierzo wines (alt, soil, result, vine, age)
Hillside slopes at 500-850m
Good drainage
shallow poor slate soils = limit vigour
large diurnal range
slow sugar accumulation and retain acidity, flavours and tannins develop
Bush Vines common
Large proportion of Old Vines
80% of vineyards over 60 yrs old
What is the result of the best vineyards in Bierzo on the production?
poor soils = low yields
production costs high
Describe a high quality Bierzo
Slopes = higher concentration
Med+ Body
hi alcohol
ripe red cherry and plum
floral herbal note
spice from oak
good to outstanding/ super-premium
mid-priced to premium
Who is the signifiant producer in Bierzo
J Palacios and Raul Perez
