The Ebro River Valley Flashcards
What is significance of San Fermín?
The annual festival honoring this saint is famous for the running of the bulls in Pamplona in July
What are the borders of Navarra?
N: France; W: País Vasco; E: Aragón; S: La Rioja**
What is sequence of civilizations in Navarra?
Vascones, Romans, Visigoths, Franks, Moors, Christians
What are the Fueros?
medieval legal system that elucidates the rights of the people (similar to a constitution with self-government) in Navarra, Aragón and Catalunya that acted as a check on the king**
What are the geographic (not wine) sub-regions of Navarra?
Montaña, Zona Media and Ribera
What is the climate of Navarra?
predominantly continental**
What is pattern of temperature and rainfall in Navarra?
temperature increases and rainfall decreases from north to south [mountains in the north]
What are main geographic features in Navarra?
Three: mountains (Pyrenees, Sierra Cantábrica); Ebro river basin, Cierzo
What are the soils of Navarra?
from north to south: alluvial (northern areas,) clay, limestone (Sierra de la Demanda)
What two international grapes contribute significantly to vineyard area in Navarra?
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, 30% (more than most Spanish regions, but still less than Tempranillo and Garnacha)
What are the NTK DO’s in Navarra?
DO Navarra is sole DO.** [Pagos in this region are not testable.]
What are the sub zones in DO Navarra?
5: Tierra Estella, Valdizarbe, Baja Montaña, Ribera Alta, Ribera Baja**
Which DO Navarra subzone is at highest elevation?
Tierra Estella** [most upstream on Ebro; the name Estella is primarily a female name of Spanish origin that means Star. “Star is at the top.”]
What are the most common grapes in Tierra Estella sub zone of DO Navarra?
Tempranillo (50%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%)** [This region is adjacent to Rioja DOCa where ironically, Cabernet Sauvignon is not ‘authorized.’]
What is foral?
Communidad Foral is a descriptor for Navarra region - a reference to the long-standing fuero legal system that persists in this region**
What wine styles are found in Tierra Estella sub zone of DO Navarra?
tinto, rosado
When did Navarra lose its access to the sea?
in 1200, the Basque territories were lost to Castile**
When were the Carlist wars?
3 in the 19th century** (1833-40, 46-49, 72-76)
What is the wine style breakdown in DO Navarra?
mostly tinto, (but fairly diverse)**; T, B, R: 58, 13, 29
What is the most western subzone of DO Navarra?
Tierra Estella
What wine styles are found in Valdizarbe sub-zone of DO Navarra?
tinto, blanco, rosado [“most diverse palette of grapes” and styles]
Where is Mesa de los Tres Reyes?
The highest peak in Navarra, it is at intersection of Navarra, Aragon and French province of Béarn.
Pamplona is found in what DO?
It is not in a DO, as it located in the northern half of Navarra. All the delimited wine regions are located in the southern half of the region.
Which DO Navarra subzone has the most diverse palette of grapes?
Valdizarbe (serving pilgrims on Camino de Santiago)
Which DO Navarra subzone is the most humid?
Valdizarbe (maritime influence)
Which DO Navarra subzone is the largest?
Ribera Alta
Which DO Navarra subzone is the warmest?
Ribera Baja (southernmost)