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Spanish Wine Scholar > Valencia > Flashcards

Valencia Flashcards

1
Q

Name the foods Valencia is known for?

A
  • Paella
  • oranges
  • rice
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2
Q

What agricultural advancements did the Moors contribute to Spain?

A
  • oranges, sugar cane, cotton, apricots, almonds, saffron, rice
  • new breeds of livestock
  • fertilizer
  • pest control
  • grafting methods
  • irrigation: capturing, channelling, & storing of water
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3
Q

What is “The Tribunal of Waters”?

A

This was a network of canals for channeling water created by the Moors located in Valencia.

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4
Q

Where is Comunidad Valencia located?

A

This autonomous region is in the central section of Spain’s east coast and possesses roughly 320mi/515km of Mediterranean shoreline.
It is bordered by Cataluna to the north-east, Aragon to the north-west, Castilla-La Mancha to the west, and Region de Murcia to the south-west.

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5
Q

Name the provinces in Valencia

A
  1. Castellon: in the north
  2. Valencia: in the center
  3. Alicante: in the south
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6
Q

What is the capitol of Valencia?

A

The city of Valencia, Spain’s 3rd largest city.

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7
Q

What is the climate in Valencia?

A

Mediterranean
* Winter: long & cold
* Summer: long, dry, & hot; droughts are common
* Autumn: hailstorms are common; most precipitation occurs here & can fall in torrential downpours
* coastal breezes moderate the heat
* affected by the Leveche
* Inland has continental influences w/ significant diurnal temperature swings (the best wine-producing areas are located here)
* 10-16in/250-400mm average annual rainfall

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8
Q

What is the Leveche?

A

This is a warm southerly wind that originates over the Sahara Desert in North Africa producing hot, dry, & dusty conditions. The wind picks up moisture as it moves northward across the Mediterranean Sea on its way to the Spanish mainland. It is most prevalent in springtime.

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9
Q

Which mountain ranges terminate in Valencia?

A
  • Sistema Iberico
  • Sistema Betico (Cordilleras Beticas)
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10
Q

What is the name of the highest peak in Valencia?

A

Pico Calderon

The provinces of Castellon & Valencia have some of this region’s highest peaks.

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11
Q

Name the main rivers in Valencia.

A
  • Jucar River: originates in Castilla-La Mancha & flows through the Valencia province
  • Segura River: originates in Andalucia & flows through the Alicante province

Note: there are a number of small rivers with so little water volume that they run completely dry in summer.

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12
Q

What soil types are found in Valencia?

A
  • Coastal: marl, clay, & sandstone
  • Inland: limestone & loamy-sand
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13
Q

Which grape varieties is Valencia predominantly known for?

A
  • Bobal
  • Monastrell
  • Moscatel de Alejandria
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14
Q

How is the Bobal variety used to make wines in Valencia?

A
  • traditionally used as a blending grape
  • now being crafted into high-quality varietal wine
  • carbonic maceration
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15
Q

What are the characteristics of varietal wines made from Bobal?

A

Wines made from this variety are full-bodied & deeply pigmented with supple tannins.

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16
Q

How is the Monastrell variety used to make wines in Valencia?

A
  • Blended with small amounts of Garnacha Tintera for added acidity
  • dry varietal wine
  • late-harvest varietal wine (Fondillon from DO Alicante)
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17
Q

Name the DOPs of Valencia.

A
  1. DO Alicante (1957)
  2. DO Utiel-Requena (1957)
  3. DO Valencia (1957)
  4. VP El Terrerazo (2010)
  5. VP Los Balagueses (2011)
  6. VP Vera de Estenas (2019)

Other: VT Castello (2003)

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18
Q

Where is DO Alicante located?

A

This wine region is located within the Alicante province in the southern area of Valencia.

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19
Q

Name the 2 zones in DO Alicante.

A
  1. La Marina: located on the coast in northeastern Alicante
  2. Vinalopo: lies south of La Marina & stretches from the coast to mountainous terrain inland; its western reaches comprise high-elevation vineyards
20
Q

What is the climate in DO Alicante?

A

Mediterranean w/ continental influences
* 10in/250mm average annual rainfall

21
Q

What soil types are found in DO Alicante?

A
  • Limestone (Vinalopo)
  • Clay (La Marina)
22
Q

What styles of wine are produced in DO Alicante?

A
  • Tinto (68%): min. 80% Monastrell
  • Blanco (22%)
  • Rosado (7%)
  • Espumoso (2%)
  • Other (1%)
23
Q

Name the white varieties of DO Alicante.

A

Authorized:
* Moscatel de Alejandria
* Airen
* Subirat Parent (Malvasia)
* Chardonnay
* Macabeo
* Merseguera
* Planta Finta de Pedralba
* Sauvignon Blanc
* Verdil

24
Q

Where in DO Alicante does the Moscatel de Alejandria variety thrive?

A

La Marina

25
Q

Name the red varieties of DO Alicante.

