Spain (Minus Sherry) Flashcards
What does DO stand for?
- Denomination de Origen
- equivalent to AOP, and DOC
- Each district has it’s own Consejo Regulador to monitor quality.
What are DO Pagos?
- Aka Vino de Pagos
- VPs are single-estate appellations. If the VP is located within an existing DO, VP appellation requirements must be stricter than those of the larger DO. Estates may apply for a VP after 10 years of production. Wines must be estate-bottled.
What does DOCa stand for?
- Denominacion de Origen Calificada
- higher that DO, similar to DOCG
- ONLY 2
- Rioja
- Priorat
What was the first vino de Pago?
- Dominio de Valdepusa
- Located in Castilla-La Mancha
Name the DOCa’s of Spain and when they were established?
- Rioja = 1991
- Priorat = 2009
What does VC stand for?
- Vino de Calidad Con Indicacion Geografica
What level of quality is “Vino” in Spain?
- The Bottom tier
- Variety and vintage may appear on the label.
What level of quality is Vino de la Tiera (VdIT), and what is the new EU name for the category?
- “Vino con Indicación Geográfica Protegida”
- Above Vino, below DO
- EU reform in 2016
What is the mid level of quality called in Spanish wine law?
- Vino de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica
What is a Vino de Pago Calificado?
- This category exists to cover future VPs that may arise inside DOCa zones.
How long must Joven wine age for?
- R/W
- “Young wine”
- Undergone little, if any oak aging
- IN rioja, Vino Joven = Generico
How long must Crianza wines age for?
- Crianza Red
- 2 yrs
- with min. 6 mo. in cask
- Crianza White
- 18 mo.
- 6 mo. in cask
How long must Reserva wines age for?
- Reserva Red
- 3 yrs
- min. 1 yr in oak
- Reserva White
- 2 yrs
- min. 6 mo in oak
How long must Gran Reserva wines age for?
- Gran Reserva Red
- 5 yrs
- min. 18 mo in oak
- Gran Reserva White
- 4 yrs
- min. 6 mo in oak
How do aging requirements differ in Rioja?
-
Regular:
- Crianza
- 2 yrs
- min. 6 mo in oak
- Reserva
- 3 yrs
- Min. 1 yr in oak
- Gran Reserva
- 5 yrs
- min. 18 mo in oak
- Crianza
-
RIOJA DOCA
- Crianza
- 2 yrs
- 1 yr in oak
- Reserva
- 3 yrs
- 1 year in oak
- 6 mo in bottle
- Gran Reserva
- 5 yrs
- min. 2 yrs in oak
- min. 1 yr in bottle
- Crianza
When a wine is Noble, how long has it been aged for?
Min. 18 months in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle
When a wine is Anjeo, how long has it been aged for?
Min. 2 yrs in a cask of less than 600 L or bottle
If a wine is labeled Viejo, how long has it been aged for?
Minimum 36 months and demonstrates marked oxidative character
Which wine making regions are located in Galicia?
- Rias Biaxas
- Valdeorras
- Ribera Sacra
- Ribiero
- Monterrei

What are 5 the subregions of Rias Baixas?
- Val Do Salnes
- Ribeira do Ulla
- O Rosal
- blending grape: Loureira
- Condado do Tea
- blending grape: Treixadura (vinho verde grape)
- Soutomaior

What is the major grape of Rias Baixas?
- Albarino!
How are the vines trained in Rias Baixas?
- Trained high on pergolas!
- Historically allowed farmers to plant additional crops under the vines
- including cabbage

If a wine is labeled “Rias Baixas”, what does this indicate?
- The wine will be 100% varietal Albarino
Tasting notes of Albarino
- Color:
- Pale to med color, with hints of gold and green
- Nose
- Aromatic with notes of lime, apple, white peach, LOTS OF PEACH. almonds, honeysuckle, orange blossom and jasmine. Sour cream. Sometimes leesy.
- Palate
- med body
- High sitrusy acidity
- Dry/ pithy mineral finish
- phenolic bitterness
- Oak absent
- “Often arived at by exlusion”
What types of still wine are produced in Valdeorras?
- White: 100% Godello
- Red: Mencia (min. 85%)
What is Galicia’s primarily Red wine DO, and what do they produce?
- Ribeira Sacar
- Mencia!!
- Known for impossibly steep teraces.
- Warmer and more continental than Rias Baixas.
What grape varietals do you find in Galicia?
- White:
- Albarino
- Godello (Verdelho)
- Loureira
- Torrontes
- Treixadura
- Reds
- Mencia
- Caino Tinto
What is the primary soil type of Galicia?
Granite!
What river runs through and influences Galicia?
- The Mino
- in portugla = Minho
What is the climate of Galicia, and what are the influences?
- Maritime to Continental (Inner)
- Off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean
- Much greener and cooler than the rest of Spain
- Lush vegetation and dense forests.
- Off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean
- Mino River
Which wine making regions belong to Castilla y Leon?
- Ribera del Duero**
- Toro**
- Rueda**
- Bierzo**
- Tierra de Leon
- Arribes
- Tierra del Vino de Zamora
- Arlanza
- Cigales

