Spain - Catalunya Flashcards
Where is Catalunya located, what’s the general climate, and what’s a key reason for success?
Autonomous community. NE Spain, Mediterranean Sea to the east, and the altitude inland are major influences on the climate.
Similar to Navarra and Somotano nearby, there’s a high proportion of international varieties grown (generally from France) than many other areas.
Barcelona provides a large local market for consumption.
It’s been at the forefront of changes to and innovations in growing and winemaking in recent decades.
What is the breakdown of denominations, and what’s the classification for single estates?
11 DOs and 1 DOQ.
Vi de Finca. Catalunya has its own classification for exceptional wines from single estates.
Providing specifications are met, including on yields and minimum length of time for the wine to be established on the market, these wines may be labelled Vi de Finca.
In what situations in Catalunya DO used?
It applies to grapes grown anywhere in the autonomy. Widely used, especially by the largest producers for their inexpensive and mid wines (eg Torres Viña Sol).
It allows freedom from other smaller DOs in terms of where grapes can be sourced from, and the range of all varieties permitted, but also Catalunya is a more widely recognised name in export markets than, for eg, Penedes.
What are does Penedès DO cover, and what styles of wine are produced here?
A diverse area of land stretching from the Mediterranean coast, just down from Barcelona, to the mountains inland, and makes a range of various wine styles including Cava.
What is the general climate of Penedès DO?
Overall warm Mediterranean. However the DO can be divided into 3 different zones with topographical and climatic influences, enabling a wide range of varieties.
What is the breakdown of plantings in Penedès DO?
White varieties make up 80% of plantings, Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada are the most planted of each colour, and are used for Cava, sparkling and still wines, often blended together.
There’s sizeable plantings of Chardonnay and smaller amounts of many varieties including Moscatel (Alexandria and Blanc à PG) Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurz and Riesling.
Merlot is the most planted black variety, followed by Cab Sauv, Tempranillo, PN, Syrah and other permitted varieties.
What is the Penedès Marítim? What is significant about it?
The climatic zone that lies between the sea and the coastal range of hills.
Due to low altitude and proximity to the sea, it was a warm climate without extremes.
A source of full-bodied reds from late ripening varieties such as Monastrell.
Some Xarel-lo Macabeo and Parellada are also grown, generally for inexpensive still wines.
What is the Penedès Central? What is significant about it?
Lies on the relatively flat plains, known as the Pre-Coastal Depression, between the coastal range and the inland mountains. Vineyards are still at moderately high altitudes compared to Penedès Marítim, reaching up around 500m providing a cooling influence.
Large plantings of XMP are grown, as well as Merlot, Cab Sauv and Chardonnay.
What is the Penedès Superior? What is significant about it?
Located at altitudes of 500-800m in the inland mountains (between Montserrat and the Montmell. The altitude provides a cooling influence during the day and a wide diurnal range, but spring frosts are often a problem.
The cool conditions mean white varieties eg Chard, Sauv B as well as small amounts of Riesling and Gewurz are grown here, becoming ripe while retaining acidity.
Pinot noir is also grown.
What is water availability like for Penedès DO?
Rainfall is approx 500mm with the driest period in summer.
Irrigation can be used if the vines are suffering from lack of water, but authorisation must be given by the Consejo Regulador.
Soils are generally loamy, with some calcerous components and generally can store enough water throughout the ripening period.
What is typical training for Penedès DO?
A number of vineyards, especially the largest, are trellised allowing mechanisation, but there’s also many plots of bush vines.
When did Penedès DO modernise its winemaking?
One of the first to do so in Spain in the 1960s and 70s, led by Dijon educated Miguel Torres. The introduction of temperature controlled steel fermentation meant the region became known as a source of clean, fruity wines, both aromatic whites and fruity, early drinking reds.
What is typical winemaking for premium Penedès wines?
Applicable to reds and some Chardonnays, they’ll often be matured in oak, usually French. Good to very good.
What has Penedès DO introduced in recent years?
In line with other Spanish DOs, a more precise zoning of its vineyard area and ten subzones have been mappee based on geographical and cultural parameters.
P ate able to label their wines with a sub zone providing certain specifications are met, eg 100% of grapes must come from vineyards in the sub zone and have been grown organically.
What is the breakdown of sales for Penedès DO?
30% exported, largest markets are Germany, Canada, Switzerland, China and the USA.
Sales in Catalunya make up around 90% of domestic sales.
Nearby Barcelona is a major source, as well as a hub from.which tourists can easily visit the region.
When does winemaking date back to in Priorat? When did it start to gain popularity?
Carthusian Monks started to plant and vinify in the 12th century.
Only in the last few decades did it receive international recognition.
What factors have negatively influenced plantings in Priorat?
Lack of easy access, challenging topography and some extremes of weather have always made viticulture difficult.
At the end of the 19th century, the outbreak of phylloxera and growth of the textile industry in Catalunya brought many vineyards to be abandoned as local workers moved to find jobs nearer the cities. Wines only continued to be produced by the local co-operative and a couple of small estates.
What factors have positively affected plantings in Priorat?
In 1989, a local producer, René Barbier, formed a small group of viticulturalists and winemakers to collaboratively re-invigorate several specific vineyards and produce wines, blending Cab Sauv, Merlot and Syrah with local varieties.
By the mid-1990s these wines (Clos Mogador, Clos Dofí, Clos de L’Obac, Clos Martinet and Clos Erasmus) had begun to receive critical acclaim from some of the world’s most esteemed critics, and were being sold at premium and super premium prices, using French winemaking techniques such as maturation in French barriques.
What has happened to number of estates in Priorat? When was it promoted to DOQ?
From the late 1990s it increased dramatically, with about 50 wineries by the mid 2000s.
2009.
What is the general climate of Priorat?
Warm continental. Protected from cold winds by the Serra de Montsant in the North, and much Mediterranean influence by the Serra de Llaberia to the south.
Summers are hot, but with a high diurnal range. Winters are cold, to the point spring frosts can be a problem.
What is water availability in Priorat?
Rainfall is typically 500-600mm, falling mainly in heavy storms in winter and spring, with summers being dry.
Irrigation is permitted in the driest years, and when establishing new vineyards.
What factor influences topography in Priorat?
The River Siurana runs through, and the winding valleys carved by the river and its many tributaries provide a broad range of altitudes (100-750m) and aspects.
The area is extremely rugged, and although the DOQ covers an area of around 17,600ha, just under 2000ha are planted, well below the area under vine before phylloxera.
Where are many vineyards of Priorat located, and how are they farmed?
On slopes known as costers, ranging from 5% to 60% gradient.
Narrow terraces are a common feature, helping to reduce soil erosion and allow rainwater to better infiltrate the soil, as surface run off is reduced.
In neither case can machines access the vineyards, so all work done by hand.
What is the general soil type of Priorat?
Soils are varied. Largely poor and stony but with some areas of clay. The more common slate-based soils - llicorella, are thin, rocky and lacking in nutrients, with characteristic particles of mica reflecting light and heat back into the vineyard.
The bedrock of slate splits into vertical layers and means that vine roots can grow deep in search of the limited water available.