A

Authorized:
* Monastrell (75% of vineyard plantings)
* Garnacha Tintorera/Alicante Bouschet
* Garnacha Tinta/Gironet
* Bobal
* Cabernet Sauvignon
* Merlot
* Pinot Noir
* Petit Verdot
* Syrah
* Tempranillo

26
Q

What area in DO Alicante is predominantly planted to Monastrell?

A

The western reaches of Vinalopo in high-elevation vineyards.

27
Q

How does the style of DO Alicante wine produced from Monastrell differ between vineyards along the coast to those further inland?

A
  • Coastal: fresh & fruity w/ moderate color & soft tannins
  • Inland: meatier & more concentrated flavor profile, deeper color, & generous alcohol
28
Q

What historic & highly-prized wine is produced in DO Alicante?

A

Fondillon

29
Q

How is Fondillon made?

A
  • from over-ripe Monastrell grapes
  • in years w/ long summers; low humidity
  • must achieve a min. 16% abv naturally (w/o fortification)
  • fermentation stops before all sugars are converted into alcohol, leaving residual sugar in the finished wine
  • min. 10 years in giant oak casks in a solera (intentional oxidation) (casks as large as 317gallons/1,200L
30
Q

What is a solera?

A

This is a dynamic fractional blending system with many tiers of wooden casks.
Each tier represents wine of a certain age; typically the oldest wine is on the bottom; the youngest wine is on the top.
Only a portion of the wine is removed (and bottled) in any given year and is replaced by an equivalent volume of wine from a higher (younger) tier, with is replaced by an equivalent volume of wine from a higher (younger) tier until the top tier is topped up with the current vintage.
In this way, the younger wines are always assimilated & integraged into the old & and the style & character of the system is maintained.

31
Q

How many wineries in DO Alicante currently produce Fondillon?

A

Only 8 wineries are producing this wine.

32
Q

Which DOP in Valencia is named after 2 neighboring towns?

A

DO Utiel-Requena

33
Q

Where is DO Utiel-Requena located?

A

This wine region is located in the western portion of the Valencia province in the Valencia region. Castilla-La Mancha borders this region to the west.

34
Q

What is the climate in DO Utiel-Requena?

A

Continental w/ Mediterranean influences
* 16in/400mm average annual rainfall

35
Q

What soil types are found in DO Utiel-Requena?

A

Limestone w/ reddish-brown topsoil

36
Q

What styles of wine are produced in DO Utiel-Requena?

A
  • Tinto (78%): typically 100% Bobal; some blended w/ Tempranillo and/or international varieties
  • Blanco (11%)
  • Rosado (11%)
  • Espumosos (<1%)
  • Other (<1%)
37
Q

Where in Valencia are DO Cavas produced?

A

Requena

38
Q

Name the white varieties of DO Utiel-Requena.

A

Authorized:
* Macabeo
* Merseguera
* Tardana/Planta Nova
* Chardonnay
* Sauvgnon Blanc
* Parellada
* Verdejo
* Moscatel de Grano Menudo

39
Q

Name the red varieties of DO Utiel-Requena.

A

Authorized:
* Bobal (~71% of vineyard land)
* Tempranillo
* Garnacha Tinta
* Garnacha Tintorera
* Cabernet Sauvignon
* Merlot
* Syrah
* Pinot Noir
* Petit Verdot
* Cabernet Franc

40
Q

Which wine style is DO Utiel-Requena’s claim to fame?

A

Vino tinto crafted from Bobal

Bobal is indigenous to this wine region.

41
Q

How old are the Bobal vines in DO Utiel-Requena?

A

More than 50% of these vines are over 40 years old.
Some plantings date back to the early 1900s.

42
Q

What is the unique style of vinifying grapes used in DO Utiel-Requena?

A

Doble pasta (“double pulp”)

The skins & pulp of Bobal vino rosado production are added to a fermenting Bobal must. The resulting wine is “double-macerated” and produces highly-extracted, tannic vino tinto.

Although uncommon, some red wines are still crafted this way today.

43
Q

Why would wine producers in DO Utiel-Requena label their wines as DO Valencia?

A

Despite growing acclaim for their own appellation, DO Valencia has more international recognition.
Previously established regulations allow these producers to label up to 30% of their production as DO Valencia.

44
Q

What are the characteristics of wines produced from Bobal in DO Utiel-Requena?

A

Surprisingly fresh w/ crisp acidity, moderate alcohol, & moderately chewy tannins. This wine exhibits notes of fresh herbs & red berry fruit.
With barrel-age, extra depth & complexity is added.

45
Q

Which 2 wineries in DO Utiel-Requena have regional approval to become Vinos de Pago?

A
  1. Chozas Carrascal
  2. Tharsys

However, they are still awaiting sanction at the EU level.
Both produce single-estate wines under their respective “Pago” labels as well as wines under their regional DO and DO Cava.

Spanish Wine Scholar (31 decks)

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