What is the general climate of Castilla y Leon?
- Continental
- located on the Maseta Central
What river runs through Castilla y Leon?
- Duero River

What is produced in Bierzo?
- Mostly Mencia!
- light and refreshing reds
- Can be soft and fuity
- or more concentrated and powerful
- Som grenache blends here too.
What is the climate of Bierzo?
- Similar to Galicia
- cooler and wetter than the other Castilla y Leon DOs
- Generally, Continental
Do the ageing requirements differ in Ribera de Duero from the rest of Spain?
- Yes!
- They are much like Rioja, without the Mandatory bottle aging (R)
- Crianza = 2 yrs, 1 yr in oak
- Reserva = 3 yrs, 1 yr in oak
- Gran Reserva = 5 yrs, 2 in oak
Which producer based in Priorat first brought Bierzo recognition?
- Alvaro Palacios
- Descendientes de José Palacios
- joint project with Nephew
- Biodynamic, old vine, highly extracted mencia wines from schist soils!
- Descendientes de José Palacios

What is the climate of Ribero del Duero?
- HOT CONTINTENTAL
Name three important producers in Ribera del Duero?
- Vega Sicilia
- Dominio de Pingus
- Tinto Pesquera
What grapes are allowed in Ribera del Duero?
- Tempranillo Dominated
- aka Tinta del Pais/ Tinto Fino
- Garnacha
- Malbec
- Merlot
- Cab Sauv
- Albillo Mayor (w)
What is the blend of Ribera del Duero?
- Min. 75% Tempranillo
- The rest of any other permitted grapes
- Max 5 % albillo
- added to soften the blend
What is the soil in Ribera del Duero?
- Silt and Clay, on alternating layers of limestone, marl and chalk
What style of wine reinvigorated Rueda?
- Verdejo based white wines!
Which producer invested in Rueda and changed the style of white wine from oxidative to fresh and crisp?
- Marques de Riscal
- Rioja Winery
- Modern wine making techniques ensure freshness and acidity.
What varietals are planted in Rueda?
- White
- Verdejo
- Sauv. Blanc
- Palomino
- Viura (Macabeo)
- Red
- Tempranillo
- Cab Sauv.
- Merlot
- Grenache
- Syrah
What is the typical blend of the wines made in Rueda?
- White
- Verdejo
- +SB, Palomino, Viura
- Verdejo
- Red
- Min. 75% Tempranillo
When did Ribero del Deuro become a DO?
1982
What are the climate moderators of Rioja?
- Mountains
- Pyrenees to the NE
- Cantabrian Mountains to the NW
- Ebro River
- Oja Tributaries
What wine making regions are located within North Central Spain?
- La Rioja
- Rioja DOCa
- Narvarro
- Aragon

What are the 3 subzones of Rioja DOCa?
- Rioja Alta
- Rioja Alavesa
- Rioja Baja (Historically Oriental)

How far is Rioja from Bordeaux?
- About 200 miles
- distance from Queens to Syracuse (4 hrs by car)
What is the climate of Rioja?
Continental
What varietals are produced in Rioja?
- Red
- Tempranillo
- Grenache
- Graciano
- Mazuelo (Carinena)
- White
- Viura (Macabeo)
- Malvasia
- Garnacha Blanca
- Chardonna
- SB
- Verdejo
What is the traditional blend of a red Rioja?
- If not de-stemmed:
- 85%
- Tempranillo
- Mazuelo
- Garnacha
- Graciano
- The rest
- “Experimental grapes”
- ex. Cab Sauv
- “Experimental grapes”
- 85%
- If destemmed, the above moves to 95%
What is the primary white varietal in Rioja?
Viura
What is the capital city of Rioja?
Haro
Where in Rioja are the most famous wines found?
- Rioja Alta
- Slightly warmer, more continental
- rich iron soil
Which sub-region of Rioja is actually located in Basque country?
Rioja Alavesa
Which or Rioja’s subregions is the hottest?
- Rioja baja
- farthest inland.
In which Rioja subregion is historically regarded as a source for garnacha?
Rioja baja
Taste Profile of Rioja Tempranillo
- Color
- Pale in color, brick red or garnet with bronzing rim
- Nose
- dusty, with notes of cooked strawbery, tobacco leaf, game, nuts, leather, soft spice and vanilla and coconut from American Oak
- Palate
- Med body
- Med- Acidity
- Med Alcohol
- Ripe and silky tannin
- Spicy/ savory finish.
- Compared to Ribera
- lighter in color and body, lower acidity, alochol and tannin
- Red, rather than black fruit
Where is 95% of cava produced?
Penedes!
What are the wine making regions in Catalunya?
- Penedes DO***
- Montsant DO***
- Priorat DOQ***
- Alella DO
- Catalunya DO
- Cava DO***
- Conca de Barberà DO
- Costers del Segre DO
- Empordà DO
- Pla de Bages DO
- Tarragona DO
- Terra Alta DO

When was Vino Espumoso de Calidad established in Rioja, and what are the laws?
- 2018
- To be labeled as such, the grapes must be hand-harvested
- entire winemaking process must take place at the same facility
- Brut Nature, Extra Brut, and Brut styles are allowed.
- Aging
- Vino Espumoso requires a minimum of 15 months lees aging
- Reserve 24 mo
- Gran Reserve 36 mo
Which region in Spain is a “stone’s throw” away from Roussilon in france?
Catalunya!

