Spanish Wine Law

Question 1

What is a DO Pago? What does it require?

Answer 1

• Represents a theoretical superior appellation to the basic DO
  -awarded to a single estate
  -estate bottled
  -vineyard owned by winery operating within its bounds
  -must be in production for 10 years before applying
  -should transcend the quality of wines vinified in its broader DO

Question 2

What are the levels of quality for Spain?

Answer 2

DOP

• Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)
• Denominación de Origen (DO)
• Vinos de Pago (DO Pago)
• Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VCIG)

IGP
-Vino de la Tierra (VdlT)

Vino de la Mesa

Question 3

What is the hierarchy of PDO of Spain from highest tier to lowerst?

Answer 3

• Vinos de Pago (DO Pago)
• Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)
• Denominación de Origen (DO)
• Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VCIG)

Question 4

What is the equivalent of DOCG in Italy in Spain?

Answer 4

DOCa

Question 5

Who is a DO defector?

Answer 5

-the modernist winery Artadi withdrew from the Rioja DOCa in December 2015

Question 6

What is Corpinnat?

Answer 6

-An association that has stricter laws surrounding the production of Cava
-producer’s reponse to mass-produced Cava
-adhere to more stringent regulations than those of Cava
-hand-harvested
-organically grown grapes - at least 90% are indigenous
-within a delineated zone
-Minimum bottle aging is 18 months prior to disgorgement

Question 7

What is Grandes Pagos de España?

Answer 7

-a separate non-governmental consortium of Spanish wineries who co-market their wines with minimal overlap of Vino de Pagos

Question 8

What is the Vi de Vila category?

Answer 8

Est in Priorat in 2009
-wines labeled by village
-Bierzo and Rioja joined in 2017
-Rueda in 2019
-inspired from Burgundy