The Levante Flashcards
Where is Costa Brava?
Catalunya. The Costa Brava is the coastal area which runs all the way from just above the city of Barcelona to the French border.
**
Which administrative regions of Spain comprise the Central Mediterranean Coast?
Valencia and Murcia**
Which administrative region of Spain is home to paella?
Valencia**
From an administrative perspective, what is Valencia?
Valencia is a region, a city, a province and the name of a DO. [Compare to Madrid which is a region, a city and the name of a DO.]
What are the borders of Valencia?
N: Cataluña; E: Mediterrean Sea; W: Aragon and Castilla-La Mancha; S: Murcia**
What is Treaty of Ebro?
A treaty signed in 226 BCE by Hasdrubal the Fair (Hannibal’s father) of Carthage and the Roman Republic, which fixed the river Ebro in Iberia as the boundary between the two powers of Rome (north) and Carthage (south) prior to the Second Punic war.
What is etymology of Mourvedre grape?
It is thought that Monastrell was brought to southern France from Murviedro (‘Old Walls’) as Sagunto was known in the medieval period, and thus was called Mourvedre.
Where did the Second Punic War start?
Saguntum, aka Sagunto, before 219 BCE (15-20 km north of Valencia)
How long did the Islamic North Africans control Valencia?
500 years** [much longer than Catalunya, not as long as Granada.]
After phylloxera came to Valencia, the production of which agricultural products expanded?
rice, almonds, oranges [rather than replant vineyards]
What are the three largest cities in Spain?
Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia **
What are 4 geographic features of Valencia?
4; Jucar River, fertile plains, mountains (Sistema Ibérico and Cordillera Prebético) and Leveche wind** [This SWS answer is ironic as the Levante wind is not considered as important here, but the area is called the Levante.]
What is predominant soil type in mountains of Valencia?
limestone and loamy-sand [limestone is dominant in Murcia]
What are signature red grapes from Valencia?
Bobal (UR) and Monastrell (A)**
What is the signature white grape from Valencia?
Moscatel de Alejandría**
What is predominant wine style in DO Alicante?
still red (68%)
What is westernmost DO of Valencia?
DO Utiel-Requeña
In what region does Ebro River exit to the Mediterranean Sea?
Cataluña, south of Terragona
Which DO in Valencia is authorized for Cava production?
DO Utiel-Requeña** [FWIW, the Requeña side]
Where is Territorio Bobal?
unofficial term for DO Utiel-Requeña** [Bobal is also the signature grape in the adjacent DO Mancheula; BURT+M]
What is predominant wine style in DO Utiel-Requeña?
predominantly red** (78%)
What is predominant wine style in DO Yecla?
red** (92%)
Where are wines from DO Yecla sold?
95% are exported [much higher than the Spanish national average which exports just over 50% of wine production]
Which 4 regions of Spain have the most vineyards?
Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Castilla y Leon, Valencia
What are the NTK DO’s in Valencia?
DO Alicante and DO Utiel-Requena** [DO Valencia is not on the list.]
What are the NTK DO’s in Murcia?
DO Bullas, DO Jumilla, DO Yecla** [All of them.]
What is the dominant grape in DO Alicante?
Monastrell (75%)** [not Bobal]
At the end of the 19th century, how did the price of Fondillón wine compare with Malaga, Port, Sherry and Valdepeñas?
The Maisonnave wine catalogue from the end of the 19th century contains these sale prices: Alicante Fondillón wine 800 francs/hectolitre, Malaga 135, Port 153, Sherry 204, Valdepeñas 60. (Prices not testable, but this speaks to the historical importance of Fondillón for SWS.)
Where is Fondillón from?
Alicante ** [La Vinya del Senyor]
What are the borders of Murcia?
E: Mediterranean Sea; S: Andalucía; N: Valencia; W: Castilla-La Mancha
Which DO is shared between Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha?
Jumilla** [DO Cava and DOCa Rioja are the other appellations that cross into more than one region.]
What is the primary river in Murcia?
Segura River** [after running through Murcia, it exits into Valencia.]
What topographic feature is associated with the best vineyards in Murcia?
Altiplano of Jumilla-Yecla
Name the grape that is “preferred” in all three DO’s in Murcia?
Monastrell**
What mountains are associated with Murcia?
Cordillera Prebetíco**
Monastrell is native to where?
Valencia**
What is predominant wine style in DO Bullas?
red** (79%)
What is the distinctive weather pattern in DO Bullas?
autumn storms [Vineyards with characteristic limestone soil and excellent drainage can weather these storms; cities not so much.]
For DO Bullas, which variety and in what minimal proportion is required for red and rosé wines?
Monastrell at least 60%
What is the primary white grape used in DO Bullas?
whites comprise only 12% of wine produced, predominantly Macabeo
What characteristic of DO Jumilla allows vines to grow on ungrafted rootstock?
acidic limestone soils which are phylloxera resistant (but not immune) allows labeling term ‘pie franco’
What is predominant wine style in DO Jumilla?
red** (92%)
What is the primary river in Valencia?
Jucar River**
What is the dominant grape in DO Utiel-Requena?
Bobal** [BURT-M]
Where is Spain’s largest lagoon?
Murcia, Mar Menor, near Cartagena
What is Murcia’s oldest wine region?
Jumilla**
DO Jumilla is shared by which two regions? Compare the relative vineyard land and the production of the two regions.
Murcia and Castilla La Mancha; Vineyard: 60% in C-LM; 40% in M;
Production: 30% in C-LM; 70% in M.
What is the characteristic soil of Valencia?
none, soil varies: marl, clay and sandstone on the coast; limestone and loamy-sand inland [contrast to soil in Murcia which is characteristically limestone]
When Franco took power, where was the last area of the Republican holdouts during the conflict?
provinces of Valencia and Alicante (This was before the establishment of administrative regions.)
What is the level of rainfall in Valencia and Murcia?
although humid areas, rainfall is low, 10-16 inches (V) and 12-14 inches (M)
Grapes grown near Requeña are labeled for which DO?
This is a point of potential confusion as they can be labeled in multiple ways: DO Utiel-Requeña, DO Cava or DO Valencia (up to 30%).
What is southernmost DO in Murcia?
DO Bullas**
What is the favored white grape in DO Alicante?
Moscatel de Alejandría** [contrast with Macabeo in DO Bullas]
What was the Flood of Saint Theresa?
catastrophic flood in October 1879 that caused a severe economic recession in Murcia due to widespread destruction; emblematic of typical severe fall storms in this otherwise arid area and the importance of excellent drainage in the limestone soil. It occurred on the day honoring Saint Theresa.
What was Ovid’s evaluation of Spanish wine from Valencia sold in Rome during the reign of Augustus?
Ovid notes that one popular Spanish wine sold in Rome, known as Saguntum, was merely good for getting your mistress drunk. (Wiki)
What is the newest appellation in Murcia?
DO Bullas**
What is the oldest appellation in Murcia?
DO Jumilla**
What is the smallest appellation in Murcia?
DO Yecla**
Red wines from DO Yecla are most often made with which grapes?
Monovarietal Monastrell
What is Las Fallas?
Falla comes from Latin “facula” meaning torch. Las Fallas festival is celebrated Mar 14-19 every year in Valencia. It is recognized as a UNESCO’s ”Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” It is celebrated in honor of St. Joseph, patron saint of Carpenters. Large structures, NINOTS, are built in the street and burned during the festival.
What is the westernmost DO in Murcia?
DO Bullas
How does the structure of wines in DO Bullas compare to wine from other areas of Murcia?
Higher acidity and lower alcohol may result from the high altitude vineyards in DO Bullas. 
