Spain (introduction) Flashcards

1
Q

Who founded the city of Gadir (modern Cádiz) around 1100 BCE, and what did they establish in Andalucía?

A

The Phoenicians, establishing the value of viticulture and wine as a commodity

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2
Q

How did the Phoenicians contribute to the wine trade in the eastern Mediterranean?

A

They carried grapes from the Middle East to North Africa, the Mediterranean islands, and the Iberian Peninsula, influencing the genetic ancestry of some modern Spanish grape varieties

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3
Q

Did viticulture in Spain begin with the Phoenicians?

A

No, evidence of primitive grape cultivation in Spain dates back thousands of years, and wild grapes preceded mankind in the region

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4
Q

What improvements did the Romans make to winemaking in Spain?

A

The Romans improved the fragile, large amphorae used in winemaking

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5
Q

What was the status of winemaking under the Moorish rule in Spain?

A

It remained a secondary pursuit as the Moors’ religion forbade alcohol consumption, but grapegrowing persisted for raisins and distillation for other goods

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6
Q

How did Spanish wine find its way into wines from France and Italy during Moorish rule?

A

Despite the Moors’ indifference, Spanish wine was renowned for its strength and was used as a blending component

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7
Q

What was the impact of the Catholic Church on winemaking in Spain?

A

The Church began to expand slowly, and after the Reconquista, it would come to reign in Spain, further promoting winemaking

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8
Q

How did Christopher Columbus’s voyages in 1492 benefit Spanish wine?

A

Spanish wine went forth with Spanish ships to supply the nation’s new colonies, often arriving in a deliberately rancio style

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9
Q

What was one of the first vinous exports to North America?

A

Sherry wines

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10
Q

How did the relationship between Spain and England affect the popularity of Sherry wines?

A

Despite a deteriorating relationship culminating in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Sherry became increasingly popular with the English market from the end of the 15th century onward

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11
Q

What did 17th century Spanish law do to protect Spanish wine exports like Málaga and Sherry?

A

It barred the Spanish colonies from producing their own wine, creating a captive audience for Spanish wines

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12
Q

How did Spain’s table wines compare in quality to other European wines during the 17th century?

A

Few of Spain’s table wines were of great quality, and Spain was falling behind in viticultural techniques

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13
Q

What impact did oidium and phylloxera have on French winemakers in the 1850s and 1860s?

A

They caused French winemakers to move to Rioja, Spain, seeking to continue their wine production

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14
Q

Who were the Bordeaux-trained winemakers that brought new techniques to Rioja, and what did they introduce?

A

Marqués de Riscal and Marqués de Murrieta introduced grape varieties from the Médoc, barrique aging, and estate bottling

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15
Q

What significant alteration did Spaniards make to the Bordeaux technique of barrique aging?

A

They used American oak (Quercus alba) instead of French oak, due to Spain’s history of transatlantic colonial trade

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16
Q

Which traditionalist Rioja wineries were established in the latter half of the 19th century?

A

López de Heredia, CVNE, La Rioja Alta, and Berceo

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17
Q

What notable development occurred in the second half of the 19th century in Spanish sparkling wine production?

A

The birth of Spanish traditional method sparkling wine—champaña, now known as Cava—at San Sadurní d’Anoia

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18
Q

What major event affected Spanish vineyards at the dawn of the 20th century?

A

The arrival of phylloxera in Rioja

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19
Q

What were the Consejos Reguladores, and when were they established?

A

They were regulatory councils established in the 1930s for major wine regions like Rioja, Jerez, and Málaga to focus on quality

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20
Q

How did Francisco Franco’s fascist regime impact Spanish winemaking?

A

It suppressed economic freedom and hindered winemakers, leading to a dark period for wine until Franco’s death in 1975

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21
Q

What significant winemaking advances occurred in Spain during the 1960s?

A

Miguel Torres introduced stainless steel and temperature-controlled fermentations to Catalonia

22
Q

When were the Denominación de Origen regulations approved for Rioja?

A

1970

23
Q

How did Spain’s wine industry respond after Franco’s death in 1975?

A

There was a celebration and diversification of regional cultures, with many winegrowing regions being reborn

24
Q

What characterizes Spanish winemaking today?

A

A diverse mix of experimental, modern, and traditional techniques, with adaptable wine laws

25
Q

When did phylloxera arrive in Rioja, Spain?

A

Near the dawn of the 20th century

26
Q

What measures did Spain take to focus on wine quality in the 1930s?

A

Consejos Reguladores were established for Rioja, Jerez, and Málaga

27
Q

How did the rise of fascism under Francisco Franco impact Spanish winemaking?

A

The suppression of economic freedom hindered winemakers, leading to a dark period for wine that lasted until Franco’s death in 1975

28
Q

What technological advances did Miguel Torres introduce to Catalonia in the 1960s?

A

Stainless steel and temperature-controlled fermentations

29
Q

When were the Denominación de Origen regulations approved for Rioja?

A

1970

30
Q

How did Spain respond to its newfound freedom after Franco’s death in 1975?

A

Spanish wine regions were reborn, and young vignerons celebrated regional identities through modern techniques

31
Q

What characterizes Spain’s winemaking approach today?

A

A diverse mix of experimental, modern, and traditional winemaking techniques, with adaptable wine laws

32
Q

What are the two highest tiers of quality wine in Spain, equivalent to the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) status?

A

Denominación de Origen (DO) and Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)

33
Q

When were the first DOs awarded in Spain?

A

1932

34
Q

What is Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VCIG) in Spain, and how is it categorized in the EU’s appellation scheme?

A

VCIG is a steppingstone to DO and is considered DOP in the new European appellation scheme

35
Q

What is the lowest level of quality wine in Spain, and how is it classified in the EU’s scheme?

A

Vino de la Tierra (VdlT), classified under the EU’s Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) scheme

36
Q

What does DO Pago (Vinos de Pago) represent in Spanish wine classification?

A

A theoretically superior appellation to the basic DO, for individual estates that surpass basic DO requirements

37
Q

What must an estate demonstrate to apply for DO Pago status?

A

International critical praise and a decade’s worth of quality production

38
Q

Why is interest in DO Pagos notably absent in Spain’s top quality appellations like Rioja and Ribera del Duero?

A

Producers in these regions have nothing to gain from distancing themselves from a well-known brand

39
Q

What are the aging designations generally eligible for Spanish DO wines?

A

Joven, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva

40
Q

What is the issue with aging designations for Spanish DO wines?

A

They are not an indication to quality.

41
Q

What is the aging requirement for red wines labeled Crianza?

A

Minimum 2 years of aging, at least 6 months in oak

42
Q

What is the aging requirement for white wines labeled Crianza?

A

Minimum 18 months aging, at least 6 months in oak

43
Q

What is the aging requirement for red wines labeled Reserve?

A

Minimum 3 years aging, 1 year in oak

44
Q

What is the aging requirement for white wines labeled Reserva?

A

Minimum 2 years aging, at least 6 months in oak

45
Q

What is the aging requirement for red wines labeled Gran Reserva?

A

Minimum 5 years of aging, at least 18 months in oak.

46
Q

What is the aging requirement for white wines labeled Gran Reserva?

A

Minimum 4 years of aging, 6 months in oak

47
Q

DOP wines may use what additional aging terminology?

A

Noble, Anejo, Viejo

48
Q

What is the aging requirement of Noble?

A

Min. 18 months aging in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle

49
Q

What is the aging requirement of Anejo?

A

Min. 24 months aging in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle

50
Q

What is the aging requirement of Viejo?

A

Min. 36 months aging, demonstrates marked oxidative character