Spain Copied & Amended Flashcards
Jumilla DO grapegrowing
25,000ha – and only 2,000 growers (and only 40 wineries !)
80% is MONASTRELL – then Cencibel (Tempranillo), Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot
DO since 1966
1980s arrival of Phylloxera > replantings with new varieties.
½ of vineyards in La Mancha & ½ in Murcía
Utiel Requena. Summarise what you know about this DO.
Continental Climate w/hot summer days & very cold winters.
Avg. altitude = 750m
Low rainfall 450mm/yr.
The coolest of the five regions of the Levante
Planted to 95% black grapes – >70% is BOBAL
Other black varieties :
- Tempranillo
- Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
RED WINES :
BOBAL
- Mid to late budding, avoids spring frost
- Very drought tolerant, retains acidity
- Can be vigorous and high yielding with uneven ripening
- Gives high levels of colour with good fruit flvour - used in blends to give colour and concentration
- Can be made in two different styles :
o Light bodied, medium tannin, semi carbonic maceration
o OR
o Concentrated, medium+ tannins, medium+ to full bodied, blackberry, black cherry flavours, often notes of chocolate – matured in oak
Ribeiro DO? details please
Ribeiro DO
o Just east of southern Rias Baixas on the river Mino
o Maritime climate with temperate conditions and high rainfall
o Mainly white wines
o Treixadura – most planted white variety
Give all the Rioja business details, such as % export, how many growers, vineyard sizes, importance of cooperatives, winery sizes, etc.
Grapegrowers :
- 15,000 grapegrowers, 64,000 Ha.
- Mostly small vineyard plots
- 50% of the vineyards are less than 1 Ha. ! and 75% less than 2 Ha.
- Almost 50% of all growers sell to a cooperative – who then sell to merchants or own brand
Wineries :
- Handful of large wineries – top 13 wineries sell 50% of entire Rioja production
- Bottom 80% of wineries sell just 11% of entire Rioja production
Rioja Consejo Regulador:
- Based in Logrono. Vine-growers + wine producers + merchants set the rules.
- Won a case to get bottling made mandatory within the region in 2000.
- Supports modernisation of Rioja wine marketing
o Focuses on pushing the quality of Rioja wines
o And highlights the diversity of Rioja wines
Sales
- A much average price per bottle than other Spanish DO wines
- 40% of production is exported with strong growth of 25% since 2007
- Primary markets are : UK, Germany and USA
What are the main varietals of Valencia DO?
REDS: Monastrell, Alicante Bouschet, Bobal and Internationals making rather coarse wines
WHITES: Merseguera, Moscatel, Macabeo, Airen
Why would you use some Graciano making Rioja?
Use a small % in the finest wines to add concentrated black fruit flavours, acidity and tannins.
deep red color, strong aroma and ageability.
What are the ageing requirements for Rioja red wines?
Generic (used to be Joven) - none
from 1st October of year of harvest
Crianza - total 24 months - 12 months in barrel
Reserva - total 36 months - 12 months in barrel plus 6 months bottle
Gran Reserva - total 60 months - 24 months barrel plus 24 mths bottle
Climate of Ribera del Duero?
Continental climate tempered by altitude > high diurnal range.
Relatively short growing season with hot summers (up to 40C) and harsh winters.
Low rainfall (400-600mm)
2,400h of annual sunlight.
Climate of Penedes DO?
Mostly Mediterranean climate but a wide variety of micro-climates due to the proximity to the coast and the varied terrain rising up to 800m high
Coastal areas very hot & dry
some areas inland 900mm rainfall and prone to frost
Name of cooling north wind in Aragon regions?
Cierzo
Wine production in Valencia DO - which type of producer dominates this DO?
What styles of wine are made?
5 producers dominate the production.
Vast majority of wines made by Cooperatives
- Wines are made in a fruit style – ready to drink
- Makes large amounts of inexpensive bulk wines
- Adequate to good quality – inexpensive in price
A number of small individual wineries
- Making good to very good quality wines, mid-priced
- Some working with local varieties as a point of difference
Graciano?
