Spain: Duero River Valley Flashcards
Ribera del Duero DO
provinces
styles
grapes
soil
elevation
producers
provinces: Soria, Segovia, Burgos, Valladolid
Blanco: min. 75% Albillo Mayor
Rosado or Clarete: min. 50% authorized red varieties
Tinto: min. 75% Tinta del País / Tinto Fino
auth for blending: Garnacha, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Albillo Mayor
More limestone in the east
More clay in the west
vines planted b/t 700-1000m above sea level. average is 825m
continental climate- frost is a threat in spring and fall- Tempranillo is early budding and early ripening
producers: Vega Sicilia, Bodegas La Horra (Roda), Pingus, Bodegas Aalto
DO est 1982
Ribera del Duero
provinces
Soria
Segovia
Burgos
Valladolid
(east to west)
Ribera del Duero elevation
vines planted b/t 700-1000m above sea level. average is 825m
continental climate- frost is a threat in spring and fall- Tempranillo is early budding and early ripening
Ribera del Duero DO
styles and grapes
Blanco: min. 75% Albillo Mayor
Rosado or Clarete: min. 50% authorized red varieties
Tinto: min. 75% Tinta del País / Tinto Fino
auth for blending: Garnacha, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Albillo Mayor
Ribera del Duero important producers
Vega Sicilia
Bodegas La Horra (Roda)
Pingus
Bodegas Aalto
Dominio del Aguila
Pago de los Capellanes
Abadia Retuerta
Fomperdraza (Familia Torres)
Legaris (Codorniu)
Valdubon (Freixenet)
Matallana (Telmo Rodriguez)
M. Chapoutier makes wines here
Ribera del Duero - vine training?
bush training has slight majority, more trellising and mechanical harvesting in flatter western areas
Ribera del Duero aging requirements
similar to Rioja
What DO borders Bierzo to the west?
Valdeorras
Bierzo DO
styles
grapes
geography
producers
red min 85%: Mencia, Garnacha Tintorera, Esaldiña, and/or Merenzao
white: Godello, Doña Blanca, Palomino
- Sierra de los Ancares shields much of the Atlantic’s effects. climate is moderate- some Atlantic influence, but less humid than Galicia.
- Sil River runs through here.
- 450-800 m elevation
producers: Descendientes de José Palacios, Corullón - old vine Mencia, Dominio de Tares, Pittacum, Raul Perez
Bierzo announced a Vino de Villa classification system in 2017- from village wines (Vino de Villa), to Vino de Paraje (lieu dits), and Viña Classificada, and Gran Viña Classificada (1er and Grand Cru)
Bierzo DO
describe geography
- Sierra de los Ancares shields much of the Atlantic’s effects. climate is moderate- some Atlantic influence, but less humid than Galicia.
- Sil River runs through here.
450-800 m elevation
Bierzo DO
styles and grapes
red min 85%: Mencia, Garnacha Tintorera, Esaldiña, and/or Merenzao
white: Godello, Doña Blanca, Palomino
Bierzo Vino de Villa requirements
Vino de Villa & Vino de Paraje: 100% must be sourced from one of the designated municipalities, or parcels. Villa = village. Paraje is like a lieu dit
100% must be sourced from one of the designated municipalities or parcels
Bierzo Viña Classificada
Viña Clasificada: May be added to a single parcel, or collection of parcels within a
Vino de Paraje that has been labelled as such for at least 5 years, and has been approved by a tasting panel.
Bierzo Gran Viña Classificada
Gran Viña Clasificada: Designation for a wine that has been produced as a Viña Clasificada for at least 5 years, and has been approved by a tasting panel.
