Spain: Regions Flashcards
Who is the largest producer in Rías Baixas?
Martín Códax
What kind of climate does Rías Baixas have?
Maritime, with warm summers and mild winters. Rainfall is 1700mm/yr and falls through the year.
Discuss the climate and soil of Rías Baixas as they pertain to viticulture.
The climate is very wet so the risk for fungal diseases is high. The soils, though, are sand over granite bedrock and free draining and so helps to ensure roots are not sitting in water.
Describe Albariño and why it works well in Rías Baixas.
It has thick skins that make it less prone to rot from the damp climate, and early to mid ripening which helps escape more autumn rains.
Name the sub zones of Rías Baixas.
5
Val do Salnés (oldest, most wineries; coolest and wettest)
O Rosal (more blends; border of Portugal)
Condado do Tea (inland, warmer)
Ribeira do Ulla (newest, inexpensive)
Soutomaior (smallest)
What are the most popular training systems in Rías Baixas?
Pergola (parral) with granite supports; allows for more air circulation
VSP trellising; allows for mechanization
Discuss lees usage in Albariño from Rías Baixas.
Medium priced wines and up are usually aged on the lees for 1-2 yrs or more, but are usually not stirred much so as to keep oxygen away
Describe the climate and growing conditions of Ribeiro, and the most planted grape variety.
Maritime with high rainfall but with more shelter than Rías Baixas; most planted grape is Treixadura.
What is the most important grape for Ribeira Sacra, and what are the soil types and landscape like there?
Mencía
Stony soils with very steep slopes (good drainage, conducts heat to vines; very labor intensive)
What style of wine does Ribeira make?
Fresh, easy-drinking wines from Mencía; mid-priced
What are the two important rivers in Galicia?
River Miño
River Sil
Valdeorras is located where, and is known for high quality expressions of which grape?
Eastern Galicia on the River Sil
Godello
Where is Monterrei located, and what kind of production is it most known for?
Located on the border of Portugal and sheltered by mountains for a continental climate
Inexpensive wine sold in bulk
Which region is Bierzo located in?
Castilla y León
Describe the climate of Bierzo and how it influences the wines as opposed to the same wines in Galicia.
Bierzo is more continental so warmer, but has more vintage variation because it has some exposure to the west. Wines are generally riper and fuller bodied
Describe the two general geographies in Bierzo and how they affect the wines
Flat plains in middle of region are fertile; make inexpensive wines from high yield vines
Hillside slopes with shallow, poor slate soils give best wines from old bush vines
Which river runs through Toro?
River Duero (Douro in Portugal)
What is the main grape grown in Toro? Describe it.
Tinta de Toro, perhaps a form of Tempranillo; intensity of sun contributes to very thick skins and wines of great concentration
What kind of training is dominant in Toro? What is the main soil type and why is it important to the training system?
Mainly very old bush vines (max density is 2700 vines/ha)
Sandy soils mean no Phylloxera, so many vines are in grafted and very old (high labor costs)
Why has Toro been hampered in terms of being a more well known region? What is helping it today?
Its location—it’s far away from any major cities, ports
Close to Ribera del Duero, which has more exposure/popularity
What was the result of Alejandro Fernandez’s Pesquera coming to fame in Ribera del Duero in the 1980s?
Many producers started making their own wines instead of selling their grapes off to cooperatives
Outside investment came to the region; boosted status of the region (could dilute overall quality of production though)
Describe the climate and geography of Ribera del Duero.
Hot summers, cold winters; frost is a problem in spring and autumn; low rainfall Higher elevation (750-1000m); range of altitudes, aspects (eastern side is higher, cooler)
Describe vine training in Ribera del Duero.
Half of vyds planted to bush vines
Newer vyds planted on trellises
How much white wine is produced in Ribera del Duero?
None
What major producer changed the way wines were made in Rueda in the early 1970s?
Marqués de Riscal
What is the soil like in Rueda?
Good drainage and low in nutrients; either sandy or stony
Rueda is as hot as Toro and Ribera del Duero. Why do white wines work here?