Graciano
- part of the last 10% of Rioja blend – only 2% of total plantings of black grapes
- late ripening, drought resistant, with small yields, susceptible to fungal diseases
- adds high acidity and tannin as well as fresh black fruit to the blend
Name the 5 subzones of Rias Baixas?
5 sub-zones, non-contiguous, each w their terroir & climate.
- Ribeira do Ulla
- Newest sub zone
- Makes inexpensive mid-priced wines
- Oldest Val do Salnés,
- around Cambados
- w low rolling hills w rocky & alluvial soils is best.
- Highest concentration of plantings and wineries
- On the coast so generally has the coolest environ, & highest acidity
- Soutomaior
- Smallest subzone
- Condado do Tea
- Inland from O Rosal
- Warmer, with riper flavour profile – more peach, melon and lower acidity
- O Rosal
- On north bank of Minho river, against Portuguese border
- Makes blends with Albarino plus Loureira, Treixadura, Caino Blanco
- Warmer sites than Val do Salnes
Sales from La Mancha DO ?
- Sales
- 40% exported (mainly China, Germany, Russia)
- Sold as bulk and bottled
- 2/3 reds and rosados produced (Aíren used for distillation)
Rueda business has been booming - details on scale and where is it sold?
DOUBLED sales – SINCE 2006
Huge increase in production
Most production is sold domestically
Increased competition – so looking to maintain or increase quality
60% of output comes from local producers
Balance is from producers outside of the region, i.e. Rioja or Ribera del Duero
What is the name of Spain’s largest wine region?
La Mancha
What is the minimum ageing for Red Reserva wines in Spain (general) total - In oak - in bottle
3 years total
min. 1 year in barrel
no requirement for bottle-aging
Mourvedre
Monastrell = Mourvèdre
- Grown in South-east of Spain
- Buds & ripens late (> warm, hot climate)
- Wines typically
- Deep ruby, full bodied,
- high alcohol,
- blackberry, blueberries, violets,
- hi (firm) tannins
- Great ageing potential
- Seen as the bones of a blend generally
What does Cariñena / Carignan add to a Spanish wine blend?
- Acidity, tannin and colour.
- Ideal blended with Tempranillo or with Garnacha in Priorat
Modern style (Vinos de Autor) in Rioja winemaking?
Modern style (VINOS DE AUTOR):
- low yield, very ripe fruit, concentrated, structured and aged in new FRENCH oak
- do not carry the age category of the DO, bottled as Generic Wine
- the modern style in reaction to customers wanting more fruit driven styles with less age and apparent oak
What variety is 75% of Alicante DO plantings?
Monastrell
Red wines
Alicante DO - describe the rules and wine style
Fondillon? describe this wine and how it is made
ALICANTE DO :
- Must contain 80% Monastrell
- Normally has some Alicante Bouschet, Garnacha and Bobal
- Full bodied, dry with high alcohol
- High tannins and ripe black fruit
- Maturation in American oak is common
- Some producers aiming for fresher fruit characters
FONDILLON
- A traditional style, protected by DO
- Strong rancio wine made from Monastrell grapes
- 40 g/l RS ! from late harvested fruit
- Min alc. 16% - no fortification allowed
-
Maturation
- 10 years maturation !
- In old 1200 litre oak vessels
- Typically matured like a Oloroso sherry in a solera system
- Sometimes sold as the product of one vintage – ‘Anada’
Winemaking practices for Rias Baixas?
Winemaking :
- Protective to retain primary fruit
- May be some maceration to obtain some more texture
- Cool fermentation in stainless steel
- MLF, at least partial, in cooler years to reduce acidity
Traditional winemaking in Rioja
Traditional style:
- new American oak - soft vanilla flavour in youth, savoury, meaty characters for Reserva and Gran Reserva, with maturation far longer than minimums required
- dried fruit, mushroom, cured meats, vanilla and coconut
Rueda DO - the wine laws for the wines?
DO Rueda
- min. 50% Verdejo
- with the balance likely to be Viura or Sauvignon Blanc
DO Rueda Verdejo
- min. 85% Verdejo – in line with EU requirements for varietal wine
DO Rueda Sauvignon
- a minimum of 85% Sauvignon Blanc
Rioja Consejo Regulador - what does it do?
