Spain - Galicia and Basque Country

Question 1

Rias Baixas DO

Answer 1

Borders to the north of Portugal

Maritime climate near the Atlantic coast, with wet winters and sea fogs. High rainfall and mild temperatures

Frost, hailstorms and summer heats can also cause problems

Question 2

Rias Baixas Albarino

Answer 2

Wines with Rias Baixas Albarino on the label must be made from Albarino grapes only

Question 3

Classis Albarino

Answer 3

These wines tend to show stone fruit and citrus flowers, with the suggestion of bubble gum and good minerality

Nearly 90% of the vineyard acreage in Rias Baixas is devoted to Albarino

Usually no use of oak of malolactic fermentation and the wines are drunk young up to three years. However, there is an increasing number of producers experimenting with oak, blends and aged wines.

Question 4

Rias Baixas sub regions

Answer 4

Ribeiro do Ulla
Val do Salnes
Soutomaior
Condado do Tea
O Rosal

Question 5

Ribeiro do Ulla and Val do Salnes wines must contain?

Answer 5

Min of 70% of the recommended varieties:
Albarino
Loureiro
Treixadura
Caino Blanco

Question 6

O Rosal wines must contain?

Answer 6

Min of 70% combined Albariño and Loureira

Question 7

Codado do Tea wines must contain?

Answer 7

Min of 70% combined Albariño and Treixadura

Question 8

Red grape varieties of Rias Baixas

Answer 8

Recommended:
Caiño Tinto, Espadeiro, Loureira Tinta, Sousón

Authorized: Mencía, Brancellao

Question 9

White grape varieties of Rias Baixas

Answer 9

Recommended:
Albariño, Loureira, Treixadura, Caiña Blanca

Authorized:
Torrontés, Godello

Question 10

Ribeiro DO

Answer 10

Located along the Mino River to the east of Rias Baixas

Question 11

Vino Tostado

Answer 11

A wine made from dried grapes, a local specialty from Ribeiro DO

Vino Tostado Blanco:
Treixadura, Loureiro, Torrontés, Albariño, Godello

Vino Tostado Tinto: Caiño, Ferrón, Brancellao, Mencía, Sousón

Min of 6 months ageing in oak or cherry cask and at least 3 months in bottle

Drying process for grapes must last a min. of 3 months

Min. residual sugar: 120 g/l

Question 12

Ribeiro Vino Espuma

Answer 12

White grapes:
Treixadura, Torrontés, Godello, Lado, Loureira, Albariño, Caiño Blanco

Red grapes:
Caiño Tinto (also known as Caiño Bravo or Caiño Longo), Ferrón, Sousón, Brancellao, Mencía

Wines may Brut (maximum of 12 g/l) or Brut Nature (maximum of 3 g/l)

No minimum time on lees has been established

Question 13

Ribeira Sacra DO

Answer 13

The “Sacred bank”, named for its large concentration of churches is located further inland an upriver from Ribeiro

Steeply terraced slopes recall the beter known regions of the northern Rhone.

The better reds and white wines are based on Mencia, Treixadura and Godello

Question 14

Ribeira Sacra sub region

Answer 14

Amandi
Chantada
Quiroga-Bibei
Riberas do Sil
Riberas do Mino

Question 15

Valdeorras DO

Answer 15

Galicia’s eastern district. Red and rosé wines are produced, fromMencia & Garnacha but the region’s best wines are white wines based on the Godello varietal.

Question 16

Monterrei DO

Answer 16

A small region and the southernmost DO of Galicia at the boarder of Portugal. A region with only a handful of wineries

Question 17

Getariako Txakolina DO

Answer 17

Wines from all three DOs may be white, red, or rosado,
but the white wines, produced from the native Ondarrabi Zuri grape, are predominant.

Getariako is the largest zone producing some of the best wines Ondarrabi Zuri (Hondarribi Zuri) accounts for 95% of vineyard plantings, with the remaining planted to Ondarrabi Beltza, the preferred local red variety.

Question 18

Bizkaiko Txakolina DO

Answer 18

Wines from all three DOs may be white, red, or rosado,

but the white wines, produced from the native Ondarrabi Zuri grape, are predominant.

Question 19

Arabako Txakolina DO

Answer 19

Wines from all three DOs may be white, red, or rosado,

but the white wines, produced from the native Ondarrabi Zuri grape, are predominant.

Question 20

Classic Txakoli wines

Answer 20

White wines are low in alcohol, around 10.5% have good acidity, and retain a light effervescence (fizz).

Txakoli wines should be drunk young.

Question 21

Ojo de Gallo

Answer 21

The traditional red wine from Txakoli made from Ondarrabi Zuri and Ondarrabi Beltza (min 50%)