Spain - Catalunya/Castilla-La Mancha/Valencia/Murcia

Question 1

What is the Meseta?

Answer 1

vast, high plateau south of Madrid. Home to the Madrid and La Mancha vineyards - endless and very flat

Question 2

What is the largest defined appellation in all of Europe?

Answer 2

La Mancha DO

Question 3

Min aging for La Mancha “Roble?”

Answer 3

60 days in oak (max. 600L)

Question 4

Planting density for La Mancha DO?

Answer 4

Minimum/Maximum Planting Density: LOW!
En Vaso: 1,000/1,600 vines per hectare
Trellised: 1,275/3,333 vines per hectare

Question 5

What are the most planted grapes of La Mancha DO?

Answer 5

Tempranillo and Airen

Question 6

What is the most planted white grape (by vineyard acreage) in the world?

Answer 6

Airen

Question 7

What was the first Vino de Pago? Where is it?

Answer 7

Dominio de Valdepusa - 2003. Inside the borders of the Méntrida DO, planted to Bordeaux varieties.

Question 8

The first 4 Vinos de Pago were all in what region?

Answer 8

Castilla La Mancha

Question 9

What is Dominio de Valdepusa?

Answer 9

First Vino de Pago - 2003.

Question 10

What are the 8 Vino de Pago estates of Castilla-La Mancha?

Answer 10

Dominio de Valdepusa - 2003
Finca Élez - 2003
Guijoso - 2005
Dehesa del Carrizal - 2006
Campo de la Guardia - 2009
Florentino - 2009
Casa del Blanco - 2010
Calzadilla - 2011

Question 11

What grapes are the Vino de Pago estates of Castilla - La Mancha working with?

Answer 11

Mostly international - Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 12

what is the important grape of Almansa DO

Answer 12

Garnacha Tintorera - a teinturier

Question 13

What is Tempranillo called in La Mancha?

Answer 13

Cencibel

Question 14

Where is Almansa DO? What are the primary grapes?

Answer 14

In Castilla - La Mancha; mostly reds from Monastrell and Garnacha (and Garnacha Tintorera)

Question 15

Where is Manchuela DO? What are the primary wines and grapes?

Answer 15

In Castilla - La Mancha - former VdlT, became DO in 2000; main grape is Bobal (70%), then Cabernet and Tempranillo

Question 16

Where is Mondéjar DO? What are the primary grapes and wines?

Answer 16

In Guadalajara between Madrid and Valencia; whites from Airen, Macabeo, and Torrontes; reds from Cencibel and Cabernet

Question 17

Where is Méntrida DO? What are the primary grapes and wines?

Answer 17

Castilla - La Mancha; reds from Garnacha - VERY little export

Question 18

Where is Ribera del Júcar DO? What are the primary grapes and wines?

Answer 18

Castilla - La Mancha, DO established in 2003; mostly reds from Tempranillo (cencibel), cabernet, Bobal, merlot, Syrah all appear. Can be a quality region, yields are lower than La Mancha DO.

Question 19

What is the newest DO of Castilla - La Mancha? the Oldest?

Answer 19

newest is Uclés DO, 2005; oldest is Valdepeñas DO, 1932

Question 20

Where is Uclés DO? What are the primary grapes and wines?

Answer 20

In Castilla - La Mancha, centered around the town of Uclés. Reds from Tempranillo, Cabernet, Merlot, Garnacha Tinta, Syrah; whites from Verdejo, Chardonnay, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Sauvignon Blanc, Macabeo

Question 21

Where is Valdepeñas DO? What are the primary grapes and wines?

Answer 21

Castilla - La Mancha; historically high quality (from the 13th C.!) region led by light reds (claretes) but also rosado and blanco; water-retaining chalk bedrock - Cencibel, Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot, etc; whites are Airen, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Verdejo

Question 22

Name a quality producer of Valdepeñas DO?