Bierzo - levels of wine classification
Vino de la Region
Vino de Villa (village)
Vino de Paraje (lieu dit)
Vino de Viña Classificada
Gran Vino de Viña Classificada
Bierzo
producers
producers: Descendientes de José Palacios, Corullón - old vine Mencia, Dominio de Tares, Pittacum, Raul Perez
In what river’s valley is Bierzo located?
the Sil River
Tierra de Léon DO
styles, grapes
all 3 colors made
Mencia, Prieto Picudo
List 3 producers Rueda
Menade
Marques de Riscal
Telmo Rodriquez
CVNE
Bodegas Naia
Ramon Bilbao
Burdigala (François Lurton w/Michel Rolland)
Vinos Sanz (same family as Menade)
Val de Vid
Martin Sancho
Toro DO
styles
grapes
geography
soils
vine training
Blanco = 100% authorized white grapes
Rosado = 100% authorized red and/or white grapes
Tinto: = min. 75% Tinta de Toro or min. 85% Garnacha
recommended: Verdejo, Malvasía “Castellana”
authorized: Albillo Real, Muscat à Petit Grain
620 to 840 m elevation
cold continental nights prove critical to preserving balance in the region’s ripe wines- high alcohol can be an issue
Vines are usually bush-trained and widely spaced, in part due to the drought conditions common here.
Soils are inconsistent, though brown limestone can frequently be found atop both sandy and clay structures. Sandy soils protected the region from phylloxera
Toro DO
describe geography
620 to 840 m elevation
cold continental nights prove critical to preserving balance in the region’s ripe wines- high alcohol can be an issue
sandy soils + very dry, and high altitude have kept the area safe from phylloxera
Toro DO
styles, grapes
Blanco = 100% authorized white grapes
Rosado = 100% authorized red and/or white grapes
Tinto: = min. 75% Tinta de Toro or min. 85% Garnacha
recommended: Verdejo, Malvasía “Castellana”
authorized: Albillo Real, Muscat à Petit Grain
Toro producers
Burdigala (François Lurton and Michel Rolland)
El Albar Lurton
Fariña
Numanthia (LVMH)
Telmo Rodriguez
Pintia (Vega Sicilia)
Which DOs border Toro?
Tierra de Vino de Zamora to west and south
Rueda to east
Arribes DO
Castilla y Léon- western spain bordering Portugal. blanco, rosado, tinto
blanco: Malvasia, Verdejo, Albilla
tinto: Brunal, Juan Garcia. also: Rufete, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mencia
what mountains separate Castilla y León from Castilla La Mancha?
the Sistema Central
including: Sierra de Gredos, Sierra de Guadarrama
DOs of Castilla y León?
Arlanza DO (2007)
Arribes DO (2007)
Bierzo DO
Cigales DO
Ribera del Duero DO
Rueda DO
León DO (2007)
Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO (2007)
Toro DO
upper portion of the Meseta Central, elevations are high (700 to 1,000 meters)
Descendientes de J. Palacios
founded by Ricardo Perez and Álvaro Palacios in Bierzo, Castilla y León, “put Mencia on the map.”
single vineyards: Monçerbal, Las Lamas and La Faraona ($1k retail)
What Rioja winemaker revitalized Rueda?
Marques de Riscal, with Emile Peynaud consulting, in 1970. Peynaud recommended Verdejo, which caught on as a crisp, fresh white wine
Rueda DO
styles, grapes
soils
elevation
in Castilla y León. blanco, rosado, tinto, espumoso, vino de licor
blanco min 50%: Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc
auth: Viura, Palomino Fino, Viognier, Chardonnay
tinto principal: Tempranillo
auth: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Garnacha Tinta, Syrah
VdL Rueda Pálido (Pale): 100% combined Palomino Fino and/or Verdejo (3 years biological aging in oak)
VdL Rueda Dorado (Golden): 100% combined Palomino Fino and/or Verdejo (4 yrs aging, w/2 in oak)
soils: limestone, gravels
elevation: 600-700 m
extreme continental climate, often requires irrigation
village wines: Vino de Pueblo
Gran Vino de Rueda: vines min 30 years old
“Fermentado en Barrica”: White wines that undergo fermentation for at least 3 months in oak casks of no more than 600 liters
Rueda DO
soil
elevation
climate
soils: limestone, gravelly. - great drainage
elevation: 600-700 m
extreme continental climate, often requires irrigation
Rueda village wines?
