Spain - Rioja

Question 1

What mountain ranges bracket North Central Spain?

Answer 1

Pyranees (NE)Cantabrias (NW)

Question 2

What authonomías comprise North Central Spain?

Answer 2

Rioja, Navarra, Aragón

Question 3

What river runs through Rioja?

Answer 3

The Ebro River

Question 4

When was Rioja elevated to DOCa?

Answer 4

1991

Question 5

What is the varietal makeup of red Rioja?

Answer 5

min. 85% Tempranillo, plus Mazuelo, Garnacha, Graciano, and Maturana Tinta (since 2007); 95% if destemmedmax 15% Monastel, Cab Sauv, or other “experimental grapes”

Question 6

What is the synonym for Mazuelo?

Answer 6

Carignan

Question 7

What is the varietal makeup of white Rioja?

Answer 7

Viura, Garnacha Blanca, Malvasía Riojano, Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanca, Turruntés
Verdejo, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc are permitted at max 49% of the blend

Question 8

What is the synonym for Viura?

Answer 8

Macabeo

Question 9

Rosado Rioja requires what % of red grapes?

Answer 9

25.00%

Question 10

Aging requirements for Crianza (Rioja & Ribera del Duero)

Answer 10

Whites: 1.5 years, with 6mos in oak
Reds: 2 years, with 1yr in oak

Question 11

Aging requirements for Reserva (Rioja & Ribera del Duero)

Answer 11

Whites: 2 years, with 6mos in oak
Reds: 3 years, with 1yr in oak
Rioja- also 6mo in bottle

Question 12

Aging requirements for Gran Reserva (Rioja & Ribera del Duero)

Answer 12

Whites: 4 years, with 6mos in oak
Reds: 5 years, with 2yrs in oak and (rioja- 2yrs in bottle)

Question 13

What is the main product of Rioja Alavesa? Where is it?

Answer 13

The Northernmost zone, in Basque Country (North of the Ebro from Rioja Alta). Produces fresh, vino joven styled wines, often through carbonic maceration.

Question 14

What is the soil makeup of Rioja Alta?

Answer 14

Yellow calcareous clay (arcillo-calcareo) in the north

Red, iron-rich clay (arcillo-ferroso) south of the Ebro

Question 15

What is the soil makeup of Rioja Alavesa?

Answer 15

Calcareous clay dominates in Alavesa (and all vineyards between the Cantabrias and the north bank of the Ebro)

Question 16

What is the soil makeup of Rioja Oriental?

Answer 16

Alluvial soils and ferrous clay

Question 17

What protects Rioja from Atlantic winds?

Answer 17

Sierra de Cantabria

Question 18

What is the industrial capital of Rioja?

Answer 18

Logroño

Question 19

When, and by whom, was French oak introduced into Rioja?

Answer 19

Originally by Marqués de Riscal and Marqués de Murrieta in the 1850’s/60’s;in the modern period, in the 1970’s, by the Marqués de Cáceras

Question 20

What size barrel is mandated for the aging of red Rioja wines?

Answer 20

225L (the size of a barrique)

Question 21

What is the capital of Rioja Alta?

Answer 21

Haro

Question 22

What is the capital of Rioja Oriental?

Answer 22

Alfaro

Question 23

Where are the highest elevation vineyards in Rioja, and who farms them?

Answer 23

Labastida, in the northern end of Rioja Alavesa; they reach 700M.Farmed by Remelluri.

Question 24

What is the climatic difference between Rioja Alta and Alavesa?

Answer 24

Alavesa is directly protected by the Sierra Cantabria from Atlantic winds; it is slightly warmer, and more affected by the Mediterranean.The area from Alavesa to Sonsierra, while politically Rioja Alta, has more in common climatically with the rest of Alavesa.

Question 25

Major bodegas in Haro

Answer 25

``` Lopez de Heredia La Rioja Alta CVNE Muga Roda ```

Question 26

Major bodegas in Cenicero

Answer 26

Marques de Caceres Bodegas Riojanas Santa Daria (coop)

Question 27

Where is Marques de Murrieta?

Answer 27

Logroño

Question 28

Logroño is generally known as an industrial capital and not a hub for viticultue. What significant vineyard is the exception to this rule?

Answer 28

Finca Ygay (Marques de Murrieta)

Question 29

What are the permitted training methods of Rioja?

Answer 29

Cordon (single or double) En Vaso Vara y Pulgar ("stick and thumb") Double Guyot (permitted for whites, excpet Viura, Malvasía, and Garnacha Blanca)

Question 30

Is chaptalization permitted in Rioja?

Answer 30

NO

Question 31

What Mountain range is in the southern part of Rioja

Answer 31

Sierra de la Demanda

Question 32

Single Vineyard Wines in Rioja- 2017

Answer 32

Vinedo Singular- hand-harvested individual sites where vines are at least 35 years old, 30% lower yields

Question 33

Singe Town Wines in Rioja

Answer 33

Vino de Municipio

Question 34

Single Zone Wines in Rioja

Answer 34

Vino de Municipio

Question 35

Who withdrew from the Rioja DOC and when

Answer 35

2015 Artadi- due to inability to express specific site

Question 36

Name two tributaties of the Ebro, which subzone?

Answer 36

Oja and Najerilla- Rioja Alta

Question 37

Which styles can you produce in Rioja

Answer 37

espumoso (min 15mo aging sur lies) rosado whites varietal reds

Question 38

2017 Sparkling Wine Category Rioja

Answer 38

Vino Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja traditional menthod whites and rose manual harvesting

Question 39

Aging lables for Vino Espumoso

Answer 39

Crianza must age a minimum 15 months sur lie prior to disgorgement reserva must age 24 months gran añada, 36 months

Question 40

Allowed dosage levels for Vino Espumoso de Calidad Rioja

Answer 40

brut, extra brut, and brut nature

Question 41

Traditional Rioja Techniques

Answer 41

blending from multiple subregions (often dominated by Tempranillo from Rioja Alta), varietal blending, adherence to the aging classification system, open-top fermentation, and, most significantly, the reliance on older 225-liter American oak casks for long, semi-oxidative maturation.

Question 42

Modernist Rioja Techniques

Answer 42

monovarietal Tempranillo wines, single-subregion and single-vineyard wines, avoidance of the aging classification system, cold soaking, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, and shorter élevage in newer, often European oak vessels.

Question 43

Tempranillo Grape by other Names

Answer 43

``` Cencibel (Valdepenas) Tinta del Pais (Ribera del Duero) Tinta de Toro (Toro) Tinta Roriz/ Aragonez (Portugal) Ull de Llebre (Catalonia) ```