Spain - Valencia and Murcia Flashcards
What is an overview of location and climate, and resulting trainings and production?
Close to the E and SE coast of Spain, depending on their exposure to the coast, they have Mediterranean or continental climates, all with hot summers and low rainfall: bush vines at low density, though some trellised with VSP.
A large proportion of inexpensive wine, often sold in bulk, comes from the area.
There’s an increasing no. of P making v good wines at premium prices.
Where is Valencia DO located? What’s the size and climate?
The largest DO in the autonomous community of Valencia.
The vineyards split into two non-contiguous areas and includes a number of smaller sub-zones.
Produces 500,000hL per annum.
Warm Mediterranean with cooling influences coming from altitude or coast.
Rainfall is low, 450mm, and irrigation is widely used.
What is the location and climate of the Alto Turia sub-zone?
Valencia DO. Southern foothills of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range in the upper valley of the River Turia.
Altitudes of 700-1100m.
The coolest area of Valencia.
What style of wine is produced in Alto Turia?
As its the coolest region of Valencia DO, mainly white wines, most notably from Moscatel de Alejandría and Merseguera. (At high yields is low intensity, often blended).
Wines made from dry farmed vines grown at high altitudes in VP El Terrerazo (owned by Bodega Mustiguillo) can show more concentration and texture, especially when matured in oak.
What is the location and climate of the Valentino sub zone? What varieties can be found here?
Valencia DO. Altitudes of 200-650m so warmer than Alto Turia, but cooled somewhat by sea breezes.
A diverse range of local and international varieties, eg Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Tempranillo, Cab Sauv and Monastrell for reds and rosé, and Merseguera and Macabeo for whites.
What varieties are grown in the Clariano sub zone?
The same as in Valentino.
Where is the Moscatel sub zone located? What style of wine is produced here?
Valencia DO, inland from Valentino.
The sweet wine Moscatel de Valencia and vino de licor (unfermented grape must that’s been fortified with grape spirit) from Moscatel de Alejandría.
Who accounts for the most production in Valencia DO, and what styles of wine are produced?
Local co-operatives in a fruity, early drinking style. Acceptable to good and inexpensive.
A number or individual producers, whether its their own vineyards or buying in grapes, produce good and very good wines, mid priced.
A few producers are working with little grown native varieties, providing a point of difference on domestic and export markets.
Where is Utiel-Requena DO located? What’s the general climate?
Inland from the northern part of Valencia DO, with its Western limit bordering La Mancha.
Comprises 34,000ha and has a continental climate with hot summer days and very cold winters.
Average altitude is 750m, bringing cool summer nights and the risk of frost.
Rainfall is low, 450mm
What is the division of plantings, and key variety for Utiel-Requena?
87% black
Bobal, at over 70% of plantings, many of which are over 40 years old.
It’s well suited to the region as its mid to late budding (avoiding frosts), very drought tolerant and, despite the hot climate, able to retain acidity.
What are the characteristics of Bobal? What are its main use cases?
It can ripen unevenly and hence the lack of ripeness in some bunches can mean its tannins can be grippy/firm.
Can be vigorous and high yielding, but this is kept in balance by P looking to make high quality wines.
Also gives high levels of colour: has been and is still used as a blending component in inexpensive wines to add concentration.
Originally best known for rosé wines, although nowadays its mainly used for red.
What is the typical profile of Bobal?
The reds range in style from light-bodied, medium tannins with semi carbonic, to concentrated wines with medium (+) tannins, medium (+) to full body, high acidity and flavours of blackberry, black cherry and chocolate. These are often made from old vines and matured in oak.
Acceptable to good and inexpensive to mid.
Where is Alicante DO located? What’s the general climate and topography?
A non contiguous DO and the most southerly of the autonomous community of Valencia, located on the coast around the city of Alicante.
The smallest of Valencias DOs with 9000ha under vine.