Rioja Consejo Regulador:
- Based in Logrono. Vine-growers + wine producers + merchants set the rules.
- Won a case to get bottling made mandatory within the region in 2000.
- Supports modernisation of Rioja wine marketing
- Focuses on pushing the quality of Rioja wines
- And highlights the diversity of Rioja wines
Graciano
Graciano
- low yielding
- Buds very late and ripens late
- Drought resistant
- Prone to downy mildew
- Deep-coloured, full bodied, tannic wines with high acidity
- Limited plantings, mainly in Rioja (less than 2% of plantings)
- Great ageing potential due to acid and tannin
Viticulture of Montsant - how is it different and the same as Priorat?
1900 Ha. – similar to Priorat
700 grapegrowers
Most vineyards in south are flatter than Priorat DOCa
Mechanisation is more common than in Priorat DOCa
Some bush vines but modern trellis systems prevalent
94% are black grapes
Majority are Garnacha and Carinena – followed by Tempranillo
Also plantings (like Priorat) of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot
What is the soil in Priorat called, what is its make up and what does it do?
Llicorella
Black slate with small particles of Quartzite / Mica which reflects heat in to the vines, conserves heat over night and helps retain water
Vineyard area in spain?
976,000 Ha of vineyard
Spain is the largest wine producer in the world by volume? True or False
False - about third
but largest vineyard area in the world
Explain the two different categories of Rioja white wines - how they are made and what style is the result.
RIOJA WHITES
Categories are mainly dictated by price point :
Inexpensive white Rioja :
- Simple unoaked with protective winemaking techniques, fermented to dryness
- Stainless steel is used with cooling and the wine is bottled soon after
- Viura (majority), but with Verdejo, Tempranillo Blanc or SBlanc to give complexity
Mid Tier and Premium Rioja :
- Tend to be made in an oak style
- Last 5-10 years a change to fresh fruit driven styles rather than oxidative styles
- Oak maturation still used by more balanced and fresher
- Virua (at low yields) plus Malvasia and Garnacha Blanc are blended in
- Medium+ body & acidity, some citrus, smoky/nutty complexity from oak
Domestic consumption
~20 litres/head - considered low by European standards
Where is Jumilla and Yecla located, what is the climate like, and what is the dominant grape?
South of Valencia in the autonomia of Murcia.
Hot and arid
Monastrell (Mourvèdre)
What has been happening in Toro over the last 20 years?
Large increase in wineries as producers from Ribera del Duero invest in the region - now 50 wineries
The Valencia DO focuses on what kind of wine
Production of inexpensive fruity wines made by local cooperatives and for immediate consumption
Navarra climate and weather
Continental climate with Atlantic influences in the northern zones > moderate heat and slow ripening
Average rainfall: 400-600mm.
Southern parts of the Appellation, namely Ribera Baja is the warmest and driest
Where is Navarra located?
North and east of Rioja running into the foothills of the Pyrenees
What are PGI wines called in Spain?
Vino de la Tierra (VdlT) /
Vino con Indicación Geográfica Protegida
Verdejo
Verdejo 2% UP
- Mainly in Rueda, (Castilla Y Leon)
- Similar style to Sv blanc
- Oxidises easily> picked at night
- Crisp aromatic, herbaceous notes
- Very popular, increased plantings
Why are vineyards in Priorat expensive and time consuming to manage?
Bush vines are managed on steep slopes meaning Mechanical harvesting is impossible.
Poor soils mean vines have to dig extra deep and yields are extremely low.
Yecla DO - what is 85% of its plantings?
what % of its wines are exported?
What dominates the production in Yecla?
Monastrell
95%
one very large Cooperative - 60% of production
What is the climate in Navarra and what style of wines come from there?
Similar climate to Rioja but cooler and wetter near the mountains.
Red wines made from Tempranillo and Garnacha, very similar to Rioja.
Additionally fresh rosados made from Garnacha which has been picked earlier to maintain some acidity. Fermented protectively to fruity rosado.
Whites are ___% of Penedes production
what are the varieties?