Answer 22

Bodegas Navarro Lopez

Question 23

In which region did Miguel Torres introduce stainless steel fermentation to Spain?

Answer 23

Catalonia

Question 24

What estate is René Barbier famous for founding?

Answer 24

Clos Mogador, in Priorato, 1979

Question 25

What is the name of the Carthusian monastery near Priorat?

Answer 25

Priorato de Scala Dei

Question 26

What are the soils of Priorat DO?

Answer 26

rocky schist soils - famously "llicorela" which is a mix of black slate and quartzite

Question 27

How must vines respond to thrive in the soils of Priorat?

Answer 27

They must dig very deeply for water

Question 28

traditional varieties of Priorat vs. "authorized" varieties

Answer 28

Garnacha and Cariñena are traditional and "recommended, " Garnatxa Peluda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, Picapoll Negre are authorized

Question 29

What is the name for Tempranillo is Catalunya (Priorat esp)

Answer 29

Ull de Llebre

Question 30

What are Priorat's Vi de Vila wines?

Answer 30

has one of 12 village designations, and is made from 60% recommended varieties (Grenache, Carignan)

Question 31

Aging for Priorat's Vi de Guarda wines?

Answer 31

red only, min 12 months oak

Question 32

Which Priorato village holds Barbier's original estate

Answer 32

Gratallops

Question 33

What are the 12 villages of Priorato DO?

Answer 33

La Morera de Montsant, Gratallops, Bellmunt del Priorat, Escaladei, Porrera, Poboleda, La Vilella Baixa, La Vilella Alta, El Lloar, Masos del Terme de Falset, Solanes del Terme de El Molar, Torroja del Priorat

Question 34

What are the 5 original Clos bottlings of Priorat?

Answer 34

Barbier’s Clos Mogador, Palacios' Clos Dofi, Clos Erasmus, Clos de l’Obac, and Clos Martinet

Question 35

Which DO encircles Priorat?

Answer 35

Montsant DO

Question 36

When was Montsant DO established, and what was it before?

Answer 36

2002 (the area of Montsant was previously a subzone of Tarragona DO, called "Falset")

Question 37

Describe the topography of Priorat DO?

Answer 37

schist based soils, the Siurana flows through the middle of the DO before meeting the Ebro

Question 38

Which DO is found to the west of Montsant?

Answer 38

Terre Alte DO

Question 39

What are the two largest DOs of Catalunya?

Answer 39

Penedes and Tarragona

Question 40

Costers del Segre DO is home to which famous estate?

Answer 40

Raventos i blanc, in Raïmat

Question 41

Which Catalunya appellation is home to 95% of vineyards for Cava production?

Answer 41

Penedes

Question 42

What are the three distinct zones of Penedes? What divides them?

Answer 42

Baix-Penedès, Medio-Penedès, and Alt-Penedès - altitude

Question 43

What grape is grown primarily in Alt-Penedès

Answer 43

Parellada

Question 44

What grapes are grown in the Baix-Penedès?

Answer 44

Mediterranean red grapes like Garnacha (Garnatxa) and Monastrell

Question 45

What unique grape, and corresponding wine, is grown in the Baix-Penedès?

Answer 45

Malvasia de Sitges

Question 46

Are more white or red grapes grown in Penedes?

Answer 46

White - 80%; Chardonnay, Macabeu, Xarel·lo, Parellada make up most vineyards

Question 47

Which DO is adjacent to the north of Tarragona (inland)

Answer 47

Conca del Barbera DO

Question 48

Authorized grapes of Conca del Barbera DO

Answer 48

Blanco: Recommended: Macabeu, Chardonnay, Garnatxa Blanca, Chenin Blanc, Moscatel de Gra Petit, Parellada, Sauvignon Blanc Authorized: Moscatel d'Alexandria Tinto: Recommended: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnatxa Negre, Monastrell, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Trepat, Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Samsó/Carinyena (Carignan)

Question 49

Which grapes are most of the Conca del Barbera plantings devoted to?

