Spain - Ebro River Valley Flashcards
What are the general Spanish aging requirements for wines labeled Crianza?
White: 18 months, incl 6 m in oak
Red: 2 years, incl 6 m in oak
What are the general Spanish aging requirements for wines labeled Reserva?
White: 2 years, incl 6 m in oak
Red: 3 years, incl 1 year in oak
What are the general Spanish aging requirements for wines labeled Gran Reserva?
White: 4 years, incl 6 m in oak
Red: 5 years, incl 18 m in oak
What does Noble indicate on a bottle of Spanish wine?
min 18 months aging in a cask of 600L or less
What does Añejo indicate on a bottle of Spanish wine?
min 24 months aging in a cask of 600L or less
What does Viejo indicate on a bottle of Spanish wine?
min 36 months aging, marked oxidative character
List the subzones of Navarra DO
Valdizarbe
Baja Montaña
Tierra Estella
Ribera Alta
Ribera Baja
List the DO Pago in Navarra
Señorio de Arinzano (TE)
Prado Irache (TE)
Bodegas Otazu (Valdizarbe)
List the main red and white grapes in Navarra DO
Garnacha*
Tempranillo
Chardonnay
List the DOs in Aragon
Campo de Borja
Calatayud
Cariñena
Somontano
What are the major grapes in Campo de Borja DO? Where is it?
in Aragon, Spain
red: Garnacha, Tempranillo
white: Viura
Where is the ancestral home of Carignan? Synonym?
in Cariñena DO, Aragon, Spain
Also known as Mazuelo and Samso (Catalonia)
Rivers in Rioja?
Rio Oja, joins the Tirón, then later the Ebro
Synonym for Carignan in Rioja?
Mazeulo
List 5 producers Rioja
Lopez de Heredia
Compañia Vinicola del Norte de España (CVNE)
La Rioja Alta
Bodegas Roda
Bodegas Lanzaga
Gomez Cruzado
Mountain ranges Rioja
Pyranees to NE
Cantabrian to NW
Traditional blending grapes Rioja
Tempranillo
Graciano
Garnacha
Mazuelo (Carinena)
Maturana Tinta also allowed
Rivers in Rioja Alta
Oja
Najerilla
Hubs of production Rioja Alta
Haro in NW
Logroño in the East
Rioja Alta soil types
in Oja valley: chalky, alluvial
in Najerilla valley: iron-rich clay
northern areas are characterized by yellow calcareous clay (arcillo-calcareo)
lower slopes south of the Ebro River contain reddish, iron-rich clay soils (arcillo-ferroso).
Rioja Alavesa soil type
more limestone, higher elevation vineyards
highest concentration of calcareous clay soils, the dominant soil type between the Cantabrian Mountains and the north bank of the Ebro River.
Rioja Orental soils
directly east of the Iregua River. It has some iron-rich clay, but most of the lower, flatter areas are characterized by alluvial, silty soils.
Which subzone of La Rioja has a tradition for carbonic macerated Tempranillo?
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja DOCa- which autonomias does it traverse?
Subzones?
La Rioja, Basque Country (Alavesa), Navarra, Castilla y Léon
Rioja Alta (La Rioja & Castilla y León),
Rioja Oriental-formerly Baja(Navarra),
Rioja Alavesa (País Vasco)
What does Garnacha add as a blending grape with Tempranillo?
alcohol, body, fruitiness
What does Graciano add as a blending grape with Tempranillo?
acidity, tannin, spice
What does Mazuelo add as a blending grape with Tempranillo?
acidity and tannin
White grapes Rioja
white wines must be from 100% authorized grapes:
Viura (Macabeo)
Malvasia
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Verdejo
Garnacha Blanca
Maturana blanca
Tempranillo Blanco
Turrantés
What is Maturana Tinta a synonym for? Other synonyms for this grape?
Maturana Tinta is a blending grape in Rioja, synonym for Trousseau
Trousseau also goes by Merenzao and Bastardo
Rioja red wine aging requirements
Crianza: min 2 yrs, incl 1 yr in oak
Reserva: min 3 yrs, incl 1 yr in oak, and 6m in bottle
Gran Reserva: min 5 yrs, incl 2 yrs in oak, 2 yrs in bottle
Rioja white wine aging requirements
Crianza: min 18 months, incl 6m in oak
Reserva: min 2 yrs, incl 6m in oak
Gran Reserva: min 4 yrs, incl 6m in oak
Rioja requirements for village name to be on label?
regs passed in 2017
only the village of the vineyard and cellar may appear on the bottle- meaning that wineries cannot feature a full portfolio of different village wines unless they have production facilities in each
Rioja Viñedo Singular requirements
Single vineyard requirements: grapes must be hand harvested, vines must be at least 35 years old, smaller yields, must pass tasting committee
Vino Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja - what is this? aging?
new (2017) category for traditional method sparkling wines in Rioja DOCa. traditional method, manual harvesting only.