What is the soil in Priorat?
- Llicorella
- a mix of black slate and quartzite, characterizes the best vineyards, requiring vines to dig deeply for water

What is the climate in Priorat?
- HOT Mediterranean!
- if unchecked, alcohol can reach 18%
Which region in Spain is the heat so extreme that wine can reach 18% alcohol if unchecked?
Priorat
When sparkling wine came to Spain, where did it debut?
Catalunya
Who brought stainless steel fermentation to Spain?
Miguel Torres - 1960s
Introduced in Catalonia
What are the main grapes of Priorat?
- Garnacha
- Carinena
How did Rene Barbier shape the future of Priorat wines?
- Wine maker for Alvaro Palacios
- Planted a mix of local and french grapes in the licorella soils in 1979
- Convinced Palacios & others to join him
- in 1989, they cooporitively produced and released the first effort
- a single red wine bottled under five different labels
- brought attention to Priorat
- Created the “Five Clos”
What are the “5 Clos” of Priorat?
- Clos Mogoador
- Barbier’s
- Clos Dofi
- Palacios’
- Clos Erasmus
- Clos de l’Obac
- Costers del Siurana
- Clos Martinet
Name to important producers in Priorat?
- Rene Barbier
- Alvaro Palacios
What is the circular region that surrounds Priorat, and what is it known for?
- Montsant
- Known as Value Priorat
- garnacha and carinena wines

What are the grapes approved for Cava production?
- Recommended
- Xarel-lo
- Macabeo
- Parallada
- Authorized White
- Chardonnay
- Malvasia
- Authorized Red
- Garnacha
- Monastrel
- PN
- Trepat
Does Cava DO cover a region or a style?
- A Region
- Cava can be produced all over spain, provided the approved grapes are used and it is traditional method.
What is a gyropallet?
- A machine for riddling bottles of wine more efficiently than a human
- Takes 1 week
- VS min. 6 weeks by hand.
- Holds 504 bottles
T/F. Rose cava is always blended?
FALSE
- NEVER BLENDED
- Vinified into rose during fermentation
What are the subzones of Penedes, and what is grown there?
- Baix-Penedes
- Garnacha (Garnatxa) and Monastrell are planted here, producing high-alcohol red and rosado wines, which have replaced the sweet fortified reds popular in the past
- Medio-Penedes
- Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo) thrives here.
- Alt-Penedes
- one of Europe’s highest elevation wine regions
- Parellada produced here!
What is the birthplace of Cava, and which subzone of Penedes is it in?
- San Sadurní d’Anoia
- Alt Penedes

When was Cava introduced to Spain, and by whom?
Jose Raventós of Codorníu introduced método tradicional sparkling winemaking to Spain, in 1872
T/F Lees Aging for Cava is the same as in Champagne?
FALSE
- Normale: 9 mo. on lees
- Reserva: 15 mo. on lees
- Gran Reserva: 30 mo. on lees
Who are the 2 largest Cava producers?
- Freixinet = #1
- Cordoniu = #2
What production method is Cava produced with?
Method traditional
What is Europe’s largest demarcated region?
La Mancha DO
(Within the Castilla - La Mancha Region)

What are the top 2 planted white grapes in the world?
- Chardonnay = #1
- Airen = #2
- only found in spain, gets most of its acreage from La Mancha
- destined for distillation for brandy
- only found in spain, gets most of its acreage from La Mancha
What other names does Tempranillo go by, and where will you find those names?
- Tinto de Toro = TORO
- Tinto Fino/ Tinto del Pais = RIBERA DEL DUERO
- Ull de Llibre = CATALUNYA
- Cencibel = LA MANCHA
When did Phylloxera hit Spain?
Beginning of the 1900s
40-50 yrs after the French came to Spain (avoiding their own phyl crisis)
What are the DOs of Basque Country/ Pais Vasco?
- Getariako Txakolina,
- Bizkaiko Txakolina
- Arabako Txakolina.
What is the primary wine produced in Basque Country, and from what grape?
- Wines from all three DOs may be white, red, or rosado, but the white wines, produced from the native Ondarrabi Zuri grape, are predominant.
- Low alcohol, highly acidic, lightly efforvescent wines
How many DOs are located on the Canary Islands?
10!
What are the DOs of the Canary Islands?
- Five are located on the island of Tenerife
- La Palma
- El Hierro
- Gran Canaria
- La Gomera
- Lanzarote.

What is the soil type of the Canary Islands, and what is special about their viticulture?
- Volcanic Soil
- EXTREMELY OLD VINES
- Untouched by Phylloxera
- They dug holes and surrounded by walls of rocks to protect the saplings from harsh wind
