The Levant Flashcards
Valencia
South east coastal region gaining in altitude as region moves inland. Warm Mediterranean climate. Clay soils in lower, coastal regions, limestone in higher inland areas. Movement towards quality; originally planted mainly with low quality local or hybrid varieties. Plantings of Tempranillo and Macabeo are replacing these; Bobal also important, especially in blends. Experiments with Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Uncomplicated, value for money wines. Local speciality is Moscatel de Valencia, highly perfumed, sweet wine, may or may not be fortified.
Alicante
Vineyards located near several river valleys flowing down to the coast, south of Valencia. Hot Mediterranean climate. Alluvial soils, plus degraded limestone over a limestone subsoil. Most important wines for export are easy drinking whites, reds and rosados plus sweet Moscatel.
Utiel- Requena
Production of red, white, Rosado and Doble Pasta wines. Main production of Meaty Rosado from Grenache and Bobal. Natural whites from Mersegura and Macabeo.
Jumilla
Inland and hilly, vineyards up to 700 metres. Hot mediterranean climate. Hot, dry, sandy soil, lack of phylloxera infestation until 1980’s. Phylloxera infestation has led to vine pull and replant on grafted root- stock, with experimentation of varieties. Predominately Joven red, some Crianza and Reserva produced. Red and Rosado must contain at least 50% Monastrell. Resultant wines are full bodied, high in alcohol with black fruit and hints of meat and liquorice. Sweet red from 100% Monastrell produced, high alcohol (15-16%) and about 80-100g/L, it sends 5-6 years in oak before release.
Yecla
V/yard areas surround Yecla, it is enclosed by the DO regions of Jumilla to the west, Almansa to the north and Alicante to the east. Limestone bedrock with brown subsoil and high carbonate content or sandy topsoil with clay. Mainly Joven reds with Monastrell, Garnacha and Tempranillo (red). Some Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reservas. Carbonic Maceration common for Joven wines. Monastrell proving particularly successful. Small amounts of white.
Wine is produced in_______ autonomia Of Southern Spain?
Every. Including Murcia and Valencia
Valencia DO?
- Steeped in both Catalan and Moorish tradition
- Both the name of the autonomia, it’s capital (Spain’s 3rd largest city) and a DO
- White Wines from the local Mersegura grape
- Neutral wines, but best known for oranges and Paella
- Other DO zones within the autonomia are Alicante and Utiel- Requena
Alicante DO?
- Known for dessert wine
- Local specialty is Fondillon produced from Monastrell (Mourvèdre), solders style, oxidative, dessert wine for 10 years
- It’s not fortified and does not carry the flavour of wood
Where is Bobal the grape home?
Utiel- Requena DO and doble pasta is the trad style
What is doble pasta?
Red wines macerated and fermented with twice the normal amount of grape skins and pulp. This results in intense concentration, tannin and colour
What are the DOs that comprise the Murcia in the Levant?
Jumilla, Yecla and Bullas
What type of soil is in Jumilla?
Sandy soils, they resisted phylloxera until the 1980s
What is the main grape variety of Jumilla?
Drought resistant, thick- skinned Monastrell. Garnacha and Petit Verdot can be used in blends
What sort of wines are made in Jumilla?
Reds and rosados, white grapes don’t work well in the desert like climate
La Mancha DO
- West of the coastal Levant appellations
- In Castilla- La Mancha autonomia
- Europe’s largest single demarcated wine region
- Windmills dot the flat plain
- Logo of Consejo Regulador is sillhoutelle of Don Quiote
- Principal Grapes: Cencibel (Tempranillo) and Airen
- Hot region where fungus and mould don’t exist
- Airen is on the decrease (now many fortified)
- Cencibel is now being encouraged to replant
What international varieties are planted Mentrida DO in the Levant of Spain?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Merlot
What is the famous La Mancha DO Pagos?
Marques de Grion estate. Is administered by Pomerol guru Michel Rolland and his mentor Emile Peynaud
Almansa DO
- Used to be administered by La Mancha’s Consejo Regulator
- Relies on Garnacha Tintorera, a teintwiser characteriesed by red- pigmented juice
Manchuela DO?
- North Of Almansa
- Bridges Levant and La Mancha
- Bobal is chief grape
Where is Ribera Del Jucar DO?
Between Manchuela and La Mancha, it was a subzone Of La Mancha until 2003 when it got its own DO
Valdepenas DO?
