The Foundation Flashcards
When did early humans arrive on the Iberian Peninsula?
1.4 million years ago
When did modern humans arrive on the Iberian Peninsula? Via what route?
35,000 years ago moving south across the Pyrenees Mountains [not from North Africa]
When did Phoenicians arrive on the Iberian Peninsula? Via what route?
3,000 years ago from across Mediterranean Sea to the southern coast**
Name 3 important cities established by the Phoenicians.
Gadir (Cadiz), Xera (Jerez), Malaka (Malaga) [not Tartessus - a semi-mythical ancient city in the Guadalquivir River basin described by Greeks, possibly present day Huelva.]
What style of wine was first exported from Spain by the Phoenicians?
strong, sweet, white wine
Who are the Iberians? Where was their origin? Where were their first settlements in Spain?
a prehistoric migrating tribe believed to be of North African origin, settled in the southern part of the peninsula
Who are the Celts? Where was their origin? Where were their first settlements in Spain?
Celts, an Indo-European ethnolinguistic group of Europe, perhaps from a Central European homeland, spread across the peninsula’s northern reaches as early as 900 BCE [not coming from Ireland!]
When did the Greeks arrive? Where were their original settlements in Spain?
mid-7th century BCE, seafaring explorers that settled along northeastern coast
When did the Carthaginians arrive? Where were their original settlements in Spain?
Carthaginians were in Iberia from about 575 BCE until their defeat at Ilipa in 206 BCE. They annexed Phoenician areas and also settled along the east coast of the peninsula.
What is the etymology of Iberian?
Greeks [not Romans] in the 7th century BCE named the peninsula Iberia after the river Iber (aka Ebro).
What is “vinum ceretensis”?
Roman vinification method where grape must was boiled in order to concentrate flavor, then added to a fermenting must. This prolonged fermentation resulting in a strong, sweet, stable wine capable of aging and transport.
Who were the Vascones?
Pre-Roman tribe, ancestors of modern-day Basques, that fought the Celtiberians over the fertile Ebro River valley.
What is the etymology of Hispania?
it was the Roman [not Greek] name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces - many pre-Roman origins have been proposed, including Punic, Iberian, Basque, none of which are well supported.
Who were the Visigoths? When did they control Iberia? What was their impact on wine production?
a Germanic tribe ruled from 500-711 CE with a capital in Toledo had minimal impact on the previously established Roman methods of wine making
Who were the Moors? When did they control Iberia? What was their impact on wine production?
Arabs and Berbers from North Africa were in Spain for nearly 800 years starting in 711. They had wide spread rule until 1250 and were defeated in 1492. Initially they had an indifferent attitude to wine production which was allowed to continue but later they ordered destruction of some vineyards due to religious mandates.
What was the trajectory of wine exports from Spain during Moorish rule?
exports were minimal until Henry I of England in the 12th century promoted trade of ‘sherish’ wine from Jerez in exchange for wool
After Moorish indifference to wine production, when did new vinicultural techniques get introduced in Spain?
During the Reconquista, French monks, especially Cistercians, promoted wine production in the 12th century
When did fortification of wine in Spain start?
fortification as a preservative for exportation was introduced by Dutch in southern Spain during the mid-1600s.**
When was the Reconquista? (a symbolic name used to explain the series of campaigns whereby Christian states began to recapture territory from the Moors)
Beginning in 722 in Covadonga until 1492 in Granada, over seven centuries.**
Who is Saint James?
James, was one of the Twelve Apostles, brother of St. John and considered the first apostle to be martyred, beheaded by Herrod in 44 CE in Jerusalem. He is the patron saint of Spain. According to legend, he had preached the gospel in Iberia and his remains were taken to Santiago de Compostela. No historical evidence for this legend exists. [not testable]
What were the vinicultural contributions of the Cistercians in Spain?
site selection, extended maceration, refilling barrels, and creation of cellars for constant temperature [BMC Software: Barrel, Maceration, Cellars, Sites]
What was the Spanish Inquisition?
established 1478 and abolished 1834, an effort by Catholic Monarchs to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms - root out heretics**
Who was Don Manuel Quintano?
a young priest from a grape-growing family in Álava was the first(!) to encouraged Rioja winemakers to age their wine in barrels, but not widely adopted due to cost, lived 1756-1818**
Who was Baldomero Espartero?
Spanish general and bodega owner who with Luciano Murrieta helped modernize Rioja’s wine industry, lived 1793 – 1879**
Who was Luciano Murrieta?
improved wine making in Rioja when he introduced large vats for crushing and fermentation in order to reduce heat and oxidation and re-introduced small oak barrels for aging, lived 1822 - 1911 (Ironically, he was born in America - Peru just prior to independence)**
What was the first area in Spain to be impacted by an American viticultural pathogen?
In the 1850s, vineyards in Galicia were ravaged by powdery mildew, also infected the Canary Islands in 1852 [about 50 years prior to arrival of phylloxera in Spain]
Who was Eloy Lecanda?
In 1864, Eloy Lecanda purchased cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot, and planted them at the Vega Sicilia estate. **
Who was Josep Raventós i Fatjó?
In the 1860s, Josep Raventós i Fatjó traveled throughout Europe promoting the still wines of the Codorníu winery. After phylloxera devastated the vineyards of the Penedès region, predominantly red vineyards were replanted with indigenous white grapes and, in 1872, Raventós created the first Spanish sparkling wine, cava, using the same methodology as Champagne. [‘reinvented’ sparkling in Spain]**
After the death of Henry, King of Portugal in 1580, when was Portugal again recognized as an independent country?
with the “Treaty of Lisbon” in 1668
Name 3 significant artists and authors from El Siglo de Oro (The Golden Age).