Crianza: min 15 months on lees
Reserva: min 24 months on lees
Gran Añada: min 36 months on lees
Brut, extra brut, and brut nature may be produced
at least 3.5 bars
What is the Spanish category for IGP wines?
Vino de la Tierra (VdlT)
Spanish red wine aging requirements
Crianza: 2 years total, 6 m in oak
Reserva: 3 years total, 1 yr in oak
Gran Reserva: 5 years total, 18 m in oak
Spanish rosé and white wine aging requirements
Crianza: 18 months total, 6m in oak
Reserva: 2 years total, 6m in oak
Gran Reserva: 4 years total, 6m in oak
Can producers labelling with Rioja DOCa use large barrels to age their wines?
No! Barrels must be approximately 225 liters in size. Producers wanting to use larger barrels, concrete, or amphorae must use a more generic appellation
Producers with authorized Viñedo Singular vineyards in Rioja?
Beronia - Vareia, Beronia
Palacios Remondo- Quiñon de Valmira
… there are a ton
Rioja producers making sparkling wine
Bodegas Valdemar - first single vineyard sparkling in Rioja, Finca Alto Cantabria Gran Añada, in 2017
Bodegas Muga
Bodegas Urbina
Rivers in Aragon?
Jalon - in Calatayud
Huerva - in Cariñena
Ebro
Moncayo Massif is also here
DO Pago in Aragon?
Pago Aylés
in Carinyena
When did Phylloxera arrive in Rioja?
1899
What is a mallas?
wire cages on Rioja bottles- were originally in response to fraud
When did Rioja’s Consejo Regulador form?
- First in Spain
What is the major city in Navarra?
Pampolona
Who created the special bottling Cosme Palacio y Hermanos Reserva Especial?
Michel Rolland, 1987
he was brought to Spain by Bodega Palacios
What year did Rioja become a DOCa?
1991
Rioja Alavesa is centered around what main town?
San Vicente de la Sonsierra
What set of mountains is a defining feature of Rioja Oriental’s landscape?
Yerga Mountains
What is the largest DO of Aragon? What is the prominent grape there?
Calatayud
Grenache most important
What is the capital city of Aragon?
Zaragoza
Producers located in Haro’s station quarter
LdH
Gomez Cruzado
Muga
CVNE
The Jalón River flows through what DO? What river does it pour into?
Calatayud DO
Ebro River
The Moncayo Massif is a prominent feature in what DO?
Campo do Borja DO
In Aragon
For Rioja’s Village category wines, what percentage of fruit must come from said vineyard?
Min. 85%
What is Lopez de Heredia’s youngest bottling (in terms of aging)?
Cubillo
Lopez de Heredia’s Viña Bosconia was historically made with what variety?
Pinot Noir
What vineyard does Lopez de Heredia’s Viña Gravonia come from?
Zaconia
Lopez de Heredia’s Viña Gravonia was called what historically?
Rioja Graves - changed with a 1954 law (according to wines of Northern Spain book). The website indicates that it was also called Viña Zaconia for a period of time and in special botrytis years, was released as “Sauternia”
What grapes are in Lopez de Heredia’s Viña Tondonia red?
~75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo
1890 first vintage
What is the name of Vega Sicilia’s Rioja venture? Who did they partner with?
Macán (2009 was the 1st bottling)
Partnership with Benjamin de Rothschild
What are Marques de Murrieta’s top 2 white bottlings?
Capellania - the more modern French oak edition
Castillo Ygay - the long aged American oak oxidative edition
What is the most important winery in Rioja Oriental?
Palacios Remondo/Alvaro Palacios, Alfaro
Name 2 of Bodega Lanzaga’s single vineyard sites.
La Estrada, El Velado are in Lanciego
Tabuérniga and Las Beatas are the top 2 - located in Labastida
What indigenous grape is used to produce white wine in Somontano? Red?
Alcañon (white)
Parraleta (red)
Which region in Spain was the first to be christened Denominación de Origen Calificada and in what year did this happen?
Rioja in 1991
For Rosado in Rioja, what percentage of the grapes used must be red?
25%
What three estate vineyards do Lopez de Heredia produce from?
El Bosque (Bosconia),
Tondonia
Zaconia (Gravonia)
Cubillas
What are the tiers of wine quality in Spain starting from the top?
Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)
DO Pago
Denominación de Origen (DO)
Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VCIG)
Vino de la Tierra (VdlT)
What is the standard size of a Rioja barrel?
225 liters
What are the grapes of Viña Tondonia White?