Higher elevation (700-800m) and Verdejo is relatively drought resistant
What had happened to production and export levels in Rueda in recent years?
Exploded because of the popular wine style and the inexpensive price point
What is the name of the mountain range to the north of Rioja, and what does it do for the region?
Sierra de Cantabria
Protects Rioja from the worst of the Atlantic weather
What is the name of the River that flows through Rioja, and what does it do for the region?
River Ebro
Valley is relatively open and so eastern side of Rioja still gains some Mediterranean moderating influence even though it’s far from the coast
Name the three sub zones of Rioja.
Rioja Alta
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Oriental
What are the main soil types found in Rioja?
Alta/Alavesa: calcareous clay
Oriental: calcareous/ferrous clay
Discuss the sub zones of Rioja in regards to climate.
Alta: continental; around river it’s warmer, NW corner and southern cooler and wetter
Alavesa: wet and cool (higher elevation)
Oriental: warmest, driest (lower elevation); higher elevation in south so cooler temps
In regards to the climate of Rioja’s sub zones, which grapes are most planted where?
Tempranillo is planted in Alta, Alavesa because it can ripen better in cooler climates; Garnacha planted in Oriental because it can handle the heat better
What is the other name for Cariñena in Spain?
Mazuelo
What is the name used in Spain for Trousseau, and where is it a permitted variety?
Maturana Tinta; Rioja
What is the most planted white grape in Rioja?
Viura/Macabeo (70% of white grape plantings)
What is the permitted aging vessel in Rioja?
Only 225L barriques can be used for Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva
Describe the character of the majority of the wines in Rioja today in regards to winemaking choices and oak aging.
Trend is to highlight quality of fruit, with gentle extraction, use of more neutral vessels, and shorter maturation periods
French oak more common than American
Why do many producers choose to blend grapes from across Rioja?
Industry is structured by many small growers, necessitating many fruit sources
Creates certain style and quality from different zones/varieties
What is the new regulation with labeling in Rioja?
Producers can now use the name of a vineyard, village, or zone on the label
Vino de Zona
Vino de Municipio (village/group of villages)
Viñedo Singular
What are the three main styles of white Rioja?
Inexpensive, unoaked, fruity style
Mid-priced/premium oaked but nonoxidative style
Classic oxidative style (Castillo Ygay from Murrieta and Viña Tondonia from Lopez Heredia)
What are the key messages coming from Rioja’s Consejo Regulador for marketing purposes?
Rioja’s value for money and its diversity
How many sub zones does Navarra have, and how do they differ in regards to climate?
5; 3 in hilly north are cooler and wetter with influences from Atlantic; 2 in middle, south are progressively warmer, drier, flatter
Describe the argument over what the wines from Navarra “should” be.
Government pushed for Tempranillo in 70s, but allowed international varieties starting in the 80s. Others feel Garnacha is best suited for the region. Views are mixed as to whether Navarra should be about diversity or 1 single variety.
While Navarra produces a lot of dry red wines, it’s also well known for producing significant volumes of ____.
Medium to deep colored dry rosé wines from Garnacha or a blend
Where is Aragon, and what four principal wine regions does it include?
Located between Rioja/Navarra and Catalunya Calatayud Cariñena Campo de Borja Somontano
What is the climate like in Aragon, and what are two moderating factors for growing grapes?
Warm continental with hot dry summers and low rainfall
Moderating effects: vineyards are located on high altitude plateaus, and the cold cierzo wind blows from the north
What is the principal variety in Aragon (except Somontano) and how is it planted?
Garnacha; many old bush vines at low densities but also VSP for high volume production
What is the general quality of most wine coming out of Aragon (not Somontano)?
Mostly high volume, inexpensive reds for early drinking
What makes the climate and geography in Somontano different from the rest of Aragon?
Closer to Pyrenees so has moderating influences from cold mtn winds
Rainfall slightly higher
What are the most planted grapes in Somontano?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
Although the quality of wines coming from Somontano tend to be good or very good, what exporting issue does the region continue to have?