Diego Velázquez, El Greco, Miguel de Cervantes, El Siglo de Oro lasted from 1556 to 1659.**
When was El Siglo de Oro (The Spanish Golden Age)? What were the political events bookending this time?
Politically, El Siglo de Oro lasted from the accession to the throne of Philip II of Spain in 1556 to the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659.
What was Spain’s stance during World War II (1939-1945)?
although sympathetic to Fascist Germany and Italy, Spain officially remained neutral
What was Spain’s stance during World War I (1914–1918)?
neutral, supplying wine to both sides
When did Francisco Franco rule Spain?
1939-1975
What and where was the effect of Franco’s rule on the Spanish wine industry?
reduced access to the foreign investment, dormant vineyards, conversion to wheat cultivation; the vineyards of Cataluña and Valencia were particularly hard hit (as they were most resistant to Franco’s takeover)
What is the current political structure in Spain?
Spain ratified a constitution in 1978 becoming a constitutional monarchy
After Franco’s rule, what two political events favored the rebound of the Spanish wine industry?
adoption of a new constitution in 1978 and joining the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1986
What percent of Spanish vineyards is suitable for the production of PDO wines?
85%
When was the Spanish Denominación de Origen/Denomination of Origin (DO) system established by the Wine Statute?
1932
When was the creation of a superior quality level, Denominaciones de Origen Calificada (DOCa) which ranked above the DO designation in prestige?
In 1988
When were the specific DOCas granted?
Rioja was awarded DOCa status in 1991 and Priorat was granted DOCa (DOQ in Catalan) status in 2009.
What are the five quality wine designations which fall under the DOP category under Spanish wine laws, number of each in 2018?
DOCa (DOQ) - 2, DO - 68, VC - 6, VPCa (VPQ) - 0, VP - 14 [does not include IGP; the number of VP has increased since this time]
What is the cost of DOCa wine?
by law, at least twice the national average of DO cost
What was the original purpose wire netting used on bottles of Rioja?
originally used to prevent counterfeiting
What are the quality categories for wines with geographical origin?
two: a) Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) or
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO),
b) Vino de Indicación Geográfica Protegida (IGP) or
Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
What are the quality categories for wines without geographical origin?
just one: Vino/Wine
According to European Union standardized wine labeling law, what information is required on every EU label?
Name of the quality wine designation. Name of the region/appellation Actual alcoholic strength by volume Country of origin Name of the bottler/producer. Also for imported wines, the name of the importer is required; for sparkling wine, the sugar content must be listed [QRACP-IS; but not aging classification, wine name, vintage, variety or volume]
What is relative size of Spain in Europe? and how much of the Iberian Peninsula does it occupy?
Spain is the third-largest country in Europe and occupies approximately 85% of the Iberian Peninsula.
What is relative mountainous area of Spain in context of Europe?
Spain is the third-most mountainous country in Europe and the second highest.
How much of Spain is covered by a large central plateau, the Meseta?
45%
What is the highest major capital in Europe?
Madrid [2188’; even higher than Bern, Switzerland at 1772’, however, Andorra la Vella is higher at 3356’]
What is the most significant mountain range in Spain?
the Pirineos
What is the highest peak in Spain?
Pico del Teide/Mount Teide, on the island of Tenerife at 12,198 ft
What mountain range separates the Meseta from El Valle del Ebro?
Sistema Ibérico
What mountain range separates Green Spain (north/northwest coastal Spain) from the highlands of central Spain?
The Cordillera Cantábrica crosses four of Spain’s autonomous regions
The Cordillera Cantábrica crosses what four of Spain’s autonomous regions?
Asturias, Cantabria, Pais Vasco, Castillo y Leon [not Galicia]
What mountain ranges separate Andalucía from the plains of Extremadura?
the Sierra Morena
What are the two primary mountain ranges in the Sistema Central?
The Sierra de Guadarrama which runs along the border of the autonomous communities of Madrid and Castilla y León; and the Sierra de Gredos which stretches from the border between Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha to Extremadura.
Where is the Sierra de Guadarrama?
runs along the border of the autonomous communities of Madrid and Castilla y León
Where is the Sierra de Gredos?
stretches from the border between Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha to Extremadura.
Name the 6 primary rivers in Spain (listed by length in the Iberian Peninsula).
Tajo/Tagus/Tejo River, Ebro River, Duero/Douro River, Guadiana River, Guadalquivir River and Jucar River. [TED-GiGaJ]
Name the longest Spanish rivers that flow west to east.
Ebro River and Jucar River, all other longer rivers flow south and west.
What rivers are separated by the Montes de Toledo?
the Montes de Toledo separate the Tajo (on the north side) and Guadiana (on the south side) rivers
What is the etymology of Guadalquivir?
The modern name of Guadalquivir comes from the Arabic meaning “great river”. [located in formerly Moorish Spain]
What is the etymology of Guadiana?
From Roman times, “the river of ducks’; guad derives from wadi - Arabic for river and anas - Latin for duck
What is Pico Almanzor?
part of the Sierra de Gredos, is the highest point of the Sistema Central at 8,501 ft/2,591 m.
What is Pico del Teide?
located in the Canary Islands, an active volcano and Spain’s highest peak
What is the largest Spanish city along the Tajo River?
The largest Spanish settlement along the Tajo is Toledo, the capital of Castilla-La Mancha. [Of course, downstream Lisbon in Portugal is larger.]
