Spain / Portugal Flashcards
What soil is present in Jerez and what are its characteristics?
Albariza - with high chalk that drains well
Which grape variety when grown on low yielding old vines gives Priorat wines intensity and complexity?
Garnacha Tinta
Which sub region of Rioja produces the lightest wines due to its altitude?
Rioja Alavesa
What is the dominant black grape variety in Bairrada?
Baga
What is the typical modern vine training method in Vinho Verde?
Spur pruned VSP
Which black grape variety is added to high quality Rioja blends in small amounts to give black fruit aromas, acidity and tannin?
Graciano
In Spain, how many months of total ageing (oak plus bottle) does Red Gran Reserva require by law?
60
In Alentejo the red wines tend to be a blend of Aragones (Tempranillo) and which other grape variety that gives spicy red berry characters?
Trincadeira
Where is Toro located?
Subregion in the Duero Valley
What is the Poniente?
A cool westerly wind in Jerez
In which subregion are significant amounts of Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay grown?
Penedes
Which two black grape varieties are permitted in the production of Rosé Cava?
Garnacha and Monastrell
What describes a typical Albariño wine?
A dry wine with high acid and flavours of lemon and apricot
What is the climate of Vinho Verde in Portugal?
Moderate maritime
Which Portuguese region is known for making deeply coloured wines made from the grape Alfrocheiro?
Dão
Which region is known for growing grapes for Port, but also makes unfortified red wines?
Douro
Which Portuguese region has the warmest climate?
Alentejo
What are the climate and weather characteristics of Jerez?
A hot Mediterranean climate with high rainfall
What is the climate of the Bairrada region?
Moderate maritime
True or False: Ribero del Duero is a DO for red and rose wines only.
True
In Spain, how many months in barrel does a Reserva Red wine require?
12
What types of wine does Rueda produce?
Mainly white wines
How many white varieties are approved for use in a white Rioja?
8
Which region is known for its old vine Garnacha and Carinena?
Priorat
What are Vinos de Pagos:
Wines from a single estate with a high reputation
What is the largest Vinho Regional region in terms of production?
Alentejano VR
Which high tannin and colour grape variety is used in blends in Alentejo?
Alicante Bouschet
In which region is Pinot Noir one of the most planted grape varieties?
Penedes
What is the Levante?
A hot easterly wind
Age requirement for red Rioja Reserva
36 months total. 12 months min in barrel
Describe the profile of Rioja Reserva
36 total months will promote controlled oxidation, leading to tertiary character like: leather, earth, mushroom.
12 months of barrel aging will promote secondary aromas of vanilla, cedar, smoke, oak, etc.
Aging requirements of Rioja Joven
No minimum aging requirements
Describe the profile of Rioja Joven
Vibrant primary fruit flavors and aromas - no barrel aging there will be no promotion of secondary or tertiary character
What is the climate of Ribera del Duero?
Warm continental, hot and dry summers, very cold winters (high continentality)
How are the wines from Ribera del Duero made?
Long maceration period to accentuate flavors and tannins, aged in French or American oak
What mountains is Rioja Alavesa in?
Cantabrian Mountains
How many months in oak is Gran Reserva Rioja required?
24
What are 4 main grape varieties of Rioja?
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo
Describe Tempranillo
Thick skinned, low/medium acidity, red fruits (strawberry cherry). Base of most Rioja blends
Describe Garnacha
Hi alcohol, early maturing, light in color with red fruits, sweet spices (clove), pungent spice (white pepper). Used for blending to add alcohol
Describe Graciano
Dark colored, high in tannin and acidity, black fruits, used to add seasoning to blend as it is exotic, spicy, and perfumed
Describe Mazuelo
Also known as Carignan, high in color, tannin, and acidity. Dark fruited and used to add body and richness to a blend
Describe the climate of the Douro Valley
Broadly warm continental with large diurnal swings - shielded from the Atlantic by the Serra do Marao. However there are differences from Baixo Corgo (cooler/wetter) tot he Douro Superior (warmer/drier)
What does Socalcos mean?
Traditional narrow terraces supported by stone walls that are expensive to maintain with no mechanization prossible
What does Patamares means?
More modern terraces w/out retaining walls to allow some mechanization, often following the contours of the land
Explain the product method that makes Port sweet
The grapes are fermented in lagares for around 24-36 hours to obtain 5-9% alcohol, fortification happens with a spirit called aguardente at around 77% abv. Adding this kills the yeast, stopping fermentation early leaving residual sugar.
List 4 techniques that winemakers commonly used to maximize extraction
- Foot Treading
- Autovinifiers
- Robotic Lagars
- Piston Plungers
How does maturation affect Port?
Initially the wine will have Primary fruit characters such as concentrated black fruit, and sweet spice. As the the intense phenolics dissipate it will develop into tertiary characters such as dried fruit, leather, forest floor, meat, and tobacco
Why does port have such heavy sediment?
The wines are bottled unfit and unfiltered, they are allowed to age in bottle and tannin breaks down giving a heavy sediment
What does flor yeast need to thrive?
Flor needs precise levels of alcohol (15%, cannot go above 15.5%), temperature, and humidity. It favors cool to moderate temperatures with high humidity.
