Spain - General Flashcards
What are the aging requirements for red wine in Rioja? List the aging requirements for each designation
Red Wine
Crianza - 2 years, 1 year in oak
Reserva - 3 years, 1 year in oak, 6 months in bottle
Gran Reserva - 5 years, 2 years in oak, 2 years in bottle
What are the aging requirements for white wine in Rioja? List the aging requirements for each designation
White Wine
Crianza - 18 months, 6 months in oak
Reserva - 2 years, 6 months in oak
Gran Reserva - 4 years, 6 months in oak
What are the aging requirements Crianza wine in Rioja and Ribera del Duero? List the aging requirements for both red and white
Crianza
Red - 2 years, 1 year in oak
White - 18 months, 6 months in oak
What are the aging requirements Reserva wine in Rioja and Ribera del Duero? List the aging requirements for both red and white
Reserva Red - 3 years total 1 year in oak
+ RIOJA HAS 6 months in bottle
Reserva White - 2 years, 6 months in oak
What are the aging requirements Gran Reserva wine in Rioja and Ribera del Duero? List the aging requirements for both red and white
Gran Reserva Red
5 years, 2 years in oak
+ RIOJA has 2 years in bottle
White - 4 years, 6 months in oak
What are the aging designations and requirements for white/rosado wine in general throughout Spain?
Crianza - White/Rosado 18 months (1.5 years) of aging 6 months in bottle
Reserva - White/Rosado
2 years of aging
6 months in bottle
Gran Reserva - White/Rosado
4 years of aging
6 months in bottle
What are the aging designations and requirements for red wine in general throughout Spain?
Crianza - Red
2 years of aging
6 months in bottle
Reserva - Red
3 years of aging
1 year in bottle
Gran Reserva - Red
5 years of aging
18 months in bottle
What are the only 2 DOCa’s in Spain?
DOCa Denominación de Origen Calificada
There are only 2 wine regions recognized as DOCa: Rioja and Priorat.
What does DOCa mean in Spain?
DOCa Denominación de Origen Calificada
A step above the DO category recognizing the top quality wine regions in Spain.
What are the aging requirements for Crianza wine in general throughout Spain? List the aging requirements for both red and white
Red - 2 years of aging, 6 months in oak
White - 1.5 years of aging, 6 months in oak
Which regions have their own aging requirements?
Rioja, Ribera del Duero.
The aging requirements are the same for both except Rioja Tinto requires bottle aging:
- Rioja Reserva - 6 months
- Rioja Gran Reserva - 2 years
What are the aging requirements for Riserva wine in general throughout Spain? List the aging requirements for both red and white
Red - 3 years of aging, 1 year in oak
White - 2 years of aging, 6 months in oak
What are the aging requirements for Gran Riserva wine in general throughout Spain? List the aging requirements for both red and white
Red - 5 years of aging, 18 months in oak
White - 4 years of aging, 6 months in oak
What year were the Spanish DOP laws established?
1932
What is Tempranillo called in Ribera del Duero?
Tinto de Pais and Tinto Fino
What is Tempranillo called in Rueda and Toro?
Tinto de Toro
What is Tempranillo called in La Mancha & Valdepeñas?
Cencibel
What is Cencibel?
Tempranillo
What is Tinto de Pais?
Tempranillo
What are the differences between the aging requirements for Rioja & Ribera del Duero?
Rioja requires bottling aging.
Reserva - 6 months in bottle
Gran Riserva - 2 years in bottle
What is another name for the Viura grape?
Macabeo
What is another name for the Macabeo grape?
Viura
What is the most widely planted grape varietal in Spain? (White or Red)
Airén
Which wine regions are recognized as DOCa?
Rioja - 1991
Priorat - 2009
What region is Bodegas López de Heredia located in?
Rioja Alta in Rioja
What are the aging requirements for a DOP wine labeled Noble?
Noble: 18 months aging in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle
What are the aging requirements for a DOP wine labeled Añejo?
Añejo: 24 months aging in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle
What are the aging requirements for a DOP wine labeled Viejo?
Viejo: 36 months aging in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle, demonstrates marked oxidative character
What is the name of the raised plateau in the center of Spain?
Meseta Central
True or False. Producers may age white and rosado Crianza wines in a non-oxidative environment like stainless steel.
