Spain - Rioja Flashcards
What is the region’s size (ha and km) and what river is running through it?
- 65,000 ha
- 100km long, 40km wide
- Along the river Ebro
What is the avg. production in hL?
3 mn hL
What influences the region’s climate?
- Sierra de Cantabria to the north -> protection from Atlantic weather
- Sierra de la Demanda to the south, protection from the warmer center
- The eastern side of Rioja gets some Mediterranean influence
What are the three zones in Rioja? (incl. relative size)
- Rioja Alta (largest)
- Rioja Alavesa (smallest)
- Rioja Oriental (Slightly smaller than Alta)
Rioja Alta
What is the general climate?
Continental with maritime influences
Rioja Alta
Describe the climate of the three different areas within Alta
- Area around Ebro: low altitudes, relatively warm, with alluvial soils
- North west: cooler and wetter, calcareous clay
- South: 700m altitude, relatively cool and wet, with ferrous clay
Rioja Alavesa
What is the climate, altitude, and soil?
- Similar to North west of Rioja Alta
- Relatively cool and wet
- 700m altitude
- Calcareous clay
Rioja Oriental
Describe the climate of the two different areas
- Northern part: relatively low altitude, warmest and driest area in Rioja
- South: 500-1000m altitude, can be as cool as Alta and Alavesa, calcareous clay and ferrous clay.
What area suffers the most from climate change?
- Low altitude vineyards in Rioja Oriental
- Already warm and suffering from drought
Describe the two main influences for vintage variation and how producers react to it
- Atlantic (bringing cooler, wetter weather)
- Mediterranean (bringing warmer, drier weather)
- Some aim to produce consistent products through blending
- Others look to represent the vintage
How are vines typically trained?
- New vineyards: trellised with VSP
- Old: Bush vines (> 100 years old)
What is the plantings ratio of black vs. white grapes?
- 90% black
- 10% white
Name the six black varieties (in descending order, incl. % of ALL plantings)
- Tempranillo (80%)
- Garnacha (7%)
- Graciano (2%)
- Mazuelo (2%)
- Maturana Tinta
- Cabernet Sauvignon
The describe how plantings of Tempranillo and Garnacha developed over the last 50 years
- 50 years ago: similar plantings of both
- Garnacha was replanted with Tempranillo because of it ability to reliably produce larger yields (esp. in Rioja Oriental)
- As irrigation was permitted, the trend increased -> Garnacha’s drought resistant not as important
- Nowadays, Garnacha replanted as better suited to the warm, dry conditions
- Tempranillo better stuited to Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa -> cooler, high altitude sites with cool clay soils
What does Tempranillo contribute to the blend? (aromas, acidity, tannin)
- Dominant component in most Rioja
- Raspberry, black plum
- Medium to medium(+) acidity
- Medium to medium(+) tannins
What does Garnacha contribute to the blend? (where does it thrive, aromas, tannin, body)
- Well suited to the warm, dry conditions of Rioja Oriental
- Strawberry
- Lower tannins and fuller body than many of the other grape varieties
What are the characteristics of Graciano? (ripening time, water need, yields, diseases)
- Late ripening
- Drought resistant
- Small yields
- Susceptible to fungal diseases
What does Graciano contribute to the blend? (aromas, acidity, tannin)
- Fresh black fruit
- High acidity
- High tannin
Under what names is Mazuelo elsewhere known and what does it contribute to the blend?
- Cariñena and Carignan (outside of Spain)
- High acidity
Under what name is Maturana Tinta elsewhere known and what does it contribute to the blend? (color, aromas, acidity)
- Trousseau (Jura)
- Deep purple
- Fresh cranberry and blackberry
- High acidity