- “Valley Of rocks”, surrounded by La Mancha
- Region got DO status in 1932
- Airen most planted grape, followed by Cencibel
- Valdepenas DO has more chalk bedrock, provides better retention of water in the arid environs
- Reserva and Gran Reserva often from Cencibel, can be excellent, especially from Los Llanos and Las Aberturas
Ucles DO?
- Newer DO in Southern Spain
- Northwest Of Spain
- Focuses on Cencibel, Garnacha, Cab Sauv, Merlot and Syrah
- White Wines, sparkling wines and sweet dulce Wines are produced
- DO requires vines bearing red grapes to be in their 6 years prior to harvest
What does the DO of Mondejar DO produce?
Cencibel, Cab Sauv, Macabeo and the white Malvar grapes
Vinos De Madrid DO?
Produced in 3 areas- San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Navalcarnero and Arganda
What are the grapes of Vinos De Madrid DO?
Airen, Malvar, Tinto Fino and Negra De Madrid (Garnacha), most wines are consumed in the city.
What DOs make up the Extremadura autonomia?
The Ribera Del Guadina. However this DO is made up of 6 subregions: Ribera Alta De Guadiana, Ribera Baja De Guadiana, Matanegra, Canamero, Montanchez and the superior Tierra De Barros
What are the DOs Of Andalucia?
Malaga, Sierras De Malaga, Montilla- Morales, Condado Du Huelva, Jerez- Xeres- Sherry and Manzanilla Sanlucar De Barrameda
Who transformed Andalucia into a hub of Mediterranean trade, learning and culture?
Moors
What happened from Andalucia in 1500?
Christopher Columbus set sale for the East Indies
What did Ferdinand Magellan spend his budget on during his circumnavigation of the globe in 1519?
Sherry, more than weapons
When the English started to love for Sherry where did they source the excess wine in Andalucia?
From Condado De Huelva and Montilla- Moriles
Who founded Sherry bodegas in the 17th and 18th centuries?
British firms- Osborne, Garvey, John Harvey (now Domecq)
When did Jerez and Sherry get a DO?
- Jerez Consejo Regulador
What are the two DOs of Sherry that share the same Consejo Regulador?
Jerez- Xeres- Sherry and Manzanilla- Sanlucar De Barrameda
What are the 3 towns where Sherry must be shipped from?
Jerez De la Frontera, Sanlucar De Barrameda and El Puerto De Santa Maria
What are the 3 authorised grapes of Sherry?
Palomino, Pedro Ximinez and Moscatel
Palomino (Listan)?
- Preferred for dry Sherry
- Thrives in white albariza Soils, these are home in the best pagos (vineyards
The low lying vineyards of Jerez usually contain more…..
Barros (clay) where as coastal v/ yards are sandy soils calked arenas. These are suitable for Moscatel grapes
Montilla- Moriles DO?
- Northeast Of Jerez
- Was part of a name of amontillado, but now legally barred
- Pedro Ximinez is the zones principal grape
- Fino, Oloroso and amontillado produced in both fortified and unfortified
- Grape only ripens to 15.5% alcohol
Malaga DO?
- South Of Montilla- Moriles
- Used to be a supplier of wine to Jerez and producer in its own right, but now not so much
- Moscatel and PX
- Grapes are derided for a period of 20 days on grass mats (known as soleo)
- Wines nowerdays are now either naturally sweet or fortified sweet wines
- Fortified Wines undergo solera aging in American oak
What are the five aging categories of Malaga?
Malaga Palido (6 months of aging on oak)
Malaga (6- 24 months)
Malaga Noble (2-3 years)
Malaga Anejo (3-5 years)
Malaga Transanejo (Minimum 5 years)
Canary Island
- 700 miles from Iberian Pennisula
- Volcanic, Sub tropical climate
- 10 DO zones (five on Tenerife, the other 5 cover a whole island): La Palma, El Hierro, Gran Canaria, La Gomera and Lanzarote
- Phylloxera never hit the island
- Reds are from Listan Negro, Negra Moll (Tinta Negra), Malvasia Rosado and Listan Prieto (Mission)
- Whites (from a larger combo of grapes): Malvasia, Gual Forastera Blanca, Moscatel and Listan Blanco (Palomino)
- Used to be fortified wines, but now it’s vino Joven Styles popular with islands tourists