Vino de Pueblo: Wines may indicate the municipality of origin provided that 85% of grapes were grown there
approved 2019
Rueda DO
styles, grapes
in Castilla y León. blanco, rosado, tinto, espumoso, vino de licor
blanco min 75% principal: Verdejo, SB, Viura, Viognier, Chardonnay
tinto principal: Tempranillo, Cenicienta
auth: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Garnacha Tinta, Syrah, Bruñal
rose: from auth red grapes
VdL Rueda Pálido (Pale): 100% combined Palomino Fino and/or Verdejo (3 years biological aging in oak)
VdL Rueda Dorado (Golden): 100% combined Palomino Fino and/or Verdejo (4 yrs aging, w/2 in oak)
Rueda DO
vino de licor styles
both are fortified stsyles
VdL Rueda Pálido (Pale): 100% combined Palomino Fino and/or Verdejo (3 years biological aging in oak)
VdL Rueda Dorado (Golden): 100% combined Palomino Fino and/or Verdejo (4 yrs aging, w/2 in oak)
Rueda old vines?
may be labeled Gran Vino de Rueda if vines are at least 30 years old
approved 2019
Vega Sicilia
in Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León. Founded by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves in 1864. He brought in Bordeaux varieties and Pinot Noir. Winemaker Domingo Garramiola Txomin conceived Unico, and the estate began to receive notoriety
Unico: 94% Tempranillo and 6% Cabernet, aged almost 10 years b/t American and French barrel and bottle. limestone, quartz, sand soils. $500
Valbuena: 97% Tinto Fino, 3% Merlot, aged 5 years $200
Alion: Tinto Fino, aged 12-14 months in French Oak. $100
Tempranillo synonyms in Ribera del Duero
Tinto Fino
Tinta del Pais
Arlanza DO
styles, grapes
in Castilla y León, north of Ribera del Duero
Blanco: Albilla, Viura
Tinto min 50% Tinta del País (Tempranillo)
Authorized: Garnacha, Mencía, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot
Cigales DO
styles
river
soil
in Castilla y León. lots of limestone here, and galets roulés. historically focused on rosado and claretes. now white, rose, red, sparkling, sweet
blanco: Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc, Albillo Mayor, Viura
tinto: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Garnacha Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah
Pisuerga River is here
luceras: tall air vents that help light the underground cellars
luceras
tall air vents that help underground cellars (Cigales DO)
León DO
styles, grapes
in Castilla y León, known as tierra de León until 2019
blanco, rosado, tinto, vinos dulces, vinos semi-dulces
blanco: Verdejo, Albarín Blanco, and Godello
tinto rec: Prieto Picudo, Mencía, and Negro Saurí
auth: Garnacha, Tempranillo
Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO
styles, grapes
Castilla y León
white: Malvasia, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Verdejo. also: Albillo, Palomino, Godello
reds: majority Tempranillo
Castilla y León DO Pago
Dehesa Peñalba- 2022
Urueña - 2021
Abadía-Retuerta - 2022
Mencia synonym
Jaen in Potugal
largest wine producing region in Spain?
Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León- largest in Spain and 3rd largest in Europe
atalayas
watch towers in Ribera del Duero
paramo
high point in Ribera del Duero- the high plateau
Pingus
winery of Peter Sisseck in Ribera del Duero. focus is old vine Tempranillo on limestone rich clay and gravel soils.
Pingus retails around $1200
PSI: a co-op project focused on protecting old vines, particularly grenache
How does the ripening cycle of Tempranillo line up with the climatic conditions of Ribera del Duero?
Early ripening avoids fall frosts: By ripening earlier, Tempranillo grapes avoid the risk of damage from frost that can occur in the region during fall.
The hot summers contribute to the development of thicker skins and higher sugar content in the grapes, leading to bolder and more full-bodied wines characteristic of Ribera del Duero.
vintages of Ribera del Duero from 2004 - present?
2004, 2005 - best in last 20 years. 2020 looks promising too.
2010 - good
2011 - good
2015 - good
2019 - good
bad vintages
2013 - cool, wet growing season
2017 - spring frost, drought in growing season
06-08 all bad
DO of Castilla y Leon that are not on the Duero river
Bierzo
Tierra de Léon
Cigales
Arlanza