However, wine from grapes from some vineyards within neighbouring Jumilla and Yecla in Murcia are permitted to be labelled DO Alicante.
Mediterranean, with hot summers and cold winters.
The growing season is extremely dry with an average annual rainfall of 250mm.
Where is Vinalopó located? What’s it known for?
The west of Alicante DO, stretching from the coast to vineyards inland at 500m near the Sierra de Salinas. It’s the main centre of production, with the main grape being Monastrell.
Where is Marina Alta located? What’s the general climate and known variety?
Alicante DO. The NE of the region by the coast, experiencing humid breezes and the most rainfall of the region (500mm).
Moscatel de Alejandría, for sweet and dry wines.
Why is Monastrell suited to Alicante? What is typical training?
Late ripening, able to retain acidity, and is drought tolerant. Constitutes 75% of plantings in the DO and often trained at low density bush vines.
What are permitted varieties and what is the typical profile of Alicante DO?
Minimum 80% Monastrell, with others being Alicante Bouschet, Garnacha and Bobal.
Full bodied, dry with high alcohol, high tannins and ripe black fruit.
Maturation in oak, usually American is common.
Good to very good and mid, with some premium.
What is Fondillón?
A historic wine style protected by Alicante DO, and still made by a few producers.
Medium sweet red with a maximum 40g/L RS made from late harvested Monastrell, made possible with the low rainfall in autumn.
Minimum alcohol is 16% and should come solely from the grapes with no fortification.
Must be matured for a minimum of 10 years in oak, often in traditional vessels of 1200 L.
Wines can either be made Añada (one year) or, more typically, made by a solera system.
Wines tend to be oxidised in flavour.
Where is Jumilla located? What’s the general size and climate?
In Murcia on an area of flat plains and wide valleys between Alicante in the east, and La Mancha in the west.
Warm continental. Altitudes 400-800m. 25,000ha under vine.
What is water availability in Jumilla?
Rainfall extremely low, 250-300mm
The soil, generally sand over limestone aids water retention, making grape growing viable and meaning many vineyards are not equipped with irrigation.
What is the key variety in Jumilla, and the history of plantings and quality?
Monastrell, 80%.
During most of the 20th century, Jumilla was mostly a producer of inexpensive bulk wines.
In 1989 the region was devastated by phylloxera, and after that a significant proportion of vines were grubbed up and replanted, using this as a chance to use virus-free vines and higher quality clones of Monastrell than had previously been planted, and this together with improved vineyard management (earlier harvesting, cooler fermentation temperatures), has led to an improvement on quality.
There’s still some old vines that weren’t affected or grabbed up, that are capable of low yields of high quality fruit.
What’s the general profile of reds from Jumilla?
From Monastrell, typically full bodied with high alcohol and flavours of ripe blackberry and cherry fruit and spice from oak.
In v good examples, medium (+) acidity balances.
What other varieties and styles are permitted in Jumilla DO?
Cencibel (Tempranillo), Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Garnacha, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot. Often blended with Monastrell to lower tannins.
Rosé, often from monastrell, and a very small proportion of white wines.
What is the breakdown of production and businesses in Jumilla?
2000 growers and 40 wineries, including the co-operatives. High volumes of inexpensive wines form the majority of production, though are now a better quality than previous decades.
Several P focus on v good wines at premium prices. Eg, Bodegas El Nido and Casa Castillo.
Majority of wines, and certainly the most expensive ones, are sold on export markets.
Where is Yecla located? Climate, topography, soil, key variety, style, business?
Between Jumilla and Alicante, with around 6000ha under vine.
Similar climate to Jumilla, though more Mediterranean influence.
Altitude is cooling influence, vineyards are 500-900m.
Rainfall is low, 300mm.
Soils are similar, mix of sand and limestone to retain water.
The same black varieties are permitted, Monastrell is key.
Wines are the same style to Jumilla.
Co-operatives make both bulk and bottled wine, and one co-operative is responsible for 60% of total output.
95% is exported.