Blend of Viura, Malvasia
1890 first vintage
Grapes authorized in Rioja 2007
red: Maturana Tinta
white: Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanca, Torrontés
white foreign: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo (cannot be majority)
Rioja min abv no subzone
Rioja (without subzone designation):
Blanco/Rosado: 10.5% (11% for Reserva or Gran Reserva)
Tinto: 11.5% (12% for Reserva or Gran Reserva)
Rioja min abv w/subzone
Blanco Alta/Alavesa: 11%
Blanco Baja: 11.5%
Rosado Alta/Alavesa: 10.5%
Rosado Baja/Oriental: 11%
Tinto Alta/Alavesa: 11.5%
Tinto Baja: 12%
Rioja geographical labelling terms
Viñedo Singular (single vineyard)
Vinos de Pueblo / Vino Municipio (village wine)
Vinos de Zona
Barrio de la Estación
Rioja train station - est in 1880, helped spread the wines outside of the region. wineries set up near the station, including López de Heredia, Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE), and La Rioja Alta
Emile Peynaud Rioja
Marqués de Cáceres hired him in the 60s, advocated for use of French oak
Rioja producers using large amounts French oak
Muga- Special Selection and Torre Muga are 100% French
Roda - 100% French
Beronia- uses a mix of FR and US
American coopers popular in Rioja
Canton
Seguin Moreau
Navarra producers
Vina Zorzal
Azul y Garanza
Remelluri - where?
based in Rioja Alavesa. Was first 100% estate Rioja
Aragon produccers
Bodegas Alto Moncayo
Ldh Vina Tondonia - Red
Tempranillo (75%), Garnacho (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%), all from our own vineyards. on right bank of Ebro
Reserva ages 6 years
Gran Res ages 10 years
LdH Vina Tondonia - White
90% Viura, 10% Malvasia
Reserva ages 6 years
Gran Res ages 10 years
Viña Bosconia
Red- around 80% Tempranillo, with 15% Garnacha, remainder Mazuelo and Graciano.
Reserva ages 5 years
Gran Res ages 10 years
Viña Cubillo
Crianza
Tempranillo (65%), Garnacho (25%), Mazuelo and Graciano, the rest, all from our own vineyards.
ages 3 years
Viña Gravonia
Crianza
100% Viura
ages 4 years
Roda 1
95% Tempranillo
5% Graciano
all in French oak- 50% new
Castillo Ygay tinto
Marques de Murrieta, La Plana vineyard in Rioja Alta
85% Tempranillo
15% Mazuelo
Tempranillo ages in American Oak or 34 months, Mazuelo ages for 34 months in French oak. Blended then ages 20 more months in concrete
Torre Muga
around 75% Tempranillo, remainder is Mazuelo and Graciano
aged 16-18 months in NFO (Allier and Troncais)
Viña Ardanza
La Rioja Alta
80% Tempranillo
20% Garnacha (Rioja Oriental)
wine ages in their own American oak barrels
Viña El Pison
Bodegas y Vinedos Artadi, Rioja Alavesa
100% Tempranillo
El Pison is the vineyard, in foothills of the Cantabrian mountains
Rioja red grape requirements
min. 95% authorized red grapes (if destemmed), min. 85% authorized red grapes (if whole clusters or whole berries are used)
auth: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano, Maturana Tinta
Rioja rosé grape requirements
min. 25% combined authorized red grapes
auth: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano, Maturana Tinta
Vino Espumoso de Calidad grape requirements
same as white / rose
white 100% authorized
rose min 25% authorized red grapes
Rioja min abv
no subzone
Blanco/Rosado: 10.5% (11% for Reserva or Gran Reserva)
Tinto: 11.5% (12% for Reserva or Gran Reserva)
Rioja Alta / Alavesa min abv
blanco: 11%
rosado: 10.5%
tinto: 11.5%
Rioja Baja min abv
blanco 11.5%
rosado: 11%
tinto: 12%
Vino Espumoso de Calidad min abv
11-13%
Rioja Vinos de Pueblo requirements
Grapes must come exclusively from the municipality (but 15% from neighboring municipalities may be allowed with 10 year history working with the vineyard)
Vinification, aging, and bottling must occur within the municipality
Producers are allowed to use “Viñedos en” and a village, when all the grapes come from vineyards within the boundaries of the named location, even if vinified in another village
Rioja Vinos de Zona requirements
Grapes must come exclusively from the zone (but 15% from neighboring zones may be allowed with 10 year history working with the vineyard)
Vinification, aging, and bottling must occur within the zone
Castillo Ygay blanco
Marques de Murrieta, La Plana vineyard in Rioja Alta
97% Viura 3% Malvasia
1986 last release, bottled in 2014. Aged 252 months (21 years) in American oak then 67 in concrete
First vintage was 1917, only released 13 times in 100 years