WHITES (80% of production):
· Xarel-lo, Parellada, Macabeo,
· Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer
What are the four main white ‘Spanish’ grapes?
Verdejo
Albariño
Airén
Macabeo (Viura in Rioja)
Calatayud is in the Aragon province - what are the soil, topography and climate like?
SOILS & TOPOGRAPHY
Directly WEST of Carinena in the region of Aragon.
500-900m altitude, generally located on a high altitude plateau
Soils are rocky & friable, brown limestone & loam over slate and gypsum
Free draining soils
CLIMATE & WEATHER
Continental w hot dry summers and cold winters – i.e. high diurnal range helps to maintain acidity Avg rainfall: 450-500mm = dry environment
Little disease pressure but spring frost is an issue
Northerly wind which slows down ripening - CIERZO
Whilst others are used what are the 2 grapes commonly used in Priorat?
Old vine Garnacha, old vine Carineña.
Climate of Rioja?
Continental climate – in a wide open valley, with the ranges shielding from the extremes of Atlantic and inland
South of the Cantabrian mountains> protect the area vs. rain & winds from the Atlantic, and the Sierra de la Demanda lie to the south, protecting from inland heat
Slight Maritime influence in Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta
Low rainfall: 300mm (Rioja Baja)-500mm (Alta & Alavesa)
Where would you usually find Monastrell?
What is the grape called in France?
What are the characteristics, aromas and flavours of the grape?
In the autonomías of Valencia (Alicante - Vinalopo) and Murcia (Jumilla and Yecla)
In France the grape is called Mourvèdre
Deep colour, full body, high tannin and alcohol with flavours of ripe blackberry fruit
What are the 3 distinct climatic zones in Penedes, and what is grown on each?
- Penedès Maritim
Low-lying coastal area, From the sea up to 250m high
Hot Mediterranean climate; the warmest of the 3 zones; sandy soils Mostly planted with Garnacha, Carinena and Monastrell for sturdy reds
- Penedès Central
250-500m altitude w more temperate climate; chalk & clay soils
In a ‘pre-coastal depression’ a relatively flat plain
Centre of Cava production w Xarel-lo, Parellada & Macabeo.
Also Merlot, Cab Sv, Tempranillo and Chardonnay
3. Penedès Superior
500-800m with a cool continental climate similar to Northern France (cold nights & frost danger) but long, sunny growing season.
Predominance of Limestone
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Riesling Lower yields and frost risk
Tinta de Toro is a synonym of:
Tempranillo
What is the minimum ageing for Red Reserva wines in Ribera del Duero total - In oak - in bottle
24 months total w/ 6 in barrel. no bottle requirement.
Soils, topo, and climate of Penedes
SOILS & TOPOGRAPHY
Mostly well-drained, deep poor quality soils of Miocene sediments
Soils are generally loamy with calcareous components
Good water holding ability
CLIMATE & WEATHER
Mostly Mediterranean climate but a wide variety of micro-climates due to the proximity to the coast and the varied terrain rising up to 800m high
Coastal areas very hot & dry
Rainfall is around 500mm
some areas inland 900mm rainfall and prone to frost
What is significant about Rueda and what is the climate?
What type of wine predominates here?
Continental climate with cool Summer nights
Mainly white wines produced from Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc
What percentage of Rias Baixas DO wines are exported?
25%
The grape varieties of Spain in descending order?
- Grape varieties :
- Airen 22% roughly – but falling
- Tempranillo 20% - and rising
- Bobal – 5%+
- Garnacha – 5%+
- Macabeo – 5%
- Monastrell – 4%
Main two export markets for Spain?
What are the next three markets?
France and Germany - in bulk for in market bottling
UK, China and USA - and take more bottled product
Business of Bierzo - how many growers (%) sell to a cooperative?
How many wineries in Bierzo
- 62% of growers sell to a Cooperative !
- 2000 growers for 3000Ha of vineyard – so very fragmented
- Introduced in 2017 new Village and vineyard classifications to highlight high quality areas
- 75 wineries – large portion started in last 10-15 years
la Mancha’s climate?
Hot, dry and extremely continental climate (45C to -20C)
Rainfall 300-400mm
3,000h of sunlight/yr.