True. Producers may age white and rosado Crianza wines in a non-oxidative environment like stainless steel.
True or False. Producers may age white and rosado Riserva wines in a non-oxidative environment like stainless steel.
False. Only for Crianza.
What are the names of the mountains that create a rain shadow for the wine regions in North Central Spain?
NE Border - Pyrenees Mountains along the border with France creates a rain shadow.
NW Border - Cantabrian Mountains
SW Border - Iberian Chain Mountains
What are the names of the wine regions in North Central Spain?
LAN - La Rioja, Aragón and Navarra
What percentage of the 5 authorized red grapes are required in La Rioja red wines?
Minimum 95% of 5 authorized red grapes (if destemmed), minimum 85% of 5 authorized red grapes (if whole clusters or whole berries are used). “Experimental” grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon may make up the remainder.
What are the 5 authorized grapes are required to make up the majority of La Rioja Red wines?
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo (Carignan) Graciano, Maturana Tinta (authorized for Rioja in 2007)
What are the only white grapes permitted in white blends in La Rioja?
Viura—known elsewhere as Macabéo—is the dominant white grape. Chardonnay, Tempranillo Blanco, Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo, along with Viura, are the only white grapes permitted in blends
What are the 5 white grapes permitted in white blends in La Rioja?
Viura—known elsewhere as Macabéo—is the dominant white grape. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo Blanco, and Verdejo and Viura, are the only white grapes permitted in blends.
What percentage of authorized grapes are required in La Rioja Rosado wines?
Rosado wines require a minimum 25% of the 5 previously mentioned primary red grapes of Rioja.
What percentage of authorized grapes are required in La Rioja white wines?
100% authorized white grapes
What are the 3 subzones of La Rioja?
Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental
What are the characteristics of the wines from each of the 3 subzones of La Rioja?
Rioja Alta - Acidity and structure
Rioja Alavesa - Freshness
Rioja Oriental - Extract and alcoholic warmth
What is the category called for Traditional Method Sparkling Wine in Rioja?
Vino Espumoso de Calidad
What are the vinification requirements for Vino Espumoso de Calidad?
Vino Espumoso de Calidad - The category for traditional method sparkling wine requires the following:
- Grapes must be hand-harvested
- The entire winemaking process must take place at the same facility (that is, it cannot be moved at any stage of the process).
- Brut Nature, Extra Brut, and Brut styles are allowed
- No additions, coloring or filtration at any point throughout the production
- The Transfer Method is approved for bottle sizes smaller than 750 ml and larger than 3L
What are the 3 categories for Vino Espumoso de Calidad? What are the minimum lees aging requirements?
Vino Espumoso - Minimum of 15 months lees aging
Reserve - Minimum of 24 months lees aging
Vino Espumoso Gran Añada - Minimum of 36 months lees aging. 100% from a single vintage, and state the vintage on the label.
What are the authorized grapes are required to make up the majority of La Rioja Red wines?
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano, Maturana Tinta (authorized for Rioja in 2007)
What are the 5 authorized grapes are required to make up the majority of La Rioja Rosado wines?
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano, Maturana Tinta (authorized for Rioja in 2007)
What major changes happened to Rioja’s classification system in 2018?
Vino Espumoso de Calidad - A new category for Traditional Method Sparkling Wine. Any Sparkling Blanco or Rosado must follow the same assemblage requirements as still Blanco and Rosado wines.
Viñedos Singulares Labeling - As of 2018, producers may register their Viñedos Singulares and print official single vineyard names on their labels.
Where in Spain is the ancestral home of the Carignan/Mazuelo grape? Name the region, autonomía and subzone or DO.
Region: North Central Spain
in the Cariñena DO
Spain’s long-standing delimited zones (dating to 1932), is the ancestral home of the Carignan/Mazuelo grape
Which DO is one of Spain’s longest-standing delimited zones? Name the region, autonomía and subzone or DO.
Cariñena DO is one of Spain’s long-standing delimited zones (dating to 1932)
What is Spain’s largest autonomía?
Castilla y León, or Old Castile, is Spain’s largest autonomía.
How many autonomías does Green Spain have? What are they?
4 total. Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and País Vasco (Basque Country)