Competition from other better known regions across the world that produce wines from the same varieties
Why might producers from Penedès want to use Catalunya DO on their labels instead?
Catalunya is a more widely recognized name
This DO allows for more freedom than other smaller DOs in terms of where grapes can be sourced and the range of international/local varieties that are permitted
What are the three climatic zones of Penedès and what general wine style does each of them produce?
Penedès Marítim - warm climate, low altitude; full bodied reds and inexpensive whites
Penedès Central - flat plains with some altitude; lots of everything
Penedès Superior - altitude in inland mtns; diurnal range; cool-climate grapes
What winemaking style characterizes the wines from Penedès?
Temperature controlled fermentation; stainless steel tanks; clean, fruit-driven, early-drinking wines
One of the first regions to modernize winemaking in 1960s (Miguel Torres)
What geographical features contribute to the growing environment in Priorat?
Protection from cold winds by Montsant mtns in north
Protection from Mediterranean influence by Llaberia mtns in south
River Siurana runs through region; provides range of altitudes and aspects
Describe the typography of Priorat.
Many vyds on steep slopes (costers), many with narrow terraces to reduce erosion and help with moisture infiltration in soil
All work done by hand
Describe llicorella.
Thin, rocky, slate-based soil lacking in nutrients largely found in Priorat. Reflects light and heat back onto vines. Bedrock of slate splits vertically so vines can grow deep and find water.
Due to the climate and soils of Priorat, what is planting density and yields like?
Old vyds generally planted low density with bush vines; some VSP trellising possible in newer vyds
Max permitted yields 39hl/ha; can be as little as 5-6hl/ha
What special legislation exists for grape growing/winemaking in Priorat?
Four different classifications based on sub zones, named sites, single vineyards of particular or exceptional merit (similar to Burgundy Crus)
Describe the geography of Montsant.
Forms almost a complete ring around Priorat; most vyds in south of region where land flattens to lower valley of Ebro River
Describe the soils and yields of Montsant in comparison to Priorat.
Montsant has a mixture of soils that are generally more fertile, and so give higher yields
Describe the location and climate of Costers del Segre DO.
Located in northern Catalunya; consists of 7 non-contiguous sub zones
Continental climate with low rainfall
What Spanish family was important in the development of Costers del Segre?
Raventós, with their winery Raimat (1970s)
What kind of wines are produced in Costers del Segre?
Lots of grapes for Cava production
Wide range of intl/local varieties, mainly for fresh, fruity styles for early drinking
Where will you most likely find Merseguera?
Valencia, for white wine production
What sweet wine is Valencia known for?
Moscatel de Valencia
What is the most planted grape in Utiel-Requena? What wines does it make?
Bobal
Historically it made fruity, high acid rosés but now it mainly makes red wines
Describe the climate of Alicante DO. What is the main grape grown here?
Extremely dry; 250mm rain
Mediterranean climate with hot summers
Monastrell
Where is Fondillón made, and what is it?
Alicante DO; medium sweet red wine from late harvested Monastrell; usually oxidized
Matured in old, large oak for 10 yrs
Where is Jumilla located? What is the dominant grape here and what style of wines does it make?
Flat plains between Alicante (east) and La Mancha (west)
Monastrell
Historically bulk wine production, but was recently replanted (phylloxera) so quality is steadily improving
Where is Castilla-La Mancha located and what is its climate like?
Located on the southern part of Spain’s meseta
Extreme continental with very hot summers, very cold winters, very low rainfall
What are the most planted grape varieties in La Mancha?
Airen
Cencibel/Tempranillo
Describe the climate and viticulture of Txakoli.
Moderate maritime; up to 1600mm rain/yr
Canopies must be well ventilated, VSP is most common
Where will you find the Sierra de Gredos and what kind of wine style has recently become popular there?
Mtn range to the west of Madrid; in the center of the country
Altitudes are from 600-1200m
Old vine Garnacha but much lighter, fresher than Aragon; low intervention winemaking