Answer 49

White, for Cava - Macabeu/Parellada/Chardonnay mostly

Question 50

Where is Pla de Bages DO? What wines and grapes are made there?

Answer 50

around the town of Manresa in Catalunya, about 40 miles NW of Barcelona. Lots of white for Cava, and recent plantings of French varieties.

Question 51

Name an important Pla de Bages producer:

Answer 51

Bodegas Masies d’Avinyó

Question 52

Where is Alella DO? What is mostly grown and produced there?

Answer 52

to the north of Barcelona, on the coast; Xarel-lo, known locally as Pansà Blanca, contributes to the DO’s own still dry white wines or the blends of Cava.

Question 53

Where is Emporda DO? What is primarily grown there?

Answer 53

Bordering Roussillon, France; Cariñena rosados

Question 54

What are the appellations of the Balearic Islands?

Answer 54

Pla i Llevant and Binissalem Mallorca DO

Question 55

Sweetness levels for Cava: (same as Champagne)

Answer 55

``` Brut Nature: 0-3 g/l Extra Brut: 0-6 g/l Brut: 0-12 g/l Extra Dry (Extra Sec): 12-17 g/l Dry (Sec): 17-32 g/l Semi-Dry (Semi-Sec): 32-50 g/l Sweet (Dolç): 50+ g/l ```

Question 56

Cava aging requirements:

Answer 56

Cava: min. 9 months on the lees Reserva: min. 15 months on the lees Gran Reserva: min. 30 months on the lees (Brut, Extra Brut, and Brut Nature only)

Question 57

What is Cava de Paratge? What are its requirements?

Answer 57

Single-estate categories for hand-harvested wines. Vines must be a minimum 10 years old. Minimum 36-month tirage. Minimum TA is 5.5 g/l. No acidification Must be vintage-dated. May only be Brut, Extra Brut, or Brut Nature.

Question 58

What Spanish DO covers a style of wine rather than a geography?

Answer 58

Cava DO

Question 59

What might identify the cork of a bottle of Cava?

Answer 59

a four-pointed star

Question 60

What are the three DOs of Murcia?

Answer 60

Bullas DO Jumilla DO Yecla DO

Question 61

What are two important indigenous grapes for the Balearic Islands?

Answer 61

Manto Negro and Moll

Question 62

What are two famous foods of Valencia?

Answer 62

paella and oranges

Question 63

When did phylloxera reach Jumilla?

Answer 63

1980s

Question 64

Primary grape of Jumilla

Answer 64

Monastrell

Question 65

Name 3 top quality Cava producers:

Answer 65

Recaredo, Gramona, Agusti Torello

Question 66

Utiel-Requena DO grapes and styles:

Answer 66

Primarily Bobal, made in Doble Pasa style

Question 67

Where is Utiel-Requena DO?

Answer 67

Valencia

Question 68

Where is Alicante DO?

Answer 68

Valencia

Question 69

Traditional grapes and wines of Alicante DO?

Answer 69

Fondillón, a solera-style, oxidative dessert wine produced from overripe Monastrell (Mourvèdre) grapes aged for a minimum of ten years. Unlike Sherry, the famous solera wine of Andalucía, Fondillón is not fortified and it does carry the flavor of wood.

Question 70

In which DO might the Merseguera grape be found?

Answer 70

Valencia

Question 71

Which important Cava grape is prone to oxidation problems?

Answer 71

Xarel-lo

Question 72

What attributes do each of the 3 main Cava grapes add to the blend?

Answer 72

Parellada - soft, creamy base Macabeo - crispness and acidity Xarel-lo - adds power and richness

Question 73

What is a synonym for Macabeo?

Answer 73

Viura

Question 74

What are the DOs of Valencia

Answer 74

Utiel-Requena, Alicante, Valencia